# Why so few episodes of British TV series?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-few-episodes-of-british-tv-series/1017311>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\
**Created:** [April 21, 2025, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-few-episodes-of-british-tv-series/1017311 "2025-04-21T15:26:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 5

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**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2025, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-few-episodes-of-british-tv-series/1017311/81 "2025-04-25T05:57:25Z")

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> [@terentii](#):
>
> So far as I know, there has never been a “pilots season” in the US.

“Pilot Season” in Hollywood is when TV pilots are being cast, produced, and hopefully greenlit. Matthew Perry’s autobiography paints a good picture of the competitive scramble of aspiring actors trying to get attached to the buzz-worthy projects, or anything at all.

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**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2025, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-few-episodes-of-british-tv-series/1017311/82 "2025-04-25T10:05:07Z")

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Aha, got it! I thought it was a reference to _airing_ pilots, not producing them. I’ve read about “pilot season,” of course, but don’t remember ever hearing the term before. IIRC, the networks _screen_ and _greenlight_ pilots around February (or at least they used to).

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