Now that Netflix has ordered six additional episodes of Lucifer, could that be a signal that the final season will be released in two parts?
It’s a devilish possibility.
Fans of the hit show Arrested Development know too well what it’s like when Netflix splits one season into parts.
The first half of the fifth season of the show premiered on May 29, 2018, and the second half on March 15, 2019.
Almost a full year wait.
Netflix has also split up other popular shows like The Ranch, Fuller House, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt into half seasons.
It’s clear Netflix has an audience of binge-watchers, but it’s also found that viewers watch some shows in shorter spurts than some of its other programming.
Breaking seasons up may make the content a little easier for viewers to digest.
Many Lucifans watched all the Season 4 episodes in a few sittings (or less).
But with new programming hitting Netflix weekly, if not daily, on top of the onslaught of content from other TV networks and streaming services, it can get a little overwhelming for non superfans.
And, from a business standpoint, there’s the reality that Lucifer is now the Most Watched Binged Show in history.
[Lucifer Makes History: Tops Game Of Thrones For Most Binged Show]
For Netflix executives, splitting Lucifer season 5 into two parts of eight episodes each could make a lot of sense.
While some Lucifans believe the recent social media push for a 6th season prompted Netflix to add the six additional episodes, analysts now think it was more likely a combination of the writers complaining they had too much content for 10 episodes, and the open possibility of stretching out the final season.
“Our suspicion here is that this will also allow Netflix to double-dip,” said Sean Aune, editor of Batman-News. “While Netflix is known for dropping all the episodes of a season at once, it also has been known to split a season in half and call them parts one and two.”
For Netflix, releasing half seasons may also extend the lifespan of its series so that its catalog never feels stale.
That’s crucial for the subscription service, which needs to entice members back to its platform month after month, despite the deluge of other streaming and TV options available to them.
Subscriber growth is the most important metric to Netflix investors, and a dip could send one of the world’s most valuable media stocks—rivaling Disney—tumbling.
Splitting new seasons of shows also presents two opportunities for the streaming service to push the new episodes to its 125 million members around the world.
Lucifans JimHeath.TV spoke with today say they’re okay with a two-part final season.
“A part of me wants it to be in two parts. It would feel like two seasons, I guess,” said @SeedsOfLily.
“I’m happy either way, I’m just glad we are getting an extended end season,” said @JadeAMiles.
“But I’m also totally down to binge all 16 eps in one sitting,” added @ShanLucifan.
There has been no comment from Netflix on the premiere date of season five.
I don’t know why Netflix and WB just don’t do the right thing and make a season 6 since they are willing to add 6 episodes to season 5 instead of splitting season 5. Its just 4 more episodes to a full Netflix version of a season. I’m sure I would be happier, although a few more seasons wouldn’t upset me and many other fans. The writers do such a wonderful job of story telling and I seriously think they can carry it off to write 5 more season’s that can be spilt into 2 seasons a year like regular TV does. That would only be 2 1/2 years time wise and the actors would still be young enough to move onto other projects and have this vast experience to their credits.