⏰ Audiences face longer waits for next seasons

While the interval stood at 12 months in 2020, this metric climbed to 21 months by 2025.

The primary driver behind these delays is the platforms’ commitment to delivering cinematic-quality content packed with heavy visual effects, which drastically extends both the shooting schedule and the post-production phase. The peak of the “prestige TV boom” occurred in 2022, when major SVoD services released a record 599 seasons of original shows—more than the entire period from 2015 to 2019 combined (591 seasons). Following this milestone, the industry pivoted from sheer volume toward premium quality.

Paradoxically, series with the longest gaps (exceeding 30 months) register the highest engagement rates during their premiere month. Hit shows like Apple TV+’s Severance and Netflix’s Wednesday generated twice as many views as the average release, despite years of anticipation.

Analysts attribute this phenomenon to two key factors:

• Genre specificities: Audiences are highly willing to forgive long delays for large-scale sci-fi and fantasy epics, whereas they are far less lenient with comedies. Procedurals and thrillers demonstrate stable viewer interest regardless of the release schedule.
• The rewatch effect: During a prolonged hiatus, returning fans take the time to rewatch earlier seasons to refresh their memories, while new users discover the project for the first time. For instance, in the second half of 2025, ahead of the final season of Stranger Things, interest in the franchise surged by 300%, with abnormally high viewership metrics recorded specifically for its very first season.

Despite the loyalty of core fanbases toward flagship properties, extended pauses present severe financial risks for Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV+, and other market players. According to US consumer surveys conducted in the first quarter of 2026, 54% of respondents stated they are prepared to cancel a streaming subscription if they do not utilize the service on a regular basis.

“Platforms must strike a balance between producing blockbusters and ensuring a consistent flow of fresh content. Excessively long gaps push audiences toward ‘serial churning’—a behavior where viewers subscribe for just a single month to catch a specific high-profile return and immediately cancel afterward,” notes Christen Tamisin, Senior Analyst at Ampere Analysis.