How many acts are in a drama?

How many acts are in a drama?

Pamela Douglas (Screenwriter) gives expert video advice on: How do I know if my idea will make a great TV drama?; How many pages is a TV drama script?; What do I do if my script is running long? and more...

Dramas that are an hour long used to have 4 acts or 4 acts plus a teaser in the script. In the last year or so, they moved from being 4 acts on networks to 5 acts and, in some cases, on ABC especially, 6 acts. When you have 6 acts plus a teaser, you nearly have a 7 act structure, which means your storytelling is extremely chopped up. On HBO and Showtime and other premium cable without commercial breaks, there are no act breaks.