The Best and Worst TV Shows That Hire Female, Minority Directors: DGA Study

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Film Reporter

The Directors Guild of America has released its best and worst lists of TV shows that hire female and minority directors.

Four out of the 27 worst violators — shows that had no minorities or women directing — were HBO productions, including “Boardwalk Empire,” “The Brink,” “The Comeback” and Cinemax/HBO’s “Banshee.”

The year’s top network in diverse hires was BET, which had three shows — “Being Mary Jane,” “The Game,” “Single Ladies” — with 100% minority or female directors. CBS’ “The McCarthys” came in at No. 4 at 93%. (See full list below)

Overall, female directors are seeing a modest gain in employment on television as the number of episodes directed by women rose to 16% from 14% for the 2014-15 season, the DGA report shows.

But DGA president Paris Barclay, a veteran TV director and showrunner, said much more needs to be done. “The uptick in the number of episodes directed by women — modest but hopeful — is just a drop in the bucket of what needs to be done by studios, networks and showrunners before we can begin to realize equal opportunities in television for our members,” he said in a statement.

“With so many more episodes and work opportunities, employers should seize the opportunity for diversity with their choices, especially when it comes to first-time episodic directors. Without employers making a concerted effort to bringing a more diverse mix of new entrants to the hiring pool, we won’t see meaningful and lasting change.”

The survey included more than 3,900 episodes produced in the 2014-15 network television season and the 2014 cable television season from more than 270 scripted series. Minorities (male and female) directed 18% of all episodes, representing a 1% decrease over the prior year.

The guild noted that the 3,910 episodes in the 2014-15 season — a 10% increase in total episodes over the prior season’s 3,562 — generated more directing jobs for women, with 618 total episodes. That represented a 21% year-over-year growth rate from 509 in the prior season.

The DGA also said the total number of individual women directors employed in episodic television grew 16% to 149 from 129.

Below are the shows with the worst and best records of hiring women and minority directors for the 2014-15 television season. The % represents the portion of episodes directed by non-white males.

