History Main / SeasonFluidity

|| '''[[StoryArc Dammed]]'''|| Series-long MythArc [[RotatingArcs or Arcs]] || ''Series/BabylonFive'', ''Series/DoctorWho'' (revival series), ''Series/GameOfThrones'', ''Series/TheLordOfTheRingsTheRingsOfPower'', ''Series/OrphanBlack'', ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' (later seasons), most anime and NoughtiesDramaSeries. [[TheNewTens "Peak]] [[TheNewTwenties TV"]] prestige dramas start to show up here. ||

|| '''[[StoryArc Dammed]]'''|| Series-long MythArc [[RotatingArcs or Arcs]] || ''Series/BabylonFive'', ''Series/DoctorWho'' (revival series), ''Series/GameOfThrones'', ''Series/OrphanBlack'', ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' (later seasons), most anime and NoughtiesDramaSeries. [[TheNewTens "Peak]] [[TheNewTwenties TV"]] prestige dramas start to show up here. ||

The popularity of these formats have waxed and waned throughout television history, though with a general trend toward more abrupt forms. Before home video, when shows lived and died on their ability to be discovered via channel-surfing and potential for syndication, fluid series were necessary; you could not expect every viewer to follow the series straight through beginning to end. While series-long arcs were possible in the broadest sense (think ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries''' "five-year mission"), they could not be too complex; they needed to still be understandable for someone tuning in halfway through season 5. With the rise of home video and especially [=DVD=]s, it became more possible for shows to make back money from video sales, making series with longer arcs more possible -- though most viewers still discovered television casually, and shows had to remain accessible to them. (Series from this era that required more sustained viewer attention often received lower ratings for it, even if they're remembered fondly now; for instance, ''Series/TheWire'' risked cancellation several times, and only started to gain its reputation via [=DVD=] sales during its later seasons.) In the age of streaming, though, series that are both less episodic overall and have very distinctive seasons have become more possible, with more mainstream viewers (not just diehard fans buying the [=DVD=] box sets) favoring "binge-watching" them in large chunks. In the case of sites like Creator/{{Netflix}} that release full seasons at once, highly abrupt seasons are the norm rather than the exception -- and their popularity has led other networks to do the same even if they release in the traditional episode-by-episode fashion. This is while you'll find dramas from the 1950s-1980s closer to the fluid end, 1990s-2000s ones in the middle, and those from TheNewTens further toward the abrupt end (though not always ''all'' the way; a ''purely'' serialized drama would be closer to the middle because [[MythArc its seasons all follow the same longer story]]). Comedies have remained more fluid, but even then there is a general trend down the scale; contrast ''Series/ILoveLucy'' with something like ''Series/{{Community}}'', for instance.

The popularity of these formats have waxed and waned throughout television history, though with a general trend toward more abrupt forms. Before home video, when shows lived and died on their ability to be discovered via channel-surfing and potential for syndication, fluid series were necessary; you could not expect every viewer to follow the series straight through beginning to end. While series-long arcs were possible in the broadest sense (think ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries''' "five-year mission"), they could not be too complex; they needed to still be understandable for someone tuning in halfway through season 5. With the rise of home video and especially [=DVD=]s, it became more possible for shows to make back money from video sales, making series with longer arcs more possible -- though most viewers still discovered television casually, and shows had to remain accessible to them. (Series from this era that required more sustained viewer attention often received lower ratings for it, even if they're remembered fondly now; for instance, ''Series/TheWire'' risked cancellation several times, and only started to gain its reputation via [=DVD=] sales during its later seasons.) In the age of streaming, though, series that are both less episodic overall and have very distinctive seasons have become more possible, with more mainstream viewers (not just diehard fans buying the [=DVD=] box sets) favoring "binge-watching" them in large chunks. In the case of sites like Creator/{{Netflix}} that release full seasons at once, highly abrupt seasons are the norm rather than the exception -- and their popularity has led other networks to do the same even if they release in the traditional episode-by-episode fashion. This is while you'll find dramas from the 1950s-1980s closer to the fluid end, 1990s-2000s ones in the middle, and those from TheNewTens further toward the abrupt end (though not all the way; a ''heavily'' serialized drama would be closer to the middle because [[MythArc its seasons all follow the same longer story]]). Comedies have remained more fluid, but even then there is a general trend down the scale; contrast something like ''Series/ILoveLucy'' with something like ''Series/{{Community}}'', for instance.

