Your responses
Jen on April 30th, 2008
all the seasons make up a series-eg the series Alias had 5 seasons, its pretty simple really :p
Alison, Rotherham on April 25th, 2008
I prefer Season.
Benji, London on April 23rd, 2008
I've grown up using the term 'season' for all shows - be they American or English. A season refers to a block of episodes, while series means the show as a whole. I've never really understood why we call a season a series? It's doesn't sound quite right, IMO. Besides, a lot of magazines and newspapers refer to an English series as a season, now; it seems to be a trend - and I like it!
Oli, Maidstone on April 23rd, 2008
The United States has proven for years now that it does TV far better than us, so lets bow down, get on our knees and say "bring on the next SEASON"!
Ali, UK on April 22nd, 2008
I prefer season.... It sounds more epic. However, I would not call a UK series a season, simply because a 7 week run doesn't quite cut it, which is what we mostly get over here.
Matt, Blackpool, Lancs on April 22nd, 2008
Well i just use series all the time, even with american shows
Craig Alnwick on April 22nd, 2008
Series all the way except for 24 when I talk in days
Eliott, Grantham on April 22nd, 2008
I use season to describe the individual seasons and then series to describe the show as a whole. Although I must admit sometimes I get muddled up and use both interchangeably
Matt, Cornwall on April 21st, 2008
For me, the americans have it right. A season are the episodes that occur in one television year, and the series is all of the seasons together. So for example, the 'series' of Lost will comprise of 6 'seasons'. That being said, if I was to refer to Season 2 of Fry and Laurie, I'd feel a bit silly, cause it's like the word, doesn't fit with the time of the britishness. A series like Skins seems much more adaptable to the use of 'seasons'
Macca, Glasgow on April 21st, 2008
'Season' refers to each run of episodes. (From Season Premiere to Season Finale) 'Series' refers to the entire run of the show. (From Series Premiere to Series Finale) Forget US and UK differences - Lets make the above universal.
Si on April 21st, 2008
Surely you mean syntactic standoff, the words are semantically equivalent.
Daniel Erskine on April 20th, 2008
I just think that series is to describe a show as a whole and season for its individual group of episodes it just sounds better and makes more sense.
Shylar on April 20th, 2008
What's more funny is that the "anti-Americanism" posse on this article's comments are constantly referring to "programs", instead of "programmes". Neil, DS is HQd in Britain, no? Therefore I think British English will suffice.
Jen, Liverpool on April 20th, 2008
I only watch two british shows, Dr Who and Torchwood so I always say seasons. Did I mention the fact that I hate paying for a TV Licence when I only bother with BBC related programs twice a week and don't bother with there radio stations.
Tilly, London on April 20th, 2008
I agree... American should be Seasons and British should be Series and it's always seemed to be that way. I do tend to refer in to them that way too when talking to people.
Nick, London on April 20th, 2008
How about series for half hour shows and season for longer shows. ie. Ugly Betty, Doctor Who, The Apprentice = Seasons My Name Is Earl, Moving Wallpaper, The IT Crowd = Series (not a hard and fast rule if you look at programmes that increase in length like Suburban Shootout) I don't think any reality show or live show should be called a 'season' either.
Dee, Leeds on April 20th, 2008
Even though I know the difference I ignore it and just change between.
Brekkie, Wales on April 20th, 2008
Series generally. As for the format I prefer, it is good to see British shows beginning to move away from the short six-part series, but at 22-24 episodes some US series can drag. I think 12-13 is about the best compromise. Shameless this year didn't do itself any favours with a 16 part series - I think they would have been best off splitting it into two and holding back eight episodes to air later in the year.
Mel, London on April 20th, 2008
I prefer to call it a season and refer to the entire run of the show as a series (i.e. complete 10 series of Friends).
Will on April 20th, 2008
The American way is better. Because a "series" is expected to be both a series, as in 'Doctor Who', 'Spooks', 'Charmed' etc., and a series as in the third series of 'Charmed' or the seventh of 'Buffy'. It's confusing! It should be a series for the whole thing bundled up, and a season for each year of 6 or 13 or 22 episodes.
Natalie on April 20th, 2008
I refer to all shows as having series.
