New Updates on the Airing and Production Schedule of ‘Steven Universe’

It’s been nearly three months since the last Steven Universe episode aired, but we finally were finally given a rough date for the show’s return: June.

With the episodes to be aired through to August, the event is being referred to by one of the show’s writers, Matt Burnett, as “The Summer of Steven”. Beyond that, information remains fairly vague. A more specific date has yet to be provided, and we do not know its schedule, though Burnett has confirmed that the summer episodes will not be aired weekly.

Additionally, Burnett offered more insight into the show’s behind-the-scenes production information. On the tail of recent news that Cartoon Network has renewed Steven Universe for five seasons, Burnett explained that while Season One had 52 episodes, all subsequent seasons have only had 26. While this had little effect on the actual writing and production of episodes, it does explain why recently released episodes have been listed as belonging to ‘Season 3’. This means that officially, Season Two has already finished, and was a total of 26 episodes plus shorts. Currently a total of 156 episodes of Steven Universe have been ordered by the network.  Burnett also tweeted that the five seasons will likely carry the show into 2018, and that while Season 6 remains a possibility, it is currently “too early to be thinking about”.

The fanbase’s reaction to the news has been mixed. Of course, it’s exciting and reassuring to know that new episodes are guaranteed for the next two years. Furthermore, while not confirmed, the ‘non-weekly’ comment suggests the summer episodes will be aired in ‘Bomb’ format, with five or six episodes being released in a single week, in intense bursts intended to drum up hype and ratings. All this, combined with the billing of ‘The Summer of Steven’, shows immense support of the show by Cartoon Network.

On the other hand, we’ve written about the downsides of the ‘Bomb’ format before; they can be exhausting to keep up with, and lead to irregular scheduling with long hiatuses. With the last episode (‘Log Date 7 15 2‘) having aired on January 8th, leaving a five month break until the show’s planned June return, hiatus frustration is particularly understandable.

Overall, however, this news is heartening. Cartoon Network seems prepared to give Steven Universe the attention it deserves, and while the five month hiatus may be painful to endure, no doubt the wait will be worth it. Creator and show-runner Rebecca Sugar certainly is excited.

Author: Laura B

Lover of fantasy and science fiction, fascinated in how they impact the real world. Professional writer and science communicator.

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