Updated 18:30: The episode order is now 11, not 10.
NBC has cut the orders for two midseason comedies, Eva Longoria’s “Hot and Bothered” and “Superstore,” by two episodes apiece as the Peacock tries to better manage its high volume of series inventory.
Both series received 13 episode initial orders last May during the upfront process but both have been trimmed to a total of 11 episodes including the pilots. Sources said the move came after NBC execs were starting to plan out midseason scheduling plans and realized the network would have too many episodes piling up before the end of the season.
Sources emphasized that the decision to cut the episode orders for “Hot and Bothered” and “Superstore,” both from Universal TV, came as a result of simple math, not a lack of confidence in the shows. The decision was made to trim those orders because the shows are not filming yet and thus can more easily make the adjustment in their production schedules. More of NBC’s midseason series may also pare back episodes.
The cuts are also a function of NBC trying to better manage its programming resources and to free up funds for other projects that may arise in the coming months. Execs are rethinking the traditional 13-episode order as the standard for new series. The feeling is that an eight to 10-episode run will give programmers plenty of material to evaluate. One insider pointed to the success this summer with comedy “The Carmichael Show,” which demonstrated its merit with a six-episode run that earned the show a renewal.
Both series received 13 episode initial orders last May during the upfront process but both have been trimmed to a total of 11 episodes including the pilots. Sources said the move came after NBC execs were starting to plan out midseason scheduling plans and realized the network would have too many episodes piling up before the end of the season.
Sources emphasized that the decision to cut the episode orders for “Hot and Bothered” and “Superstore,” both from Universal TV, came as a result of simple math, not a lack of confidence in the shows. The decision was made to trim those orders because the shows are not filming yet and thus can more easily make the adjustment in their production schedules. More of NBC’s midseason series may also pare back episodes.
The cuts are also a function of NBC trying to better manage its programming resources and to free up funds for other projects that may arise in the coming months. Execs are rethinking the traditional 13-episode order as the standard for new series. The feeling is that an eight to 10-episode run will give programmers plenty of material to evaluate. One insider pointed to the success this summer with comedy “The Carmichael Show,” which demonstrated its merit with a six-episode run that earned the show a renewal.
Source:
