How'd This Get on the Air? LA to Vegas

Development is the name given to the process of metamorphosis an idea for a TV show undergoes as it moves from a writer’s head to becoming a produced episode of television. During the development process, the show transforms from a rough sketch or pitch to words on a script page to dialogue in an actor’s mouth to a completed episode, replete with slick edits and a killer soundtrack.  This process is one of both change and collaboration, as the network executives work with creators to bring the most artistically sound, most commercially viable ideas to light. Examining the development process provides a fascinating opportunity to see the crossroads of art and commerce where network television is born.  The Fox sitcom LA to Vegas provides an interesting case study. 

Pilot season is the time during which network executives look for new shows.  Pilot season usually begins two summers before the autumn in which the shows will debut. So, the shows which debuted in Autumn of 2017 were part of the Summer 2016 pilot season and the shows which will air in Autumn 2018 are about six months into pilot season/ the development process, which began in June 2017.  During pilot season, network executives at all levels hear show presentations called pitches.  It is the job of the network executive to choose ideas he or she thinks will make money for the network.  If a network executive likes a Creator’s pitch, he or she will buy the idea, which at this point in the process means he or she is commissioning the script. 

Another source of ideas for network television series comes in the form of spec scripts and this is how LA to Vegas was sold. Spec scripts are completed pilot scripts for original series written by a writer on speculation, which means nobody paid the writer for the months of work which went into crafting a hyper-specific yet totally relatable world, set of characters, and series of obstacles, then expressing this hyper-specific yet totally relatable vision in draft after draft, painstakingly conveying the premise into scenes. While some argue feature film spec scripts are dead they remain an integral part of TV development. 

The fact the Creator was not paid for writing a spec script does not mean the script is not vetted. Before any potential buyers got a look at the spec pilot script for LA to Vegas, Creator Lon Zimmet had written multiple drafts of the story and his representation – his managers and agents, the people responsible for selling his work – had all signed off on the material as commercially viable and artistically sound.  With each draft Zimmet's reps read, they became more invested in the project.  Once the script was deemed ready it could have gone directly to networks; but, as is more often the case, and as was the case with LA to Vegas, the script went out to producers in the hopes of getting an attachment.  An ‘attachment” is when an element of talent – a producer, a director, an actor, etc. – agrees to work on a project.  Having a producer or production company attached to a script dramatically increases its chances of selling because when a production company attaches themselves to a project, they are agreeing to shepherd the idea through the process of production should the network buy the show.  LA to Vegas became viable as a spec sale when Gary Sanchez Productions, Will Ferrell and Adam McKay’s production company, became involved in the project. The development team at Gary Sanchez offered Zimmet some notes, he implemented them, which helped get the producers at Gary Sanchez invested in the idea.  Though Zimmet is credited as Creator of LA to Vegas, his idea went through a collaborative evolution, with his representation and the producers at Gary Sanchez Productions lending their ideas and expertise to further hone the script before anybody at Fox even got a look at it.   

From a network perspective, spec scripts with producer attachments are easier to say yes to for a number of reasons.  First, someone else has already vetted the idea, made sure it’s viable as a series, and agreed to do most of the leg work on all aspects of production, which will save the network time and money.  Furthermore, the attached producer or production company now helps the idea have a brand, which makes it easier to sell to both advertisers and audiences.  With LA to Vegas being brought in my Gary Sanchez, Fox wasn’t just buying a solid pilot script for a relatively inexpensive to produce workplace comedy written by Zimmet, a seasoned, acclaimed sitcom writer with a diverse and impressive pedigree.  They were buying the Gary Sanchez brand, they were buying the right to sell the show to sponsors and advertise the show to the American public as “Executive Produced by Will Ferrell.”    Because of Ferrell’s name recognition, it became much easier for Fox to imagine LA to Vegas finding an audience.  The quality of the script coupled with the quality of the producers attached made LA to Vegas a relatively easy sale in September 2016.   

Though Fox bought the script, there were still changes which needed to be made.  Zimmet, who had gone through draft after draft of the script with his reps and the producers at Gary Sanchez, now had to go through the same rewriting process with the network executives at Fox. Because these notes sessions with Zimmet and the Gary Sanchez producers were pleasant and fruitful, and because Fox liked the idea and knew they could brand it with Ferrell’s name, they picked up LA to Vegas in January 2017, which means they agreed to actually produce the script.  The idea worked on paper, it was time to see if it would play.  It would all depend on the talent attachments the script could secure. 

