Television has always impacted society, no matter the genre or length. New advances in techniques bring hundreds of new shows annually, and there have been some incredible television shows over the years, but they don’t always meet the mark in terms of season length. Some shows have way too many seasons that continue to overstretch various plots to extreme and tiring lengths, and others are cut short seemingly in the middle of the narrative for little to no reason. But the best shows balance length and interest with narrative and characters, causing audiences to return again and again.
The shows that are memorable and make the most impact combine these elements to create something spectacular and unique that stands the test of time. There isn’t ever only one factor that makes a TV show great, but season length can definitely play a part. If a show is too short, audiences will be left unsatisfied and wanting more. If a show lasts too long, plots can get too abstract and excessive, tiring an audience. While there isn’t an exact science to how many seasons a TV show should last, as each one is different, these definitely hit the mark.
Schitt’s Creek
The Canadian show,Schitt’s Creek, started out small and unassuming, but quickly amasseda large fanbase across its six-season run. The show’s length allowed each character to grow and change, resulting in excellent story arcs that touched its viewers. The heart of the show became extremely prevalent as the Rose family embraced the town of Schitt’s Creek and grew to love it alongside the audience, allowing for an especially touching finale as the characters continued their lives forever changed by a strange, small town.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Brooklyn Nine-Ninesurprised fans in the unique way it combined multiple television tropes to establish a unique ensemble sitcom. The show tackled serious topics as well as elaborate, comedic heists, blending various themes to form an enjoyable sitcom that remains a favorite. Despite the showoriginally being canceled, it came back better than ever and gave the fans a stellar next few seasons, with its eighth and final season being extremely memorable.
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Gilmore Girls
Amy Sherman-Palladino’s quick-paced and heartfelt comedy-drama,Gilmore Girls, has been a fan favorite across generations for its wit, clever writing, character design, and touching story. The seven-season run let audiences follow the Gilmore women as they grow and take on various life struggles together. Through the ups and downs, Rory and Lorelei stick together, and the show ends right where it began, at Luke’s Diner, cementing an emotional farewell to the characters everyone loved.
While there is some debate over how well the reunion show,Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, was received, it definitely added to the overall storyline and gave touching updates and conclusions to the Gilmores.
Breaking Bad
Breaking Badis definitely in the top tier of television. It challenged what a TV show could be, adding crafted film-like cinematography and moral complexities that were rarely explored before on television. It even led to asuccessful prequel series,Better Call Saul. Through its five-season run, it captivated audiences through various high stake situations that culminated in an epic finale.
The number of seasons allowed each character to have a well-rounded story arc as well as explore the deep complexities in the sense of morality within each situation that draws the audience in and makes iteven better with a rewatch.
The quintessential, generation-defining sitcom,Friends, has dominated television screens since the pilot episode. Since then, Ross, Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Joey, and Chandler have become household names, solidifying the show’s impact on culture. While not every episode is needed to understand the show, it adds to the world-building and overall impact in television. The 10th and final season brought this group of friends' journey to a close, but each year, a new generation ‘discovers’ the show and our favorite friends live on.
Modern Family
Modern Familyis a perfect example of a successful ensemble cast. It accurately depicts a modern version of a traditional family, at the time, pushing new boundaries for modern sitcoms. The show bounces between three immediate families, while frequently bringing them together as an extended family. This adds more interest and allows a wider variety of audience to connect with the characters.
Through the show’s 11 seasons, each member of the family goes through extensive character development. From just the first episode, you end up falling in love with the Pritchetts and the love only grows with each episode. The seasons allow the audience to grow and expand alongside the family, furthering the show’s impact.
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With the almost movie-like length of each episode,Sherlockdefinitely deserves all the praise. Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat expertly adapted various Sherlock Holmes adventures into 13 episodes, spanning four series. While this is one of the shorter entries in the list, it definitely exemplifies quality over quantity. The series balances character with the modernization of the beloved sleuth to form a fan-favorite show that can be rewatched over and over again.
The Office
The Officeis arguably one of the best sitcoms of the 2000s, stretching nine seasons. While it began as aremake of the British version of the show, it quickly grew into a separate series and even surpassed the original in popularity. Despite the show slightly struggling to find its footing later on without Steve Carell’s Michael Scott, it quickly bounced back to give fans the ultimate final season that perfectly wrapped up each character’s storylines and left the audience with few questions.
The finale especially highlighted on the heart of the show and everything that made it special.
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Nickelodeon has released many fan-favorite shows, butAvatar: The Last Airbenderremains as one of the network’s most popular shows with a successful animated spinoff,The Legend of Korra, as well as a questionable live action movie of the same name, andmultiple upcoming projects.
Although the show only lasted three seasons, it was a perfect number as it reflected the three elements Aang needed to learn as well as leaving multiple storylines open to be explored deeper in novels, comics, and sequels, without leaving the audience feeling like an incomplete narrative was presented.
Parks and Recreation
Parks and Recreationstands alongsideThe Office,Brooklyn Nine-Nine,andThe Good Placein Michael Schur’s television portfolio. Although the show piggybacked alongside the success ofThe Office, it quickly separated itself as its characters grew into their own and became fan favorites. The choice to jump forward in time for the final season allowed the show to depict the characters' futures without dragging on for too long, in which the audience could grow uninterested.
Through the show’s seven seasons, character introductions and development was mastered and made the audience fall in love with everyone in the ensemble, making the finale even more meaningful and heartwarming.
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Malcolm in the Middle
A favorite of the 2000s,Malcolm in the Middleis a hilarious coming-of-age story that broke the fourth wall and sent audiences into stomach-busting laughter that has continued to ring out with rewatches long after its seven-season run. The show’s comedy remains fresh and clever, and the show’s pacing flows almost perfectly.
The seven seasons allowed the audience to follow Malcolm as he grows into adulthood and leaves for college, as the audience grows along with the family, making it relatable through the various stages of life.
I Love Lucy
I Love Lucydefined sitcoms for decades to come and is still revered as one of the best television shows across generations for its groundbreaking techniques, like the use of multiple cameras to capture more dynamic and versatile performances from the actors. The show’s six-season run was filled withmemorable and fan-favorite episodesthat added immense recognition for the sitcom.
Each season allowed the show to explore topics that had never before been depicted on television, such as Desi Arnaz’s Cuban heritage connected with his character Ricky and Lucille Ball’s pregnancy alongside the character Lucy.
How I Met Your Mother
Craig Thoms and Carter Bays’sHow I Met Your Motherdefinitely kept audiences at the edge of their seat as Ted Mosby’s search for true love was expanded into a nine-season run, chronicled by Ted’s retelling of how he met his children’s mother. This unique narrative allowed the show to jump timelines and lean into various fantastical comedic bits as it was told through the lens of a narrator’s memory to his own children.
The ninth and final season was especially unique as it chronicled roughly one weekend with numerous flashbacks and led to an incredible payoff for various storylines and the climactic reveal of when Ted finally meets the ‘Mother’.
