12 Most Prolific Showrunners of the Final 10 Years, Ranked

Behind each good TV present is an effective showrunner, director, and creator, together with different behind-the-scenes people who work with on-screen expertise. A number of the most prolific showrunners of the final decade have actually hit their stride, cranking out hit present after hit present, or focusing in on a small collection of high-quality sequence.

These people are behind among the greatest exhibits of the final 10 years. Most of the exhibits, and the showrunners, have racked up quite a few awards. They’re typically talked about as a lot as their exhibits are. One in all these folks even stars in their very own present, whereas a number of others have been behind not solely among the greatest exhibits of the final 10 years, however of the final a number of many years.

12

Dan Harmon

Dan Harmon has been working as a author, producer, and actor for many years, however he gained notoriety as creator and producer of the sitcom Group and as co-creator of the animated sitcom Rick and Morty. Since then, he has been constantly churning out hit exhibits with a give attention to the grownup animated style. One of the vital latest is Krapopolis, an grownup animated sitcom set in legendary Historical Greece that tells the story of feuding of people, gods, and monsters.

Incomes Emmys in 2018 and 2020 for Rick and Morty, he has extra in retailer to come back, together with one other grownup animated supernatural sitcom sequence known as Haunted Lodge a few girl operating a haunted lodge alongside along with her brother’s ghost, and the grownup animated sci-fi comedy President Curtis in regards to the fictional president dealing with paranormal phenomenon. Whereas the grownup animated area has lengthy been dominated by showrunners like Matt Groening and Seth McFarlane, Harmon is likely one of the newest to look at.

11

Quinta Brunson

Quinta Brunson has solidified her standing as a comedic genius with the multi-Emmy-winning and nominated sitcom Abbott Elementary. Brunson additionally stars within the mockumentary sitcom about lecturers and different workers working in an underfunded public college. She made historical past as the primary Black girl to be nominated three times for comedy, for the present itself, writing, in addition to appearing. In 2022 for the seventy fifth Emmy Awards, she made historical past once more as the primary Black girl to win for Excellent Lead Actress in a Comedy in additional than 40 years.

Together with serving because the creator, govt producer, and co-writer of Abbott Elementary, Brunson was named considered one of Time’s 100 Most Influential Individuals again in 2022. She has come a great distance from her humble beginnings, creating comedy movies on Instagram and dealing as a video producer for BuzzFeed Video. Abbott Elementary is taken into account considered one of the most effective sitcoms of the final 5 years.

10

Liz Meriwether

Liz Meriwether rose to prominence with the massively common sitcom New Woman, which she created. From there, she created a number of hit sitcoms, like Single Dad and mom and Bless This Mess. Most just lately, she gained consideration for The Dropout, a biographical drama miniseries about Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes, portrayed by Amanda Seyfried (who received an Emmy for her portrayal). There’s additionally Dying for Intercourse, a comedy drama miniseries starring Michelle Williams as a girl discovering herself within the wake of a terminal analysis. Livid is a brand new crime drama starring Emmy Rossum as an FBI agent looking down a vigilante feminine serial killer.

Meriwether herself has obtained accolades for her exhibits, together with an Emmy nomination for Excellent Writing for a Restricted or Anthology Collection or Film for Dying for Intercourse. She is subsequent tapped to write down a screenplay for an untitled Britney Spears biopic. You may in all probability sense a theme in her work: feminism is a giant a part of her focus. Meriwether is a member of the unofficial “Fempire,” a gaggle of prolific feminine screenwriters who’re proving their skills behind the scenes, to super success.

9

Dan Fogelman

Demonstrating unbelievable versatility in his work, Dan Fogelman broke onto the scene with the drama This Is Us, solely to observe it up with a very totally different present — the post-apocalyptic, political thriller, sci-fi sequence Paradise, considered one of the most effective thriller exhibits since 2020. Each exhibits have change into main titles of the final decade, This Is Us incomes 39 Emmy nominations and 4 wins by way of its run and Paradise already receiving 11 nominations for its two seasons up to now.

Whereas his sports activities drama sequence Pitch was canceled after a single season, it obtained excessive reward, so the choice was baffling. Fogelman can also be an govt producer of Solely Murders within the Constructing. He is subsequent engaged on a sports activities drama sequence known as The Land starring Christopher Meloni, William H. Macy, and Mandy Moore.

8

Graham Yost

Graham Yost is the unbelievable thoughts who introduced Silo to the small display, among the finest sci-fi exhibits proper now and among the many greatest exhibits on Apple TV. The Canadian screenwriter has been writing for TV for many years, together with for exhibits like Herman’s Head, Band of Brothers, and The Pacific. He additionally created and govt produced Justified, govt produced The Individuals, and in 2016, grew to become head author and govt producer for the sequence Sneaky Pete.

Whereas Silo is his greatest mission this decade, Yost has additionally labored behind the scenes as an govt producer for Sluggish Horses, Justified: Metropolis Primeval, and Masters of the Air. Silo might take up most of his time proper now, however with that present closing in on its fourth and closing season, we anticipate to see extra huge issues from Yost by way of the remainder of the 2020s and past.

