tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post2807203499053903900..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: Rookie mistakesBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-45007065611469416162017-12-24T22:08:50.845-08:002017-12-24T22:08:50.845-08:00I usually just assume it's an easy theme episo...I usually just assume it's an easy theme episode if you gotta fill 22 that season. Though I haven't seen any good shows doing it.Jabronivillehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07318218102203693195noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-73030130327323303472017-12-23T21:20:39.292-08:002017-12-23T21:20:39.292-08:00@Dan O'Shannon - the Ghostbusters cartoon in t...@Dan O'Shannon - the Ghostbusters cartoon in the 1980s did an episode where the title characters capture the ghosts from A Christmas Carol, with the result being the story never happened. Most of the episode is split between seeing the consequences of Scrooge never having been saved, and the Ghostbusters trying to reenact the story with themselves as the ghosts. Silly in places, but for a 1980s cartoon it holds up remarkably well I think.Aaronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05394862556353144282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-39012846301644551782017-12-23T19:10:48.265-08:002017-12-23T19:10:48.265-08:00In an early "Mary Tyler Moore" episode f...In an early "Mary Tyler Moore" episode from 1970 in which Mary is put in charge of WJM's election returns program as a massive snowstorm hits Minneapolis, the two mayoral candidates--mentioned but not seen--are named Turner and Mitchell.<br /><br />Obviously, this was an "inside" reference since Gordon Mitchell and Lloyd Turner had written the previous week's episode titled "Toulouse Lautrec Is One Of My Favorite Artists."Kevin FitzMauricenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-16324245553917173572017-12-23T13:32:46.196-08:002017-12-23T13:32:46.196-08:00I'd prefer an extended version of "A Chri...I'd prefer an extended version of "A Christmas Carol"<br />Scrooge still learns the meaning of Christmas in one night and saves Tiny Tim.<br />But the epilogue is that Tiny Tim grows up to be an androgynous, long-haired person with a high voice and an ukulele.<br />He gets married on The Tonight Show and everybody ends up singing "Tiptoe Through The Tulips".<br />i know it could never happen but nothing says Christmas like ukelele music. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-54918474011623914672017-12-23T10:07:43.613-08:002017-12-23T10:07:43.613-08:00Ken, if you're deciding which screeners to wat...Ken, if you're deciding which screeners to watch, may I recommend Battle of the Sexes. Just saw it this week at the cinema and it's a terrific film. Emma Stone and Steve Carrell are of course great, but Sarah Silverman steals a lot of scenes. Definitely worth watching.Peternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-25186404075137641272017-12-23T09:52:03.214-08:002017-12-23T09:52:03.214-08:00I like that mash-up of A CHRISTMAS CAROL and IT...I like that mash-up of A CHRISTMAS CAROL and IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE a lot.<br /><br />I'd second Ken's advice. I've been a professional journalist for more than 25 years, and whenever I write for someone new I *still* ask them to point out a couple of similar (ie, features if it's a feature, reviews if it's a review...) pieces they particularly liked on their site as a guide. I don't follow them slavishly, but I read them to get a sense of how they approach their audience and their idea of what makes a good story.<br /><br />wgWendy M. Grossmanhttp://www.pelicancrossing.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-34289259414743939722017-12-23T09:33:43.517-08:002017-12-23T09:33:43.517-08:00That is so brilliant. And funny!That is so brilliant. And funny!Dana Gabbardhttp://socata.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-22493120038155005862017-12-23T09:05:12.893-08:002017-12-23T09:05:12.893-08:00brent -- i always wanted to do an episode where a...brent -- i always wanted to do an episode where a character wishes "a christmas carol" had never been written because he's sick of it. and an angel grants his wish, and the guy wakes up in a world where nobody ever heard of "a christmas carol" --- scrooge mcduck is now named greedy mcduck, and bill murray won the oscar in 1988 for rain man because he wasn't busy making scrooged, etc. etc. and finally, the guy breaks down and wants life to go back to the way it was and it does and he realizes he's the luckiest man in town to live in a world where a christmas carol was written.dan o'shannonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04147852633861362006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-13360124947764096342017-12-23T07:41:30.361-08:002017-12-23T07:41:30.361-08:00Christmas question: There was a time when it seeme...Christmas question: There was a time when it seemed like nearly every sitcom on television took its turn at doing a Christmas episode that was a riff on either A CHRISTMAS CAROL or IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE. I don't think that trope is as common as it used to be, but you still see it trotted out periodically. My question is, why? Why would a writing staff decide to pursue an idea that so many shows have already done? Do they think they can come up with a way to make a hackneyed idea fresh? Is it because good ideas for Christmas episodes are really hard to come up with?<br /><br />Also, do networks and/or producers like holiday-themed episodes? It seems like they'd be problematic once a series hits syndication and the series Christmas episode is being rerun in the middle of July.<br /><br />Thanks, Ken.<br /><br />Brent<br />Long time reader, first time commenterBrentnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-8070658145750190162017-12-23T07:25:36.715-08:002017-12-23T07:25:36.715-08:00Friday (or earlier) questions: Your early spec scr...Friday (or earlier) questions: Your early spec scripts you wrote some time ago were done at home - yours or David's. Once you started writing for The Jeffersons and other shows, did you get at least a desk on the CBS lot to write or was it still at home? In the same vein, how have the writers rooms changed, in terms of snacks and space, from The Jeffersons and MASH days to today? When did you and David start feeling "Okay, we think we've got the hang of this writing scripts now."?Brad Aplinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06823802067857735916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-41165170400678915662017-12-23T07:23:25.051-08:002017-12-23T07:23:25.051-08:00FRIDAY QUESTION
I'm wondering what happens wh...FRIDAY QUESTION<br /><br />I'm wondering what happens when a writer turns showrunner. How did you and David handle the increased responsibilities regarding budget and personnel? Did you hire people for the economic side of producing your shows? Or did you learn financial planning on the fly? jcsnoreply@blogger.com