WORST LIST

1. Banshee (Home Box Office/Cinemax/Home Box Office, Inc.) – 0%
2. Black Sails (Starz Pirates Productions/Starz!/Starz) – 0%
3. Boardwalk Empire (Home Box Office/HBO/Home Box Office) – 0%
4. The Brink (Home Box Office/HBO/Home Box Office) – 0%
5. The Comeback (Home Box Office/HBO/Home Box Office) – 0%
6. The Comedians (TVM Productions/FX/Fox Television Studios) – 0%
7. Dominion (Universal Network Television/Syfy/Universal Network Television) – 0%
8. The Exes (King Street Productions/TV Land/Hudson Street Productions, a subsidiary of MTV Networks, a division of Viacom International) – 0%
9. The Expanse (Expanding Universe Productions/Syfy/Alcon Television Group) – 0%
10. Flesh and Bone (Starz Ballet Productions/Starz!/Starz Ballet Productions) – 0%
11. Galavant (Film 49 Productions/ABC/ABC, Inc.) – 0%
12. Gracepoint (Concord Productions/FOX/Concord Productions) – 0%
13. Granite Flats (Remnant Pictures/PBS/Remnant Pictures) – 0%
14. Henry Danger (Uptown Productions/Nickelodeon/MTV Networks, a division of Viacom International) – 0%
15. It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia (Sunny Television Productions, Inc./FXX/Sunny Television Productions) – 0%
16. Man Seeking Woman (Minim Productions, Inc./FXX/Minim Productions, Inc.) – 0%
17. Marco Polo (Siggco Inc./Netflix/Siggco Inc.) -0%
18. Masters of Sex (Remote Broadcasting, Inc./Showtime/CPT Holdings, Inc., a subsidiary of Sony Pictures Television) – 0%
19. Mom (Warner Bros. Television/CBS/Warner Bros. Television, a division of Warner Bros. Studio Enterprises) – 0%
20. Mystery Girls (Prodco, Inc./ABC Family/Prodco, Inc., a subsidiary of Disney) – 0%
21. Powers (Playstation Series)/Mesquite Productions, Inc./PlayStation/CPT Holdings, Inc., a subsidiary of Sony Pictures Television) – 0%
22. Ray Donovan (Showtime Pictures Development Company/Showtime/Showtime Pictures Development Company) – 0%
23. Sirens (TVM Productions, Inc./USA Network/Fox Television Studios, Inc.) – 0%
24. The Strain (Strain USA Productions, Inc./FX/Strain USA Productions, Inc.) – 0%
25. Two Broke Girls (Bonanza Productions Inc./CBS/Warner Bros. Television, a division of Warner Bros. Studio Enterprises) – 0%
26. Workaholics (50/50 Productions, LLC/Comedy Central/Avalon Television, Inc.) – 0%
27. You’re The Worst (Worst Productions, Inc./FX/Worst Productions, Inc.) – 0%
28. Hot In Cleveland (King Street Productions Inc./TV Land/Hudson Street Productions, Inc. a subsidiary of MTV Networks, a division of Viacom International, Inc.) – 4%
29. Supernatural (NS Pictures, Inc./CW/Warner Bros. Television, a division of Warner Bros. Studio Enterprises) – 5%
30. Girl Meets World (It’s A Laugh Productions Inc./Disney Channel/It’s A Laugh Productions Inc., a subsidiary of Disney Enterprises, Inc.) – 7%
31. Aquarius (Next Step Productions LLC/NBC/Tomorrow ITV Studios LLC) – 8%
32. Bloodline (Mesquite Productions, Inc./Netflix/CPT Holdings, Inc., a subsidiary of Sony Pictures Television) – 8%
33. The Bridge (Concord Productions, Inc./FX/Concord Productions, Inc.) – 8%
