Should Outlander stick with 13-episode order for season 5, season 6?

When Outlander season 4 premieres on Starz later this year, it will be the third straight season in which they use the 13-episode model. It’s a pattern that the network seems to really like, and for production the most important thing here is that this is a model that they can actually pull off with everything they have to do with this show. The series is not pushing itself harder than what production can actually do.

Is it possible that at some point Outlander could move forward with another 16-episode season, like we had in the very beginning? Probably not. While we know that the Diana Gabaldon books are long, that doesn’t mean that the series is going to expand outward because of them. If there was a season to run longer than 13 episodes, season 3 was probably the one that would’ve when you consider for a moment everything that the producers needed to put in there based on Voyager.

The question that you need to wonder more instead moving into season 5 and season 6 is this: Is it possible that the series moves down to a ten-episode model? There are of course many reasons to consider this. For starters, another series on Starz in Power already operates with shorter seasons than Outlander and does just fine. Beyond that, this may be a proper way to ensure that we still get a new season every single year. It’s incredibly difficult for Outlander to keep working with the schedule that they have, and it’s also exhausting for the writers and the cast. Moving down to ten episodes a year would give everyone a chance to catch their breath a little more — for some of the cast, it could also give them a chance to do a few other gigs in the off-season.

Related – See the latest Outlander filming update

As of right now CarterMatt’s expectations are to see Outlander stay around 13 episodes a season, but don’t be surprised if that order eventually drops down. This happens to a lot of shows as they get deeper into their run; for now, just be happy that Outlander doesn’t seem to be going the route of Game of Thrones anytime soon where you are getting seasons of seven or just six episodes. That’s not giving viewers a whole lot to dive into. The official episode orders will likely be announced at the time in which the additional seasons are officially announced.

What do you want to see in terms of an Outlander season 5 and 6 episode order? Be sure to share some of your thoughts on the subject below!

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