Most series have 10 to 12 episodes per season. None of these series are period pieces that require historical sets or elaborate handmade costumes (I guess Sex and the City did have couture fashion). The only shows that come close to Outlander in terms of episodes are In Treatment and Sex in the City, which are 30 minute shows, and one season of Oz. Sex and the City (HBO) – 8 to 18 episodes Half Hour Original Series on Premium Cable and Number of Episodes per Season (Dramas Only):Ĭalifornication (Showtime) – 8 to 12 episodes The Borgias (Showtime) – 9 to 10 episodes One Hour Original Series on Premium Cable and Number of Episodes per Season (Dramas Only):ĭa Vinci’s Demons (Starz) – 8 to 10 episodes Again, my thoughts drifted to how unique a 16 episode order is for a premium cable original series, so I thought I would do some research to compare Outlander to other original series that have aired on Starz and the other premium cable channels (HBO, Showtime). Will we have a mid-season break or will the series continuously air every Sunday for 16 weeks? Regardless, scheduling a one-hour drama for that long period of time can be challenging, especially if you have other original series or specials to fit in. We have known basically from the beginning that the series will premiere with 16 episodes. This helps with potential buyers considering the show has not aired yet. The best thing going for it is that the show already has a large fan base due to Diana Gabaldon’s novels.

This is a brand new show, untested in viewing numbers or marketability. It wasn’t until recently that I thought about how extraordinary the first season order of Outlander really is.

How long are outlander episodes