Sleepy Hollow

In the last year I have watched a lot of TV series that I have missed the last years. I prefer to see them at one go.  Unfortunately, they tend to drag on for too many seasons and somewhere along the line you get tired of them. Here some of my favourites in later years:

True Blood, The Tudors, Downtown Abbey, Bones, The Big Bang Theory, Game of Thrones, Hell on Wheels (I am always week for a good western) and many more but these are the ones that come to mind now. My son insisted I had to watch The Walking Dead and although I did not like it in the beginning it has turned out to be very good. Although to be honest I am not sure I have even seen all the parts of the first season!

This time I managed to suggest one for my son. The title 'Sleepy Hollow' turned up regularly here and there so I started to watch it. It begins really good and my son thought so too. But then he asked the 10.000 dollar question. How many seasons can they possibly make out of this? Not too many I would say unless they want you to get tired of it. However, they are looking for the four horsemen of the Apocalypse so maybe there will be four seasons? I doubt it will keep me hooked that long. But for now it is ok.

I think that the general problem for most series is that when they become very popular the producers as well as the viewers want the series to continue. But for a very few exceptions most series are better to be finished on time. I still remember which must have been one of the first series that continued for ever. It was call The Fugitive and ran between 1963 and 1967 with David Janssen as Dr. Richard Kimble. In the end they produced 120 episodes.

Another obstacle is - once you decide that this is the last season - how do you end it? I think it becomes more difficult the longer it goes on. The other problem is these days that when the first series is done you don't even know if it will continue or not. It all depends on the reception. Furthermore, if it becomes very popular, each new series have to have another story line and as we know, the writers are good and know how to keep you thrilled. Now they say that season seven of True Blood will be the last one. Very good, hopefully they have a very good ending? Personally, I think that the last good season was number four. After that it got a little bit 'wild west', that is; shooting from the hip in all possible directions! You can see that the writers run out of imagination and the stories become thinner and thinner.

Some gorgeous guys!  The Tudors also thrilled us with wonderful
clothes and settings. For True Blood, well not that many clothes,
were there?

I also prefer to know that there is an ending when I start watching something. At least something that has a developing story. Series like The Big Bang Theory, 2 and 1/2 men and Friends for example can continue for ever. The Tudors and The Borgias are series where you know there is an ending. Of course these last series are loosely based on historical events so we know more or less how they will end. That does not make them less interesting. They also tend to have wonderful, colourful settings, castles, homes and clothes.

One series though that I never seem to tire of although now I tend to look at it one or two episodes at a time. That is BONES. It is really good and I enjoy the scientific approach even if I doubt anyone can find out what they do in real life.

What are your favourite TV series?