Frequency of AIO Episodes
Frequency of AIO Episodes
What is the reason for there being only about 25-30 new episodes in a year? Is it because of money? Actors availability? They used to do 45-50 a year. It's hard to get any continuity going this way... Any inside info or ideas?
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The continuity thing has always bothered me; it's especially prevelant after Novacom.Flyah wrote:What is the reason for there being only about 25-30 new episodes in a year? Is it because of money? Actors availability? They used to do 45-50 a year. It's hard to get any continuity going this way... Any inside info or ideas?
I've also been told producing and recording is very expensive.
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> What is the reason for there being only about 25-30
> new episodes in a year?
Actually, I think it's more like 24 new episodes a year (i.e. 2 new Volumes in the audio series).
Some guesses: the AIO team used to be more people.
The writers have said that a lot of good ideas were "used up" in the early years, and since then it's been more difficult to write shows with the same characters without repeating.
And the expense too, I'll bet.
-king shasta
> new episodes in a year?
Actually, I think it's more like 24 new episodes a year (i.e. 2 new Volumes in the audio series).
Some guesses: the AIO team used to be more people.
The writers have said that a lot of good ideas were "used up" in the early years, and since then it's been more difficult to write shows with the same characters without repeating.
And the expense too, I'll bet.
-king shasta
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It kinda makes sense........in the early years AIO was only on once a week......and back then they didn't have enough episodes to start reruns (maybe they thought people wouldn't like reruns *shrugs* ) And seeing as there are 52 weeks in a year........there probably were better than 40 new episodes every year.
Anyway, in '92 I believe, they began reruns on the weekdays and kept new eps on weekends......
Now, with so many eps, they can easily do 12 new eps, take a break, then do 12 new ones while we listen to reruns on the weekends in between new seasons.........they work hard, in my opinion, they deserve the break.
Peace Out
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Anyway, in '92 I believe, they began reruns on the weekdays and kept new eps on weekends......
Now, with so many eps, they can easily do 12 new eps, take a break, then do 12 new ones while we listen to reruns on the weekends in between new seasons.........they work hard, in my opinion, they deserve the break.
Peace Out
-Gimp
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I think I recall reading that the reason why there are fewer episodes a year has more to do with the fact that so much more work goes into producing the episodes now. AIO episodes are much more polished than they used to be. The various actors' busy schedules may also have something to do with there being fewer episodes a year.
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They didn't. Well, at least they didn't after the first year. It's a common misconception that "they" always used to do something like 50 new episodes every year. But it's not true.AIOFan11 wrote:Wow, I didn't know that they originally made 45-50 episodes a year.
Here are the number of Odysseys produced each year.
1987 – 6
1988 – 49
1989 – 44
1990 – 39
1991 – 40
1992 – 38
1993 – 37
1994 – 42
1995 – 44
1996 – 32
1997-1998 – 34
1998-1999 – 16
1999-2000 – 27
2000-2001 – 25
2001-2002 – 27
2002-2003 – 25
2003-2004 – 22
2004-2005 – 24
2005-2006 – 24
As you see from the numbers, they DID produce more shows a year back in the "early days," though not as many as people think.
Still, the question remains...why do they/we produce fewer shows now than in previous times.
The answer really is quite simple. Many of the ideas/thoughts that people have suggested tie into it, but the real reason that we don't do more than 24 shows a year now is....sales.
We've found that the Odyssey "market" only supports two new albums a year these days. If you release three new products in a year, the combined total of sales for all three will be about the same as the combined total of just releasing two new products. Apparently (and very understandably), Odyssey parents, kids, and fan only have so much money to spend on Odyssey each year. So, why produce and release more episodes than the average Odyssey fan can buy?
Hope that helps!
