If you have a favourite Hindi TV show, do you ever worry about its finale? Chances are you don’t and that’s precisely where the problem lies. The concept of seasonal series isn’t the norm in Indian television — yet. In fact, the episodes just go on and on through the weekdays making you wonder when are they ever going to give up.

Which is also why the creative aspects are blatantly ignored as a given show progresses. Of course, there are exceptions but we don’t see a lineup of desi TV shows getting downloaded or binge-watched either — yet, again. On the contrary, television in the West benefits a lot from the way they function. Writers are well-paid (with most of them moving from big screen to small screen, ironically enough) and creative department is the most sought after. No wonder television series are a rage among those who don’t mind procuring them illegally on the internet. To drive home a point on what really makes the winning difference, hitlist points out some lessons that makers in Hindi television can draw from some of the following shows...

True Detective (2014)
Pointers: Comprising just eight episodes, each ranging about 45 minutes, it starred Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson in the lead.

Matthew McConaughey (left) and Woody Harrelson in True Detective