>>>That wasn't what I meant. I understand that shows air at different times in different countries. But I have never heard of an instance like this, where an episode which is part of season 3 here is part of season 4 there.
>>
>>Shorter seasons across the pond? < gd&r >
>
>Hi Alex
>
>It's possible, but probably shorter on your side, the American attention span being notoriously short and fickle. :-)
>
>I refer you to my answer to Mike: #1074925.
>
>Because of the plethora of stations UK TV is now adopting a US style for documentaries/reality shows in that:
>
>1) at the top of the show the presenter tells you everything that's going to happen.
>2) just before each item of interest, the presenter tells you what's about to happen.
>3) Just before the commercial break, the presenter tells you what'll happen in the next part.
>4) At the start of the next part the presenter recaps what the whole program's about, then again everything that's going to happen in this part, and 2) for each item again.
>
>It drives me mad, and it's all to keep the channel-hoppers' attention


The Onion had a funny piece along those lines recently: ADHD-TV, the new federally mandated standard. All shows 6 minutes long with at least two in-program recaps.