Should add that TWD's popularity has nothing to do with the network's savvy; it is popular despite being buttfucked by no-talent assclowns. The networks are hailed as heroes because when a good show comes along, they take credit. But really they're just oligopolies with money and connections which reap such huge benefits that even when they suck ass they still see profits.

The amount of trial and error in TV is just stupid. They end up cancelling so many shows because they're not run by artists. If the exec heads took their cues from people like David Simon, the products they'd develop would be much stronger, and you wouldn't see a revolving door of shows just waiting for one to get lucky and snag a big audience.

How many James Cameron or Christopher Nolan movies bomb? Somewhere between none and very few. Because they actually understand entertainment and art. Let people like this dictate policy on networks, and you'll find they're all creating quality product. But instead it's just lawyers and accountants leeching off the talent

That's the thing Community has been dealing with. The network has gold in their hands, but they refuse to endorse it because their business model is "if audiences don't love it immediately, we have to give its slot to a new program". They do this because they don't actually understand how to engage audiences, only how to trick them or get lucky.