Why Some Broadcast Shows Are Getting Smaller, Cable-Sized Season Orders

This Is Us, The Good Place and 24: Legacy won’t make 22 episodes

It was no surprise that NBC gave This Is Us a full-season pickup on Tuesday—after all, the series had the highest-rated 18-49 debut of any new series last week: a 2.8 rating, which soared to a 4.2 in live-plus-3 numbers. But what was a bit unexpected, however, was the length of that full-season order: 18 episodes, instead of the standard 22-episode season for broadcast shows.

This Is Us' 18-episode order was music to the ears of its creator Dan Fogelman, who told Adweek that the 22-episode format isn't ideal for either that show or his other new fall drama, Fox's Pitch.

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