Create a new series premise

[ijdgaf]

Originally Posted by Chancellor Valium

We aren't talking about some kind of Babylon 5 here, where what someone eats for breakfast in season 1 episode 2 affects season 5 episode 29... This happens over eight-to-ten years, so there is plenty of room for some episodes which go on a tangent, and for the backplot to stay in teh background for a while.
I'd prefer something with perhaps a few ongoing arcs, some extended multipart episodes, and some overarching themes perhaps, but also a show that could rely on and not suffer from stand-alone episodes.

Characterisation requires development/regression. And that in turn requires a progressing, overarching storyline, IMO.

Whoa, I'm of variable capitalization!

And I agree with Nate. Generally, you can have good characterization and character arcs on a series without drawn-out, complicated overarching plots. Character writing and plot writing are different, complimentary crafts. You can create engaging, evolving characters on a show to draw people in, without having grandiose, must-tune-in-every-week plots which tend to push those people away.