34. Justified (Woodridge Productions, Inc./FX/CPT Holdings, Inc., a subsidiary of Sony Pictures Television) – 8%
Productions, Inc.) – 0%
35. Marvel’s Daredevil (Marvel Eastern Productions LLC/Netflix/Marvel Digital Media Group LLC, a subsidiary of Marvel Worldwide, Inc.) – 8%
36. Resurrection (FTP Productions, LLC/ABC/ABC, Inc.) – 8%
37. Witches of East End (Pacific 2.1 Entertainment Group, Inc./Lifetime/Pacific 2.1 Entertainment Group, Inc., a subsidiary of FOX) – 8%
38. Z Nation (Go2 Z, LLC/Syfy/Go 2 Digital Media, Inc.) – 8%
39. A to Z (Warner Bros. Television/NBC/Warner Bros. Television, a division of Warner Bros. Studio Enterprises) – 8%
40. Nurse Jackie (Nurse Productions, Inc./Showtime/Lions Gate Television Inc.) – 8%
41. iZombie (Bonanza Productions Inc./CW/Warner Bros. Television, a division of Warner Bros. Studio Enterprises) – 9%
42. Alpha House (Picrow, Inc./Amazon Prime/Picrow, Inc.) – 10%
43. Full Circle (Full Circle Show LLC/DirecTV/Momentum TV, Inc.) – 10%
44. The Librarians (Leverage Productions, Inc./TNT/Electric Global Holdings, Inc.) – 10%
45. Longmire (Horizon Scripted Television Inc./A&E/Warner Bros. Television, a division of Warner Bros. Studio Enterprises) – 10%
46. Kirby Buckets (Horizon Productions, Inc./Disney XD/Horizon Productions, Inc.) – 10%
47. Ballers (Home Box Office, Inc./HBO/Home Box Office, Inc.) – 11%
48. Hemlock Grove (Lockhem 3 Productions Inc./Netflix/Lockhem 3 Productions Inc.) – 11%
49. Jennifer Falls (King Street Productions Inc./TV Land/Hudson Street Productions, Inc. a subsidiary of MTV Networks, a division of Viacom International, Inc.) – 11%
50. Legends (Pacific 2.1 Entertainment Group, Inc./TNT/Pacific 2.1 Entertainment Group, Inc., a subsidiary of FOX) – 11%
51. The Lottery (Warner Horizon Television Inc./Lifetime/Warner Bros. Television, a division of Warner Bros. Studio Enterprises) – 11%
52. Playing House (Open 4 Business Productions LLC/USA Network/Universal Network Television LLC) – 11%
53. Sleepy Hollow (Twentieth Century Fox Television Worldwide Productions, Inc./FOX/Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation) – 11%
54. Dog with a Blog (It’s A Laugh Productions Inc./Disney Channel/It’s A Laugh Productions Inc., a subsidiary of Disney Enterprises, Inc.) – 12%
55. Marvel’s Agent Carter (ABC Studios/ABC/ABC, Inc.) – 12%
56. The Blacklist (Woodridge Productions, Inc./NBC/CPT Holdings, Inc., a subsidiary of Sony Pictures Television) – 14%
57. Bones (Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation/FOX/Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation) – 14%
58. Forever (Warner Bros. Television/ABC/Warner Bros. Television, a division of Warner Bros. Studio Enterprises) – 14%
59. Gotham (Warner Bros. Television/FOX/Warner Bros. Television, a division of Warner Bros. Studio Enterprises) – 14%
60. K.C. Undercover (It’s A Laugh Productions Inc./Disney Channel/It’s A Laugh Productions Inc., a subsidiary of Disney Enterprises, Inc.) – 14%
61. Togetherness (Home Box Office, Inc./HBO/Home Box Office, Inc.) – 14%

