Why Do Shows Have So Many Producers?

[Dr. Thong]

This is a general question that applies to dramas as well: Why do shows now have so many executive producers and producers?

There are some shows that have at least ten executive producers and nearly as many producers.

Some of the older shows had maybe one or two producers. Or maybe a couple of executive producers and producers.

It seems like they hand out the titles to anyone now. I know in some cases, certain stars get an executive producer title if it's negotiated into their contracts, but by the time they get through listing all the producers, it's a few minutes into the show!

Anybody know why this is..?

[Alan Brady's Hair]

A lot of them, in sitcoms at least, are writers. There'll be one person who has a "Written by" credit, who does the first draft of the script. Then there will be a bunch of people, who depending on how important they are might be executive producers, or might be called supervising or consulting producers or some such, who are actually writers on staff and who add things to scripts or rewrite to assure the scripts have a consistent tone. Those people might also be called creative consultants or story editors or some such. The reasons they're not all just called "writers" involve money, writers' guild credits, and award qualification, which others probably understand better than me.

The people who actually produce the show - coordinating the whole production - usually have simple titles like "Producer" and "Associate Producer."

[Dr. Thong]

Originally Posted by Alan Brady's Hair

A lot of them, in sitcoms at least, are writers. There'll be one person who has a "Written by" credit, who does the first draft of the script. Then there will be a bunch of people, who depending on how important they are might be executive producers, or might be called supervising or consulting producers or some such, who are actually writers on staff and who add things to scripts or rewrite to assure the scripts have a consistent tone. Those people might also be called creative consultants or story editors or some such. The reasons they're not all just called "writers" involve money, writers' guild credits, and award qualification, which others probably understand better than me.

The people who actually produce the show - coordinating the whole production - usually have simple titles like "Producer" and "Associate Producer."

Okay, I figured as much, especially with the writers. In the old days, the head writer would get "script consultant" or "story editor" credit.

As for the Executive Producer thing, I imagine a bunch of powerful people want their names attached to a project in the hopes that it's big, then they can say "I was the executive producer on that show." It's also handed out to stars who can command power and big bucks, I reckon.

[opus]

I miss the good old days when a network TV show like The Alan Brady Show would have only 1 producer and only 3 writers.

[Edward216]

It's funny you posted this question, I've been thinking about asking it myself lately. But I was going to ask about a specific show, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. I swear they have like 12 people (probably more) listed in the show's credits as "executive producers". And there's also like about half a dozen people listed as "co-executive producer" and also several people listed as just "producer". I mean I know making a science fiction TV series is very involved and complex work but I can't believe they need that many "executive producers", its absolutely ridiculous!

Ed.

[Dr. Thong]

Originally Posted by Edward216

It's funny you posted this question, I've been thinking about asking it myself lately. But I was going to ask about a specific show, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. I swear they have like 12 people (probably more) listed in the show's credits as "executive producers". And there's also like about half a dozen people listed as "co-executive producer" and also several people listed as just "producer". I mean I know making a science fiction TV series is very involved and complex work but I can't believe they need that many "executive producers", its absolutely ridiculous!

Ed.

Ed, I agree with you. It's like that with many shows. The Marvel shows are like that, especially the ones that first aired on Netflix. I know that Stan Lee's name was there because he co-created many of those characters.

They list five Executive Producers at a time, then co-executive producers, etc.

And I'd be willing to bet that some of them never set foot on the sets of these shows. Probably producing from their offices or cell phones.

Like one of the previous posts said, the producer titles are likely handed out to writers to acknowledge them in the credits.

[Dr. Thong]

Originally Posted by opus

I miss the good old days when a network TV show like The Alan Brady Show would have only 1 producer and only 3 writers.

The Alan Brady Show was a fictional show as portrayed on The Dick Van Dyke Show. A show-within-a-show, you might say.

In essence, what you're saying is correct, though I suspect DVD had more than three writers.

[opus]

Originally Posted by Dr. Thong

The Alan Brady Show was a fictional show as portrayed on The Dick Van Dyke Show. A show-within-a-show, you might say.

In essence, what you're saying is correct, though I suspect DVD had more than three writers.

I was definitely just joking around, and the DVD Show definitely had more than 3 writers. I counted 41.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054533...4-d4c6e711c686

[Alan Brady's Hair]

Originally Posted by opus

I was definitely just joking around, and the DVD Show definitely had more than 3 writers. I counted 41.

The odd thing was, almost nothing that The Alan Brady Show writers were shown writing looked like it was destined to be funny.

[Dr. Thong]

Originally Posted by opus

I was definitely just joking around, and the DVD Show definitely had more than 3 writers. I counted 41.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054533...4-d4c6e711c686

I should have known.

[opus]

Originally Posted by Alan Brady's Hair

The odd thing was, almost nothing that The Alan Brady Show writers were shown writing looked like it was destined to be funny.

To stay off topic, are we supposed to think that the 3 of them wrote all the songs in the Christmas episode?

[opus]

Originally Posted by Dr. Thong

I should have known.

To get back on topic, the Dick Van Dyke Show has 6 names listed under producer.

One of the big sitcoms nowadays, Ghosts, has 37.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11379026/

[Dude111]

You would think having all those producers might cause a problem!!! (them not agreeing on something)

[Edward216]

Originally Posted by Dr. Thong

Ed, I agree with you. It's like that with many shows. The Marvel shows are like that, especially the ones that first aired on Netflix. I know that Stan Lee's name was there because he co-created many of those characters.

They list five Executive Producers at a time, then co-executive producers, etc.

And I'd be willing to bet that some of them never set foot on the sets of these shows. Probably producing from their offices or cell phones.

Like one of the previous posts said, the producer titles are likely handed out to writers to acknowledge them in the credits.

I suppose you're probably right. I'm glad I'm not the only who's noticed this trend and it just seems like it's getting worse and won't be going away. I never thought there'd be a day when a TV show had more producers working on it than there are people in the cast! LOL.

Ed.

[Dr. Thong]

Originally Posted by opus

To stay off topic, are we supposed to think that the 3 of them wrote all the songs in the Christmas episode?

Especially crazy, since they worked regular hours and were home for dinner every night.