Universal Television
Universal Television is doubling down on close-ended procedural drama for broadcast, actively developing new entries for NBC and CBS while sustaining its Wolf Entertainment franchise engine across nine returning series.
Each signal is one documented data point captured by our continuous pipeline: a trade-press mention, festival market activity, executive statement, or acquisition activity update. Higher signal volume means Universal Television is generating more public market activity right now.
"The vast majority of what seems to be really working, and what buyers are responding to, are those shows that have a beginning, middle and end to them."
Universal Television is currently in active renewal discussions with NBC and CBS across its Wolf Entertainment procedural slate, including the Law & Order and Chicago franchises at NBC and the FBI trio and The Equalizer at CBS. Executives have stated publicly that they expect to close those deals and produce additional procedurals this summer for a fall launch. The studio also holds a pilot, Grosse Pointe Garden Society, at NBC that leans more serialized, and is developing Season 2 of The Irrational. A new true procedural is reportedly in consideration for NBC pickup, signaling continued appetite for expanding the close-ended drama roster.
Over the past twelve months, Universal Television has logged 97 tracked records, reflecting a consistent pattern of literary adaptation acquisitions, first-look producer deals, and broadcast pilot development. The studio preemptively acquired series rights to Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas's debut novel "Climbing in Heels" ahead of its April 2025 publication, and struck a first-look deal with writer Charmaine DeGraté in May 2025. These moves align with a broader studio trend of locking in relationships with writers and IP sources early, particularly for prestige scripted drama and adaptations with built-in audience awareness.
Access to Universal Television runs primarily through established representation channels and first-look relationships. The studio's recent first-look deal with DeGraté illustrates the preferred pathway: writers with a track record in drama or genre material who can be developed within the UTV infrastructure. Unsolicited submissions are not a standard entry point; representation by a recognized literary or talent agency is the practical prerequisite for engagement.
Climbing in Heels (series rights to Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas’ debut novel)
First-look deal with Charmaine DeGraté
‘Hide’ (series) development
Murder by the Book (pilot)
Murder by the Book (pilot order at NBC)
Royal Spin
"The vast majority of what seems to be really working, and what buyers are responding to, are those shows that have a beginning, middle and end to them."
Studios re-signing veteran network executives as producers to leverage their industry relationships and track record in developing hit scripted series
You just read about Universal Television.
Now find out if Universal Television should be reading you.
This page is a public snapshot of Universal Television, kept fresh from trade-press signals. ScriptMatch is the live market-data engine behind it. Upload your script, and we use the same continuously-indexed buyer activity to tell you which production companies and distributors are actively acquiring projects like yours right now, why each one fits, and exactly how to reach them.
- ✓Your first 10 AI-matched buyers for your script, with match rationale and pathway recommendations
- ✓Full access to the buyer intelligence layer — recent acquisitions, executive moves, stated mandates
- ✓Email enrichment for matched development executives
- ✓Script tracking dashboard + market alerts for 7 days
Does Universal Television accept unsolicited scripts?
Universal Television does not operate an open submission pipeline for unsolicited material. The studio's recent activity, including a first-look deal with Charmaine DeGraté and a preemptive book rights acquisition, reflects a development model built around represented writers and known IP. Writers seeking access should be represented by a recognized literary or talent agency. Direct outreach without representation is unlikely to result in a read or response from the development team.
What budgets does Universal Television work with for new series?
No specific budget figures have been disclosed publicly for Universal Television's current slate or recent acquisitions. However, the studio's procedural infrastructure, anchored by Dick Wolf's operation, is described in recent coverage as capable of delivering scripts and episodes at disciplined price points. This suggests a preference for cost-efficient production models, particularly for broadcast procedurals destined for NBC and CBS, rather than premium-budget prestige cable or streaming projects.
Does Universal Television acquire projects from film festivals?
Festival acquisition is not a primary channel for Universal Television's current mandate. The studio's recent deals, including preemptive book rights for 'Climbing in Heels' and a first-look with a writer, indicate a development-forward approach centered on original scripted series and literary adaptations rather than finished independent films. UTV's focus on broadcast network drama for NBC and CBS further narrows the acquisition lens toward projects that fit a serialized or procedural series format.
How do you reach decision makers at Universal Television?
Universal Television has 67 decision makers currently tracked across its development and production infrastructure. The practical pathway for writers and producers is through representation: literary agents and talent managers with existing UTV relationships are the standard conduit. First-look deals, such as the one recently signed with Charmaine DeGraté, represent the studio's preferred mechanism for locking in ongoing creative relationships. Cold outreach to executives is not a documented entry point based on current activity patterns.
What genres is Universal Television focused on right now?
Universal Television's stated and demonstrated priority is close-ended procedural drama for linear broadcast, particularly crime procedurals. Executives have described self-contained, beginning-middle-end storytelling as what buyers are currently responding to. The studio is actively seeking to add a new true procedural to NBC's roster. It also maintains appetite for hybrid or more serialized drama (Grosse Pointe Garden Society) and literary adaptations, but the dominant strategic weight sits firmly with procedural formats for NBC and CBS.
Is Universal Television actively buying and developing projects right now?
Yes. Universal Television logged 97 tracked records over the past 12 months and has a deal velocity signal as recently as May 2025. The studio preemptively acquired series rights to 'Climbing in Heels' in December 2024, signed a first-look deal with Charmaine DeGraté in May 2025, and is in active renewal and development discussions with NBC and CBS for its procedural slate. Executives have publicly stated plans to produce additional procedurals this summer for a fall launch, indicating an active buying and production posture.
Profile compiled from publicly-available sources: trade press (Deadline, Variety, IndieWire, The Hollywood Reporter, Screen Daily), festival market reports (Cannes Marche, AFM, EFM, TIFF Industry), executive public statements, and acquisition announcements. Activity counters reflect signal volume from continuous pipeline indexing.
See an inaccuracy? Suggest a correction. Profiles update continuously as new public information becomes available.