Lower Decks to end in Season 5

[Makeshift Python]

Comparing terrestrial broadcast shows and cable/streaming is like comparing apples and oranges. They’re completely different markets. Traditional terrestrial shows have usually been 22-26 episodes because they’re trying to build a syndication package for affiliates interested in purchasing for reruns. The magic number is typicall 100, but TOS and ENT making 79 and 98 respectively was good enough for affiliates to buy and air daily.

With cable/streaming like HBO and Netflix, those studios are being funded straight out of subscriptions numbers rather than ad sponsorships, so there’s really no sense in trying to boost those shows’ numbers for syndication because they’re not expected to be sold. Only a few notable shows like SEX AND THE CITY and THE SOPRANOS generated enough interest for affiliates or cable networks to air edited/censored versions of those shows.