There's some proof of what you're saying, G-man.
The 1985 Twilight Zone series was originally a one-hour show in its first run (as I recall, it lasted two seasons), and in that hour they'd generally have 2 or 3 different stories. But in syndication, they broke it into 30-minute programs.
That first season was great, by the way. The pilot episode, "Shatterday", was a Harlan Ellison story adaptation, starring a very young Bruce Willis in the first role I ever saw him in (pre-Moonlighting series).
Plus many other well-written episodes by Alan Brennert and other skilled writers. Harlan Ellison was a creative consultant or story editor for the first season. He disappeared the second season, as did much of the talent that made the first season so great.
I'm frankly amazed that Seinfeld (good as it is) is still in syndication. It's had incredible longevity in the current syndication market. I've noticed my other favorite, Everybody Loves Raymond, is on its last legs, airing very late at night. If it disappears completely, I'll pick it up in complete series DVD form.
