When the US TV networks reveal their fall schedules next week, viewers can expect few, if any, serialized dramas on television.

Only a handful of shows (i.e. Heroes, Friday Night Lights) have survived like their predecessors of 24, Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy and Lost. But, the rest have disappeared, never to be heard from again. Most of which were cancelled mid-season.

So what went wrong?

First, there were too many shows chasing too few viewers. Viewers are also pressed for time. Serialized dramas as a lot of viewers' time and if you miss an episode, you're lost. (No pun intended)

But one of the biggest reasons is that serialized dramas, like 24, don't do well in reruns. Closed-ended episodic series like House and CSI do very well. Most of the studios' profits come from reruns and syndication sales. The license fee for first-run episodes aren't usually enough to cover the cost of production.

One advantage to serialized dramas, however, is that when it becomes a hit, viewers get addicted. It's appointment television that can't be missed. In an age where appointment-based programming is slowly on it's way out, conventional broadcasters welcome it.

Full Story (Vancouver Sun)