Sophomore Contraction: why popular TV series are getting fewer episodes in continuity

Fans of Netflix's series "The Diplomat" experienced disappointment when the second season, released in October 2024, consisted of only six episodes instead of eight like the first. This trend has been seen with other shows as well: the second season of "XO, Kitty" was cut from ten to eight episodes, HBO's "House of the Dragon" and Apple TV+'s "Bad Sisters" also each produced eight episodes instead of ten.

The reasons for the cuts vary. In some cases, it is due to decisions by creators who prefer more compact seasons to improve the pace of the story. Also, production delays caused by the 2023 Hollywood strikes played a significant role, increasing the gap between seasons to two years or more. This had a negative impact on the popularity of series such as FX's "The Old Man", which failed to regain ratings after a long hiatus and was shut down.

Budget constraints have also been a key factor. Streaming platforms, in an effort to cut costs, have opted to reduce the number of episodes even of successful shows. For example, the second season of "House of the Dragon" was originally planned for ten episodes, but was reduced to eight. HBO representatives emphasized that the decision was based on script needs, but sources point to the impact of cost-cutting measures.

Some creators, such as Debora Cahn, the writer of "The Diplomat", admit that the reduction in episodes was their own decision. Cahn explained that fatigue and lack of time were the deciding factors. Netflix has expressed dissatisfaction with the reduction, and the third season is expected to return to an eight-episode format.

However, not all shows will move to abbreviated seasons. For example, the third season of "House of the Dragon" is slated to be expanded, and shows like "Tell Me Lies" have already confirmed to keep the original format.