• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, January 14, 2015

Producing high-priced TV shows means grappling with many complex factors: scheduling, cast, production costs, as well as pre-existing deals with TV producers.

New digital platforms have their own way. Amazon has been allowing viewers to vote whether to go ahead with a TV series after one episode. Given what happened with its show “Transparent,” which just won two Golden Globes, it would seem Amazon is making the right call.

On Tuesday Amazon said it has committed to doing a TV series with Woody Allen. But TV viewers won’t have the same input with this series. We can only guess why. This is Woody Allen, noteworthy big-time filmmaker.

But going forward, you have to figure Amazon will still take public voting into account. You also may be wondering what have been Amazon’s numbers when it comes to voting up -- or out -- a TV series.  We haven’t seen this data, just as we haven’t seen actual viewership data for Amazon’s or Netflix’s original TV shows. Mum’s the word.

Nice. Maybe this is part of a new marketing plan for TV series of the future: keeping much more business stuff a mystery -- not just to prospective TV viewers, but prospective TV producers.

Of course, there is even more mystery with the Woody Allen project.

We have no details of what this show might be or who will be in it.

We do know it’s slotted to be a half-hour TV series, which speaks volumes about the likelihood it’ll be a comedy. Allen, of course, started off writing for TV in the early 50s, before his move to the big screen.

Long-term, we are looking at more television teasers; others might call it a come-on. Just make sure to send flowers as well.