system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: What is up with american TV shedules? Why is there huge mid season gaps and in some cases just random breaks of 1-4 weeks that can occur at any given point?
gpt
The purpose of television is not to entertain...it is to sell ads.  The TV schedule is a big chess game where you try to place the right show in the right time slot to make as much money as possible.

You only have so many episodes, so you have to spend them wisely.  Some weeks historically have fewer viewers than others.  Sometimes non-regular events, like sports change the game.  And sometimes they use an older, established show's time slot to try to break in a new show.  And sometimes an actor is in rehab.  

It's a big chess game, and a lot of time why the players make the moves they do won't be readily apparent.