It’s getting tougher for me to keep up with current TV shows as they air. I’ve become very accustomed and comfortable watching shows at my own leisure and pace. The model of weekly TV is not something I find deeply rewarding as far as most shows are concerned. We’ll get into the weeds on that in a tick, but let me say that I’m currently watching Alien: Earth and Peacemaker Season 2 as they air on their respective weekdays (Tuesdays and Thursdays). To be clear, I’m thoroughly enjoying both of these shows so far. The stories they are telling have my attention and I look forward to each new episode.
However, I’m starting to realize that I’m probably going to like Alien: Earth and Peacemaker Season 2 a lot more when I have the chance to binge them as a whole. But, I also understand why they should be weekly releases. Guess I better get into those aforementioned weeds.
“See You Next Week!” Stories vs. Movie-Turned-Show
Alien: Earth and Peacemaker Season 2 are not the kinds of TV shows that feel like mutilated movies, let’s get that out of the way up top. A lot of criticism has popped up in recent years that many TV shows (especially in the MCU) would function better as standalone cinematic experiences, but their television incarnations feel like butter scraped over too much bread. I’m not saying that about either of these shows.
What I will say is that the stories being told in Alien: Earth and Peacemaker Season 2 are having to fit into a specific TV mold, the “Same Bat-Time, Same Bat-Channel!” structure necessary for shows to keep people hooked and interested in the next installment. And though they have been mostly effective in that cliffhanger regard, they have felt a little confined at times by this structure. Both shows have had episodes whose endings felt almost arbitrary simply because they ran out of time.
The Problem With The “All At Once” Model
I should also clarify that I’m not arguing for Alien: Earth or Peacemaker Season 2 to drop all their episodes all at once. Netflix made that a certain expectation for a while, but even they realize they need to space out episode releases to maximize engagement across all possible platforms. In fact, with the rare exception of something like Midnight Mass, I don’t think the “all at once” model really benefits most shows in the way they’re presented.
I’m glad Alien: Earth and Peacemaker Season 2 are being embraced by audiences, but I think I’ll be more excited when they are all wrapped up and I can take them in at a deliberate pace. Specifically, I can’t wait to binge the entirety of Alien: Earth in a single sitting. It’s the most refreshing entry in the franchise since the first film, and as much as I enjoy watching it with my friend every week, we both are eagerly anticipating watching the whole thing together. I get the feeling I’ll appreciate the show even more once it’s left the necessity of telling its story in chunks.
While I think there are some shows that can still benefit from the weekly release model — I’ll always fondly reminisce about that first season of True Detective and the conversations that built from week to week with each episode — I think my days of following most shows every week will continue to dwindle until I diminish into the West.
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