Why do TV shows use multiple directors and screenwriters?

Question

In many TV shows different directors are used to direct different episodes and different screenwriters are used to write different episodes. This is even common in one single season (e.g. GoT and True Detective). In Game of Thrones there are multiple directors as well as multiple screenwriters who are used more frequently than True Detective. Even though most of the episodes are written by DB Weiss and David Benioff, there are multiple writers for GoT.

How do different screenwriters maintain consistency in writing style with each other for different episodes in a single season?

Answer 1

I believe it's mainly because of time constraints. TV shows produce a lot of content in a fairly small amount of time. By having multiple screenwriters and directors, they can prepare more content simultaneously for eventually filming, and perhaps even overlap some of the filming if they schedule the actors and set use well.

A movie might produce two hours of finished product in three months, but a TV show might produce twenty hours in less than twelve months. That works out to roughly two and a half times as much content per time worked. Not to mention that some movie screenplays are honed for years before they're considered ready to go.

TV shows also have a story editor, sometimes called the supervising producer, part of whose job is to ensure the consistency and continuity of the scripts.