Hollywood strikes deflate the fall TV schedule

The Future. With the actors and writers strikes putting the kibosh on scripted shows in production, the broadcast networks are pivoting their schedules to program whatever they can, including reality shows, game shows, live sports, and reruns. The resulting blow to the legacy networks (and the inevitable stock drop) may be one of the key things that resume negotiations between the studios and the Hollywood unions.

Reality bites
Without new scripted shows, this fall’s network TV season will be slim pickings.

• Fox is showing WWE matches on Friday nights and leaning hard on animation.
• CBS will play episodes of the Paramount Network’s breakout hit, Yellowstone.
• ABC is putting episodes of the Disney+ series Ms. Marvel into rotation.
• Only NBC has a few scripted shows ready to go, including the remainder of Magnum P.I.

All in all, the dearth of shows is a blow to TV audiences (mostly older Americans) hoping for a return of any number of Dick Wolf series and to advertisers who rely on scripted hits to get the most eyeballs.

The consequence could be many traditional TV viewers may finally move to streaming in search of something new to watch. And with pay-TV subscriptions only in 58.5% of US households (the lowest since 1992), it may be a death knell to the whole system.

No wonder Bob Iger is looking to sell…