Variety’s 2021 TV Producers Impact Report

“Riverdale”

What is the achievement you re the most proud of accomplishing this year?

Finishing Season 5 of “Riverdale” without any major shutdowns while starting production on “Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin” on the opposite coast. It wouldn’t have been possible without Zoom, true. But it really wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible, supportive, kick-ass teams working on both shows.

With the number of shows down (admittedly due to the pandemic), do you think peak TV is behind us? Do you think it should be?

It feels like we’re still in it, to be honest. It used to be [that] every new Netflix show that came out was on my radar. Now, it feels like dozens of streaming shows come out every week and I only hear about them much later. Then there are the shows that seemingly appear out of nowhere — looking at you, “The White Lotus” — that hit like a lightning bolt on a sunny day.

“The Baby-Sitters Club” (Aniello, Downs); “Hacks” (All)

After more than a year of working remotely or just in an adjusted capacity due to the pandemic, what is the biggest thing you have learned about yourself and your ability to be creative and/or productive in unexpected circumstances?

Downs: That our voices don’t really carry through two masks and a shield. We’ve been taking voice lessons to improve on [that] in Season 2.

Most proud of?

Statsky: We are so proud that our wonderful cast and crew were recognized for their exceptional work on the show. We are also really proud of always putting our personal relationships with each other ahead of the show — and as a result it makes it easier and healthier for us to collaborate.

Peak TV?

Aniello: We always believe the more shows being made the better because it means more voices are being heard, and with streaming we hope that everything is able to eventually find its audience.

“Love, Victor” (Aptaker, Berger); “This Is Us” (All)

What do you miss most about the writers’ room environment?

Berger: How much easier it is to sit quietly and think in an in-person writers’ room. When I run a room on Zoom, I’m constantly aware of all the eyeballs staring back at me and I often feel the pressure to keep talking, going into almost emcee mode. It’s much easier to retreat into your own brain for a few minutes in an in-person room and that time can be so useful.

What show made you want to get into the television business?

Aptaker: “Boy Meets World.” A friend brought me to a taping of “Girl Meets World” and I got to tell Michael Jacobs what his show meant to me, and he was a huge mensch, which was very cool. But I was way too shy to talk to Topanga.

“Black-ish,” “Grown-ish,” “Mixed-ish”

Most proud of?

Managing to keep my company going and my core team in place. It was something I worked very hard on, and I think it’s crucial to any future success.

Peak TV?

I don’t think peak TV is behind us because with all the new streaming platforms, streamers are just buying more and more foreign acquisitions and other shit. With that being said, I think it should be behind us because what has come from it has hurt the art form forever.

“Bridgerton,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Station 19”

Biggest lesson?

Beers: I am much more adaptable than I ever thought I could be. I have always enjoyed the separation between that and home. I was worried that my ability to think creatively would suffer when I stopped working in my company workspace. It didn’t. And now I use the commuting time to walk the dog, which is a lot more fun than fighting L.A. traffic.

Miss most?

Rhimes: The opportunity to hang out in the writers’ room with other writers just shooting the breeze. Being in conversation and community with fellow writers is vital. That in-between time when no work was getting done but all the really good talk happened is something I miss.

“All American,” “Batwoman,” “Black Lightning,” “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow,” “The Flash,” “The Flight Attendant,” “Kung Fu,” “Prodigal Son,” “Riverdale,” “Stargirl,” “Supergirl,” “Superman and Lois,” “Unpregnant”

Biggest lesson?

Berlanti: I so enjoy being with my family intermittently throughout the day, as opposed to being a 1950s dad who comes home right before dinner time. I’ll do anything it takes to be around them and working from home more.

How does the industry’s content volume affect how you work today?

Schechter: Every movie star has TV development at this point. If anything, I think we need to pivot towards originality and go deeper, rather than louder. But I don’t decide what gets greenlit. As a viewer I have loved short seasons.

“Cruel Summer”

Most proud of?

Purple: We were one of the first canaries in the COVID coalmine and we had a steep learning curve about how to keep a set safe and creative and for the series to come out and be received as well as it has been a testament to everyone that worked so hard alongside us.

