Are you always happy when a show gets renewed?

[TKz]

So, I'm having a conversation with my girlfriend the other day about Supernatural. This topic isn't about Supernatural, but it's a pretty perfect example of the scenario. So the show has run about 7 Seasons now and is reaching fairly past its prime. Don't get me wrong there's still flashes of greatness, but it definitely feels like it's carrying on now because it gets decent ratings, not because there's still more story to tell. (If that makes sense? I think it does. >_>)

When I heard it was renewed AGAIN, I said that I kind of wish it wouldn't be so that it could come to a real close, because I still like the show and I don't want to see it run for so long that it becomes a shadow of what it used to be. They've changed up the cast and villains and so on, but there's only so long any show can run before there's no stories left for it tell. Or, no interesting ones that you haven't seen before anyway.

She on the other hand said that even if it's not as good as it was, is quite happy for it to continue because at the end of the day - it's more of a show she likes. And I can see the logic in that, even if the quality is starting to dip. But on the other hand some shows did turn it around. Lost arguably could have been wrapped up a earlier and whilst there was a noticeable dip about mid-series 3 on wards, it eventually returned to form (again, arguably. >_>) and the later series ended up being quite good, even if not totally necessary.

So I ask ye, EWB. When a show has reached it's logical conclusion, would you rather it end there, or would you rather more of the same?

A good example of a show that probably finished when it should have is Chuck. Maybe a series earlier, but it wrapped it up without going a too long.

[AnnIQ Edison]

Normally I'm alright with a show continuing on. One I have had a problem with though was the recent news that How I Met Your Mother was being renewed for two more seasons. That would bring it up to nine which is waaaaayyyy to long in my opinion.

[Your Mom]

I love Supernatural and I will never complain about it still being on TV but after this season I can't really see how much else there is to fight. Seems like they have fought everything. Maybe it will wrap up this season?

Realistically though I would prefer shows have a set endpoint and reach that point. I am never happy when a show I like doesn't get to finish telling it's story, but you can kind of tell when shows are just going through the motions. Like I don't watch The Office but from what I read in the Thursday night topic it sounds like that show should not be on anymore.

[TKz]

I love Supernatural and I will never complain about it still being on TV but after this season I can't really see how much else there is to fight. Seems like they have fought everything. Maybe it will wrap up this season?

Realistically though I would prefer shows have a set endpoint and reach that point. I am never happy when a show I like doesn't get to finish telling it's story, but you can kind of tell when shows are just going through the motions. Like I don't watch The Office but from what I read in the Thursday night topic it sounds like that show should not be on anymore.

The Office and HIMYM are really good examples of them just continuing for the sake of it. How I Met Your Mother is the worst offender because it has an end point, but it's stretching it out for as long as possible to make as much money as possible. The Office is not quite as bad because there's no real end point that's ever been in sight, but there was a logical conclusion with Michael leaving that would have worked better than continuing it.

And how did you feel about the latest season of Supernatural, Srar? I liked the last like... 6 episodes, but oh boy the rest of the season barely held my interest.

[Benjamin]

Ooh, I actually understand how you feel, though it will be about a show none of you will like (except maybe Summers ) : One Tree Hill. It went four seasons, whereupon they graduated high school, but it should have ended there. Continuing after that was a terrible decision, as was fast-forwarding four years into the future.

Also, Tkz, I hate it when you call a TV show's season as "series". Irks the crap out of me

[Jimmy]

I've seen very few shows have the actual balls to end at a logical conclusion. The UK version of Life on Mars ran for two fantastic seaons and ended, not because ratings wern't good, but because it had come to a good conclusion. I would have loved to have had a few more episodes, but I was very happy it ended on such a high note. I'm usually of the opinion that a less-quality version of the show is better than nothing, but I do appreciate it when a show ends on a high note on its own accord.

[Noah]

I loved Married with Children and watched it until the very end.

It should have ended a good number of years before it did though, even a die-hard fan like me can see that.

[Benji]

Scrubs was a horrible example of this. Every time it was renewed past about season 5/6 it made me feel sad. It lost it's heart and just seemed to flail. When they cancelled it, only to do The Interns, I just gave up. The show teetered on cancellation for years, and I just wish they'd have let it happen sooner.

[KONGO]

I've seen very few shows have the actual balls to end at a logical conclusion. The UK version of Life on Mars ran for two fantastic seaons and ended, not because ratings wern't good, but because it had come to a good conclusion. I would have loved to have had a few more episodes, but I was very happy it ended on such a high note. I'm usually of the opinion that a less-quality version of the show is better than nothing, but I do appreciate it when a show ends on a high note on its own accord.

I don't think it's a question of balls, it's that most shows aren't conceived with an end-point in mind. As long as it keeps getting ratings they can keep creating episodes.

[Haloheadfire]

I think a good example of a show ending when it should've was The Shield. Season 7 was awesome and I wish Season 5/6 were done together because Season 6 wasn't really good, and it would've been a bit better. But the writers strike (I believe?) got in the way of that and overall Season 7 ended with really the best show they've ever done and that's more then I can say about most other shows.

[IDOL]

There are a couple of shows I wish they would have killed off before it got to the ridiculousness of their final few seasons.

- Heroes

- One Tree Hill (The end of high school should have been the end)

- Glee (It was okay the first season and a half - after that it was AWFUL)

[TKz]

I think with Glee and Heroes especially, it's not so much as they ran too long at all, they just suddenly got really bad. If Heroes kept up the quality from season 1, I think 4 seasons probably would have been too few.

[KONGO]

I'm not really a current watcher of TV, I tend to see most shows a few years after they'v completed. That said, Red Dwarf would have been perfect at two series, then pretty good at four (with two series of Kryten). Six was stretching it and the last two seasons were dreadful.

EDIT: I was excited when Red Dwarf was brought back for Dave but it was just okay. Not really necessary at all.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Red Dwarf should have finished after 6. Series 6 had some excellent episodes in it. 7 had some good points but 8 was terrible. Nonsense.

I like shows that get wrapped up correctly and leave a wonderful warm memory. I'm glad there were only 12 Fawlty Towers episodes - they're all brilliant. I would like another series of Nathan Barley but the six episodes it does have, in my mind, are excellent.

That said, I really wish Farscape hadn't been cancelled.

[Meacon Keaton]

Also, Tkz, I hate it when you call a TV show's season as "series". Irks the crap out of me

Aren't you the guy that calls movies "shows"?

[TKz]

I would have liked one more season of Black Books. But then, that didn't work out so well for The IT Crowd so maybe not. >_>

[KONGO]

I would have liked one more season of Black Books. But then, that didn't work out so well for The IT Crowd so maybe not. >_>

What? Are you talking about season four of IT Crowd? I'm four episodes in and still mad I'm going to be done soon.

[TKz]

I seem to remember not enjoying season 4 anywhere near as much as the rest.

[KONGO]

Only thing I can say is that this series is much more driven by how much of an awful person Jen is. She's still been funny but not endearing at all.

EDIT: I guess as a better answer to the topic, I can't think of any shows that I've been a fan of and have hung on long enough for me to care about their renewing schedules. Scrubs, for instance, I stopped finding funny long before I was plugged in to news about show cancellations. Battlestar Galactica is the only show I've followed for a while and it ended at season 4 with the end of the story, so that was fine. But yeah, I guess I can't see there being a show that I really liked but thought it should get cancelled while I still like it.

[Benjamin]

Also, Tkz, I hate it when you call a TV show's season as "series". Irks the crap out of me

Aren't you the guy that calls movies "shows"?

Possibly