Originally Posted by
paralleluniverse
I notice that you say TV shows are different from games. But if you think about single player games that are design to tell stories, there really is no relevant difference with TV shows. Sure, there are differences, e.g. one uses computer graphics, the other uses live actors, but that's immaterial to whether the story should be told in episodes or in 1 large back-to-back 22 episode per season marathon.
You mention cliffhangers. Cliffhangers is what makes TV shows so great, it's what makes episodic content great. For example, in the early seasons of Alias and 24, every episode ended with a cliffhanger, which kept viewers interested in the story. And episodic content, whether it's TV shows or games, gives people a chance to discuss the story as it progresses. It let's viewers or players theorize about crazy cliffhangers, mind blowing revelations, favorite characters or amazing scenes and moments. If anyone was following or discussing Lost on the internet when that was airing on TV, then you'll remember how rewarding the community interaction and discussion about the show was.
You don't get that chance if it's not in episodes. You can only talk about it after the fact. Everyone fixates on the ending. You don't get that chance to think and digest cliffhangers and story and character along with a community, as the story progresses. Without episodic, you can't look halfway through the season and discuss, given what's been revealed so far, what's your theory on, say, the Smoke Monster. There would just be before release, and after the ending,
I guess that you won't think these arguments are convincing if you don't care about discussing the show or getting involved in some sort of dialogue about the show.
But it'll release faster. Everyone would find this argument, at the very least, a small positive.