7

Eric Kripke

Eric Kripke is likely one of the most enduring showrunners of the 2000s and 2020s, in addition to one who has pushed the envelope together with his newest exhibits. He created the massively common and long-running sequence Supernatural, which made Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki family names. He was showrunner for the primary 5 seasons of the sequence. From there, he went on to create many different exhibits, together with Revolution and Timeless. However none is as talked about as The Boys.

The satirical superhero sequence that was simple to identify as a masterpiece after the primary 10 minutes is raunchy, ugly, and specific, but in addition closely politically charged. The present has held a lens as much as the present political local weather and ruffled lots of feathers. He stored the momentum going with the two-season spin-off Gen V a few youthful group of superheroes (tying fantastically with the unique present). Kripke is now engaged on the upcoming prequel sequence Vought Rising, which is able to give attention to Ackles’ character Soldier Boy. He’s leaning totally into this franchise, which has change into one of the crucial subversive of this decade.

6

Shonda Rhimes

When your manufacturing firm is named Shondaland, you recognize you are an enormous star. As a result of what’s a land with out lots of leisure to fill it? And boy, has Shonda Rhimes been busy this final decade (and past) with among the greatest exhibits of late. The juggernaut medical drama that’s Gray’s Anatomy, considered one of the longest operating drama exhibits, is her mission, for which she serves as creator and head author. She went on to create the spin-off Non-public Observe, then delighted followers with the deliciously salacious political thriller Scandal. She did not cease there with the equally salacious thriller The best way to Get Away with Homicide, each with robust feminine leads.

That is already a formidable resume and a busy twenty years, with Gray’s Anatomy having launched means again in 2005. However Rhimes didn’t cease there, and her newest tasks from the final decade are even greater. The interval sequence Bridgerton has change into considered one of Netflix’s most watched exhibits ever, together with its prequel spin-off Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. Someway, someplace in between all that, she additionally labored on the crime drama Inventing Anna, starring Julia Garner as Anna Delvey/Sorokin, the scheming girl who fooled everybody by posing as a rich socialite. Rhimes exhibits no indicators of slowing down, and you’ll relaxation assured that if her title is on a TV mission, it is in all probability going to be superb.

5

Ryan Murphy

The powerhouse showrunner Ryan Murphy, who collaborated with Brad Falchuk on many tasks, is like the daddy of modern-day tv. It began with Nip/Tuck within the early 2000s, however the huge breakout was Glee, the musical comedy drama that outlined a technology. Pose, in the meantime, make clear the LGBTQ+ and Black and Latino New York Metropolis ball tradition of the ’80s and ’90s.

Murphy went darker with anthology sequence like American Horror Story, American Crime Story, and the Monster anthology sequence, all of which have change into huge hits. Whereas Ratched and Grotesquerie had been each canceled after one season, they had been effectively obtained and rely in direction of Murphy’s 21 exhibits and counting. Extra just lately, there’s an eclectic mixture of exhibits like 9-1-1: Lone Star, The Watcher, 9-1-1: Nashville, and who can overlook the ridiculously addictive however short-lived responsible pleasure, eye-candy crammed The Love Boat-inspired sequence Physician Odyssey? With so many exhibits nonetheless on the go, it is a surprise Murphy has time for something new. However this 12 months alone, we obtained The Magnificence, Love Story (which earned two Emmy nominations), and The Shards.

4

Shawn Ryan

Probably the greatest in terms of procedurals and crime dramas, Shawn Ryan created and/or produced The Defend, The Unit, Misinform Me, Timeless, and S.W.A.T.. However what he is most identified for on this decade is the smash-hit motion crime drama The Evening Agent. The sequence grew to become Netflix’s most watched present for its first season. Whereas viewer numbers did not attain the identical heights for Seasons 2 and three, the present simply stored getting higher and higher. It is confirmed to be ending with its fourth and final season.

Ryan has been writing for TV because the ’90s with exhibits like My Two Dads, Nash Bridges, Angel, and Terriers. His newest mission is American Hostage with Jon Hamm and Giovanni Ribisi, which simply launched on MGM+ in September. It tells the real-life story of Tony Kiritsis (Ribisi), who kidnapped his mortgage dealer at gunpoint and known as into a preferred native radio station, chatting by way of the ordeal with radio reporter Fred Heckman (Hamm). If there is a new procedural coming, if it isn’t from Dick Wolf, it is in all probability from Ryan.

3

Invoice Lawrence

A grasp of tackling comedy dramas that dive into psychological well being with each Ted Lasso and Shrinking, these two hit 2020s exhibits are simply the tip of the iceberg for the prolific TV producer, screenwriter, and director Invoice Lawrence. He additionally created Scrubs, a preferred medical sitcom that returned greater than 15 years after it ended for a revival and sequel, in addition to Cougar City and Spin Metropolis. Beforehand, Lawrence wrote for The Nanny and Boy Meets World.

He hit it out of the park just lately once more with Rooster, a comedy drama starring Steve Carell as creator Greg Russo making an attempt to navigate a sophisticated relationship together with his daughter Katie (Charly Clive). Unhealthy Monkey can also be his creation, a black comedy crime drama starring Vince Vaughn as former police detective Andrew Yancy who’s making an attempt to get again in his boss’s good graces. Each exhibits have been renewed for a second season. Lawrence has pivoted to animation, too, with Clone Excessive, a sequence a few highschool occupied by clones of well-known historic figures. By way of observe document, Lawrence has an impeccable one over the past decade.