How long is a TV drama episode?

How long is a TV drama episode?

Pamela Douglas (Screenwriter) gives expert video advice on: What is a TV 'drama'?; What are the various types of dramas?; What is a 'season' for a drama? and more...

Although it is considered an hour-long, a TV drama doesn't really run an hour. We've had a lot of change in that, so the answer I would have given you a little while ago is roughly 52 minutes or a 58 page script. This is no longer usual on TV networks which are now having more commercial interruptions than ever and breaking their shows into more act breaks. We now, I am sorry to say, have shows that are running for as little as 44 minutes of actual dramatic material out of a sixty minute hour.