Keeping shows alive!

[JustJack]

Whats better, an episodic show? Or a show with a Saga..or a main theme?
What, of these shows, stays alive the longest?
But, what do you prefer to watch?

On one hand, an Episodic show can always move on. Characters rarely leave, but you feel a whole lot more confident the heroes will be victorious in the end.
Story lines become repetitive, but not episodes. So, it has probably a better chance of getting re-newed each episode.

But, shows with a major theme, or saga, end up being better, right? All the episodes are intertwined, to make one big, cool, fun story line. But, when that Saga is over, either the show ends(perhaps on decision by the shows writers), or they start up a new saga. Unfortunetly, the next saga has to be bigger & more spectacular(but this doesn't mean it's better.). But, with a lot of Anime(like Tenchi), when the story ends, and the shows go into rerun limbo, people simply get tired, or sick of seeing the same saga over & over again.

So, whats better? What truelly keeps a show alive?

But, I would argue. Cowboy Bebop is fairly Episodic, with a background saga. And I can watch that show a million times, I am not about to get tired of it.

[Calhoun07]

I think both really have their place in this world and to say one form is better than another...well, how can you compare them? Babylon 5 is probably the most successful saga on TV in recent history, and how can you deny the influence of such saga shows as Prisoner and Twin Peaks on our culture? Yet, just because those shows have to be seen as one whole piece rather than as one episode at a time does not mean they are better than a shows like MASH or Hill Street Blues or Boston Public or what have you that has stories contained in one or a few episodes that run together.