This risk-averse landscape has also seen studios lean more into existing properties for reboots and revivals.

Like the Marvel Cinematic Universe or scripted series with countless spinoffs, reality TV has become more reliant on proven franchises as the industry becomes more risk-averse.

O’Malley immediately prioritized improving the work environment, from asking Congress to beef up staffing to challenging the risk-averse work culture that had developed there.

“It’s a continuum of there’s this IP you can mine, you’re thinking about how you can tap into both older audiences and newer audiences in a risk-averse environment, while still exploring genres that are relatively safe,” said Alisa Perren, director of the Center for Entertainment and Media Industries at University of Texas at Austin.

Cruz, being an acquired taste, runs a couple of points behind the Republican presidential ticket in his Senate race against a strong, but risk-averse, Democratic recruit.