|| '''[[SeriesFranchise Abrupt]]''' || Highly-distinct seasons, self-contained, sometimes to the point of ThematicSeries || ''Series/AmericanHorrorStory'', ''Series/{{Blackadder}}'', ''Franchise/{{Digimon}}'' (third season onward), ''Series/{{Lexx}}'', ''Franchise/SuperSentai'', ''Series/{{Skins}}'' (every two seasons), ''Series/TrueDetective'' ||

|| || Self-contained season-[[StoryArc arcs]], with some overarching plots || ''Series/TwentyFour'', ''Series/{{Angel}}'', ''[[WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender A:TLA]]''/''[[WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra Korra]]'', ''Series/{{Damages}}'', ''Series/MadMen'', ''Series/{{Skins}}'' (seasons with the same cast), most [[TeenDrama Teen Dramas]] and [[PrimeTimeSoap Prime Time Soaps]], most Creator/{{Netflix}} original series ||

|| || Highly-distinct seasons with ArcWelding || ''Franchise/{{Digimon}}'' ([[Anime/DigimonAdventure first]] [[Anime/DigimonAdventure02 two seasons]]), ''Franchise/PowerRangers'', ''Anime/SailorMoon'', ''Series/StarTrekDiscovery'' ||
|| || || ''Franchise/JoJosBizarreAdventure'', , ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' ||

|| || Highly-distinct seasons with ArcWelding || ''Franchise/{{Digimon}}'' ([[Anime/DigimonAdventure first]] [[Anime/DigimonAdventure02 two seasons]]), ''Franchise/JoJosBizarreAdventure'', ''Franchise/PowerRangers'', ''Anime/SailorMoon'', ''Series/StarTrekDiscovery'' ||
|| '''[[SeriesFranchise Abrupt]]''' || Highly-distinct seasons, self-contained, sometimes to the point of ThematicSeries || ''Series/AmericanHorrorStory'', ''Series/{{Blackadder}}'', ''Franchise/{{Digimon}}'' (third season onward), ''Series/{{Lexx}}'', ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'', ''Franchise/SuperSentai'', ''Series/{{Skins}}'' (every two seasons), ''Series/TrueDetective'' ||

The popularity of these formats have waxed and waned throughout television history, though with a general trend toward more abrupt forms. Before home video, when shows lived and died on their ability to be discovered via channel-surfing and potential for syndication, fluid series were necessary; you could not expect every viewer to follow the series straight through beginning to end. While series-long arcs were possible in the broadest sense (think ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries''' "five-year mission"), they could not be too complex; they needed to still be understandable for someone tuning in halfway through season 5. With the rise of home video and especially [=DVD=]s, it became more possible for shows to make back money from video sales, making series with longer arcs more possible -- though most viewers still discovered television casually, and shows had to remain accessible to them. (Series from this era that required more sustained viewer attention often received lower ratings for it, even if they're remembered fondly now; for instance, ''Series/TheWire'' risked cancellation several times, and only started to gain its reputation via [=DVD=] sales during its later seasons.) In the age of streaming, though, series that are both less episodic overall and have very distinctive seasons have become more possible, with more mainstream viewers (not just diehard fans buying the [=DVD=] box sets) favoring "binge-watching" them in large chunks. In the case of sites like Creator/{{Netflix}} that release full seasons at once, highly abrupt seasons are the norm rather than the exception -- and their popularity has led other networks to do the same even if they release in the traditional episode-by-episode fashion. This is while you'll find dramas from the 1950s-1980s closer to the fluid end, 1990s-2000s ones in the middle, and those from TheNewTens further toward the abrupt end. Even comedies, which are traditionally more fluid, have seen a general move toward the abruptness end over the years; compare a 1950s-60s sitcom with something like ''Series/Community'', for instance. Though there will likely always be series all along the spectrum due to different audiences (e.g. [[PreschoolShow Preschool Shows]] must be extremely fluid by necessity) and tastes (not everyone wants a show that requires a lengthy time commitment, as is the case with most series in the middle of this spectrum, or even some on the far abrupt end depending on how long and detailed their seasons are).

