Why only 8 episodes?

[JHyde]

They also seem to shooting faster and faster every year. This season I think it was to the detriment of the show, not helped by the fact that one director shot four episodes out of the eight. And it seems the actors got a bit shirty about the crazy schedule this year too - it was all over the shop. Hopefully, that will be rectified.

Season 2 was too long at ten episodes, I remember thinking. Where as with season 7 I really would have liked another two episodes. This season I think was right at 8 episodes.