Showrunners are being asked to cut extras and reconsider sex and fight scenes in the post-pandemic world

The Hollywood Reporter

Crowds, hugs and handshakes are being avoided, while sex and fight scenes have to be reconsidered as TV shows return to work amid the coronavirus pandemic. "What we're telling our writers is 'Don't be dumb,'" an unnamed studio executive tells The Hollywood Reporter, suggesting that an elaborate crowd scene with dozens of extras should be avoided. "We're not going to be able to shoot it, so don't write it." Grace and Frankie co-creator Marta Kauffman says her show has to take extra consideration with its four leads are 79 and older. "It's very hard when you don't know what the future looks like," she says, adding: "We had scenes at our assisted living facility with a crowd, and, well, we can't do that anymore. And we know we certainly won't be doing lots of kissing with elderly people, but it may have to go beyond that." Kenya Barris is also trying to figure how to make Grown-ish without crowds since it takes place on a college campus. "It's literally about a place where people gather," he says, "and you can only do so many (contained) bottle episodes before it starts to lose the tone and feeling of what the show is."