Nathan
That would clearly give a valid and reasonable answer to the long debated question. However, I wonder if it's ever considered to put more episodes (more than 12, I mean) in an album with roughly the same price--or would the price have to change signicantly, only damaging the number of sales each year due to the increase? The look and arrangement scheme of the abulm wouldn't need to change since cassettes won't be sold in the near future, and I'm sure CDs can easily hold more episodes.Nathan Hoobler wrote:
We've found that the Odyssey "market" only supports two new albums a year these days. If you release three new products in a year, the combined total of sales for all three will be about the same as the combined total of just releasing two new products. Apparently (and very understandably), Odyssey parents, kids, and fan only have so much money to spend on Odyssey each year. So, why produce and release more episodes than the average Odyssey fan can buy?
Hope that helps!
Nathan
Or is the number 12 simply a nice number?
BC
Thank you for explaining! The AIO market and only producing twenty four episodes a year makes alot of sense!Nathan Hoobler wrote:They didn't. Well, at least they didn't after the first year. It's a common misconception that "they" always used to do something like 50 new episodes every year. But it's not true.AIOFan11 wrote:Wow, I didn't know that they originally made 45-50 episodes a year.
Here are the number of Odysseys produced each year.
1987 – 6
1988 – 49
1989 – 44
1990 – 39
1991 – 40
1992 – 38
1993 – 37
1994 – 42
1995 – 44
1996 – 32
1997-1998 – 34
1998-1999 – 16
1999-2000 – 27
2000-2001 – 25
2001-2002 – 27
2002-2003 – 25
2003-2004 – 22
2004-2005 – 24
2005-2006 – 24
As you see from the numbers, they DID produce more shows a year back in the "early days," though not as many as people think.
Still, the question remains...why do they/we produce fewer shows now than in previous times.
The answer really is quite simple. Many of the ideas/thoughts that people have suggested tie into it, but the real reason that we don't do more than 24 shows a year now is....sales.
We've found that the Odyssey "market" only supports two new albums a year these days. If you release three new products in a year, the combined total of sales for all three will be about the same as the combined total of just releasing two new products. Apparently (and very understandably), Odyssey parents, kids, and fan only have so much money to spend on Odyssey each year. So, why produce and release more episodes than the average Odyssey fan can buy?
Hope that helps!
Nathan
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Or just wait another six months to release the newer ones and still make three albums worth a year.The BC wrote:That would clearly give a valid and reasonable answer to the long debated question. However, I wonder if it's ever considered to put more episodes (more than 12, I mean) in an album with roughly the same price--or would the price have to change signicantly, only damaging the number of sales each year due to the increase? The look and arrangement scheme of the abulm wouldn't need to change since cassettes won't be sold in the near future, and I'm sure CDs can easily hold more episodes.Nathan Hoobler wrote:
We've found that the Odyssey "market" only supports two new albums a year these days. If you release three new products in a year, the combined total of sales for all three will be about the same as the combined total of just releasing two new products. Apparently (and very understandably), Odyssey parents, kids, and fan only have so much money to spend on Odyssey each year. So, why produce and release more episodes than the average Odyssey fan can buy?
Hope that helps!
Nathan
Or is the number 12 simply a nice number?
BC
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So from 1988-1998 they made an average of 39.9 episodes a year and since have made just 23.75 episodes a year.Nathan Hoobler wrote: 1987 – 6
1988 – 49
1989 – 44
1990 – 39
1991 – 40
1992 – 38
1993 – 37
1994 – 42
1995 – 44
1996 – 32
1997-1998 – 34
1998-1999 – 16
1999-2000 – 27
2000-2001 – 25
2001-2002 – 27
2002-2003 – 25
2003-2004 – 22
2004-2005 – 24
2005-2006 – 24
This seems sad, understandable, but sad. Focus is now making about 16 episodes less each year. It's sad that money has to drive everything. Again, understandable, but unfortunate.Nathan Hoobler wrote: The answer really is quite simple. Many of the ideas/thoughts that people have suggested tie into it, but the real reason that we don't do more than 24 shows a year now is....sales.
If you listened to Dr. Dobson at the end of last year, you could understand why AIO has to think about money at every turn.Flyah wrote:This seems sad, understandable, but sad. Focus is now making about 16 episodes less each year. It's sad that money has to drive everything. Again, understandable, but unfortunate.