The popularity of these formats have waxed and waned throughout television history, though with a general trend toward more abrupt forms. Before home video, when shows lived and died on their ability to be discovered via channel-surfing and potential for syndication, fluid series were necessary; you could not expect every viewer to follow the series straight through beginning to end. While series-long arcs were possible in the broadest sense (think ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries''' "five-year mission"), they could not be too complex; they needed to still be understandable for someone tuning in halfway through season 5. With the rise of home video and especially [=DVD=]s, it became more possible for shows to lean on their video sales, making series with longer arcs more possible -- though most viewers still discovered television casually, and shows had to remain accessible to them. (Series from this era that required more sustained viewer attention often received lower ratings for it, even if they're remembered fondly now; for instance, ''Series/TheWire'' risked cancellation several times, and only started to gain its reputation via [=DVD=] sales during its later seasons.) With the rise of streaming, though, series that are both less episodic overall and have very distinctive seasons have become more possible, with more viewers favoring "binge-watching" them in large chunks. In the case of sites like Creator/{{Netflix}} that release full seasons at once, highly abrupt seasons are the norm rather than the exception -- and their popularity has led other networks to do the same even if they release in the traditional episode-by-episode fashion. This is while you'll find dramas from the 1950s-1980s closer to the fluid end, 1990s-2000s ones in the middle, and those from TheNewTens further toward the abrupt end.

|| '''[[ResetButton Fluid]]''' || StatusQuoIsGod on the series level, even including NegativeContinuity || Most [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfAnimation Golden Age]] and [[UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfAnimation Dark Age]] WesternAnimation plus later works that follow those formats (e.g. ''WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}}'', ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventures''), most traditional {{SitCom}}s, ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' in its early seasons, ''Anime/SpaceDandy'' ||

The popularity of these formats have waxed and waned throughout television history, though with a general trend toward more abrupt forms. Before home video, when shows lived and died on their ability to be discovered via channel-surfing and later syndication, fluid series were necessary; you could not expect every viewer to follow the series straight through beginning to end. While series-long arcs were possible in the broadest sense (think ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries''' "five-year mission"), they could not be too complex; they needed to still be understandable for someone tuning in halfway through season 5. With the rise of home video and especially [=DVD=]s, it became more possible for shows to lean on their video sales, making series with longer arcs more possible -- though most viewers still discovered television casually, and shows had to remain accessible to them. (Series from this era that required more sustained viewer attention often received lower ratings for it, even if they're remembered fondly now; for instance, ''Series/TheWire'' risked cancellation several times, and only started to gain its reputation via [=DVD=] sales during its later seasons.) With the rise of streaming, though, series that are both less episodic overall and have very distinctive seasons have become more possible, with more viewers favoring "binge-watching" them in large chunks. In the case of sites like Creator/{{Netflix}} that release full seasons at once, highly abrupt seasons are the norm rather than the exception -- and their popularity has led other networks to do the same even if they release in the traditional episode-by-episode fashion. This is while you'll find dramas from the 1950s-1980s closer to the fluid end, 1990s-2000s ones in the middle, and those from TheNewTens further toward the abrupt end.

|| || Usually stand-alone, but occasionally has arcs || Most [[UsefulNotes/TheMillenniumAgeOfAnimation Millennium Age]] [[WesternAnimation children's animated series]], ''Series/DoctorWho'' (classic series), ''Franchise/LawAndOrder'' and its various spin-offs, ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'', ''Series/TheVicarOfDibley'' and other standard {{Brit Com}}s. Typical abruptness limit for WesternAnimation and [[SitCom SitComs]] before TheNewTens. ||

|| || Usually stand-alone, but occasionally has arcs || Most [[UsefulNotes/TheMillenniumAgeOfAnimation Millennium Age]] WesternAnimation, ''Series/DoctorWho'' (classic series), ''Franchise/LawAndOrder'' and its various spin-offs, ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'', ''Series/TheVicarOfDibley'' and other standard {{Brit Com}}s. Typical abruptness limit for WesternAnimation and [[SitCom SitComs]] before TheNewTens. ||

