This story is free to read because readers choose to support LAist. If you find value in independent local reporting, make a donation to power our newsroom today.
Changes to TV pilot season have upended norms — for better or worse
A screenshot of the Max homepage.
(
Max
)
Topline:
TV’s pilot season has been replaced by year-round development, which some network executives say has improved programming quality. But it’s also frustrated writers who now routinely have to do a lot of unpaid labor and are left without knowing the status of projects for months at a time.
Why it matters: The Writers Guild of America strike revolved around the question of how to make the profession a sustainable one. What the strike didn’t solve, though, is the year-round development cycle, which makes showrunners “as interchangeable as lightbulbs” and some say constitutes “wage theft” for having to produce a season’s worth of shows before even having a shot at a green light.
Lack of urgency: The hard deadlines of network TV created urgency for executives. But in the world of streaming, when shows can debut at any time and not mostly in the fall, executives can take months to respond to writers, forcing them to pursue other gigs while their own work is in limbo.
Executive counterpoint: On the other hand, the deadlines of network TV meant that networks had to get anything out for those fall premieres, so not everything was of the highest quality. Some executives, though, also wish to return to the imperative of commissioning shows within a set schedule.
For more... read the full story on The Ankler.
This story is published in partnership with The Ankler, a paid subscription publication about the entertainment industry.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive from readers like you will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive from readers like you will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