Once the script was slated for production, decisions had to be made about what elements of talent would be involved in the show.  The script needed a Director and cast of actors to bring these characters to life. With a major producer like Gary Sanchez, Zimmet now had access to all of their contacts, so getting big-name talent on board with LA to Vegas was relatively easy. In a sitcom, the Director of the pilot plays a crucial role in the formation of character and in determining the aesthetic, tone and pace of the series.  In exchange for helping to craft a look and feel for the pilot episode which other Directors will try to emulate, the Director of the pilot episode is often, but not always, given credit as a Producer or Executive Producer on the series.  LA to Vegas struck gold when Steven Levitan came on to Direct.  Levitan is the creator of JUST SHOOT ME, co-creator of MODERN FAMILY and former Writer/ Producer on WINGS, the 1990s NBC workplace comedy about a small airline in New England, so he was in many ways a dream hire from a creative perspective.  From a commercial perspective, Levitan gave LA to Vegas an impressive pedigree and added yet another big name Fox could use to sell the show to both sponsors and the American public. 

Once Levitan was attached, things kicked into overdrive.  Dylan McDermott became the face of the series, a drama actor playing against type. The show tapped Kim Matula to be its female lead and, in many ways, an ace up the show’s sleeve.  Matula carried the second season of Lifetime’s incredible UnREAL and lights up the screen every time she appears.  Ed Meeks was not available until The Mindy Project set an end date, but he came on board just in time, playing a romantic interest for Matula and rounding out the cast with veteran TV talent. Each element of talent which was attached made LA to Vegas more appealing to the network because each element of talent brought in a fan base.  McDermott’s fans would tune in to see him play against type.  Matula’s fans would tune in to see her lead a comedy (and maybe to check her out in that flight attendant uniform).  Ed Meeks' fans would tune in to see his dry British charm and those cheekbones.   

During production, the quality of the idea and the quality of talent associated with it, both behind the camera and on screen, shined, and LA to Vegas’s pilot turned out quite well.  With solid execution and proven talent, LA to Vegas became a fairly easy show for Fox to imagine making them money.  Fox ordered the series in May 2017, agreeing to produce the pilot and two more episodes.   

Once the series was scheduled to go to air, Fox had to decide when to debut the show. With so many series debuting in September, it’s easy for something to get missed so networks tend to delay the release of ideas they are excited about.  LA to Vegas was shown to focus groups and potential sponsors and many people really liked it.  Because of this positive reception, and because of the quality of talent associated with the show, Fox decided to do a mid-season launch, delaying release of LA to Vegas until January in the hopes there’d be less competition and the show would find a larger audience.  This delay also gave Fox the opportunity to advertise the series all Autumn during some of their most-watched television events, like the World Series or Sunday NFL games. 

In further attempts to gain an audience, Fox gave viewers several opportunities to watch the pilot episode of LA to Vegas before it aired.  There was a week-long preview on Hulu and the episode live-streamed on Twitter.  Ultimately, the ratings for the pilot episode were solid, with 3.75 million viewers tuning in and a score of 83% on Rotten Tomatoes.  Because of the success of the pilot, Fox ordered three more episodes, bringing the first season order for LA to Vegas to six episodes. The second episode dipped to just 2.65 million viewers.  But the show got a bump thanks to Dermot Mulroney in week three and the ratings inched back up to 2.77 million viewers.  

LA to Vegas provides a great example of the network development process when an idea for a TV series originates with a spec pilot script; however, the fact it ended up on TV at all makes it an outlier.  Of the 1,000 or so pitches a network executive hears, he or she will buy maybe 50 scripts. Of the 100 or so spec pilot scripts a network executive reads, he or she will buy maybe 5.  While a case study of LA to Vegas includes a lot of acceptance and good fortune, it’s important to note, even successful television Creators get rejected 95% of the time. If you can’t deal with that much rejection, the entertainment industry is not for you, you’d probably be better off writing blog posts about how development works.

If there are any series you'd like to be profiled in "How'd This Get On The Air?" feel free to comment below, message me, or find me on Twitter @DeWitticisms.