The Slate

In an industry of tradition and occasional gems, one TV station has decided to break the mold.

Every year, seasons of TV writing are the same. There are set times for writing a season, filming, and yes, greenlighting pilots. The TV pilot season runs from January to April. It is in this timeframe that the Big Four (ABC, FOX, CBS, NBC) hear pitches, pick them up, cast them, shoot them, write them some more, shoot even more, edit, and promote like crazy for a May premiere. The rest of the year is dedicated to continuing already successful staple series and quietly pushing the failed pilots to the side, never to be spoken of again.

FOX surprised everyone by silently going against the norm. According to Variety, FOX ordered, “four series… and three pilot pickups, most of which were done before Christmas.” These series include: Wayward Pines, Gracepoint, and 24: Live Another Day, all of which are slated to launch later this year.

By doing this, FOX allowed about an extra month for each series to mature. In this day and age when new content is being released online, the old annual TV formula can no longer keep up with the quality. This extra time is being used to further develop the characters and plots. The longer time between production will grant the writing staffs the time to make the show their own rather than waiting a season or two. It would be nice to have a first season without awkward pacing.