Law & Order: SVU is resuming production on its 22nd season, along with several other NBC crime dramas. I know that is in part because NYC got its COVID case numbers under control, but I think it is also because it's easier to keep those costs low. What's your theory?
Also, who better to bravely move forward than those who have been working together the longest - they should set an example, and they are! KUDOS on their 22nd season!
https://deadline.com/2020/09/law-order-start-production-new-york-dick-wo...
L & O: SVU is a flagship TV show for NBC network. It's probably $$ more to shoot per episode now. Networks can afford it. Don't know if Execs, Cast, Crew are taking paycuts. Wait and see the content; in the past, the show hired 50++ background Extras/Actors per episode, lots of outdoor scenes
Agree with Dan MaxXx I do believe these shows are generally more, not less, expensive than others. Having worked on several iterations of NCIS and more recent ones, I am pretty sure of that. These are flagship shows and the networks want them in the pipeline as they will generate revenue, so extra costs are not an issue. Networks/mainstream studios are not in the same low budget world as indie producers. They don't want to spend extra... but sometimes they do want to (I have stories from NBC...) and they can.