In recent years, the 100-episode milestone for syndication has been lowered to 88 episodes, which is typically reached after four seasons. Shows approaching the 88-episode target are often renewed despite low ratings in order to ensure syndication. Production companies can offer discounts on licensing fees to networks to encourage renewal.
[4] Shows that are approaching the 88-episode syndication milestone while suffering from poor ratings are often moved to
graveyard slots on
Friday or Saturday in order to
burn off remaining episodes.
An extreme example of a show renewed primarily for syndication purposes was
'Til Death.
’Til Death was pulled from
Fox's lineup just seven episodes into its third season, after it had fallen out of the top 100 in the primetime ratings.
[13] Cancellation seemed imminent, but
’Til Death was renewed for a fourth season after
Sony Pictures Entertainment offered Fox a discount on the licensing fee. Unaired episodes from the third season were broadcast alongside fourth season episodes from October 2009 through June 2010 (a total of 37 episodes), including four new episodes airing in a
Christmas Day "
marathon" and two new episodes being
scheduled against Super Bowl XLIV with the knowledge that these episodes would have minuscule ratings. The overlapped seasons led to some comical confusion, because three different actresses played the part of Allison Stark during this span of episodes.
[14][15][16] The show eventually reached 81 episodes,
[17][18] and debuted in off-network syndication in the fall of 2011.
[19][20]