Miss most?

Biel: It’s impossible to replace the energy of being in the room with creative people. It’s the best way to bounce ideas off one another.

Purple: It’s also a crucible and it can be pressure filled, having to stand up for your thoughts and ideas in front of everyone. But pressure is a privilege, and it makes diamonds. And the snacks. Writers’ rooms have the best snacks.

“Pose”

Biggest lesson?

The most important thing I’ve learned this past year is the importance of being kind and patient with myself. If the creative well is dry, I’ve learned to give myself the permission to step away for as long as necessary to refill the well.

Inspirational TV?

From the 1984 “Transformers” animated series, to watching “The Twilight Zone,” “The Jeffersons” and “I Love Lucy” in syndication, to “ER” and “Six Feet Under,” it’s hard to narrow it down to one. So many shows impacted my decision to want to be a storyteller.

“Girls5eva” (All); “Mr. Mayor” (Carlock, Fey)

Miss most?

Carlock: I miss the writers’ room less and less with every passing day. I’ve died inside!

Content volume?

Scardino: It’s helping me work today, so I love it! It does feel like you have to be a little louder, a little brighter, and hit the ground running to get noticed in the crowd, but I find it exciting. This landscape offers so many opportunities for new voices to tell stories, and it also feels like networks and streamers are more willing to invest in a show that doesn’t need to make 200 episodes in order to be deemed a success. This business is changing on the ones like traffic and weather, but whatever comes next, I know creators will always find ways to write the stories they want to tell.

“I May Destroy You”

Executive producer Phil Clarke on Coel: At a time when you might expect her to be resting on her laurels, Michaela hasn’t stopped working or creating, despite the pandemic and its inevitable restrictions. I can’t give you much detail for obvious reasons, but she’s been developing a truly exciting new project as a writer and performer, as well as working as an actor on other people’s projects. She’s a powerhouse.

“The Flight Attendant”

Most proud of?

Yockey: We were one of the first shows back up in New York City during the pandemic and I’m incredibly proud of our cast and crew for buckling down, making safety paramount and getting through the last three episodes of Season 1 without incident. And managing to do it in good spirits. I also got a puppy named Barnaby and he mostly sits on command now, so I want a medal.

Content volume?

Cuoco: I generally follow my intuition and try to ignore what is happening around me, always focusing on being the best I can be. I never pay attention to what other people are doing, as I feel this is what is best for me and my company.

“Queen Sugar”

Array Networks president Paul Garnes on DuVernay: The past year has certainly affected every aspect of our lives, in many ways it’s caused us to be more insulated and alone. Ava really enjoys working with collaborators and the past year could have been tough on her, but she really leaned into adapting to the challenges. She used all the technological bells and whistles like Zoom and FaceTime to do everything from virtual writing sessions to location scouts. At one point she even had to do a full-out virtual directors tech scout with a camera crew remotely broadcasting footage to the team all collaborating from home. It always surprises people who work on our productions that Ava takes the time to know every crew member by name.

“Pen15”

Biggest lesson?

Erskine: How to make the most out of my time — how much I valued slowing down. I was so burnt out when we paused production for the pandemic that the respite initially felt like such a relief. I had to learn how to be more efficient when working so that I could also spend time not working and taking care of other things in my life that I really value.

Peak TV?

Konkle: I have no idea because the truth is that COVID exponentially complicates filming. What I hope for artistically is that the trauma of this year unlocks untold stories and encourages courage in our collective art making. There were bleak times within the year that had me questioning my own career choices and comparing myself to essential health workers. And then at another point I found myself seeking solace through entertainment, lulled to sleep by one show after another, and I came to appreciate what we do as entertainers and writers all over again. So, that’s all to say filmmaking is different right now, but it’s certainly not the end.

“The Mandalorian”

Director of photography Barry Baz Idoine on Favreau: Jon created an environment I likened to a dojo where the creative team he had selected were encouraged to do their best work and search out solutions to technical or storytelling challenges. Every day, every shot, he pushed us to do our finest work and each shot could be worthy to lead a reel of shots of our work.

“Never Have I Ever”

Miss most?

