This topic as interesting as it is, concern a reality of producer/distributor controlled tv show. Where time and money are more important than artistic vision and creativity. So sure art or perspective are not part of the choices and decision. As much as the director ( unless he s the producer... ) has almost no saying in the artisitic direction of the show, in the script, of the way he should tell the story, but has to follow a formula , shoot every angle possible, and follow a recipe that producers and distributor choose. Same for all the other crew that work in those show. This is commercial work were the client, as Henchman says it many time, is King , and were the craftsmen has no artistic saying over the client decision. This is junk food formula , even if the cook is a 4 stars chef, (and he better be to do the job right and fast) where hyper realism and a strickly pragmatic vision of sound is the way to go . But it pays the bills... sorry for my bad english for my cynism or lack of romantism but i'm not really shocked or surprised with everything i've been reading about post choices of using only lavs when they have 2 days for dialog on a 42min show with client on their back telling them how they want it to sound. I guess reading from the guy who cut and mix Michael Haneke dialog would be a whole different story... And fortunately there is exceptions to those rules.