The options on the cast of ABC’s backdoor pilot The Good Lawyer were up today, which means that by now, the network would’ve made a decision on The Good Lawyer spinoff starring Kennedy McMann and Felicity Huffman.
But the fate of the pilot — as well as ABC bubble series The Rookie: Feds and Home Economics — remain in limbo amid the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. And the longer the work stoppages go, the longer the shows’ odds of getting a pickup get.
According to rules pertaining to the SAG-AFTRA strike, any cast hold period is extended for the duration of the work stoppage. Since ABC and leading The Good Lawyer studio Sony Pictures Television had another month on the pilot actors’ options when the SAG-AFTRA strike started July 14, that time will be added when the strike ends.
Home Economics cast’s options were extended for 60 days when they were up June 30, I hear. With the SAG-AFTRA strike starting two weeks later, the actors will be under options for another month and a half after the work stoppage comes to an end.
As a new series, freshman The Rookie: Feds is on a different schedule; I hear the options on the cast are not up until the end of October so, with the time of the strike subtracted, ABC can make a decision as late as December.
That extra time may not be necessary as, depending how deep into the fall the strikes go, the network could make calls on the three shows sooner.
As Deadline reported earlier today, Labor Day is a threshold for the writers’ strike to end in order for the broadcast networks to air meaningful seasons of their original live-action drama series spanning 13 episodes, with premieres in February for established shows and March for newer ones.
ABC had planned to launch The Good Lawyer in the spring, so if the WGA or both strikes stretch into October/November, the pilot is not likely to get a series order but it looks promising if a WGA-AMPTP deal is made before that, I hear. Of its crop of 2023 drama and comedy pilots, ABC in May picked up to series the one-hour High Potential starring Kaitlin Olson.
I hear the situation is more complicated with drama The Rookie: Feds, starring current Emmy nominee Niecy Nash, and comedy Home Economics, headlined by Topher Grace, which is coming off its third season. Like The Good Lawyer, both series come from outside lead studios, eOne, now owned by Lionsgate, and Lionsgate Television, respectively. Business and other considerations are said to be factoring into the decision but an early fall end of the WGA strike does improve both shows’ renewal chances, with Home Economics, being older and half-hour in length, said to have a bit more leeway how late in the fall it could restart production to make a spring Season 4 return.
ABC brass are said to like all three shows creatively, which is why they have remained under consideration months after the May upfronts when such decisions are typically made.