Is serialized TV killing the standalone episode?

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Episodes of beloved sci-fi TV dramas like The X-Files used to focus on variety. Episodes with tonal shifts that can be enjoyed on their own. But in this streaming/binge-watching era, says Katharine Trendacosta, “it’s harder now for a show to have a few perfect episodes—episodes that, on their own, justify the existence of the whole show. Everything is so intertwined that you can’t tease out a single episode that’s fun to watch on its own merits.” These days, the focus is on the mythology, she says, adding: “A lot of the time, now, episodes flow directly from the end of one to the beginning of the next, creating an effect that’s more like a 13-hour movie, where everything is continuous.”