NBC Wants to Run Back Pilot Season in 2027
The Hollywood Reporter • • entertainment
Key Points:
- NBC ordered eight scripted pilots this season, the highest number for any single network since 2022, resulting in four series pickups: dramas Line of Fire and The Rockford Files, and comedies Newlyweds and Sunset P.I.
- Line of Fire and Newlyweds are scheduled to premiere in the fall, while The Rockford Files and Sunset P.I., both centered on private investigators, will launch in early 2027.
- NBC executives Lisa Katz and Jeff Bader emphasized the value of pilot season, allowing multiple departments to evaluate finished products and make informed scheduling and marketing decisions.
- The four pilots not picked up were passed over due to NBC’s specific scheduling needs rather than their quality, with Universal Television potentially seeking other platforms for those shows.
- Katz plans to continue ordering and producing pilots in early 2027, advocating for the pilot season's ability to provide options and test different concepts despite the industry's trend toward year-round development.