Kaling: I miss that chit-chat you do in the room in the morning before you start work. It used to feel like wasting time, but this past year I realized it’s not, it’s actually a conversational warm-up to creativity.

Inspirational TV?

Lang: Like a lot of comedy writers, I grew up on “SNL” and “The Simpsons” and “Seinfeld.” I don’t know if there’s any one particular show that specifically made me want to get into the television business, but I remember watching those shows and repeating the jokes from them and feeling like there was probably no cooler job than to write for one of those shows.

“The Queen’s Gambit”

Peak TV?

Horberg: I’m not much of a crystal-ball gazer, but I suspect the production slow-down was only COVID related, and the transformation of the industry towards the creation and consumption of content in great volume, fueled by the intense competition for subscribers and audience retention among the streaming giants, will resume and continue. It’s all starting to feel a bit like one big McDonald’s Plus channel now, but inevitably great and innovative shows will emerge from amidst the hamburgers. Young people are so creative and media-savvy.

Inspirational TV?

Horberg: Was it Anne Francis as Honey West? Meredith MacRae in “Petticoat Junction”? Dawn Wells in “Gilligan’s Island”? Diana Rigg in “The Avengers”? I was pretty glued to the tube after school growing up. But more seriously, it is the fact that the film business became the television business. “The Queen’s Gambit” couldn’t, and shouldn’t, have gotten made as a movie. It found its format, and its audience, as a series.

“Fear The Walking Dead,” “The Walking Dead: World Beyond” (Gimple); “The Walking Dead” (Both)

Biggest lesson?

Gimple: Making TV and movies has always required an aspect of “emergency creativity” — coming up with new story and new angles on the fly that honor what you were going for in the first place, while dealing with circumstances suddenly changing. This has been the “Year of Emergency Creativity,” day to day, script to script, scene to scene. So many of the shifts and discoveries made the stories better again and again. If you look deeply into the stories themselves, oftentimes the solutions are there; you just have to have faith that if you break the glass, the hose is in there to put out the fire.

Miss most?

Kang: I still miss in-person collaboration. Things like people being able to poke their head in my office, or vice versa, and quickly pitch an idea. We used to solve so many problems during walks across the street to get coffee. Casual exchanges between writers and editors during lunch would lead to improvements in the writing AND the editing.

“Lovecraft Country”

Peak TV?

Peak TV is just regular TV now; it’ll never be behind us, there’s too many streaming services needing content. There are a lot of bad shows, but there’s also a few gems that would have never been made before peak TV, and I’m all about diversifying our storytelling world.

Content volume?

I don’t think the volume of content changes how I tell a story, just how I pitch it. I’ll add a line like, “There’s nothing like it on TV, and that’s saying something with all the shows out now…”

Inspirational TV?

“Battlestar Galactica.” It was the first time I was wowed by the intensity of adult characters, genre, and the rollercoaster ride a surprising story could be, not just in one sitting like in the movies, but season after season.

“P-Valley”

Biggest lesson?

That no matter how big the amount of destruction that is happening in the world I will continue to create. It’s very satisfying because for some people when shit goes down, they freeze and they stop, and I just keep dreaming. [Also] I learned how to sleep a lot more. The fact that I have been sleeping very soundly during the pandemic made me realize how much I didn’t prioritize rest and the difference it makes for me to be my best self.

Miss most?

Studio-bought lunch and whiteboards.

Peak TV?

I do not think it is behind us or will ever be behind us, actually. The pandemic created a hunger for TV, especially because it was the most accessible when everything else wasn’t. When [legit] theater shut down and movie theaters shut down, people were able to gravitate towards TV.

“Cobra Kai”

Most proud of?

Hurwitz: I’m most proud of “Cobra Kai’s” rise from the ashes to finding its audience on Netflix. Right before the pandemic, we were told that YouTube was no longer making scripted content and that our third season would be our last. But instead of accepting that fate, we were determined to find a new home where the show could continue and thrive.

Content volume?

