My Blog

Purgatory for Pilots

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Variety reports that the web is becoming a haven for busted TV pilots:

In recent weeks, at least four failed pilots
from the 2005-06 development season have ended up online on services
such as YouTube and Break.com. Inspired by the saga of "Nobody’s
Watching" — the year-old WB pilot that found new life after popping up
on YouTube (Daily Variety, July 21) — interested parties seem intent on getting their work out to viewers, one way or another.

That
has sent studios scrambling, forcing them to quickly decide whether to
let the shows live online, where they might build a cult following, or
ask the services to yank them. For the most part, studios seem to be
choosing the latter option.

While the studios pretend that these pilots "mysteriously" show up on the net, and that their lawyers are furious about it, they almost always give up the act (or at least delay taking action) after the pilots begin getting  some buzz and wracking up hits.

Studio insiders warn that producers or talent who leak pilots could face penalties.
But
it seems unlikely studios will risk alienating creators, especially
since most pilots simply die after they’re rejected by networks. If
anything, having consumers respond positively to a show rejected by a
network only serves to validate the studio’s decision to take a risk on
a project.

And while "Nobody’s Watching" has generated much hype
for its YouTube resurrection, it’s hardly the first pilot to find a
life on the service.

Conan O’Brien and Robert Smigel’s cult
classic "Lookwell" has been seen more than 50,000 times, while
"Awesometown" — the Fox sketch comedy pilot starring "Saturday Night
Live’s" Andy Samberg — has been streamed over 225,000 times.

Crafty Advice

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Alex Epstein’s CRAFTY TV WRITING is a terrific new book full of great advice about the craft of episodic writing and insights into the business of television (and I’m not just saying that because he quotes liberally from me and this blog).  If I didn’t have a book of my own, SUCCESSFUL TELEVISION WRITING, to recommend, this is the one I’d tell every aspiring TV writer to buy. I’d also strongly recommend WRITING THE TV DRAMA SERIES by Pamela Douglas. Tell you what, buy all three. You’ll thank me later.

Done at Last

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I just finished writing the first draft of DIAGNOSIS MURDER #8: THE LAST WORD. It was actually due yesterday, but my editor kindly gave me an extension until Monday. It’s the first deadline I’ve ever missed —  I didn’t even have two broken arms this time as an excuse. Life just sort of conspired against me on this one — and it turned out to be a much longer book than I anticipated. I wrote this one in many different places, from my home in Los Angeles to a hotel room in Cologne, Germany. If this does turn out to be the final DIAGNOSIS MURDER novel, I think I’ve left my characters in a good place, facing new lives and new challenges. If there ends up being more adventures, then I think created the opportunity to "reinvigorated" the franchise, which will allow me to tell fresh and exciting stories with these characters without trodding over old ground.

Parker Blogs

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Robert B. Parker has launched his own Amazon blog. His most recent post is full of interesting TV & movie news:

In October will come Hundred Dollar Baby
(Spenser), in the Spring will appear a Young Adult novel called The
Edenville Owls (my first try at this), and in the fall of 07 will come
Jesse Stone again (High Profile). We start shooting the next Jesse
Stone movie, Seachase (Tom Selleck as Jesse),  this October, and it
will be on CBS sometime during the 06/07 season. When I know, I’ll tell
you. Incidentally I think Tom has absolutely nailed the role. Ed Harris
is developing my western novel, Appaloosa for a feature film. He plans
to star (as Virgil Cole) and to direct. So far he has Viggo Mortenson
attached (Everett Hitch) and Diane Lane (Allie). I’m very pleased with
the casting choices, and have a lot of confidence that Harris will get
the movie made (as you may know, most movies don’t get made). He should
be wonderful in the role. I’ve seen the script and it seems flawless.
Stay tuned.

Aquaman

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I was surprised to discover that the unaired, unsold WB pilot for AQUAMAN is available for download on iTunes.  The pilot was from the folks who did SMALLVILLE and was passed over when the WB merged with UPN to become The CW. Being the unsold pilot freak that I am, I immediately downloaded it…but I haven’t watched it yet.

Mr. Monk Basks in the Glow

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Three more bloggers have given MR. MONK GOES TO HAWAII kudos. Gerald So says:

Mr, Monk Goes to Hawaii is an
ideal summer read, a rambling tale to match an exotic setting. Several
side mysteries show Monk’s quirks as seen by the more practical
Natalie, yet Goldberg keeps a confident hand on the story, eventually
putting every strand in place just as Monk and his fans would have it.

Meanwhile, the folks over at MyShelf enjoy seeing things from Natalie’s POV:

Natalie’s point of view provides an unexpected and delightful twist. Goldberg nails Monk’s intriguing and complex character. Natalie and Monk’s interactions are laugh-out-loud funny. Find
Mr. Monk Goes to Hawaii and take a humorous trip through murder and deceit!

