tos was 50 minutes. cable networks tried to speed it up or edit it so they could cram more commercials in to the actual hour-long timeslot… then they tried stretching episodes (promoted as ‘uncut’ original) out to 90 minutes. 40 minutes of commercials for 50 minutes of program.
TNG was 52 minutes if i recall. they’ve been editing them for syndication down to 42 tho, you’re right just checked and the one i’m on is 45. Why do i remember something being 52 minutes?
Here in PAL world, I think most of TNG, DS9 and the first 4? seasons of VOY clocked in around 44 minutes without commericals. It then dropped to 42 minutes through the remainder of VOY and all of ENT.
By the 2010s most US procedurals (e.g. NCIS and its spinoffs, Elementary, etc.) were averaging 39 minutes per episode.
In the 2010s, one of our free-to-air stations started butchering shows that had longer runtimes (e.g. Seven Wonders of the Industrial World, early Murder, She Wrote episodes), cutting them from their normal 45 to 47 minute duration down to 40-42 minutes to fit the expected amount of advertising for a one-hour timeslot.
Its one if the greatest failings of modern scifi. It uses cgi and effects as a crutch for story telling. We have some exceptions to the rules of course, but in general they move fast and skip story beats or discussion.
I think it’s quite possible to still tell a good story in the time allocated these days (noting that streaming shows have more variability in episode length too), but I agree that there is far too much focus on SFX and fast pacing that often leaves the story lacking (and gaping plot holes).
cgi and effects arnt the only crutch. its the unnecessary added characthers with thier unique personalities in the shows that dint advance the plot that much.
better actors and writers, the current ones in nutrek are pretty unlikable, minus the legacy ones. like when one of the STD actors passed away, people were like WHO?
We’re watching ‘Murder, She Wrote’ now, and they feel really tightly written. There’s not a lot of filler and they end faster than i expect. Cutting 5 minutes out of those just would not work.
Sometimes it was quite obvious where cuts had been made, sometimes not. An easy cut was the episode preview before the title sequence – I can only recall one episode actually retaining it.
Yeah, but even “hour-long” episodes were only half that with the commercials excluded
42 minutes.
tos was 50 minutes. cable networks tried to speed it up or edit it so they could cram more commercials in to the actual hour-long timeslot… then they tried stretching episodes (promoted as ‘uncut’ original) out to 90 minutes. 40 minutes of commercials for 50 minutes of program.
TNG was 52 minutes if i recall. they’ve been editing them for syndication down to 42 tho, you’re rightjust checked and the one i’m on is 45. Why do i remember something being 52 minutes?DS9, Voyager, and TNG all have episode lengths of approximately 45 minutes without commercials.
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Tbh, it feels longer than that. A dozen times. Maybe even a hundred. It’s impossible to tell.
and then you see the same commercial multiple times.
More like 3/4
Here in PAL world, I think most of TNG, DS9 and the first 4? seasons of VOY clocked in around 44 minutes without commericals. It then dropped to 42 minutes through the remainder of VOY and all of ENT.
By the 2010s most US procedurals (e.g. NCIS and its spinoffs, Elementary, etc.) were averaging 39 minutes per episode.
In the 2010s, one of our free-to-air stations started butchering shows that had longer runtimes (e.g. Seven Wonders of the Industrial World, early Murder, She Wrote episodes), cutting them from their normal 45 to 47 minute duration down to 40-42 minutes to fit the expected amount of advertising for a one-hour timeslot.
Now I feel old.
No wonder the older shows in general seem to tell a better story. They were telling MORE story
They had time to tell a full story
Its one if the greatest failings of modern scifi. It uses cgi and effects as a crutch for story telling. We have some exceptions to the rules of course, but in general they move fast and skip story beats or discussion.
I think it’s quite possible to still tell a good story in the time allocated these days (noting that streaming shows have more variability in episode length too), but I agree that there is far too much focus on SFX and fast pacing that often leaves the story lacking (and gaping plot holes).
with literally every other option just a click away now, they feel they ‘have to’ do it that way to keep viewers interested.
cgi and effects arnt the only crutch. its the unnecessary added characthers with thier unique personalities in the shows that dint advance the plot that much.
and add more to it. then slop by nutrek.
better actors and writers, the current ones in nutrek are pretty unlikable, minus the legacy ones. like when one of the STD actors passed away, people were like WHO?
We’re watching ‘Murder, She Wrote’ now, and they feel really tightly written. There’s not a lot of filler and they end faster than i expect. Cutting 5 minutes out of those just would not work.
Sometimes it was quite obvious where cuts had been made, sometimes not. An easy cut was the episode preview before the title sequence – I can only recall one episode actually retaining it.
Ah yeah those are dumb.
Arr! Still not worth sitting through commercials!
And my point is still valid. Not 1 hour long in reality