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Pilot Season - How Many Pilots will each Network Order

Jan 18, 2016

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Thanks to Spindae2 for the heads up.

ABC
I her ABC is aiming to pick up 1-2 pilots less than last year both on the comedy and drama side, staying in the 10-11 pilots range, but the number could creep up to 2015 levels. Last year, the network made 12 drama pilots and 13 comedy ones.

NBC
I hear NBC can order as few as 5-6 drama pilots. It already has the Dan Fogelman dramedy pilot and a series order to Taken. There is a bigger push in comedy, where NBC finally started to see some traction with midseason entry Superstore (It also got some attention with summer newbie The Carmichael Show.) I hear NBC is looking to order 10-11 half-hour pilots, not counting the two developed though the Playground initiative.

CBS
I hear the network plans to order about eight more comedy pilots. On the drama side, CBS re-piloted legal drama Doubt in the off-season, and we may have another Big Bang Theory or Numbers scenario — where a reworked CBS pilot goes to series — as I hear Doubt is looking promising early on. That makes an already tight CBS drama field (the network has very few holes to fill as evidenced by the fact that it has not found a spot for veteran Person of Interest on the schedule yet) even tighter. I hear the network is looking to pick up eight more drama pilots. That would be on par with last year’s totals of 9 drama and 9 comedy pilots.

FOX
Fox will have needs as it will have 40 hours to fill taken up by American Idol’s final season this year. Last season, the network ordered only six drama pilots, five of which were made and all but one went to series. Fox brass are expected to pump up the volume so they have more choices this time with about 8 drama pilot orders. Fox already has been very active with a series order to Shots Fired and three early drama pilot orders, to 24 offshoot 24: Legacy, Lee Daniels’ music coming-of-age project and Dan Fogelman’s baseball-themed Pitch. On the comedy side, Fox is expected to stay close to last year’s 8-count, with 8-9 orders. Fox so far has ordered the Phil Lord and Chris Miller-produced time-travel comedy pilot, which has emerged as an instant frontrunner based on a very well received script, and also has the live-action/animated hybrid series Son of Zorn.

CW
Last year, the CW only ordered four pilots, one of which, Containment, went to series, joined by Showtime’s Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. (The CW also did a 3.5-minute presentation that became the new series Legends of Tomorrow.) I hear the network is planning to return to its usual pilot volume with about 6-7 orders.