Why do TV shows take frequent breaks during a season?
I notice this more when watching American shows - but for example, the Canadian show "Continuum" skipped a week after only four episodes in the current season. This is something I have seen frequently and can cite a variety of other examples using the list of shows that I usually watch, namely NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles, Lost Girl, Dexter, Breaking Bad, etc.
Using NCIS Season 10 as a pertinent example;
- break after episode 3,
- break after episode 5,
- break after episode 10 (this one is presumably for Christmas),
- break after episode 14,
- break after episode 20
I have mentioned Breaking Bad, but I am excluding the long term break in the middle of season five, as that isn't an example of the kind of breaks I am querying. Specifically, my question is in relation to the seemingly sporadic one week breaks that occur in the "current" season being broadcast.
Why do TV shows take frequent breaks during a season?
Best Answer
As FredH mentioned in his comment, in this particular case most of the gaps in NCIS correspond to political pre-emptions. However, even when there aren't these kinds of special things going on, most shows on the big networks have these kind of breaks. The reason is they are trying to make sure that they have shows for as many sweep periods as possible.
What is a "sweep period?"
In the Nielsen ratings system, there are four periods per year (November, February, May and July) when Nielsen does intensive viewer diaries in addition to the electronic metering. These diaries have a lot of impact on a shows ratings. Thus, networks want to make sure they have shows during these times. However, there are 34-35 weeks between late September (the traditional start of the network "season") and the end of May (to make sure that the May sweep is covered).
Since the average TV show only runs about 24 episodes these days (in the early days of TV it was closer to 30 but to save on costs most big 3 network series are only 22-24 today) that means that there are 10-11 weeks difference between the time they are trying to cover and the number of episodes they have to use. This is why there are breaks over the season. They usually group the episodes around the sweeps period and either fill in with other shows, movies, holiday specials, events, etc.
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Why do TV shows take so many breaks?
Most broadcast network television series are scheduled for a season of 22 episodes in a time span running 36 weeks from September to May, so networks usually arrange the 22 episodes to air in blocks. Television stations often implement a hiatus for their programs to split up a season for storyline purposes.Why do shows split seasons?
"A major part of it is contractual," Fienberg explains. "A split final season like 'Breaking Bad' and 'Mad Men' gets negotiated as a single season, presumably without pay bumps for stars between seasons, but also allows for more episodes either shot all at once or with a long hiatus between 'halves' of the season."Why do shows take a week off?
However, even when there aren't these kinds of special things going on, most shows on the big networks have these kind of breaks. The reason is they are trying to make sure that they have shows for as many sweep periods as possible.Why do TV shows all become re runs in the summer months?
So they maximize the profit margin and minimize effort by clutering the airwaves with a species as common to summer a mosquitos. Reruns. This summer will be anything but a revolution in that regard. Most shows have been into repeats for several weeks already.When Should a TV Show End?
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