A, B, and C stories: alternatives to 69; with ensemble casts 119; How I Met Your Mother 287β8; and series type 43β5; structural formats 171β5; and unifying theme 36, 53, 115, 138
Abbott, Paul 132
Abrams, J. J. 26
βaha momentsβ 213
Ally McBeal 120
alternative programming 277
AMC business model 86
American Horror Story 35, 72, 95, 200
The Americans: dual point of view 117β18; family stories 72; sexual content 93; sweet spots 203β4; unifying theme 189
animated comedy series 171
Annie Hall 284
antagonists/protagonists 144β8
antiheroes 46, 62β3, 64β8, 255
arenas: defined 21; friendship shows and 87; popular settings 23β6; researching 22β3; synergistic/complementary 120; TV pilots 28
Arrested Development 171
audience trends 42β3, 46, 169
backstories 226
Ball, Alan 230
Barnes, Juliette (character) 145
Battlestar Galactica 120, 227β8
Bauer, Jack (character) 144
Bays, Carter 272; credits 284; interview 284β92
beat sheet 54
Beckett, Kate (character) 118
Bettelheim, Bruno 234
The Big Bang Theory 33, 118, 246
The Big C 111
Big Love 21
Bissinger, H. G. βBuzzβ 24
Boardwalk Empire 216
Bones: character expertise 255; point of view 118, 120; sweet spot 204β5, 209β10
Booth, Seeley (character) 118
Botwin, Nancy (character) 147
Bradshaw, Carrie (character) 114β15
Breaking Bad: central question 33; character development 62; character expertise 255; cliffhangers 244, 245; episodic structure 173; family dynamics in 74; hybrid series 46; point of view 112; structural format 174β5; sweet spots 203; teasers 198, 199; Vince Gilligan interview 64β71
Brennan, Temperance βBonesβ (character) 102, 118
Brody, Nicholas (character) 116β17, 124β9, 147
Bucatinsky, Dan 273; interview 292
Buffy the Vampire Slayer 91
Bundy, Al (character) 146
Bunker, Archie (character) 58β9
βthe candy bagβ 276
βcase of the weekβ series franchise 29β31
Castle: character expertise 254; episodic structure of 172; point of view 118; slow burn relationship in 90; teasers 199
CBS: character development and 57β8; primetime landscape 2, 18
censorship 95
central mystery: Bates Motel 157β8; Desperate Housewives 156, 164; Lost 158β9, 160β8; Mad Men 155β6; The Mentalist 156; Scandal 158; The Sopranos 154β5; The Walking Dead 178β9
βcentral mysteryβ franchise 33β4
βcentral questionβ franchise 32β3, 39
character development: antiheroes 62β3; and familial role 76β7; Friday Night Lights 137β43; How I Met Your Mother 286; Parenthood 137β43; professional expertise 254β7; and viewer investment 57β61; Vince Gilligan interview 64β7
character weaknesses: David Shore interview 103β10; flaws and limitations 98β9; identification of 101β2; pacing of revelation 103; plot as revelation of 99; strengths and 100β1
Chase, Vincent (character) 114
Cherry, Marc 156
cinematography 49
cinΓ©ma vΓ©ritΓ© style 25
cliffhangers 38, 44, 174, 242β7
closed-ended episodes 30β1, 43β4
Cold Case 120
Colvin, Bunny (character) 144β5
comedy: cliffhangers 246; rules for 272; sketch format 277n3; structural formats 170; teasers 199β200; see also humor
complementary arenas 120
conflict/consequences 144β8, 148β53
Cooper, Sheldon (character) 101β2, 118
Crane, Frasier (character) 61
crime procedurals: character expertise 255; spin-offs 96; sweet spots 202; teasers 199
crossover story structure 173
CSI franchise 2β3, 43, 99, 120, 173
Cuse, Carlton 157
Dallas 242
daytime serialized dramas 45
DeKnight, Steven S.: interview 26
Desperate Housewives 91, 121, 156, 164
Dexter: antiheroes 46; central question 33; episodic structure of 171; hybrid genre of 96; point of view 111, 116; unifying themes 194β6
βdirect addressβ POV 120, 279
direct pickup (DPU) storyline 170, 200
Doogie Howser, M.D. 198
doppelganger (or double) conceit 34
dragons 233
drama series: structural formats 170, 175; sweet spots 202; teleplay guidelines 176
