'Superman & Lois' And 'All American: Homecoming' Writers Room Budget Cuts Fully Revealed

The final two survivors from last season were renewed while the writers were striking

Last week, Superman & Lois staff writer Adam Mallinger announced on Twitter that due to budget cuts imposed by The CW’s new owners Nexstar, that he wouldn’t be returning on staff for the upcoming fourth season. At the time, it was unclear the full extent of the hit the writers’ room took as he hadn’t told. Now, such has been revealed not only for it, but All American: Homecoming, which was renewed for season 3 at the same time in June.

As it turns out, and not completely unexpected, Mallinger was not alone. He is one of three writers who won’t be on staff this season, as Superman & Lois is going from eight writers to five. Homecoming meanwhile loses two writers, dropping from nine to seven. The two other returning CW original scripted series, All American and Walker, will not see any loss of writers, however they did take the biggest hits to their season lengths, dropping from 20 and 18 respectively to the 13.

In getting the shows renewed, Warner Bros. Television agreed to deliver the new seasons at a greatly reduced license fee to make them feasible for the network under its new lower-cost original programming model. To turn profit and make sense to keep them going money-wise, the budget cuts came. Because Superman & Lois is so expensive with its special effects, its budget cuts were more drastic, including a shorter season at 10 episodes while the three other survivors received 13-episode seasons (as will be the max under the new model) and more losses of series regulars (8 of last season’s 12 were dropped) while only promoting Michael Cudlitz to join Tyler Hoechlin, Elizabeth Tulloch, Michael Bishop and Alex Garfin, and the three writer drop.

While Mallinger is no longer a staff writer, he has been assigned an episodic script which he will do as a freelancer. As for the other two writers, one traded his option to be on staff for the opportunity to direct his second episode for the series instead, as well as write an episode freelance. The other’s story has not surfaced. It’s not disclosed who Homecoming’s lost writers were either, but the two series regulars they’re dropping, Peyton Alex Smith and Kelly Jenrette, seem to be more of a sure thing to return in recurring roles than Superman & Lois’s eight seem to be. Homecoming had 13 episodes in their first season, losing the two episodes gained for season two.

Since the actors didn’t start striking for another month, the cast cuts were able to be made then, but the writers were six weeks into their efforts. Therefore those decisions couldn’t be made until they had their contract to work under, and that only came to be at the end of September. The writers room minimums agreed to in it do not take effect until December, but even with the cuts they’re done in compliance with it. 7-12-episode seasons get a minimum of 5 writers, while series with 13+-episode seasons get 6.

Source: Deadline