20 A Recycled TV Season Rules in the Upcoming Broadcast Schedule By Mike Reynolds Go back just five years and there were 56 pilots picked for the U.S. TV season, all hoping to become U.S. hits locally, before turning into hits globally, which many of them did. A few years before that, 80 or so pilots would not have been an unusual number of debuts. Today, however, the U.S. TV sector finds itself with a much different scenario. Between them, the major networks aren’t even capable of a mere handful, let alone double-digit pilot numbers, as they’re caught between an audience loss to streamers and the domino effect causing advertising downturn, leading to an inevitable remit to reduce budgets. Writers, in particular, and everyone else working behind the scenes, are desperately seeking jobs — any jobs in any industry — as TV work has dried up. Even shows that have an on-screen life have reduced writers rooms (though none contain the traditional one or two writers per series seen in the U.K., where episode orders are smaller than in the U.S.). The reduction in new orders can be understandable on one level, while on another level investing in new projects could lead to a higher return on the content they greenlight — but it’s still a gamble. Network executives are boringly and overly playing it safe, wanting to keep their jobs and going for themes, titles, and characters associated with an alltoo familiar past. Sure, COVID and Hollywood strikes got in the way, but so too has what seems like a “worry about the job” attitude from decision-making executives. The “If we go for that it might fail and we might lose our job” mentality seems to have truly hit big-time, as the networks they represent stay with existing titles and refuse to branch out into something new. Many new shows recently hitting the U.S. network airwaves are Americanized versions of global franchise hits (The Traitor and talent/ dance/Masked Singer-type formats immediately come to mind). While production of network shows has been cast aside, production of streaming content is providing some work — Adolescence, Severance, The White Lotus, Invincible, Reacher, Zero Day, Paradise, and 1923 are among a growing list of series with overseas interest and sales. However, networks stand to lose even more of their audience to streamers, or lose previous overseas buyers of their limited new content offerings. Confided an English-language content buyer: “For several years now we have not been that interested in [U.S.] network shows, with the odd exception. The best shows for us, which we have picked up in recent years, have been made for the likes of Hulu, Peacock, Paramount+ (even for U.K. and Australian broadcasters). The days of tracking the new crime procedural shows, which run to 22 episodes, and the bidding wars which went with them are long gone. As I say there is the odd exception and we picked up St. Denis Medical, as did the BBC and it is a great little show.” U.S. Broadcast Networks 2025-2026 Season (confirmed as of April 30) ABC Abbott Elementary - renewal Grey’s Anatomy - renewal High Potential - renewal The Rookie - renewal Shifting Gears - renewal Will Trent - renewal 911: Nashville (drama pick-up) Writer/Executive Producer: Ryan Murphy, Tim Minear, Rashad Raisani Executive Producers: Angela Bassett, Brad Falchuk Production Company: 20th Television, Ryan Murphy Productions Cast: Chris O’ Donnell, Jessica Capshaw Premise: Follows the police, firefighters and medical personnel who respond to major emergencies that rock their city. CBS Elsbeth - renewal FBI - renewal Fire Country - renewal Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage - renewal Ghosts - renewal Matlock - renewal NCIS - renewal NCIS: International - renewal NCIS: Sydney - renewal The Neighborhood - renewal Tracker - renewal Watson - renewal Boston Blue (drama pick-up) Writer/Showrunner/Executive Producer: Brandon Sonnier, Brandon Margolis Executive Producer: Jerry Bruckheimer, Donnie Wahlberg, KristieAnne Reid Production Company: Jerry Bruckheimer TV, CBS Studios Cast: Donny Wahlberg Premise: Danny Reagan relocates to Boston to take a job as a detective with Boston PD. His partner is detective Lena Peters, the daughter of a prominent law enforcement family in Boston. Distribution: Paramount Global Content Distr. CIA (working title) (drama pick-up) Executive Producer: Dick Wolf, David Hudgins (showrunner), Nicole Perlman, David Chasteen, Peter Jankowski Production Company: Universal Television, Wolf Entertainment, CBS Studios Cast: Tom Ellis Premise: FBI spin-off. A fast-talking, rulebreaking loose cannon CIA case officer and a by-the-book, seasoned and smart FBI agent are assigned to work out of CIA’s New York Station. Distribution: Paramount Global Content Distr. DMV (comedy pick-up) Executive Producer/Writer: Dana Klein Executive Producer: Aaron Kaplan, Wendi Trilling, Robyn Meisinger Production Company: CBS Studios Premise: Based on award winning author Katherine Heiny’s short story, a single camera workplace comedy set at the place everyone dreads going most: the DMV. Distribution: Paramount Global Content Distr. Sheriff Country (drama pick-up) Creators: Tony Phelan, Joan Rater, Max Thieriot Showrunner/Executive Producer: Brandon Sonnier, Brandon Margolis Executive Producer: Jerry Bruckheimer, KristieAnn Reid, Max Thieriot, Rony Phelan, Joan Rater Production Company: CBS Studios, Jerry Bruckheimer TV Cast: Max Thieriot, Morena Baccarin, W Earl Brown Premise: Mickey Fox investigates criminal activity and patrols the streets of small-town Edgewater while contending with her ex-con father and a mysterious incident involving her wayward daughter. Distribution: Paramount Global Content Distr. FOX American Dad! - renewal Bob’s Burgers - renewal Doc - renewal Family Guy- renewal Krapopolis - renewal Murder in A Small Town -renewal The Simpsons - renewal Universal Basic Guy - renewal The CW Sullivan’s Crossing - renewal NBC Happy’s Place - renewal St Denis Medical - renewal VIDEOAGE May 2025 U.S. Broadcast TV Season
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