dramatic character development 99
Draper, Don (character) 100, 103, 113, 145, 154β5
Ehrin, Kerry 157
Elementary 255
Ellin, Doug 114
elliptical storytelling 172
embedded advertising 169
ensemble casts 76β7, 119, 286
Entourage 114
external narrator POV 122
family dynamics 73β4, 76β7, 279
family stories 72β3, 86β7, 139
fate, man against 146
final discovery endings 216β18
final montage endings 216
The Finder 211
The Following 218
forbidden love 91
foreign television markets 46β7
foreshadowing 215
franchises: defined 27β9; launching of 215
franchise types: case of the week 29β31; central mystery 33β4; central question 32β3; hybrids, proceduralβserialized 31
Friday Night Lights: arena 24; central question 33; love triangles 92; unifying themes 190
friendship stories 87
functional couples 89
Game of Thrones: arena 25β6; case study 134β5; central mystery 45; central question 33; episodic structure of 180; mythology 232β3; point of view 119
Gansa, Alex: interview 123β9
Ganz, Lowell 131
Gelbart, Larry 283
gender bias 90
Ghost Whisperer 254n1
Gilligan, Vince: interview 64β71; on Walter Whiteβs character 33
Gilliganβs Island 34
Girls: central question 32; pilot episodes 215; point of view 113β14; serial monogamy 93
The Good Wife: case study 135β7; character expertise 258; family dynamics 75; Michelle and Robert King interview 48β56; series type 31, 45
Goor, Dan 275
Gossip Girl 121
Grey, Meredith (character) 115β16
Greyβs Anatomy: character expertise 256; family dynamics 75; point of view 115; series type 45; Shonda Rhimes interview 78β82
Grimes, Rick (character) 145
group writing 289
Haber, Bill 259
handheld camera POV 25
Hanson, Hart: credits 204; interview 204β12
Happy Days 26n
Harris, Charlaine 230
Hatufim 124
Hawley, Noah 211
Herskovitz, Marshall 138
Hickey, Earl (character) 146
Hofstadter, Leonard (character) 118
Holmes, Sherlock (character) 102, 111β12
Holzman, Winnie 138
Homeland: Alex Gansa interview 123β9; cliffhangers 243, 246; franchise type 31; love triangle 91β3; pilot ending 217; point of view 116β17; sweet spots 203; unifying theme 188β9, 192β4
Horowitz, Adam: credits 234; interview 234β41
hospital shows 24
House, Gregory (character) 100, 103β10, 112
House, M.D. 30, 103β10, 112, 256β7
House of Cards 93, 121, 197β8
Howard, Ron 131
How I Met Your Mother: Bays/Thomas interview 284β92; character development 148; comedy format 272; friendships in 87; point of view 122
humor, subjective nature of 272, 282, 290
hybrids: procedurals 31, 45; series 31, 45β6; sitcoms 290
iconic characters 58β61, 62β3
Isles, Maura (character) 118
Johannessen, Chip: credits 191; interview 191β6
βjumping the sharkβ 26
Kaling, Mindy 276
Kane, Tom (character) 146
Katims, Jason 131; credits 137; interview 138β43
Kelley, David E. 25
Kelley, Michael: credits 247; interview 247β53
The Killing 45; cliffhangers 245β6; pilot endings 218β25; pilot episodes 215; point of view 112; serialized episodes 45
King, Michael Patrick 275
King, Michelle 135; credits 48; interview 49β56
King, Robert 135; credits 48; interview 49β56
Kitsis, Edward: credits 234β41; interview 234β41
Kring, Tim: credits 148; interview 148β53
Kudrow, Lisa 273
Law & Order franchise: character expertise 255; closed-end format 43; point of view 120; series type 30; spin-offs 96
Lawson, Evan (character) 112
Lawson, Mark (character) 112
legal procedural series 43, 45, 48β56
Lenchewski, Andrew 40
Levitan, Steven 272
Lieber, Jeffrey 26
Lindelof, Damon 26, 50, 70; credits 160; interview 160β8
Linden, Sarah (character) 112, 147
Lloyd, Christopher 272; credits 278; interview 278β92
Lost: central mystery 33β4, 45, 158β9, 160β8; cliffhangers 244; ending 163β4; family dynamics 75, 97; flashbacks 26; Horowitz/Kitsis interview 234β41; pilot ending 217; pilot episode 162; teasers 198
