Has the golden age of television ended?
The rise of streaming has fundamentally changed the way that we, as viewers, consume media. Streamers like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime provide flexibility, accessibility and personalization you can’t get from cable television. It’s no surprise that channel television is fading more and more into obsolescence with the younger generations; why bother with scheduled, limited cable TV when you can watch what you want, when you want it? The increased convenience and variety offered by streaming led viewers everywhere to dub the present day a new golden age of television. But the new dynamics brought about by streaming have also revolutionized the way TV series are approached — specifically, the way they are ended. Streaming giants are canceling shows at an unprecedented rate, leaving fans and writers alike dissatisfied. Why are so many shows axed before they have the chance to flourish? Does this practice signal the end of the preeminence of streaming, or simply the cutthroat new norm?
One reason streaming has led to an increase in cancellations is the devaluation of individual series. A contributing factor is how streaming services pay their showrunners. Often, these corporations will increase bonuses with every subsequent season, meaning the longer a show goes on, the more money it makes the creators. It makes sense, then, why the shows are canceled before those newer, more expensive seasons can air. If there isn’t a sufficient return on investment, they aren’t worth continuing. Better to find a shiny new show than invest in a costly second season for something only semi-popular. Additionally, streaming sites get their revenue from monthly subscriptions, not viewership. The number of accounts subscribed to the service takes precedence over the popularity of any one particular show. A show is worthwhile if it gets more people to subscribe. If not, regardless of whether current account holders enjoy it, the series isn’t worth pursuing further. Overnight sensations are always the goal.
Nowadays, virality is the most important metric in judging a series’ viability. And it is a phenomenon that is made possible by streaming. In rare cases, combining effective advertisement, timing, accessibility and luck allows for TV series to become massively popular upon release. Prime examples of this trend — including shows like Stranger Things and Bridgerton — have had no trouble being renewed season after season. Failure to promptly garner a widespread audience and rave reviews puts you on the chopping block. Streaming services look to their immediate successes as the standard to which all their media should be held. Unfortunately, these viral giants are the exception, not the rule. The majority of shows will never reach that level of fame with one season, and therefore never get the chance to.
What does this mean for viewers? Frustration and disappointment. TV enthusiasts feel more and more often that there’s no point investing their time and emotions into something that’s going to be canceled anyway. And that disposition just exacerbates the issue. When viewers aren’t watching because they think a show will be canceled, the show looks like a failure and is canceled, giving merit to those fears. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy, and nobody — viewers, streamers, creators — benefits. Streaming services appear to have lost confidence in their product.
However, even if streaming sites don’t seem to believe in their shows’ ability to perform, that doesn’t stop viewers from fighting for their favorites. A pertinent example of this: Amazon Prime’s My Lady Jane. Based on the novel of the same name, the series aired on June 27, 2024. It was not immediately viral, and therefore was not renewed for a second season. The small, fiercely loyal fanbase immediately rallied, posting on all forms of social media and petitioning to change Amazon’s mind. The effect was far-reaching: Even George R. R. Martin, author of the world-famous A Song of Ice and Fire Series, advocated for a second season. The Change.org petition to renew the show has garnered over 80,000 signatures as of October, and support for the show is only growing, which indicates a larger trend of pushback against streaming sites’ constant cancellations.
It is yet to be seen what Amazon will do in the face of so much protest, but the decision could prove indicative of the future of cancel-happy streaming sites. Will they renew My Lady Jane and put effort into quality rather than churning out shows, searching for the next big hit? Or will they ignore the fans, perpetuating this fruitless TV trend? Regardless, streaming’s preeminence has launched us into a new era of television. It may mean the end of the 2000s golden age, but already services are seeing increased subscription cancellations. To keep up their revenue, something will have to change, and my vote is for gaining the confidence to keep good series running.
Melissa Moon is a freshman in the College of Arts & Sciences. She can be reached at [email protected].