Could the story of Absentia last for several seasons?

We’re another weekend closer to the official start of the fall TV season, but unfortunately Absentia still is waiting for its U.S. home to be announced. Remember that the fine folks over at Sony have found one, but we’re waiting to hear precisely what it is.

For the sake of this article, what we actually want to do is hop into the time machine and jump forward to the end of the first season. Let’s say that the ratings are good, the story is engrossing, and there is room to explore something further with the characters. We obviously think that Absentia will get a second season if these conditions are met, but what about beyond that?

One of the long-term challenges that we foresee the series facing is trying to find ways to keep things fresh in the long-term beyond just the first season or two. The central mystery at the moment is clear: Emily Byrne (Stana Katic) has returned to her old life after six years, only to find that so much of it is different from what it was. How long do you stretch that mystery out? There is probably an end date to that, since without new twists or turns it’s possible that there will be a point where there isn’t a whole lot more story to tell.

This is where we would encourage the show to adopt a model similar to a show like The Blacklist, where you find a way to answer some questions while also working to raise new ones along the way. For example, maybe you learn why Emily was captured and tormented for so many years, but you also learn that there may have been other people who suffered the same fate. Or, maybe you realize that the person who captured her didn’t act alone and there is another nefarious criminal out there. Find some new ways to twist and tweak the format so that every season has its own flavor and its own identity. The Blacklist hasn’t necessarily been perfect with its own twists, but we do appreciate some of the risks that they are taking.

The biggest bit of advice we can give to Absentia if its runs a long time is this: Stay hungry. Know that your viewers have an appetite for more mystery, and keep finding ways to challenge them. If you do this, the show could have a very long life.

For now, as viewers our goal should be to simply enjoy the content given to us, while also spreading the word about it to as large of an audience as humanly possible. Once we know where the show is landing in terms of a network, it’ll be so much easier to figure out the right ways to properly promote it.

How many seasons do you think that Absentia could run on the air? Be sure to share some of your thoughts in the comments!

Meanwhile, head over to the link here in the event that you want to get some additional news when it comes to the show. (Photo: Sony.)