Mad Men: and AMC business model 86; antiheroes in 46; central question 33, 155β6; character expertise 257; cliff-hangers 244, 245; episodic structure 172; family dynamics 76; origins of 154; pilot ending 217; point of view 113; sexual dynamics 93; sweet spots 203; unifying theme 188, 190
Malone, Sam (character) 59
man against man 144
Mandel, Babaloo 131
marathons 46
Martin, George R. R. 25, 134, 232
Mathison, Carrie (character) 101, 116β17, 124β9
Mazursky, Paul 95
Mazzara, Glen: credits 177; interview 177β83
McDonaldβs corporation franchise 27
McGoldrick, Bill 40
McNamara, Sean (character) 118
medical procedurals: character expertise 256β7; sweet spots 202; teasers 199
medical series 35β6, 44, 103β10
Medium 254n1
Meriwether, Liz 90
The Mindy Project 94, 257, 276
mini-cliffhangers 246
miniseries 70
Modern Family: central question 32; Christopher Lloyd interview 278β92; cold openings 199β200; comedy format 272; pilot ending 217; point of view 120; unifying themes 190
Monk 23
Moonlighting 90
Moore, Ronald D. 227
Morgan, Dexter (character) 116
movie pilots 28
Mulder, Fox (character) 118
multi-camera sitcoms 170β1, 175β6, 273β4
multiple forces, man against 147
multiple POV 119
mythology, series 45, 226β34
narrator POV 287
Nations, Gregg 167
βNaturalistic Science Fiction, or Taking the Opera out of Space Operaβ (Moore) 227
nature, man against 146
NCIS 255
New Girl 90
The Newsroom 217
nighttime serialized dramas 45
nonlinear storytelling 284
Nurse Jackie 111
NYPD Blue 244
objective POV 120
omniscient POV 121
Once Upon a Time: central mystery 34β5, 45; love triangles 92; magical realms 26; mythology 231; parallel worlds 119; pilot episodes 215
one-hour drama series 31
open-ended episodes, serialized 44β5
origin stories 28
outlines: in episodic structure 181; How I Met Your Mother 288; internal process and 53β4; length of 41; in situation comedy 281β2
Parks and Recreation 92, 275, 276
Pate, Josh 194
Person of Interest 254
pilot episodes: Breaking Bad 67; defined 29; endings 215β16; Game of Thrones 134β5; The Good Wife 48β50, 135β7; Lost 162; Parenthood 131β2; and restaurant franchises 28; Shameless 132β3; The West Wing 133β4
plot: cliffhangers 242β7; foreshadowing 215; as revelation 214; unpredictability of 37β8
point of view (POV): documentary/interview commentary 120β1; dominant lead character with ensemble 113β14; dual leads 116β18; ensemble cast/multiple POV 119; external narrator looking back 122; handheld camera as 25; Homeland 124β9; omniscient 121; parallel/multiple worlds 119β20; playing with time 123; single-lead protagonist 111; single main protagonist with sidekick 111β12; voice-over (VO) narration 114β16
police procedural series 43, 96
political scandals 48
Pope, Olivia (character) 101, 103, 113, 144
positive/negative consequences 35
power dynamics 88
Prestwich, Dawn: interview 200
procedural formats: structure of 170β1; sweet spots 202
procedural series 96
production schedules 41, 290β1
product placement 169
protagonists/antagonists 144β8
ratings sweeps 242
Rauch, Michael: interview 35β41
reality TV 42
Revenge: central question 33; flash-backs 119; Michael Kelley interview 247β53; point of view 111; unifying themes 190
The Revolution Was Televised (Sepin-wall) 154
rewriting 290
Rhimes, Shonda 115; interview 78β84
Rizzoli, Jane (character) 118
romantic relationships 87β8, 89β95
Royal Pains: arena 25; character expertise 256; Michael Rauch interview 35β41; point of view 112β13
runners (C and D storylines) 172
Scandal: central mystery 158; character expertise 257; family dynamics 76, 78β80; forbidden love 91; franchise type 30; hybrid series 45; pilot ending 217; point of view 113
Schur, Mike 275
Scully, Dana (character) 118
secondary POV 117
self, man against 145
Sepinwall, Alan 154
serialized series 31
serials, structural formats of 170
