The big players generally try to pay for quality, especially in scripted TV. That's because there's such a huge spotlight on everything, especially from critics

The big players generally try to pay for quality, especially in scripted TV. That's because there's such a huge spotlight on everything, especially from critics and advertisers. That doesn't mean crap doesn't get through the system, though. Some networks (cough VH1 cough) and production companies seem to specialize in churning out low-effort crap with a high expected return. That's a legitimate business model, I guess, but it doesn't seem to be the prevailing logic at broadcast networks or premium cable companies. The operative problem is that quality is very hard to ascertain. A lot of our perceptions of "quality" are drawn from hindsight -- and from the heuristic bias of looking only at the winners, thinking their wins were obvious and preordained.