532 scripted series were broadcasted or streamed in 2019 in the United States, an all-time record, and the first time the 500-show threshold was crossed.
According to the research department of the cable network FX, the number includes comedic, dramas and limited series that were broadcast or streamed over the last year. Reality shows, daytime dramas and children's series were not included in the count. If they were included, the number would significantly increase to over 1,000.
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Despite the fact that cable networks like Bravo, CMT, VH1, WGN America, TV Land and E! dramatically decreased their scripted series output, the number still swelled to over 500. This is most likely due to an increase in streaming, with Netflix pumping out series after series and Apple TV+ and Disney+ entering the game. The number is only expected to increase with HBO Max and NBC's Peacock releasing this spring.
The previous record for most scripted TV series on air was 495 series in 2018. The 2o19 number is a 52 percent jump from the 349 shows that existed in 2013, the year that streaming started pick up. It's an increase of 153 percent from the 2009 number of 210 series.
(Via the New York Times and the Hollywood Reporter)