It's pick-up and cancellation time

With a lot less intrigue and rumors and fanfare the networks have been ordering shows, cancelling shows, and renewing shows in advance of cobbling together their fall schedules for the Upfronts. There used to be much more suspense. A show’s fate wasn’t determined until the fall schedules were announced. Then the networks would address mid-season and back up pick-ups. “You didn’t get on in the fall but there’s still a chance.”

Now networks are picking up everything they think they might need at once and then deciding who goes where when.

The only thing not surprising about this year’s process is that it’s changing. Everything in network television is changing. First of all the stakes are lower. Getting a show on a broadcast network schedule was the be-all and end-all. Not anymore. Producers and studios have way more options, way more buyers, and in most cases would prefer to be on the newer platforms that have more of a future.

It’s also less of a horse race since each network has its own feeder studio and buys mostly shows they own.

And then of course this big change: The networks no longer make their decisions primarily on ratings. If they did, each network would cancel 99% of its schedule. Network numbers are shamefully small. How many broadcast network shows do you watch these days?

But there are other considerations now – protecting your investment by making more episodes, foreign sales, commitments, maintaining relationships, testing, demographics, costs of the shows, disappointing development, etc. Tired franchises remain on the schedule because even with dwindling numbers they’re better than the risk of new fare.

Don’t kid yourself. Decisions are made out of fear.

As for the same-old/same-old, the pick-ups were all standard fare. Comedies about dealing with diversity, family members forced to live or work together, etc. The hot producers like Chuck Lorre and Mike Schur got their new shows on. But then the hot producers like Chuck Lorre and Mike Schur know how to make and execute the best pilots. Their shows deserve to get on. New dramas follow the familiar cop/doctor/lawyer/family/spy/procedural/star-driven pattern. Only thing missing this year seems to be reboots. But one or two of those might still sneak in. Where’s Gilligan when we need him?

The fall schedules will be announced very soon. Congratulations to those involved who got picked-up. I should say a cautious congratulations because the next step in the process is the networks firing a bunch of series regulars and replacing them with recycled series actors whose pilots did not get on. I’m sure there will be one or two “Max Greenfields” who will pop up on new series within the month.

But as I like to say, if you’re a writer/showrunner and your pilot is either picked-up or not picked-up, you have the exact same reaction: “OH SHIT!”

Let the staffing season begin!

from By Ken Levine