Television broadcast networks turned down all five pilots based in Washington, D.C. for next season’s schedule. the New York Times reports. The move has prompted some head-scratching given the surge of interest in public service and politics.

The only new programs in the works that are based in the nation’s capitol are Bravo’s "The Real Housewives of D.C." and The CW’s "Blonde Charity Mafia," a show that will debut next month and which focuses on young Washington socialites.

—Aimee Picchi