Film and Television

Law & Order: New & Improved

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I used to be a big fan of LAW & ORDER, but over the last five years, the show has been going steadily down-hill (even with the addition of Dennis Farina, who I have liked ever since MANHUNTER and CRIME STORY). The 2006-2007 season was an all-time low. The last thing I expected was to fall back in love with it, especially after this seasons flat premiere. But each episode since then has been dramatic, surprising, compelling…and even funny.
I don’t know whether it’s the return of Rene Balcer as showrunner/head writer, or the new cast members, or the revamped sets & lighting & camera angles that have re-energized the franchise, but it doesn’t really matter.  LAW & ORDER is back and as good as it ever was.

Oddly enough GUNSMOKE, the only show  that’s lasted longer than LAW & ORDER, also had a resurgence in quality in it’s 17th-19th seasons…though that’s not to say LAW & ORDER is on its way out.

(LAW & ORDER may someday match, or beat, GUNSMOKE’s 20 year reign….but it’s not a fair contest. There’s nobody on the cast of L&O today that was on the show it’s first season. By comparison, three of the GUNSMOKE’s four stars… James Arness, Amanda Blake and Milburn Stone… stayed with it for 19 seasons, Arness and Stone to the very end. By that measure, GUNSMOKE will always have  L&O beat.)

A New Approach to Fandom

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The Los Angeles Times reports today that DR. WHO executive producer Russell T. Davies is taking a new approach to fans. He’s completely ignoring them.

"I think we’re an unusual
science-fiction franchise in taking a very big step back from fandom
and having nothing to do with them. . . . Every program on the BBC has
a message board on the website. I forbid it to happen on ‘Doctor Who.’
I’m sorry to say this, all the science fiction producers making stuff
in America, they are way too engaged with their fandom. They all need
to step back."

His policy of ignoring the fans doesn’t seem to be hurting his show at all.  In fact, it may be helping by making his show more accessible to mainstream audiences worldwide.

It falls to
Davies "to keep balancing how much continuity there is, how many
stand-alone elements there are." Ever mindful of the shows’ "mainstream
audience" (meaning, not just sci-fi enthusiasts) and put off by
"exclusivity" in general, he said he is reticent of creating overly
inclusive stories dependent on viewers’ in-depth knowledge of ornate
histories.  This job is made easier by Davies’ policy of ignoring the voices of those most vigilant.

Is there a lesson to be learned here for showrunners?    

Still Crazy After All These Years

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My friend Javi has been a working TV writer/producer for a dozen years, has an Emmy award on his shelf, and even did a stint as a network executive. Nobody would blame him if he’d become just a little cynical and jaded about the business. But I’m pleased to report that he’s got the same enthusiasm for TV that he had when he was just starting out…and I love it about him. Don’t take my word for it, read this and decide for yourself.

Evolution of a Poster

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Posting Victor’s covers reminded me that I never shared with you the evolution of the FAST TRACK movie/sales poster. There were several steps in between, but these three pretty give you a sense of how it evolved. The third poster is the final one…
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Be Conventional

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Writer/producer Lisa Klink regularly posts great advice for aspiring TV writers on her blog. Today she’s talking about writing the episodic spec script:

Your first spec or two should demonstrate that you know how to
follow the rules, and imitate the format and voice of a show.  Your
“why not” script should show off your voice.

She also shares a very instructive anecdote:

I heard a great story from a fellow drama/sci-fi writer:  she wrote
a “Lost” spec about Vincent.  Yes, Vincent, the dog – complete with a
flashback to his life before the crash.  Wouldn’t you immediately grab
that off the pile and read it?  A lot of people did.  My friend got a
slew of meetings off her spec and, more importantly, a job.  She also
had a “West Wing” spec, but it was the “Lost” which really launched
her.  As we were talking about this, she said something particularly
smart about sending out a spec: “You don’t need everyone to like it.
You need someone to love it.”  Exactly.

Lisa is also a recent JEOPARDY champion, surviving for a full week before getting bounced on a question about….writers. That had to hurt.