|| || Usually stand-alone, but occasionally has arcs || [[UsefulNotes/TheMillenniumAgeOfAnimation Millennium Age]] WesternAnimation, ''Series/DoctorWho'' (classic series), ''Franchise/LawAndOrder'' and its various spin-offs, ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'', ''Series/TheVicarOfDibley'' and other standard {{Brit Com}}s. Typical abruptness limit for WesternAnimation and [[SitCom SitComs]] before TheNewTens. ||

|| || Usually stand-alone, but occasionally has arcs || ''Anime/CowboyBebop'', ''Series/DoctorWho'' (classic series), ''Franchise/LawAndOrder'' and its various spin-offs, ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'', ''Series/TheVicarOfDibley'' and other standard {{Brit Com}}s, most [[UsefulNotes/TheMillenniumAgeOfAnimation Millennium Age]] WesternAnimation. Typical abruptness limit for WesternAnimation and [[SitCom SitComs]] before TheNewTens. ||

|| || Usually stand-alone, but occasionally has arcs || ''Anime/CowboyBebop'', ''Series/DoctorWho'' (classic series), ''Franchise/LawAndOrder'' and its various spin-offs, ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'', ''Series/TheVicarOfDibley'' and other standard {{Brit Com}}s, most [[UsefulNotes/TheMillenniumAgeOfAnimation Millennium Age]] WesternAnimation. Typical abruptness limit for WesternAnimation and [[SitCom SitComs]] (at least before TheNewTens). ||

|| || Usually stand-alone, but occasionally has arcs || ''Anime/CowboyBebop'', ''Series/DoctorWho'' (classic series), ''Franchise/LawAndOrder'' and its various spin-offs, ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'', ''Series/TheVicarOfDibley'' and other standard {{Brit Com}}s, most [[UsefulNotes/TheMillenniumAgeOfAnimation Millennium Age]] WesternAnimation. Before TheNewTens, this was the typical abruptness limit for WesternAnimation and [[SitCom SitComs]]. ||

|| || Usually stand-alone, but occasionally has arcs || ''Anime/CowboyBebop'', ''Series/DoctorWho'' (classic series), ''Franchise/LawAndOrder'' and its various spin-offs, ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'', ''Series/TheVicarOfDibley'' and other standard {{Brit Com}}s, most [[UsefulNotes/TheMillenniumAgeOfAnimation Millennium Age]] WesternAnimation. Typical abruptness limit for {{SitCom}}s. ||

The popularity of these formats have waxed and waned throughout television history, though with a general trend toward more abrupt forms. Before home video, when shows lived and died on their ability to be discovered via channel-surfing and later syndication, fluid series were necessary; you could not expect every viewer to follow the series straight through beginning to end. While series-long arcs were possible in the broadest sense (think ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries''' "five-year mission"), they could not be too complex; they needed to still be understandable for someone tuning in halfway through season 5. With the rise of home video and especially [=DVD=]s, it became more possible for shows to lean on their video sales, making series with longer arcs more possible -- though most viewers still discovered television casually, and shows had to remain accessible to them. (Series from this era that required more sustained viewer attention often received lower ratings for it, even if they're remembered fondly now; for instance, ''Series/TheWire'' risked cancellation several times, and only started to gain its reputation via [=DVD=] sales during its later seasons.) With the rise of streaming, though, series that are both less episodic overall and have very distinctive seasons have become more possible, with more viewers favoring "binge-watching" them in large chunks. In the case of sites like ''Creator/{{Netflix}}'' that release full seasons at once, highly abrupt seasons are the norm rather than the exception -- and their popularity has led other networks to do the same even if they release in the traditional episode-by-episode fashion. This is while you'll find dramas from the 1950s-1980s closer to the fluid end, 1990s-2000s ones in the middle, and those from TheNewTens further toward the abrupt end.

