Fall TV is just around the corner, but it looks like some people can’t wait for premiere week to get their hands on the latest upcoming TV programs. This morning, we learned that a ton of upcoming TV pilots have leaked onto torrent sites, including the heavily advertised Minority Report TV show, NBC’s high-profile drama Blindspot and the comic book-based pilot Lucifer. The three programs have now joined Supergirl in terms of leaked content.
LOL/DIMENSION made the leaks available, and apparently the Minority Report copy is available in 1080p, which is different than a lot of leaks that are only put out into the universe in standard definition. Both Lucifer and Blindspot are also available with better-than-average picture quality and no reported watermarks. There’s no word on how the leaks happened, although there are various possibilities, including screener copies, that could be the culprit.
Some screeners have already been released for certain fall TV shows, meaning that some of these pilots have been out there in the universe. In recent years, a lot of networks have moved towards digital screeners in order to protect footage from getting leaked. (This happened with early Game of Thrones episodes this spring; DVD screeners no longer go out for HBO shows.) Still, as evidenced by Supergirl getting downloaded hundreds of thousands of times earlier this spring, there’s a demand for this sort of content in the pirating world, and clearly pirates are looking for new TV all the time.
Buzz for Minority Report, but also Blindspot and Lucifer has been pretty high since the shows aired their first episodes (or portions of their first episodes in Minority Report’s case) earlier this summer at Comic-Con, which could possibly be the culprit. Torrent Freak first mentioned the leak, also noting that the Lucifer leak is a big deal, as that series isn’t slated for release until 2016. The other two shows will hit the TV schedule this fall.
Leaks sometimes can help shows to build buzz; this is the same reason a lot of networks will make Season 1 pilots available online before a show officially premieres, so they aren’t necessarily a death fate for an upcoming show. However, there’s still something buzzy and exciting about catching a new drama or comedy during pilot week and figuring out if it’s something you want to pursue over the long haul. It’s easier to make those decisions when you are watching a lot of shows when fall TV hits the schedule. It’s also the legal way to do it, too, which is a definite bonus.
That being said, since information about Blindspot, Lucifier and Minority Report is already available thanks to the Comic-Con screenings, I doubt the studios are sweating the leaks too much. Find out when you can catch the freshman dramas with our fall TV premiere schedule. in the meantime, here are all of the trailers for the fall TV shows.