Schlossberg: Creating a show today is like preparing a dish for the biggest buffet in Las Vegas. There are two main things you can do to make your dish stand out. First, get placement at a table that receives lots of foot traffic, i.e. a streaming platform like Netflix that has tons of subscribers. But the second and most important thing you can do is make your dish look as appetizing as possible, i.e. create a story that millions of people would be interested in.

Inspirational TV?

Heald: “Oz,” [which] got its hooks into me with its intense serialization, enormous and gifted ensemble, and its endless ability to shift complex POVs, creating heroes out of villains — and vice versa.

“Loki”

Biggest lesson?

Herron: You are only as good as your team. Our show was made by a large group of resilient and optimistic people, their support and drive to tell the best story, in the circumstances we did, will always be a massive inspiration for me.

Miss most?

Waldron: I miss lunch. The good lunch places, obviously I miss those. But also, the places that everybody hates yet we always go to anyway, then unite together in complaining. And I really miss the once or twice a season times that you get hot chicken from somewhere and someone orders the dangerously hot flavor, then everybody tries it and gets sick, and the rest of the day is wrecked.

“Mare of Easttown”

Content volume?

I try not to allow the volume of content to impact my writing. I’ve never tried to chase or react to a trend or predict how audiences will want to watch something. Perhaps that’s naïve of me and I’ll get burned at some point. I’m sure I will. But it’s a creative choice. Passion is how I decide what to write. If I’m passionate about a story or a character, I have to believe it will come through on the page and it will move a reader/viewer emotionally.

Inspirational TV?

I’ve always watched a lot of television, but “Broadchurch” really got me thinking about writing television. It’s a simple premise, told in a beautiful and emotional way. It elevates the seemingly mundane into something profound. I’m not a big plot writer. I fail at creating high concepts, but what I hope to bring to a story are the characters that sink in and resonate with an audience. “Broadchurch” triumphed at that.

“The Underground Railroad”

Biggest lesson?

That there were many crutches in my creative process that I didn’t understand were crutches — such as cafés!

Miss most?

Zooming and FaceTiming has been a wonderful discovery; it’s been nice to be near to loved ones while also being productive and present for work. Still, there simply is no substitute for the bond and familiarity that forms from being in the same room. Or the seemingly cosmic way ideas materialize from the sustained presence of shared minds.

“Clarice,” “The Comey Rule,” “Star Trek: Discovery”

Biggest lesson?

Kurtzman: The only question that matters to us now is, does this story NEED to be told? Will it make a difference? Will it help people? If not, who gives a shit? It’s made choosing which stories tell so much easier.

Peak TV?

Kadin: Peak TV is nowhere near behind us! Because of the sad decline of theatrical, TV remains the place where strong, creative content can not only exist but thrive. It feels like movies will continue as long as they’re big franchises, which leaves the door open for TV to fill the void with innovative character dramas and comedies that used to play on a big screen

“Big Shot,” “Big Sky,” “The Undoing”

Most proud of?

We shot shows in four different countries — United States, Canada, Australia and England — and somehow managed to keep our cast and crews COVID-safe. I still don’t know how.

Content volume?

The equation hasn’t much changed for me. I try to write what I love, what I’d like to watch. And hope there’s a viewing constituency that will support it. I’m way better at hoping than guessing.

“Power Book II: Ghost,” “Power Book III: Raising Kanan”

Miss most?

I really don’t love working from home. Other than the commute — one flight of stairs — and the ability to see my kid any time I want, it’s nice to have a separate space to be able to create. We need to get back in a room together. Period. The chemistry is just not going to reach the level we had in person.

Inspirational TV?

I’m writing because of “Homicide: Life on the Street,” “Dallas,” “Law & Order” and “Anything but Love.” I’m the only person who liked that show, but I really loved it when it aired. It was a comedy, but there was something about that love story that was really beautifully realized. I will never forget how the Jamie Lee Curtis character confessed that she was looking for a man who would collect her a bottle full of rain — and then the Richard Lewis character, after she had suffered yet another heartbreak, [did]. I’m not much of a romantic — watch any episode of “Power” — but I loved that moment and it stayed with me.

“The Bite,” “Evil,” “The Good Fight,” “Your Honor”

Biggest lesson?

