The importance of shows having a proper ending

I agree, it would not stop me and i rather watch a quality show with only 1 or 2 seasons that was ended to early than never having watched it in the first place, like Firefly, Messiah and so on.

But i sometimes think twice before i start a new FOX series because their new shows often have a tough time to get renewed in the first place (but i usually still watch them, if i liked the pilot).

When you invest in something for so long, it's nice to get some kind of closure.

But TV is a business, and if the show isn't making enough money, surely it makes sense not to keep on with it?  Don't get me wrong, I've been left wanting more from many shows, but I totally understand why shows are cancelled.

If you ran a business that wasn't making enough money and only had a small customer base, wouldn't it make more sense for you to close that one and maybe start another one?

I guess that's the blessing/curse of increased TV competition: you get a lot more shows to choose from, but the business execs are more brutal when it comes to ending shows that don't bring the desired numbers.

Personally, I love the net benefit!

If the viewer was satisfied with a show he might also buy it in the future or atleast recommend it to others and they might watch/buy it aswell. So atleast in theory they should have an incentive to keep the viewers satisfied overall.

For the laugh tracks discussion, please see https://forum.next-episode.net/viewtopic.php?id=10466

I couldn't split the first post of that thread, so here's the relevant part for this discussion:

I almost always keep noise on in my apartment, it's right in the city and needs a sound wall to block out the outside noises.

Though I am picky about what I play (whether music or tv shows). But yes some tv shows are almost purely for noise and I don't gaf about paying too much attention to them. Those tv shows are the -just okay- shows I keep on my watchlist.

Reality shows don't HAVE to be bad. Mythbusters was a reality show, for example. But that show was (mostly) free of the many annoying tropes that reality shows seem to all be based around. They are always constructed the same way, with the "confessionals", the constant "in-show spoilers" (my term - you know, "coming up after the break", and then they show a spoiler!), and all the rest. They are exhausting, even when the subject matter is actually interesting! I don't get it. There must be more ways of doing it!

I dumped my TV about 10 years ago, but when I had a set, it was always on. Mostly on mute, but always on. "Extreme attention puller" is a good way to put it, and the main reason I got rid of it! Since then I only watch what I want to watch, through Netflix and other online sources. No more commercials! Ever!

While Hollywood is a business, it's a pretty complicated one, that has gotten a lot more complicated in the last few decades.

A good example are the two science fiction shows, Dark Matter and Killjoys. Both were pretty good, but then the one (that I think was a bit better, DM), was canceled, while K was renewed. The reason was that they had different ownership rights. You have the production company, the distribution company, the network etc. and each can have a different contract for different parts of the show, yielding different profits, and therefore different renewal equations.

Then there's the cast and their contracts. Do they want to commit to doing a movie that ties things up, but can't be shot for another year or three, thus blocking potential future "normal" employment.

As to why any of the networks / production companies / etc. should care about leaving their viewers happy, there's DVD sales, and syndication sales, and more an more shows are being re-issued on paid cable, even for the minor shows. I suspect such is why, after a LONG hiatus, Deadwood was revisited as a ending the story movie.

It's simple. Shows should be insured from sudden cancellation by having special fund for additional final episode or TV-movie. It would be good for everyone including karma of greedy companies. Sometimes audience willing to add their money for additional production. If not additional episode then probably something like comic-book or at least readable scenario. All needed from companies is give some money and right to authors to do that. But of course they are too greedy for that.