I don't understand how British people even watch scripted shows when they're typically only 3-4 episodes and you have to wait 2 YEARS for a new season. I lose interest in shows just waiting a few months...
shareWe prefer quality not quantity.
shareMaybe but we like to think it's quality over quantity, plus nothing made on this side of the pond has to get to the mythical (100?) episodes enabling syndication so shorter runs are the norm.
However the episode count is slowly going up on shows that clearly have some potential in being sold overseas (recent examples would be Downton and Dr Who) creeping up to 8-12 shows per run
UK telly also has fairly harsh budget limitations, if you go digging on the internet regarding the to-do about Channel 4 / BlackMirror you'll see just how tight the purse strings are (although in Channel 4's case not when it comes to shows about Cakes)
Personally I prefer shows that have a clear beginning / middle / end, and the danger with 22-24 shows per run is there is a lot of filler, whereas stuff like Thrones or Breaking Bad or Six Feet Under had have a lower episode count but all those episodes counted