BEST:

1. Being Mary Jane (Breakdown Productions Inc./BET/BET Productions, LLC) – 100%
2. The Game (Breakdown Productions Inc./BET/BET Productions, LLC) – 100%
3. Single Ladies (Grueville Productions LLC/BET/CT Media Holdings LLC) – 100%
4. The McCarthys (Remote Broadcasting, Inc./CBS/CPT Holdings, Inc., a subsidiary of Sony Pictures Television) – 93%
5. Ground Floor (Horizon Scripted Television Inc./TBS/Warner Bros. Television, a division of Warner Bros. Studio Enterprises) – 90%
6. Empire (Twentieth Century Fox Television/FOX/Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation) – 82%
7. American Crime (ABC Studios/ABC/ABC, Inc.) – 80%
8. Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn (Uptown Productions Inc./Nickelodeon/MTV Networks, a division of Viacom International, Inc.) – 74%
9. Jane the Virgin (Eye Productions Inc./CW/CBS Studios Inc.) – 71%
10. The Following (Bonanza Productions Inc./FOX/Warner Bros. Television, a division of Warner Bros. Studio Enterprises) – 67%
11. Getting On (Home Box Office, Inc./HBO/Home Box Office, Inc.) – 67%
12. Homeland (Pacific 2.1 Entertainment Group, Inc./Showtime/Pacific 2.1 Entertainment Group, Inc., a subsidiary of FOX) – 67%
13. The Night Shift (Woodridge Productions, Inc./NBC/CPT Holdings, Inc., a subsidiary of Sony Pictures Television) – 64%
14. Younger (Jax Media, LLC/TV Land/Jax Media, LLC) – 64%
15. Stalker (Warner Bros. Television/CBS/Warner Bros. Television, a division of Warner Bros. Studio Enterprises) – 63%
16. The Fosters (Prodco, Inc./ABC Family/Prodco, Inc., a subsidiary of Disney) – 62%
17. Lab Rats (It’s A Laugh Productions Inc./Disney XD/It’s A Laugh Productions Inc., a subsidiary of Disney Enterprises, Inc.) – 62%
18. Instant Mom (Uptown Productions Inc./Nick Jr./MTV Networks, a division of Viacom International, Inc.) – 60%
19. Blue Bloods (Eye Productions Inc./CBS/CBS Studios Inc.) – 55%
20. Nashville (Music City Productions, Inc./ABC/Lions Gate Television Inc.) – 55%
21. The Middle (Warner Bros. Television/ABC/Warner Bros. Television, a division of Warner Bros. Studio Enterprises) – 54%
22. Devious Maids (ABC Studios/Lifetime/ABC, Inc.) – 54%
23. See Dad Run (Uptown Productions Inc./Nickelodeon/MTV Networks, a division of Viacom International, Inc.) – 53%
24. Criminal Minds (ABC Studios/CBS/ABC, Inc.) – 52%
25. Girls (Home Box Office, Inc./HBO/Home Box Office, Inc.) -50%
26. Happyland (On-Site Productions Inc./MTV/MTV Networks, a division of Viacom International, Inc.) – 50%
27. Hart of Dixie (Bonanza Productions Inc./CW/Warner Bros. Television, a division of Warner Bros. Studio Enterprises) – 50%
28. Hit the Floor (Bling Productions Inc./VH1/MTV Networks, a division of Viacom International, Inc.) – 50%
29. South of Hell (SOH Productions, LLC/WE/Blumhouse Productions, LLC) – 50%
30. Suits (Open 4 Business Productions LLC/USA Network/Universal Network Television LLC) – 50%
31. Black-ish (FTP Productions, LLC/ABC/ABC, Inc.) – 48%
32. Awkward (On-Site Productions Inc./MTV/MTV Networks, a division of Viacom International, Inc.) – 48%
33. Young & Hungry (Prodco, Inc./ABC Family/Prodco, Inc., a subsidiary of Disney) – 47%
34. Sons of Anarchy (Pacific 2.1 Entertainment Group, Inc./FX/Pacific 2.1 Entertainment Group, Inc.) – 46%
35. Modern Family (Twentieth Century Fox Television/ABC/Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation)- 46%
36. 12 Monkeys (Universal Network Television LLC/Syfy/Universal Network Television LLC) – 45%
37. Finding Carter (On-Site Productions Inc./MTV/MTV Networks, a division of Viacom International, Inc.) – 45%
38. Grimm (Open 4 Business Productions LLC/NBC/Universal Network Television LLC) – 45%
39. Bosch (Hold Fast Productions LLC/Amazon Prime/Hold Fast Productions LLC) – 44%
40. Chicago PD (Universal Television LLC/NBC/Universal Television LLC) – 43%
41. Cristela (Twentieth Century Fox Television/ABC/Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation) -43%
42. The Jack and Triumph Show (Universal Television LLC/Cartoon Network/Universal Television LLC) – 43%
43. Madam Secretary (Eye Productions Inc./CBS/CBS Studios Inc.) – 43%
44. The Mysteries of Laura (Warner Bros. Television/NBC/Warner Bros. Television, a division of Warner Bros. Studio Enterprises) – 43%
45. Fresh Off the Boat (Twentieth Century Fox Television/ABC/Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation) – 42%
46. The Odd Couple (Eye Productions Inc./CBS/CBS Studios Inc.) – 42%
47. Marry Me (Remote Broadcasting, Inc./NBC/CPT Holdings, Inc., a subsidiary of Sony Pictures Television) -41%
48. Last Man Standing (Twentieth Century Fox Television/ABC/Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation) – 41%
49. Fakin It (On-Site Productions Inc./MTV/MTV Networks, a division of Viacom International, Inc.) – 41%
50. The Astronaut Wives Club (Produced Bayou, Inc./ABC/Produced Bayou, Inc., a subsidiary of Walt Disney Pictures) – 40%
51. Falling Skies (Turner North Center Productions, Inc./TNT/Turner Films, Inc.) – 40%
52. Hawaii Five-O (Eye Productions Inc./CBS/CBS Studios Inc.) – 40%
53. One Big Happy/Warner Bros. Television/NBC/Warner Bros. Television, a division of Warner Bros. Studio Enterprises) – 40%
54. Pretty Little Liars (Horizon Scripted Television Inc./ABC Family/Warner Bros. Television, a division of Warner Bros. Studio Enterprises) – 40%
55. Returned, The (East River Productions Ltd/A&E/Omnifilm Entertainment Ltd) – 40%
56. Veep (Home Box Office, Inc./HBO/Home Box Office, Inc.) – 40%
57. Weird Loners (Twentieth Century Fox Television/FOX/Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation) – 40%

 Check this out at Variety.com