this post was submitted on 05 Nov 2026
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Television
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Because thats how copyright law works.
I see your problem there. It’s not. The word derivative isn’t as broadly defined as in common use.
Haven’t you ever noticed tmnt and biker mice from mars are similar? Or Star Trek and Orville?
You realize 50 shades of grey started as a twighlight fanfic?
It is derivative, in the sense used by the film/TV industry. You may not be aware but US TV is written work-for-hire, meaning that the writer gives up their rights. In this case, anything written or developed for the ER Pilot would be assigned to WBTV and be subject to their contractual arrangements with Crichton. Anything derived further from that material would also come under the same arrangement.
The Crichton position is that WBTV on the sly tried to shift work product from under the auspices of their arrangement and into a “new” production, to the loss of Crichton.
Two issues, first, as noted above, copyright law in the US uses a substantial incorporation standard, not an “any work done under a heading is poisoned” heading.
Second- you’re assuming some substantial contractual rights here to wbtv’s work on the project. It sounds like they were in talks. So their contract is probably either minimal or the contract was their agreement for the IP on the original run and has some relevant terms.