Does Squid Game really need an entire "universe"?

The Mary Sue

“The Squid Game universe has just begun," Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos was quoted as saying during Netflix's earnings call on Thursday, confirming the Korean hit will be back. Sarandos' comment isn't a surprise. But, as Chelsea Steiner points out, too many franchises are unable to maintain their quality. "Honestly, I’m all universed out," says Steiner, adding: "It’s great for the collector mindset, but no doubt frustrating for the creators. It often leads to a flattening of the material, a dulling of what made the original concept so fresh and irresistible. And it’s deeply unsatisfying to follow a storyline that seemingly has no end, or that retroactively undoes a previous satisfying ending. Not everything needs to be its own universe. Space may be infinite, but our attention spans aren’t. So please just let some things be, and while we’re at it, keep your movies under 2 hours. We’re tired."