Zachary Quinto, the star of NBC’s new medical series Brilliant minds (previously titled Dr. Wolf), said he was initially hesitant to return to network television, especially given the contractual basis. Heroines The actor signed on to the series, citing the changing dynamics between streaming and network models.

“The discussion about network versus streaming has shifted, and the industry is seeing a return to (a type of) television that it had moved away from quite significantly,” he said recently in a cover story of Entertainment Weekly. “There’s something about the reliability (of TV series). Audiences are more interested in must-see TV than in a while.”

Although cable TV remains widely available and streaming shows dominate the ratings, viewers are vocally disillusioned with SVOD-based services, especially when their profit models lead to the cancellation of niche series and increasingly expensive series go longer and longer between new seasons (sometimes in frustrating batch releases). This criticism has led to a growing phenomenon of subscriber churn, as exciting blockbuster series fail to captivate viewers longer than their release dates.

According to Nielsen, broadcast and cable television still account for more than 50% of annual television viewing, with network shows consistently outpacing cable viewing. In addition, there are groundbreaking signs that viewers are craving long-running network-style series, such as the unexpected reunion of Suitswhich drove up streaming rates for months last year.

“The idea of ​​signing something that could run for years gave me pause,” admitted Quinto, although he hoped a medical drama could have a place in the ever-changing television landscape. (Hey, just look at the continued reign of Grey’s Anatomy.)

Brilliant mindsbased on the revolutionary life of queer neurologist Oliver Sacks, Quintos follows Dr. Wolf and a team of interns who use unconventional methods to alleviate the suffering of their patients while simultaneously wrestling with their own mental health and relationships. The show, which was ordered to series last October, comes from writer/executive producer Michael Grassi and director/EP Lee Toland Krieger.

“This idea of ​​how far he was willing to go to honor his patients and help them rediscover some level of integrity and dignity in their lives – I was fascinated by the dynamic of that narrative,” Quinto said. “That’s what brought me back to network television.”