Your comment about the "race to binge-watch" struck a chord with me. I wouldn't say that the change in season length really affected the pressure to keep up, because I think it was there before to make sure a favorite show was watched live and the conversations would begin even as it was airing. I remember having to wait for video tapes for certain shows we couldn't get locally and I never joined those fandoms because I was so out of step with viewing.
But I do feel that the quantity of content has not just increased because of the variety of outlets but because the format itself has shortened. That means more different stories can be started (cancellations happen just as often) and there's a wider variety of talent available because the commitment to a single project isn't as demanding. But the glut makes shows seem ever more disposable. It's take one in and on to the next.
And to digress a bit, a single episode is also different now. When web series began they might be 6 10 minute episodes. Streaming shows means that viewing time can vary from episode to episode and, of course, the whole season is shorter. I notice, for example, that Brit shows shown in the U.S. via PBS get chopped in half to create "hour" long shows (even though they're about 40 minutes) when they were originally about 2 hours in their original broadcasts. I do personally feel that an episode should last as long as the story requires so that's a real plus of streaming. I wouldn't want to go back to a strict format where valuable scenes get cut out or things are drawn out to fill air time. It also means comedies might run for an hour or drama for 30 minutes (or so). But overall there's a lot less that's "standard" any more.
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But I do feel that the quantity of content has not just increased because of the variety of outlets but because the format itself has shortened. That means more different stories can be started (cancellations happen just as often) and there's a wider variety of talent available because the commitment to a single project isn't as demanding. But the glut makes shows seem ever more disposable. It's take one in and on to the next.
And to digress a bit, a single episode is also different now. When web series began they might be 6 10 minute episodes. Streaming shows means that viewing time can vary from episode to episode and, of course, the whole season is shorter. I notice, for example, that Brit shows shown in the U.S. via PBS get chopped in half to create "hour" long shows (even though they're about 40 minutes) when they were originally about 2 hours in their original broadcasts. I do personally feel that an episode should last as long as the story requires so that's a real plus of streaming. I wouldn't want to go back to a strict format where valuable scenes get cut out or things are drawn out to fill air time. It also means comedies might run for an hour or drama for 30 minutes (or so). But overall there's a lot less that's "standard" any more.