Robert: Deadlines are deadlines whether or not the world is on fire. We’ve learned to be more flexible — adjusting story and throwing out scripts when they become unmakeable (based on COVID limitations). We’ve learned to use a telephoto lens more to help keep a socially distanced room look fuller. We finally learned how to focus more.

Peak TV?

Michelle: We don’t think peak TV is behind us, but our anticipation is that it will become more homogenized. The big conglomerates are worried about undercutting their brands, and everything will become less intuitive, more over-produced.

“The Boys”

Most proud of?

Our jobs can pull us away from our families for too long, so I was really grateful for the time I got to spend with my kids. That was a real silver lining. Every day for a full year, I could have lunch with my kids and just watch them go about their day. That’s something that likely won’t happen again. Though my wife, who didn’t have an office she could barricade herself in for hours at a time, was ready to kill all of us and then herself.

Inspirational TV?

If I want to look thoughtful and smart, “The Twilight Zone.” If I want to be honest with myself, “Knight Rider” and “The A-Team.”

“Ted Lasso”

Biggest lesson?

Lawrence: It’s even easier to procrastinate from home.

Miss most?

Lawrence: The biggest thing I missed was obviously the writers’ room itself. The sense of community, of sharing personal stories, for me, that’s what drives stories. I really missed that. We added a writer to the staff the second season, and none of us had met her in person until recently.

“The Handmaid’s Tale”

Peak TV?

Littlefield: Peak TV is not over, it’s just taking a COVID staycation. There are more platforms than ever before vying for eyeballs. While they won’t ultimately all succeed, the content wars will continue to demand the food that feeds them.

Miss most?

Miller: I miss two things: The “extended” writers’ room, which includes the elevator and kitchen and all other office spaces where the writers gather and do a lot of the actual work of figuring out stories. And second, I really miss having a physical board, filled with index cards, to stare at.

Inspirational TV?

Moss: I cut my teeth on “The West Wing” and had incredible examples of producers, directors, and actors on that. I had the opportunity to see how a show can be a family and a team that supports each other in making something you are proud of.

“B Positive,” “Bob Hearts Abishola,” “The Kominsky Method,” “Mom,” “Young Sheldon”

Biggest lesson?

Work can be done by remote. It’s far from ideal but it’s doable. Also, my dog seemed to enjoy having me around.

Content volume?

Volume is irrelevant. The job is one episode, one scene, one line of dialogue at a time. It’s like sobriety but pays better.

Inspirational TV?

None. It was the WGA health insurance program.

“AP Bio,” “Kenan,” “Miracle Workers: Oregon Trail,” “Saturday Night Live,” “Schmigadoon!,” “That Damn Michael Che”

Actor Kenan Thompson on Michaels: I don’t know if I’ve ever seen him waver from what he does, which is grab people that make headlines for [“SNL”]. He still puts together squads as far as the cast is concerned, hires new people that will be interesting — hosts and musical guests. He is at the top of his game in continuing to get people that audiences want to see whether it’s during a pandemic or not. The guy is all about presentation — down to how the dresses, the way he shows up to things, etcetera. He’s aware of his presence and what that means and takes that seriously.

“The Crown”

Executive producer Suzanne Mackie on Morgan: Peter writes every day; more often than not he writes seven days a week. Come holidays and days off, rain or shine, he never stops. He is a perfectionist, a taskmaster to himself, he lives and breathes “The Crown.” Peter’s writing process is a fascinating one: He plans and outlines well in advance. He meticulously works out the architecture and the themes of the season long before he allows himself to start writing the episodes. When finally he begins, he writes with speed and with tremendous efficiency and rigor. This means we have scripts well in advance of production and therefore cast and crew are able to get ahead and be incredibly well organized and planned. I am convinced this plays a pivotal role in why “The Crown” is such a well-oiled machine — because Peter’s scripts arrive early, and when they arrive, they arrive in very good shape!

