The ADHDification of Modern TV
TV shows, from The Real Housewives reality franchise to the fantasy drama Game of Thrones, have been vital parts of pop culture since their creation. TV shows are our comfort, our relaxation – and most importantly, our entertainment.
In a world where trend cycles are becoming shorter and shorter, it’s also harder to capture people’s attention. Today, there is a constant battle between different streaming services and companies fighting for our attention. Because of this, we are seeing a massive shift in how TV shows are being made in order to cater to dwindling attention spans.
Recently, I found myself tuning into the new season of Project Runway. I have been a fan of the show since middle school. I love watching talented creatives design the most stunning pieces of fashion with a short deadline. The show has always done a great job of incorporating the models and giving us a look into each designer's mind. They never fail to explore backstories and show their entire creative process.
Project Runway contestant Shantall Lacayo (CNN)
To my surprise this season, they did an entire upheaval of the show. They brought back the original host Heidi Klum, had the designers work in a brand new workroom, and were even bought out by Disney in October 2024. This is where the problems began. For starters, the season only featured 10 episodes, as opposed to the usual 14. This was already a major red flag for me, as it meant they were decreasing the length of the show by over 25%. For a show that really took the time to feature their designers and give their models a platform, this seemed like a huge loss.
Unfortunately, this has been a major trend in recent TV, especially for shows produced by streaming services. Most shows are only granted 8-10 episodes per season, a formula that does not do the genre of reality competition shows justice. Due to our shrinking attention spans, shows have decided to shorten seasons in the hopes of retaining their audience for long enough to reach the finale. In reality, it seems to be driving people away, perhaps due to their inability to connect with the material in the same way they used to.
This is a report from Nielsen showing the most streamed shows of 2023. Older shows dominated the top of the list, and very few follow the 8-10 episode formula of modern TV. So, why do they stick to this formula? They may be trying to mimic the short form appeal of YouTube and TikTok, but this is not a quality that people are looking for in TV shows.
When you shorten a TV show and remove the intricacies that come with the longer format, you remove the reason to make one in the first place. Being able to get to know your characters over a long period of time and getting to build on plots and storylines formed episodes – or even seasons – before is the reason people choose TV over other forms of media.
Project Runway, in an effort to shorten the show and give it a “modern” rework, has thrown away every aspect that made the show different from other forms of media. They took away huge portions of content featuring the designers and their process and instead focused on petty drama. They even took away the model’s role outside the runway almost completely. There used to be designers who were loyal to one or two models, but they all seemed to get lost in the shuffle this season.
We have plenty of short-form content that can satisfy that quick rush of dopamine we might need now and then. Trying to convert TV shows into one of those mediums is a detrimental move made by nervous production companies. It is not going to hold up long term. Society yearns for character development that has time to be fully realized and seasons that are not 8 episodes every two years.
There is a reason shows like Suits, Friends, and Gilmore Girls were the top streamed shows despite dozens of new, fresh titles being released every year. It’s not just nostalgia; shows that take the time to properly develop their characters and let the audience in more intimately will always stand the test of time. Shortened attention spans are catered to in almost every other aspect of our lives. Just leave TV shows alone.
Sources:
Image (CNN): https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/04/entertainment/project-runway-season-19-winner-shantall-lacayo
Nielsen Top 10 Article: https://ktla.com/entertainment/the-top-streamed-shows-are-almost-all-old-why/
Image (Pinterest): https://www.pinterest.com/pin/790029959673363192/
About the Author: Sophia Butsch is a senior studying Business Administration and Media Studies. She was born and raised in Portland, Oregon and loves the PNW more than anything. She loves exploring topics surrounding pop culture, feminism, and the film industry.