Broadcast TV is living in a "golden age" of long-running series: 18 network shows have been on for at least a decade

The Hollywood Reporter

"Four of those 18 decade-plus series are in at least their 20th year, and at the extreme end of the spectrum, The Simpsons is in its record 30th season," says Rick Porter. "And in a postmodern twist, several of these shows that debuted before the rise of streaming shows may at least partly owe their continued existence to the likes of Netflix." He adds that network schedulers and researchers say that "in the Peak TV era, the allure of stability has never been greater — and neither have the ways for veteran shows to be found by new audiences." Or as ABC executive vice president of strategy Andy Kubitz put it: "Some of these shows are being rediscovered by younger viewers because there are so many episodes on other platforms that they binge-watch and come back to linear. The perfect storm is where you keep these shows on for many, many years — then they're rediscovered and relaunched and brought to a whole new group. It can become a self-supporting cycle."