Better question is: Do viewers really hold a grudge going forward? And if so, against whom? This rises as the subscription video platform continues to make quick cancellations to TV series, including some popular ones.
“GLOW,” the comedy/drama based on professional female wrestlers, from executive producer Jenji Kohan, will end after its fourth season. Also, Netflix won’t produce a second season of Kathleen Jordan’s “Teenage Bounty Hunters.”
This isn’t new. Netflix has cancelled many shows seemingly abruptly, shocking some TV critics/analysts.
But digging deeper, are we really surprised? After all, Netflix doesn’t issue TV-like Nielsen ratings where experts can track viewing trends, day by day, week by week. Instead, Netflix uses its own internal data, information that is rarely released.
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From all of this, you may wonder: Do loyal viewers to these Netflix shows -- now somewhat angry -- then bolt into some kind of action, like cancelling their Netflix service? We can’t tell yet.
What are TV producers left to do? Apart from getting a notice about series cancellation, figure story lines for TV series are written with more finale-feeling season (or series) ending episodes.
For example, “Teenage Bounty Hunters,” which TV Watch liked, ended its first season with a finale where there was a competition of one major story arc, while teasing another. Then, there was the news the series was ending.
Are we upset? A bit. But not crushingly so.
In the past, on live linear TV networks, viewers would see a season finale and then wait -- possibly for months -- for the next season of the program. And what were they doing in between? Watching other TV shows.
We aren’t in a traditional TV model any longer. Shows are increasingly produced and distributed year-round. While traditional TV networks have been doing this for sometime, it has been accelerated from Netflix, Hulu, Amazon and others.
With a continued flow of new TV shows, viewers are now conditioned to move on quickly to other content.
It is increasingly common for a typical season to run nine-to-12 episodes -- far less than the traditional TV season of 22 or 23 episodes. So now, there are longer periods of time between seasons. Amplify this even more if you binge watch -- taking in a whole season in a weekend.
And know this: By some estimations, Netflix -- worldwide -- has been releasing, what amounts to, one new piece of content -- TV series, movie, documentary -- per day.
Is the Netflix brand hurt somewhat by quick cancellations? No. That is part of its brand definition.