Nonamoose, cyberspacce on April 20th, 2008
Seasons for the US and series for the British. America's Next Top Model has cycles - now that *is* irritatating!
Mikay, Newcastle on April 20th, 2008
I used to be a "British: series. American: season." kind of guy.. but that act has recently slipped and I've fallen into the trap of referring to many shows, British or American as "season" .. I dunno, the way the Americans look on the issue seems to make more sense!! Season: One year. Series: Entire years. We cannot distinguish with our own terminology whether one is talking about the show in its entirety, or the show just for that year.
Dan, Derbyshire on April 20th, 2008
Seasons all the way, American or not. Series > Season > Episode or Mini-series > Episode
James, London on April 20th, 2008
i prefer which ever term will make itv show it all in the correct order (Nothing would ever do that -Neil)
dobsy, Nothern Ireland on April 19th, 2008
I think we should just go with the Americans and call it Seasons of a Series. I think it actually makes more sense in the UK, sorta, cos we usually have about 13 episodes, recent stuff anyway, em BBC anyway, which technically is a season, whether it be Spring, Summer, etc. but as we're not as thick as the yanks, xenophobia anyone?, we can still intersperse Season/Series without getting confused.
highlandcoo, Glasgow on April 19th, 2008
I think that US programs should be called seasons and British ones series. We are not american!
Shaun, Herts on April 19th, 2008
I prefer "season", as "series" could apply to the show as a whole as opposed to individual years.
Dave, Lancashire on April 19th, 2008
No 'season' is an Americanism! It's series for British shows, season for American!
J.P, London on April 19th, 2008
I prefer the American 'season' term as 'series' means the whole show so yes it is acceptable to call a British show in terms of "seasons".
Andrew, Fife on April 19th, 2008
I prefer 'season'. It just sounds better! It makes it easier to distinguish as well. eg. the series is the WHOLE run of the show, and season being a particular year's episodes. Maybe it's just me and my obsession with Americanizing everything, but I think we should stick to 'season'!
Bob, Bilsbury on April 19th, 2008
It has to be series whether you are talking about American or British shows. Call me a snob if you must but would we even be having this debate if you were suggesting using the Russian, Greek or Japanese word for series? "The new Σειρα of Heros starts next week!" .... As for other common 'Americanisms', I frequently see program instead of programme and commercial instead of advert used by TV reviewers.
Pawel, London on April 19th, 2008
Series. By miles.
Chris, Bradford on April 19th, 2008
Personally I think it's ridiculous to refer to most British shows as "seasons". In my mind the word season refers to a prolonged period of time, much like the seasons Mother Nature herself provides. So to call a show which runs for barely 6 weeks a year (which many shows do over here) a "season" is quite laughable. When it gets to longer running shows - such as Doctor Who and Torchwood - being called "seasons", the debate is more relevant as those run for 13 weeks which is getting towards the right sort of length to be dubbed a proper "season", even if it would be short by US standards
Alex, Wiltshire on April 19th, 2008
I don't really have any preference... When I'm talking about American television I refer to seasons and series (IE 7 seasons of the series Buffy the Vampire Slayer) because thats how they're pitched. For British shows I use series and show (IE 4 series of the show Doctor Who - so far) since that's the British terminology
James Stone, Gloucester on April 19th, 2008
I vote for series. Season is fine but seems a bit odd to call a British series a season jsut because the american networks have a different method of schedules to us Series is perfectly grammatically correct
Luke, Kent on April 19th, 2008
SERIES is another name for the show itself, SEASON is the block of episodes shown within the year, like Buffy is a televison SERIES but its first SEASON had only 12 episodes.
Ryan, Lancaster on April 19th, 2008
A show as a whole, from the starting point, should be referred to as a "series" and a yearly run of new episodes should be referred to as a "season". A "season" connotes a run of episodes in a row, whereas a "series" connotes an entirity.
V, N.Ireland on April 19th, 2008
How about "seasons" for US programmes and "series" for UK programmes?
Jonty, East Anglia on April 19th, 2008
I prefer season, because then we can say "Season finale" and "Season Premiere". They just sound better to be honest.
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