|| || Self-contained season-[[StoryArc arcs]], with some overarching plots || ''Series/TwentyFour'', ''Series/{{Angel}}'', ''[[WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender Avatar]]''/''[[WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra Korra]]'', ''Series/{{Damages}}'', ''Series/MadMen'', ''Series/{{Skins}}'' (seasons with the same cast), most [[TeenDrama Teen Dramas]] and [[PrimeTimeSoap Prime Time Soaps]], most Creator/{{Netflix}} original series ||

|| || Self-contained season-[[StoryArc arcs]], with some overarching plots || ''Series/TwentyFour'', ''Series/{{Angel}}'', ''[[WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender Avatar]]''/''[[WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra | Korra]]'', ''Series/{{Damages}}'', ''Series/MadMen'', ''Series/{{Skins}}'' (seasons with the same cast), most [[TeenDrama Teen Dramas]] and [[PrimeTimeSoap Prime Time Soaps]], most Creator/{{Netflix}} original series ||

|| || Self-contained season-[[StoryArc arcs]], with some overarching plots || ''Series/TwentyFour'', ''Series/{{Angel}}'', ''[[WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender Avatar]]''/''[[WesterAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra | Korra]]'', ''Series/{{Damages}}'', ''Series/MadMen'', ''Series/{{Skins}}'' (seasons with the same cast), most [[TeenDrama Teen Dramas]] and [[PrimeTimeSoap Prime Time Soaps]], most Creator/{{Netflix}} original series ||

|| || Usually stand-alone, but occasionally has arcs || ''Anime/CowboyBebop'', ''Series/DoctorWho'' (classic series), ''Franchise/LawAndOrder'' and its various spin-offs, ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'', ''Series/TheVicarOfDibley'' and other standard {{Brit Com}}s, most [[UsefulNotes/TheMillenniumAgeOfAnimation Millennium Age]] WesternAnimation. Typical abruptness limit for WesternAnimation and {{SitCom}}s. ||

|| || Self-contained season-[[StoryArc arcs]], with some overarching plots || ''Series/TwentyFour'', ''Series/{{Angel}}'', ''Series/{{Damages}}'', ''Series/MadMen'', ''Series/{{Skins}}'' (seasons with the same cast), most [[TeenDrama Teen Dramas]] and [[PrimeTimeSoap Prime Time Soaps]], most Creator/{{Netflix}} original series ||

|| || || ''Series/{{Glee}}'', ''Series/{{Succession}}'' ||

The popularity of these formats have waxed and waned throughout television history, though with a general trend toward more abrupt forms. Before home video, when shows lived and died on their ability to be discovered via channel-surfing and later syndication, fluid series were necessary; you could not expect every viewer to follow the series through to its end. While series-long arcs were possible in the broadest sense (think ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries''' "five-year mission"), they could not be too complex; they needed to still be understandable for someone tuning in halfway through season 5. With the rise of home video and especially [=DVD=]s, it became more possible for shows to lean on their video sales, making series with longer arcs more possible -- though most viewers still discovered television casually, and shows had to remain accessible to them. (Series from this era that required more sustained viewer attention often received lower ratings for it, even if they're remembered fondly now; for instance, ''Series/TheWire'' risked cancellation several times, and only started to gain its reputation via [=DVD=] sales during its later seasons.) With the rise of streaming, though, series that are both less episodic overall and have very distinctive seasons have become more possible, with more viewers favoring "binge-watching" them in large chunks. In the case of sites like ''Creator/{{Netflix}}'' that release full seasons at once, highly abrupt seasons are the norm rather than the exception -- and their popularity has led other networks to do the same even if they release in the traditional episode-by-episode fashion. This is while you'll find dramas from the 1950s-1980s closer to the fluid end, 1990s-2000s ones in the middle, and those from TheNewTens further toward the abrupt end.

It is worth nothing that not all series fit neatly into these categories, including some of the ones categorized here. Most series have multiple plots going on at the same time, which can have different levels of fluidity. The question comes from which tends to take precedence in differentiating episodes and seasons, which often has to do with where the storytelling places its emphasis: do viewers remember it for its distinctive ''scenes'', ''episodes'' or ''seasons''? ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' has many distinctive episodes, and some broader arcs like character relationships and Buffy coming into her power, but its storytelling is organized around its season-long plot arcs, putting it more toward the abrupt end of the scale. ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' has plenty of episode-level stories and [[RotatingArcs smaller arcs]], but anchors them in the Dominion War MythArc in its later seasons. Yet all of this is subjective, because not every viewer watches for the same reasons. Some shows have been placed in-between categories to demonstrate the categories' (ahem) fluidity. For instance, ''Series/{{Glee}}'' is known for its individual episodes and tends to follow the HalfArcSeason, but it has enough dramatic shifts in cast and character dynamics between seasons (especially in later ones) to keep them more distinct.