“9-1-1,” “9-1-1: Lone Star,” “American Horror Stories,” “Halston,” “Pose,” “Ratched”

Executive producer Brad Simpson on Murphy: Ryan can come across as very serious. He is really focused when directing. But a shoot day is long, and he knows that you sometimes need to play music — or show everyone a Lauren Bacall High Point coffee commercial from the 1970s — to keep spirits up. One of my favorite memories is from one long, long night on the first season of “Pose.” Everyone was tired and dragging, and Ryan had our playback operator put on Grace Jones’ “Nightclubbing.” Suddenly everyone was up and dancing and smiling as we got ready for the next shot.

“First Wives Club”

Content Volume?

I think about casting differently than I did before. You have to. Especially for Black talent because there is a dearth of “name” talent available, which is great, but also complicates what you’re working on. So often studios and networks want to know there’s someone they can market, [so] I have to put on my producing hat much earlier than I used to and think about who I’m writing for and try to meet with those actors and gauge interest way earlier than before.

Inspirational TV?

This is tough. I grew up in the ’90s when there was a Black renaissance on TV. So, my answer is a five-way tie between “Fresh Prince [of Bel-Air],” “Martin,” “Living Single,” “The Cosby Show” — it was still a good show, y’all — and “A Different World.

“Assisted Living,” “Bruh,” “The Haves and the Have Nots,” “The House of Payne,” “Madea’s Farewell Play,” “The Oval,” “Ruthless,” “Sistas,” “Young Dylan”

BET president Scott Mills on Perry: The pandemic — and solving for the resumption of production during the pandemic — really brought to light many of Tyler’s greatest attributes, including his deep concern for the well-being of others, his relentless drive to create and his penchant for thinking about and solving problems on a grand scale. Establishing his studio as a COVIDsafe zone and providing housing, meals and entertainment for the entire cast and crew for the duration of each production was an epic solution that is reflective of the scale at which Tyler thinks and operates.

“A Black Lady Sketch Show”

Biggest lesson?

Thede: As a showrunner and producer, you have to be at your best even when everyone on your set is having the absolute worst year of their life in a global pandemic. I’ve always been an empathetic person, but this past year, I’ve had to find really creative ways to help others do their best even when they’re struggling personally.

Miss most?

Thede: Just being able to see each other in person. It’s a simple thing, but we spend a lot of time running around our writers’ room, laughing and doing physical bits. Can’t do that on Zoom or you run out of frame!

“Gossip Girl” (All); “Dynasty,” “Nancy Drew” (Savage, Schwartz)

Content volume?

Safran: It makes me try to ensure whatever I plan to work on will have a space for itself in the marketplace. Sadly, it feels right now isn’t the time for passion projects unless you’re a major celebrity — and even those aren’t always selling! I’m trying to think of big swings that also have mass appeal.

Miss most?

Savage: Snacks, humans and other people’s dogs. Not necessarily in that order.

Peak TV?

Schwartz: As creators, we are excited about all the opportunities in today’s marketplace. As viewers, it’s nice to be able to rest your eyeballs and look away from the screen.

“WandaVision”

Biggest lesson?

Not having the perfect mug or the perfect chair or the perfect pen used to be an excuse not to get the pages done, but not anymore. Rituals are wonderful but no longer necessary for me to find my writing flow. What I did find surprisingly stifling, however, was the existential dread that accompanied so many moments over the past year-plus. I learned that when I’m experiencing deep sadness or fear, I can’t always force myself to deliver. I had to have faith that the desire to write would return, and it did.

Most proud of?

My husband and I homeschooled our 3-year-old and 5-year-old for part of the pandemic. It was more difficult than most things I’ve done in my life. Teachers are the very best our species has to offer.

“Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” “Hacks,” “Master of None” (Schur); “Rutherford Falls” (Both)

Peak TV?

Teller Ornelas: There are still way too many stories that need to be told from so many different perspectives. During the pandemic, I saw a bump in my residuals for shows I’d made many years ago, some that only ran for a season. It felt like people really wanted the comfort of television, and it’s cheesy, but it felt good to know that stuff we made was soothing people during that time. TV is still an intimate medium that lives in our homes and on our phones. I can’t imagine it slowing down right now.

Content volume?

