Peak TV Has Peaked: From Exhausted Talent to Massive Losses, the Writers Strike Magnifies an Industry in Freefall

Since the writers strike began on May 2, the unintended consequences of the ramp-up in series production during the past dozen years have been laid bare. Now, there’s one thing that writers and their estranged employers agree on: Peak TV has peaked. There is no doubt that the TV content landscape will be very different once the strike is settled. In 2022, mainstream TV networks and platforms delivered a record high of 599 total English-language adult scripted TV series, according to the annual industry benchmark compiled by FX Networks. Protestors gather in support of the writers strike at La Brea Tar Pits in L.A. in June.