in the thread title, what I mean is, why do british programmes have short lifespans? if that wording makes more sense

I mean I can understand shows like skins having only 61 episodes because they're 44-48 minutes in length and you can't just stretch out a show like that for as long as you want, but sometimes I find a british TV programme and I get really into it. and then I get to like series 3 of the programme and then it's the last series of the programme??? like???

for example I've gotten into the inbetweeners recently, and I was a bit upset when I found out the show ended at 18 episodes with just 3 series?? and the show isn't even 45 minutes in length, it's literally a half-hour programme.

is this just laziness or is this really standard in the UK? asking for help, british ATRLers!

edit: whoops I posted this in the lounge. @mods can u move this to base please?? ty
edit: brit ATRLers please don't take this as an insult to ur entertainment industry btw

it's a part of their entertainment culture. it's like that in a lot of countries, like Japan, Germany, Korea, some Middle East countries etc...

it's annoying tho

in the USA a show with seven series (we call them "seasons" here idk if you know that, don't take this as shade) would prolly have like 80-90, sometimes over 100 episodes

Inbetweeners
Misfits
Girls
Fresh Meat
bad education

Like all my favourite shows are like 3 series long. Like WTF?!? But keeps the quality in check though and they are mostly E4 shows (which is like EW) so that demo needs something new a whole lot quicker

Downton Abbey

so this is just british standard? okay then it just bothered me at first when I realised I'm almost near finishing the inbetweeners

I guess I'll get used to it

so annoying. the way i waited 2 years for another season of friday night dinner and it's 6 episode, are u kidding me

I think its just the fact American TV series' are really really long. Its you, not us!

I mean, look at Lost I don't think we've ever had anything like that.

I loveeeeeeeeeeeed the inbetweeners.

I feel the same way with sherlock... How you gonn give me 3 two hour episodes and call it a season?

Misfits was also great, but short

Because we focus on quality, not quantity. 22 episodes of anything is too much.

it's definitely just a thing we do here for whatever reason, unfortunately stuff just seems to end/cancel really early compared to USA.

Although as others have said, their definitely are exceptions to the rule. Skins had many, many seasons (7 if I remember correctly?) Downton Abbey of course was famously popular and I know that definitely had an America-ish length of seasons (about 5-7 ish I think?), Shameless had quite a few. Poldark was recently renewed for another 3 seasons so that'll have a minimum of five seasons.

It really depends, UK tv is a bit unpredictable.

Also regarding Inbteweeners (which was HUGE here back in 2010-2011ish) that ended (if I remember correctly) as the creators (some of whom also acted in it too) felt it was coming to the natural end, so it was their decision, I'm sure Channel 4 would have loved to have kept it going. But they have done 2 films.

except I dont care for lost the only truly "long" TV series I've ever liked is beverly hills, 90210 but even then that doesn't really count since they switched up the cast and certain characters dropped out throughout the run

The Fall is ending this year after 3 seasons and only 17 episodes in total

Because usually they know when to end it. Americans really don't.

Sherlock does take the mick tho

Quality not quantity m'dear.

IMO many American TV shows drag out for years and years with crap content...

"Will Mary eat a chocolate bar in the next episode? Tune in on Friday 9pm central to find out"

Next up! The Big Bang Theory!

*Silly joke by Sheldon Cooper*

Cut to commercial.