Teller Ornelas: Even though it’s objectively impossible, I still set out to make a show watched by 80 million people, which is what I think the “Suddenly Susan” finale got. Having a shorter order does put into focus, “What are the stories we’re dying to tell?” and that in turn, I think, creates more story twists and non-traditional story structures.

“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier”

Miss most?

The lack of whiteboards exemplifies what sucks. In live rooms, there are sacred whiteboards that don’t change for the entire season. Each line represents days/ weeks of room spit-balling. Being able to sit in that dynamic, in-person environment surrounded by institutionalized conversations on every wall is a special thing. You can point to a single sentence that triggers the entire room’s memory of weeks long debates. Digital boards just can’t do that.

Inspirational TV?

The great crime run from, like, 2000-08 made me run to TV. When “The Sopranos,” “The Wire,” “Breaking Bad,” “The Shield” all overlapped each other, I was like “Damn, you can do some Michael Mann shit on TV.” We do a lot more than crime, but that era is what made me dive in.

“Emily in Paris,” “Younger”

Biggest lesson?

Creative work can be accomplished under crazy circumstances! In person still has the edge, but Zoom scores points for ease of commute and proximity to kids and dogs.

Most proud of?

Filming two series during pandemic. “Younger” filmed October 2020 to February 2021 and we were really in uncharted territory with no idea if we could really pull it off. The sacrifices and hard work the talented crew and cast endured blew me away. Also seeing “Emily in Paris” score both Golden Globe and Emmy nominations for comedy for its first season was an inspiring surprise. I’m so excited to drop Season 2, which we wrapped in Paris a couple of weeks ago.

“Bridgerton”

Biggest lesson?

That I’m able to adapt. In a lot of ways working remotely has forced me to dig deeper and think harder about finding solutions to both creative and production issues. I’ve also found myself pulling even more inspiration from my close family — mostly because they were the only people I saw for a year.

Most proud of?

Telling my kids that their dad’s show is the most watched series on Netflix whenever they ask to watch “Cocomelon.”

“Grey’s Anatomy,” “Rebel,” “Station 19”

Most proud of?

I finally got the “created by” credit. It’s a debt I owed to my 20-something self. Meeting that goal set me free to set new goals.

Miss most?

I chose TV over movies because I love a writers’ room. I love bouncing ideas around with brilliant minds and laughing throughout the day. The Zoom room is not the same. I have come to hate a Zoom room. I would rather walk alone on the beach and talk out loud to myself than stare at a screen and cancel each other’s voices out every time we accidentally talk over each other.

“The Chi,” “Master of None,” “Them”

Biggest lesson?

Working remotely taught me that I would prefer to be in a room full of people sharing ideas! But the saying about necessity being the mother of all invention is true — we learned to be resourceful and these difficult times made us stronger as creators. I am so grateful that we were able to continue working remotely.

Most proud of?

I love that I was forced to really look at my life. Having the privilege to be less busy allowed me to make joy a priority.

Miss most?

Inside jokes and room snacks.

“The White Lotus”

Executive producer David Bernad on White: Mike has been to more countries than anyone I know; he has a real affinity for travel. I think that’s where his powerful link to the human experience comes from and it’s what makes Mike’s writing so brilliant: He deeply connects to the perspectives of others and taps into universally relatable themes. Mike really has a way of provoking conversation and shedding light on ideas that are in the zeitgeist.

“Saved by the Bell”

Biggest lesson?

How adaptable we all are. I complained about “missing the magic of the writers’ room” for like three days. Now I love working on Zoom. I hope to never attend an in-person production meeting so long as I live.

Content volume?

It’s part of the reason I was excited to do a [reimagining] of “Saved by the Bell.” It’s harder to get networks — and audiences — excited about original ideas. It felt like there was an opportunity to get people to watch a new single-camera comedy by wrapping it in old IP.

“Chicago Fire,” “Chicago Med,” “Chicago PD,” “FBI,” “FBI: Most Wanted,” “Law & Order: Organized Crime,” “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”

Most proud of?

Using Zoom calls to see more people and get more done in the past year than in any years prior.

Peak TV?

Peak TV is just getting started. There are so many platforms and creative options, the need for content will continue to grow.

Inspirational TV?

“Dragnet”