Who has the most power on set, director, creator, or executive producer?

Directors generally have little clout on a TV show. The writers control quite a bit. Many of the "producers" credited on the show are the writers. The top Executive Producer, the Showrunner, is the head of the writers, with the most creative control. This is usually the creator, at least in the first season.
 
David Jimerson said:
Directors generally have little clout on a TV show. The writers control quite a bit. Many of the "producers" credited on the show are the writers. The top Executive Producer, the Showrunner, is the head of the writers, with the most creative control. This is usually the creator, at least in the first season.
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There was an article somewhere --- eh, the THR? --- about the creators vs. the showrunners and the gist of the piece was that, if you're a newbie creator, then the sudios/networks will appoint an experienced showrunner to be in charge of the production. If the creator and the showrunner get along, the relationship can be quite useful for both but sometimes personalities will clash. When "Seinfeld" was launched, NBC/Castle Rock appointed a showrunner above Larry and Jerry (from the IMDB credits for "Seinfeld Chronicles", it was Gary Gilbert, who then went on to create "Sister, sister"). Gilbert apparently re-wrote the pilot much to Larry David's chagrin. Larry then quit the show because of that. The studio then fired Gilbert and brought Larry back.

FWIW, Larry supposedly quit "Seinfeld" three times. He was, in fact, rather infamous for his quitting. He even immortalized his incident at "Saturday Night Live" with a "Seinfeld" episode where George quits his real estate job but then comes back to the office the following Monday as if nothing had happened. That's basically what happened on the SNL the lone season (1984-85) that Larry David was employed there as a writer.
 
DLD said:
There was an article somewhere --- eh, the THR? --- about the creators vs. the showrunners and the gist of the piece was that, if you're a newbie creator, then the sudios/networks will appoint an experienced showrunner to be in charge of the production. If the creator and the showrunner get along, the relationship can be quite useful for both but sometimes personalities will clash. When "Seinfeld" was launched, NBC/Castle Rock appointed a showrunner above Larry and Jerry (from the IMDB credits for "Seinfeld Chronicles", it was Gary Gilbert, who then went on to create "Sister, sister"). Gilbert apparently re-wrote the pilot much to Larry David's chagrin. Larry then quit the show because of that. The studio then fired Gilbert and brought Larry back.
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Sure, that's why I said "usually." The untried don't often get shows greenlit.

It also happens when the creator doesn't want to be involved day-to-day.
 
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