servicing the franchise 29
settings, analysis of popular 22β6
Sex and the City 113, 114β15
sex for money, power, political gain 93
sexual addiction 93
The Shield: character expertise 255; pilot ending 217; teasers 198
Shore, David: interview 103β10
showrunning: best and worst of 84, 183, 283, 292; complicated nature of 54β5; essential skills for 210β11, 270; family dynamics and 79; journalism comparisons 263β4; primary goal of 30
The Simpsons 86
single-camera sitcoms 170β1, 176, 272β5
sitcoms: basic formats 273; basic formula 276β7; character development in 57β61, 99, 146, 280, 291; cliffhangers 246; families in 72; golden rule of 44; multi-cam format 170, 274; script formats 169; structural formats 175, 275β6; sweet spots 202; unifying themes 190
six-act structure 50
Six Feet Under 21
sketch comedy format 277n3
slow-burn relationships 90β1
Sluchan, Michael 40
social media feedback 55β6, 283
βsoftβ concept shows 32
Sons of Anarchy: arena of 21; character expertise 255; episodic structure of 172
Soprano, Tony (character) 100, 147, 154
The Sopranos 21, 32; cliffhangers 245; episodic structure of 172β3
Sorcher, Rob 154
Sorkin, Aaron 133
The Southern Vampire Mysteries (Harris) 230
Star, Darren 114
Stark, Ned (character) 145
Star Trek: The Next Generation 242
story development: direct pickup (or DPU) format 170; Friday Night Lights 137β43; Game of Thrones 134β5; Parenthood 131β2, 137β43; Shameless 132β3; The West Wing 133β4
storylines, theme and 187β90
strangers as family 75
Street, Jason (character) 146
structural formats 170β5, 274β5
structure, series 36, 39, 50β2, 184β6
Stults, Geoff 211
subjective POV 120
Sud, Veena: credits 218; interview 218β25
Suits 257
Supernatural 96
supernatural series 230β3, 254n1
Surface 194
Sutter, Kurt 56
Swan, Emma (character) 144
sweeps week 287
synergistic arenas 120
Tamaro, Janet: credits 259; interview 259β71
Tassler, Nina 49
technology, audience demands and 42β3
television business: AMC business model 86; audience trends 42β3, 46β7; CBS primetime landscape 2; embedded advertising 169; evolution of 31; foreign markets 46β7; production schedules 41; ratings 85; script formats 169; sweeps periods 242; TV set obsolescence 169
tentpoles story structure 174
Terriers 173
thematic resonance 53
themes: central questions and 33; defined 187; storylines and 187β90; unifying 36
Thomas, Craig 272; credits 284; interview 284β92
Thorne, Emily (character) 145β6
tone meetings 54
Troy, Christian (character) 118
True Blood: character expertise 254n1; as genre hybrid 97; iconic characters in 60; love triangles 92; mythology 230β1; teasers 200 24: character expertise 258; plot twists 244; point of view 123; unified storylines 192
Twin Peaks 161
Two and a Half Men 118
βumbrellaβ central questions 33
Underwood, Frank (character) 145
unifying themes 187β90, 191β6, 280
unpredictability of plot 37β8
The Uses of Enchantment (Bettelheim) 234
Veasey, Pam: interview 97
verbs, franchise types and 29
voice, script 41
voice-over (VO) narration 114β15, 122
Wachtel, Jeff 40
The Walking Dead: cliffhangers 246; episodic structure 177β83; family dynamics in 77; genre hybrid 97; mythology of 45, 229β30; point of view in 119; sweet spots 31, 202β3; teasers 200
Web Therapy 273
Weeds 46
Weiner, Matthew 154
Weisberg, Joe 117
Wells, John 132
The West Wing: case study 133β4; character expertise 258; pilot ending 217
βthe whipped creamβ 276
White, Walter (character) 33, 62β9, 71, 74, 101, 112, 145
White Walkers 233
wildcard teasers 200
The Wonder Years 94
workplace families 73, 75, 76, 79
βwriting for the cameraβ 182β3
writing partners 289
The X-Files: character expertise 255; episodic structure 173; franchise type 30; hybrid series type 96; point of view 118; teasers 197
Yorkin, Nicole: interview 200
Zwick, Edward 138