NBC Revives Pilot Season With Six Drama Orders for 2026

NBC is making a significant bet on an old way of making television. The network has handed out pilot orders for six drama projects this week, the largest number of pilots it has committed to in years. The move signals a potential turning point for broadcast television as networks reconsider how they develop new shows in an era dominated by streaming services.

The pilot orders include a reboot of the classic crime drama The Rockford Files, a U.S. Marshals drama called Protection, an untitled crime drama, and a private investigator comedy from the creators behind Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Two additional drama projects have also received orders, including What the Dead Know from Dick Wolf and Puzzled, an adaptation based on the Puzzle Master.

Background

For decades, pilot season was the lifeblood of broadcast television. Every winter and spring, networks would order dozens of scripts, cast hundreds of actors, and produce test episodes to show advertisers at the upfront presentations each May. At its peak in 2013, ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, and The CW combined ordered nearly 100 comedies and dramas in a single season.

Then the model collapsed. Streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video began producing their own original content at scale, offering viewers an alternative to broadcast television. Cable networks multiplied the options available to audiences. Networks responded by shifting away from pilots and toward straight-to-series orders, where shows were greenlit directly without a test episode. By 2014, Fox executive Kevin Reilly declared pilot season officially dead and moved the network to year-round development.

That approach became standard across the industry. Networks stopped buying hundreds of scripts annually and instead ordered only what they needed for the following season. The traditional pilot process nearly disappeared from broadcast television.

Key Details

NBC's decision to order between five and seven pilots this season represents a dramatic reversal of that trend. The network is investing significantly more resources in the model than it has since the pandemic began reshaping how television is developed.

NBC is looking to make between five and seven pilots this season in what would be its biggest investment in the model since the pandemic radically changed the way broadcast television is developed.

The network's pilot slate leans heavily on established intellectual property and proven creators. The Rockford Files reboot taps into nostalgia for the original 1970s series. Protection offers a timely take on federal law enforcement. The Brooklyn Nine-Nine creators bring a track record of success in comedy-drama hybrids. Dick Wolf, the prolific creator behind the Law and Order franchise, is developing What the Dead Know.

The strategy reflects a calculation about risk and cost. While producing a pilot requires upfront investment, the process allows networks to test whether a premise, its creative team, and its cast can actually work together. A pilot can reveal problems before a network commits to a full season of episodes. That course-correction opportunity is valuable, especially compared to the expense of ordering a straight-to-series show that might not connect with audiences.

The Economics of Pilots

The return to pilots also reflects financial pressures facing broadcast networks. The development ecosystem once supported hundreds of working writers through script purchases and development deals. In the post-Peak TV era, networks are prioritizing fiscal responsibility. They no longer buy scripts speculatively. Instead, they develop only what they believe they can air.

Pilots offer a middle ground. They cost less than a full season but more than a script alone. They provide data about whether a show will work before networks make larger commitments.

What This Means

NBC's pilot orders suggest that broadcast networks are reconsidering their approach to development after years of chasing streaming's model. The success or failure of these six pilots could influence how other networks approach 2026 and beyond.

If NBC's pilots perform well—if they attract audiences and generate buzz—other networks may follow suit. The traditional pilot season could experience a modest revival, not to the scale of 2013 but enough to create more opportunities for writers, actors, and producers. If the pilots underperform, networks will likely continue relying on straight-to-series orders and year-round development.

The slate also reflects a creative strategy built on familiarity. Reboots of established shows like The Rockford Files carry built-in audiences and brand recognition. Established creators like Dick Wolf and the Brooklyn Nine-Nine team bring proven track records. Networks are betting that audiences will tune in for known quantities rather than taking chances on entirely new concepts.

For viewers, more pilots could mean more options. For the television industry, it represents a potential shift in how shows get made and developed. Whether that shift sticks depends on whether audiences actually watch what NBC puts on the air.