The amount of scripted shows on TV continues to grow, reaching almost 500 (495 to be exact) in total in 2018, according to FX Networks Research’s annual 2018 Scripted Original Series count.
That is up from the 487 that aired in 2017. The increase in streaming (up 37 percent compared to 2017) and pay cable (up 7 percent) offset a decline in the amount of scripted series that aired on broadcast (down 5 percent) and basic cable television (down 18 percent).
For pie chart enthusiasts, that means that online services made up 32 percent of all scripted shows in 2018, narrowly edging out broadcast TV, which accounted for 30 percent. Basic cable made up 29 percent and pay cable took up 9 percent. This was the first year that the amount of scripted fare on streaming was higher than any other platform.
Since 2014, the amount of scripted shows to air on streaming services has exploded by 385 percent. And that number only figures to grow bigger in 2019, with WarnerMedia, Apple and Disney all launching their own direct-to-consumer offerings.
During his executive session at the Summer TCA press tour in August, FX Networks CEO John Landgraf rebranded the current “Golden Age” of TV to “The Gilded Age.” At that time, Landgraf noted that there were some 319 scripted shows on TV, which paced 5 percent ahead compared to the same time as last year. It ended up being 1.6 percent compared to 2017.
For the non-history buffs: “The Gilded Age” refers to a period of time between the 1870s and 1900, during the economic boom following the Civil War. However, the use of the term “Gilded Age” was also a pejorative to describe the time as one of materialistic excess and extreme poverty. It was initially coined by Mark Twain in his 1873 novel, “The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today.”
Netflix in December: What's Coming and Going That You Should Really, Really Watch (Photos)
With dozens of new titles hitting Netflix each month, it can be difficult to keep track of what to watch. So TheWrap has compiled a list, updated each month, of the best new shows and movies to check out and which to watch before they're gone for good.
Leaving Dec. 1: "Sons of Anarchy"Season 1-7 The hit FX drama from creator Kurt Sutter, which was later spun off into the currently airing "Mayans M.C.," stars Charlie Hunnam as Jackson "Jax" Teller, the leader of a outlaw motorcycle club in Central California.
FX
Arriving Dec. 2: "The Lobster" An absurdist comedy co-written and directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, whose latest film "The Favourite" hit theaters in November, "The Lobster" stars Colin Farrell as a man seeking a partner in a world where single people are transformed into animals.
A24
Arriving Dec. 7: "Dumplin" Danielle Macdonald stars as Dumplin', the plus-size, teenage daughter of a former beauty queen (Jennifer Aniston), who signs up for her mom's pageant as a protest that escalates when other contestants follow in her footsteps, revolutionizing the pageant and their small Texas town.
Netflix
Leaving Dec. 10: "Battle Royale" A stealth romance disguised as a bloody teen slasher, the Japanese modern classic "Battle Royale" centers on a group of high schoolers who are sent to an isolated island where they're forced to compete in a "Hunger Games"-style fight to the death.
Toei Company
Leaving Dec. 12: "Trolls" DreamWorks Animation's 2016 film, based on the elaborately coiffed dolls popular in the '90s, stars Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake as a pair of trolls who embark on a mission to rescue their village from a troll-eating monster.
DreamWorks Animation
Arriving Dec. 14: "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina: A Midwinter's Tale" A holiday-themed episode of the Netflix original series, "A Midwinter's Tale" picks up as the winter solstice approaches, as Sabrina orchestrates an emotional séance with serious consequences and Susie's merry plans turn menacing.
Netflix
Arriving Dec. 14: "Roma" Alfonso Cuarón's latest Oscar contender chronicles a tumultuous year in the life of a middle-class family in Mexico City in the early 1970s.
Netflix
Leaving Dec. 15: "Step Up 2: The Streets" The second installment in "Crazy Rich Asians" director Jon M. Chu's dance movie franchise, "Step Up 2: The Streets" stars Briana Evigan as a street dancer who finds herself caught between two worlds when she's recruited to a prestigious dance school.
Touchstone
Arriving Dec. 16: "Springsteen on Broadway" A filmed version of the stage show based on his best-selling autobiography, Bruce Springsteen performs acoustic versions of his music and shares personal stories.
Netflix
Arriving Dec. 18: "Ellen DeGeneres: Relatable" Filmed at Seattle's Benaroya Hall, Ellen DeGeneres makes her return to stand-up after a 15-year hiatus for a new Netflix special.
Netflix
Arriving Dec. 18: "Terrace House: Opening New Doors" Part 5 In the latest batch of episodes from Japan's gentlest reality show, Takayuki and Aya keep going on dates, but Takayuki's heart may be set on someone else, and new member Shunsuke begins a journey of self-discovery.
Netflix
Leaving Dec. 20: "Moana" Featuring songs by "Hamilton's" Lin-Manuel Miranda, Disney's "Moana" centers on the strong-willed daughter, straining at the confines of her Polynesian island, who is tasked with tracking down the demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson) to save her home.
Disney
Arriving Dec. 21: "Bird Box" Set five years after a wave of mass suicides decimates the population, "Bird Box" stars Sandra Bullock as a mother of two children who embarks on a desperate, dangerous quest for sanctuary.
Netflix
Arriving Dec. 24: "The Magicians" Season 3 Syfy's zany adaptation of the popular series of Lev Grossman novels centers on a group of students at a secret university for magicians as they grapple with everything from bad hookups to murderous trickster gods to fairies who try to take over the world.
Syfy
Arriving Dec. 25: "Avengers: Infinity War" The first part in Marvel's decade-in-the-making superhero team-up unites nearly every hero from the franchise's 20 films in a showdown against the world-destroying villain Thanos and features one of the biggest cliffhangers in cinematic history.
Marvel
Arriving Dec. 31: "The Bill Murray Stories: Life Lessons Learned From a Mythical Man" Tommy Avallone's 2018 documentary investigates the mythical encounters everyday people have had with Bill Murray, from photobombed wedding photos to crashed house parties.
Getty Images
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TheWrap has compiled the highlights — before it’s too late
With dozens of new titles hitting Netflix each month, it can be difficult to keep track of what to watch. So TheWrap has compiled a list, updated each month, of the best new shows and movies to check out and which to watch before they're gone for good.
FX
