THR Greg Berlanti 20160502-Berlanti28786 - H 2016
Christopher PateyGreg Berlanti is on the cusp of making television history.
The prolific (to say the least) producer behind shows including The Flash and Blindspot currently has 10 live-action scripted series spread across various networks and digital platforms.
That currently ties him with Jerry Bruckheimer — who, in the 2005-06 broadcast season, had a total of 10 series as well. Only there’s a slight twist that could, technically, already give Berlanti the record for the most TV shows on the air at the same time: One of Bruckheimer’s 10 was an unscripted show — CBS’ still-running The Amazing Race.
So while Berlanti could essentially have already broken the record — let’s give him the asterisk treatment for now — he stands on the cusp of completely owning it.
Berlanti and his Warner Bros. Television-based Greg Berlanti Productions had four pilots in contention at the broadcast networks this season. ABC’s magic drama Deception was ordered to series. DC Comics take Black Lightning was picked up at The CW despite having only filmed a pilot production after originally being developed at Fox. The CW’s Searchers which, sources say, got a pass due to its price tag. And finally ABC’s Diablo Cody-produced Raised by Wolves, Berlanti’s first comedy pilot, is likely not moving forward at the Disney-owned network but is being shopped to cable outlets.
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Should Raised by Wolves find a home, that would put Berlanti firmly over Bruckheimer with 11 total series — all of them scripted. Helping matters, of course, is the Peak TV of it all with more buyers to sell to as cable networks and streaming platforms continue to look for the next big hit as proven producers like Berlanti with name recognition help shows get on the air.
His current roster includes The CW’s Arrow, Black Lightning, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, Riverdale, Supergirl, ABC’s Deception, NBC’s Blindspot, Lifetime’s straight-to-series thriller You and live-action Titans, which, after being passed over at TNT a year ago, was picked up straight to series for DC Entertainment’s upstart digital service set to launch in 2018.
Bruckheimer’s monster 2005-06 season consisted of NBC’s E-Ring; CBS’ Cold Case, Without a Trace, Close to Home, The Amazing Race, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: NY and CSI: Miami; and The WB Network’s Just Legal and Modern Men.
As for who held the record before Bruckheimer? It was none other than Aaron Spelling, who had eight shows on the air at one point. And in a fun coincidence, two of Spelling’s original TV series are getting the reboot treatment next season with CBS’ S.W.A.T. and The CW’s Dynasty.
So for Berlanti, 10 series on the air with an asterisk is nothing to shake a stick at. And Greg, if you’re reading this, shouldn’t you be working?!
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Keep track of all the broadcast renewals, cancellations and series pickups with THR‘s handy scorecard.
