The real reason Netflix’s new comedy Minimum Wage episodes are ridiculously short

Netflix’s latest comedy series Minimum Wage is different to your usual sitcom, and one of the reasons is how short its episodes are. But there’s a very specific reason for this, and it shows how Netflix is evolving. 

There’s plenty to stream on Netflix this month, whether that be the suspense thriller Below or the fourth chapter of The Diplomat. But if you’re looking for a lighthearted watch while you sit down for dinner, Minimum Wage is well worth your time. 

With 14 new episodes, the new TV show follows a group of teens as they struggle to run a local pizzeria while juggling school, a manic boss and, you guessed it, living on minimum wage.

Despite the huge episode count, it won’t take you too long to binge-watch the whole first season, as they each clock in at around 15 minutes. 

So, why are Minimum Wage episodes so short?

Well, there’s a pretty interesting explanation. Unlike your typical sitcom, Minimum Wage actually started out as a short-form comedy series on social media. And Netflix decided not to mess around with the format too much. 

The show comes from American High, a production company founded by filmmaker Jeremy Garelick. It expanded into posting sketch comedy on social media in 2022, with two main channels: American High Shorts and College Life. Both of which have millions of subscribers between them. 

The idea was to give young comedians and aspiring actors a platform to create their own sketches. Think of it like Gen Z SNL, only many of them revolve around the awkwardness of school and relationships.

Then, in May 2024, the company launched Minimum Wage on YouTube. And it wasn’t exactly a huge Hollywood production. The original web series was reportedly made for less than $2,000.

But the concept clearly worked. Before Netflix picked it up, Minimum Wage had amassed more than 30 million views across YouTube, TikTok and Instagram.

And if the faces look familiar, that’s because Netflix has brought back the original cast. They include Aidan Micho, Grace Reiter, Hyde Healy, Julia DiCesare, Luke Burke, Ryan Micho and Tommy Armstrong.

The biggest new addition is Fresh Off the Boat star Randall Park, who plays the eccentric owner of the pizza franchise, Mr Sylvester.

Rather than turning the original idea into a traditional half-hour sitcom, Netflix has kept the short-form format intact. It’s also part of a wider trend of streaming platforms looking to social media for their next big hits.

Speaking to The Publish Press, Micho said, “Streamers now are more aggressive in trying to figure out how to work with creators, knowing that there really is no difference between a social media creator and a traditional screenwriter or actor.

“Whereas ten years ago, the stuff that we’re making might have been lumped into the influencer category just because it’s on social media.”

Will there be a season 2?

Erm, well, maybe. You see, Netflix hasn’t officially announced Minimum Wage season 2. But it did order 28 episodes, meaning there’s another 14 to go. 

It’s unclear whether the second batch will be released as season 1 part 2 or simply season 2. 

Production List describes the series as 28 episodes and says the show is in post-production, indicating that the whole lot was filmed in one go. But, again, this hasn’t been confirmed by the creators or Netflix. 

That said, it’s a very encouraging sign that there’s more to come. So it’s worth staying tuned to see if there are any announcements in the coming weeks. 

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Featured image credit: Netflix