Cynthia Clark at Future Mystery Magazine says: 

        You don’t have to be a fan of MONK or to have ever watched an episode
        on television to enjoy this fast paced, witty, quirky, yet charming suspense.
        Mr. Goldberg has once again captured the nuances and idiosyncrasies of
        Mr. Monk and of OC (obsessive compulsive) sufferers. Mr. Goldberg makes
        us laugh as he takes us on Monk’s wild Hawaiian ride solving numerous
        crimes. Only Monk could find a paradise like Hawaii to be a health risk,
        and barbaric — roasting a pig in the ground? Mr. Goldberg gives us just
        enough clues to let us be MONK if we dare….I read this book in one sitting
        and loved every moment of it. I felt the tug of heart strings with Mitch
        and Trudy. I laughed, I was sad, I plotted who done it, but mostly, I
        loved it! An excellent escape, a great read.

Mr. Monk and the Signings

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Mystery10
The fine folks over at the Monk Fun Page write about attending my L.A.Bookstore14
signings  for MR. MONK GOES TO HAWAII. They’ve posted lots of pictures and excerpts from our talk. The picture on the left is me, along with Terry Erdmann and Paula Block, authors of THE MONK EPISODE GUIDE, at Mysteries to Die For. The picture of yours truly on the right was taken at The Mystery Bookstore. Here are some excerpts from our talk, as recorded by the gang at the Monk  Fun  Page:

"Now I just walk in and out of the [Monk]  set. They think I’m part of the
crew and it’s really, really nice." – Terry
"They  always have security drag me away.  I’m not sure why that is."  — Lee
"I told them to." – Terry

"I  was in Beverly Hills and I saw a woman with a brooch that was a live cockroach. And I thought, this is  going in the next book." —  Lee

"[Monk and Natalie] both lost their spouses.  So they’re both lost. In some ways
that’s why I find her a richer character  than Sharona, is they have a pain  that binds then together rather  than just an employment agreement."  — Lee

On the same webpage, you can also find pictures and quotes from my Mysteries To Die For signing in February for MR. MONK GOES TO THE FIREHOUSE.

Fletch Returns

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Variety reports that Kevin Smith is out and SCRUBS showrunner Bill Lawrence is in to write and direct a movie version of FLETCH WON, from the novel by Gregory McDonald. FLETCH WON is a prequel to the original FLETCH novel, which was adapted in 1985 as a lousy Chevy Chase movie and inspired a even worse sequel film, FLETCH LIVES.

Batman Flies Again

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Variety reports that Christian Bale is returning to play Batman in THE DARK KNIGHT, which will feature Heath Ledger as The Joker (quite a turn from Jack Nicholson).  Christopher Nolan will direct the movie, which will be written by his brother Jonah (from a story by David Goyer and Christopher Nolan). The movie is already set for release in May 2008, up against the so-far-untitled 22nd Bond movie and IRON MAN.

Back from Germany

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I returned from Cologne late last night. It was a great experience working with the German writer/producers and it looks like I may be going back soon to continue what I started.

On the 7 1/2 hour flight from Dusseldorf to LA, I worked for a bit on DM #8, which is due this week, and watched BASIC INSTINCT 2, which was a horrendeous piece of shit (except for the production design, which was great. You know an erotic movie is bad when you’re appreciating the locations and sets and not the people who are fucking).

On my flight from NY to LA, I sat across from a gregarious and very friendly rap star named Flavor Flave or Flave Flavor or Flaky Flavor. I don’t know, I’m all jet-lagged and out-of-it today. He wore a wall clock around his neck, which I thought was odd and rather uncomfortable (and he had spares in his carry-on bag). But he was a nice guy and seemed to have boundless energy.

Next to me was a Hassidic Jew who wore the big, heavy black overcoat, the hat, the whole thing…he smelled like ten men’s locker rooms. He was pleasant, but isn’t there such a thing as Kosher deodorant?

Behind me, was this young girl, in her late teens or early 20s. At one point in the flight, she took out a fancy camera from her bag and began scrolling through some pictures. The man next to her, who was perhaps in his late 40s or early 50s, asked if she was a photographer. She said she was an aspiring one, and that she’d just spent a few weeks in Paris taking pictures, and that she’d interned at some newspaper or magazine, the name of which I didn’t catch. He then introduced himself — I didn’t get his name, but apparently he’s some famous photographer for magazines like Esquire, Vanity Fair, etc.  She knew who he was, of course, and nearly wet herself in surprise.  So for the next six hours, this kind man gave her a tutorial in photography, answering her questions, showing her examples, reviewing her photos, and giving her advice in a very professorial sort of way (he  mentioned at one point that he’s taught before).

I didn’t understand all the stuff they were talking about, but I certainly picked up on her excitement at this opportunity and her respect for the man she was seated with. I tried to imagine what it must have been like for that girl.  It would be as if I was 18 or 19, got on a plane and happened to be seated next to Larry McMurtry or Stephen J. Cannell. Of course, this sort of thing is far more likely to happen in First Class than coach.

At the end of the flight, she thanked him, saying that never in her wildest dreams did she think she’d ever meet him. He said it must have been meant to happen, gave her his card and wished her luck in her career.  I thought it was great. I only eavesdropped on the whole thing, but I felt her excitement and I was struck by how attentive and nice the man was (there was no hint of hitting on her or anything like that, by the way. He was very fatherly and polite).

Tonight, I have my class at UCLA and a mountain of mail to catch up on… not to mention a book to finish writing!