I'm wondering if there are actual terms for these two types of story:
One type of story in a series leaves the characters in the same condition as at the beginning. A television series with episodes designed to be run in any order. A good example would be the original Star Trek. The main characters never changed and all of the plots were self contained. Unless you're wearing a red shirt you're pretty much guaranteed to survive and be healed of any injuries by the next episode. There isn't any overall story arc. No one wins (and keeps) the million dollar lottery because that would separate episodes into "before" and "after" the lottery win. I've always thought of these stories as "closed" since they manage to loop the characters and situations around to where each episode started.
The other kind of story/series does have a run order--that is characters progress, sometimes major changes are made and there is an overall story arc. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine would be an example. I understand Babylon 5 is another good example. For lack of a better term I think of these stories as "open".
I recognize that there are degrees of __________-ness, whatever the term(s) is/are. Within a season, the Lois and Clark writers kept things fairly consistent and could mostly run in any order but they did make changes from season to season.
Anyone know if there is a term and what it is?
