Reporters, fans, and other Television commenters where allowed last week to discuss pressing concerns with TV’s biggest network executives at this year’s TCA presentations. This year’s pattern of questions and concerns have taken a snapshot of what is succeeding on TV and what possibly needs to improve.
#1 Loud Call for Diversity
While most networks have recently added a more diverse cast of more woman and minority characters on their shows, one cable network has kept diversity at a minimum on their shows and there ensued some drastic arguments with TCA attendees. CBS has officially offended not only millennials but continues to mainly cast Caucasian actors and actresses for their scripted shows.
#2 Comedies/Sitcoms are Struggling
With an abundance of well-made scripted dramas, comedies are having a hard time finding an audience to watch their episodes weekly.
Dana Walden, Chief Executive Officer of Fox, assumes comedies are having a hard time staying on air not because viewers don’t want to watch comedy any more, but because they don’t feel an urgency or demand to watch them once a week.
#3 TV show seasons are getting shorter
With so many new TV shows being added yearly, the traditional 22 episodes per season isn’t feasible for networks to produce any more.
Networks have a limited time to air shows on TV and by having a limited series take a hiatus, it gives more time for other shows to premiere. Networks are also seeing the advantages of having a shorter season, noticing that big actors and writers have been involved in more TV shows because they don’t have to spend a whole year on a series.
#4 Will Superhero themed Shows last on TV?
The future of the superhero genre in TV has been debated over and over again. There has been a considerable success with CW shows like Arrow, Flash, and ABC’s Agents of Shield. Although after CBS decided to cancel Supergirl because of the show’s low viewership, the CW decided to pick it up.
Even through ABC cancelled Marvel’s Agent Carter, the network is still open to more superhero-themed shows.
#5 Is “Peak TV” Something to Worry About?
With about 450 new scripted shows to land on TV, John Landgraf, FX President, thinks TV industry is in trouble. He predicts that this “peak in TV” will continue to cause a decline in viewership and quality.
He states that TV is having a hard time competing with other internet streaming sites, that networks are trying to gather a new audience with more shows on their roster, which has resulted in more cancelled shows.
#6 Do we need Reboots and Remakes?
We see this in Film, but are remakes and reboots the answer for TV? Apparently not, since Fox’s Minority Report and ABC’s Rush Hour failed to bring in more viewers.
Even with these epic fails, networks are still pushing forward with new remakes. Fox plans to reboot their aged 24 and Prison Break series next year.
