roseleaf
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Do you like a story premise with a built in ending? | Poll
🕑 Added 2025-06-18 14:09:02 +0000 UTCThis may be more of a discussion that a deciding the future of a project. I watching TV and noticing a number my current shows have build-in endings before they even start.
For a couple of examples of what I'm talking about, we have Star Trek's "5 Year Mission"; Strange New World's future that is set in stone; The Librarians selecting a new Librarian; Better Call Saul's future; Breaking Bad's cancer.
Alternatively, there are shows that are designed to never end, like Leverage; Always Sunny; Mandolorian; and Poker Face.
I did see a couple options that seemed to bridge the gap. One where there are infinite stories in the same world, but every season is a complete story such as Fargo; Reacher; American Horror Story; Black Mirror; The Afterparty
The other outlier I noticed while researching, were shows that tried to have their cake and eat it too, like The Bear that established a show ending goal, but then continued beyond that point.
Comments
Roseleaf
Some of that may go back to LOST. I remember the writers being very frank about the network demands. That the show will continue as long as it's popular. As soon as it's not popular it will end abruptly. That was part of them demanding an end to the show. Wheel of Time was going to disappoint people. It has the reputation for being endlessly long. There was no way they would finish without being cancelled. I'll put Netflix One Peace in that column as well.
TrueRonin88
I feel like in today era of streaming shows need to really be both. You can go in with the mindset of it all being to be said and done in one season and then be renewed and have to have a gameplan beyond that. Conversely you can have a story that is meant to go for multiple season and then gets cancelled after clearly not being done. That's why I think any really long book series is a gamble to be adapted. Looking mainly at Wheel of Time and Swords of Shannara as perfect examples.
