Illustrated by Neil Jamieson; Meriwether, lawrence: Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty Images. Brunson: Robin L Marshall/Getty Images. lee, rogen: Araya Doheny/Getty Images for SAG-AFTRA Foundation. Lindelof: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images. fey: Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images. Dippold: Unique Nicole/Getty Images. levy: Theo Wargo/Getty Images. coben: Kevin Winter/Getty Images. Sennott: Dia Dipasupil/WireImage. goddard: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images. goldberg: Michael Kovac/Getty Images for AFI. han: Amy Sussman/Getty Images. Antosca: John Nacion/WireImage. this spread: bay: Courtesy of apple tv. trouble: Carl Herse/apple tv. rhimes: Amy Sussman/Getty Images for Vanity Fair. Gilligan: Robin L Marshall/Getty Images. Ignore that deep, existential AI dread for a moment — “It’s the devil’s tool,” cautions Damon Lindelof — and you’ll find that showrunners actually do have plenty to feel good about these days.
Original concepts are selling again (Widow’s Bay! Pluribus!). Commercial success with the old model is still possible (see: High Potential or The Pitt). Young people are watching more than just MrBeast attempting not to die on camera: Just look at Prime Video’s YA triumvirate of The Summer I Turned Pretty, Off Campus and Sterling Point. Hell, a Canadian import with zero marketing and a whole lot of gay sex turned two unknown actors into The Beatles. TV is so back! And even as creatives brace for the Warner Bros.-Paramount merger as if the moon herself were barreling toward the Southland to incinerate us all, THR‘s annual poll of the most powerful writer-producers in TV dives into all the good stuff like show envy, the trends they’re glad to see die and the execs who impress them the most. And, yeah, sure, AI is coming for all our jobs. But it hasn’t yet. So take a breath and take note of Michelle King’s advice for aspiring TV scribes who might one day join the ranks of this storied list: “None of the sensible professions — lawyer, engineer, doctor — are safe from AI either. So, you might as well become a writer.”
METHODOLOGY THR selected the Most Powerful TV Producers from all writing producers with live-action scripted series that aired original episodes in the U.S. between August 2025 and August 2026. With acknowledgment that roles and duties can vary significantly from show to show, each entrant is judged relative to slates, deal size, ratings, value to platform and studio, cultural impact, awards and, pivotally, who can actually sell a show in this bizarre and uncertain climate.
-
Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs and Jen Statsky
This trio gets the last laugh, scoring a record 24 Emmy nominations — the most for any comedy in a single year — for the fifth and final season of HBO Max’s Hacks. The Jean Smart juggernaut has made Aniello, Downs and Statsky among the most sought-after creatives in Hollywood. As for power? They shut down the damn Louvre to film their series finale. All three are under relatively fresh overall deals with Warner Bros., where they’re prepping a new HBO series, now that their long-running day job has finally come to an end.
If producers had riders, the first thing on mine would be … Aniello “Loonen sparkling water by the case.” Downs “Verve Buena Vista coffee beans.” Statsky “Popcorn with Sour Patch Kids pre-mixed in.”
2026 series I’ve most admired Aniello “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.” Downs “Neighbors.” Statsky “DTF St. Louis.”
Lucia Aniello, Jen Statsky and Paul W. Downs
