Pilot Season 2023: Volume Takes Another Dive Amid Solid Broadcast Debuts & Looming Writers Strike
deadline.comIt’s pilot season, right? In the old world order, by mid-February, the broadcast networks would have whittled hundreds of pitches and dozens of scripts down to between 10 and 20 comedy and drama pilots each for the Big 4 and about half dozen for the CW.
Pilot Season 2023 is hitting another historic low with 13 pilot orders across ABC, CBS and NBC and none at Fox, which is going script-to-series, or the CW, which is eyeing up co-productions and modestly budgeted scripted originals as well as a bigger unscripted slate under its new owners. “It’s just so light,” one industry observer exclaimed about this year’s volume, which could go up but only slightly.
As to why the numbers are so low, “it feels like network executives weren’t given a lot of money to spend, and whatever they have on the air is kind of working, so there isn’t much real estate,” an industry source said.
Indeed, declining linear ratings have put pressure on broadcast budgets. Across-the-board viewership erosion notwithstanding, established series have been chugging along, and the new broadcast additions this season have mostly worked, including CBS’ Fire Country and So Help Me Todd, and NBC’s Quantum Leap and Night Court, which already have been renewed for a second season, ABC’s The Rookie: Feds and Fox’s Accused.
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