|| || Usually stand-alone, but occasionally has arcs || ''Franchise/LawAndOrder'' and its various spin-offs, ''Series/TheVicarOfDibley'' and other standard {{Brit Com}}s, ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'', ''Anime/CowboyBebop'', the Classic series of ''Series/DoctorWho'', most [[UsefulNotes/TheMillenniumAgeOfAnimation Millennium Age]] WesternAnimation. Typical abruptness limit for WesternAnimation and {{SitCom}}s. ||
|| '''[[StoryArc Dammed]]'''|| Series-long MythArc [[RotatingArcs or Arcs]] || ''Series/BabylonFive'', ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' (later seasons), ''Series/GameOfThrones'', the revival series of ''Series/DoctorWho'', ''Series/OrphanBlack'', most anime and NoughtiesDramaSeries. [[TheNewTens "Peak]] [[TheNewTwenties TV"]] prestige dramas start to show up here. ||
|| || Multiple [[HalfArcSeason smaller arcs]] not directly tied to seasons || ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' (later seasons), ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' (early seasons), ''Series/XenaWarriorPrincess'', ''LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya'', ''Series/StargateSG1'' (except for [[PostScriptSeason seasons 8 & 9]]), most [[SoapOpera Soap Operas]] ||

|| || Self-contained season-[[StoryArc arcs]], with some overarching plots || ''Series/TwentyFour'', ''Series/MadMen'', ''Series/{{Damages}}'', ''Series/{{Angel}}'', ''Series/{{Skins}}'' (seasons with the same cast), most [[TeenDrama Teen Dramas]] and [[PrimeTimeSoap Prime Time Soaps]], most Creator/{{Netflix}} original series ||

|| || Highly-distinct seasons with ArcWelding || ''Anime/SailorMoon'', ''Franchise/JoJosBizarreAdventure'', ''Franchise/PowerRangers'', ''Franchise/{{Digimon}}'' ([[Anime/DigimonAdventure first]] [[Anime/DigimonAdventure02 two seasons]]), ''Series/StarTrekDiscovery'' ||

|| '''[[RotatingArcs Dammed]]'''|| Series-long MythArc [[RotatingArcs or Arcs]] || ''Series/BabylonFive'', ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' (later seasons), ''Series/GameOfThrones'', the revival series of ''Series/DoctorWho'', ''Series/OrphanBlack'', most anime and NoughtiesDramaSeries. [[TheNewTens "Peak]] [[TheNewTwenties TV"]] prestige dramas start to show up here. ||

|| '''[[RotatingArcs Dammed]]'''|| Series-long MythArc || ''Series/BabylonFive'', ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' (later seasons), ''Series/GameOfThrones'', the revival series of ''Series/DoctorWho'', ''Series/OrphanBlack'', most anime and NoughtiesDramaSeries. [[TheNewTens "Peak]] [[TheNewTwenties TV"]] prestige dramas start to show up here. ||

|| '''[[RotatingArcs Dammed]]'''|| Series-long MythArc || ''Series/BabylonFive'', ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' (later seasons), ''Series/GameOfThrones'', ''Series/{{Angel}}'' (season 2 onward), the revival series of ''Series/DoctorWho'', ''Series/OrphanBlack'', most anime and NoughtiesDramaSeries. [[TheNewTens Modern]] "prestige" dramas start to show up here. ||

|| || Self-contained season-[[StoryArc arcs]], with some overarching plots || ''Series/TwentyFour'', ''Series/MadMen'', ''Series/{{Damages}}'', ''Series/{{Angel}}'' (season 1), ''Series/{{Skins}}'' (seasons with the same cast), most [[TeenDrama Teen Dramas]] and [[PrimeTimeSoap Prime Time Soaps]], most Creator/{{Netflix}} original series ||

|| '''[[RotatingArcs Dammed]]'''|| Series-long MythArc || ''Series/BabylonFive'', ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' (later seasons), ''Series/GameOfThrones'', ''Series/{{Angel}}'' (season 2 onward), the revival series of ''Series/DoctorWho'', ''Series/OrphanBlack'', most anime and NoughtiesDramaSeries. [[TheNewTens "Peak]] [[TheNewTwenties TV"]] prestige series start to show up here. ||