Michael starts us off.
SEINFELD only had 4 regular characters, with lots of memorable recurring characters (even Newman only appeared in about 1/4 of the episodes). Did you prefer to write for shows with smaller casts or was it tougher generating new story ideas?
For the most part I like a larger cast. More characters give you more points-of-view and more stories.
The problem is serving all these characters. That’s why a lot of sitcoms with large casts will do two or more stories per episode to make sure everyone has something to do. That can be problematic.
I prefer on my shows to tell my supporting cast that there will be some weeks they’ll be very light but over the course of the season I will do at least one episode where they have the primary story. And that seems to work.
From Leslea:
Hugh Wilson (WKRP IN CINCINNATI) talks about no one wanting an aging TV writer. Is that kind of dismissive ("Please; you're so done") age-ism the norm in television?
Yes. Now more than ever.
If someone can write a funny script, I fail to see what their age should have to do with it. I can't imagine it being a reality that someone could say to you and David, "Yeah, those 'Cheers' and 'Frasier' scripts were great in their day, but things have changed and that style isn't right for contemporary sitcoms," as if you'd be unable to adapt. That some producer could hit you with, "Please, you guys are so done."
Some of these producers and network executives are so young they don’t even know of FRASIER or CHEERS. Yes, that sort of scenario does happen. Happily, I have nothing more to prove in television so I’m not looking to write for any current show.
But when I write for the theatre and an audience is laughing for ninety-minutes I know I’m not done… yet.
Were the sitcoms you worked on so callously dismissive of the previous generation's comedy writers?
No. Just the opposite. We were in awe of many of the writers from the previous generation and were blessed to have worked with quite a few like Jim Frizzell & Everett Greenbaum, Bob Schiller & Bob Weiskopf, Larry Gelbart, David Lloyd, Bob Ellison, Garry Marshall, Jerry Belson, Jim Brooks, Allan Burns, Gene Reynolds, Tom Patchett & Jay Tarses, Gordon Mitchell & Lloyd Turner, Bernie Kukoff & Jeff Harris, Stan Burns, and several others. We studied at their feet. I owe them all a great debt of gratitude.
And finally, Chris wonders:
There’s a number of tropes going around for decades as punchlines. Like "THAT went well!" or
"Character A: Promiscuous comment toward character B.
Character B (pleasantly embarrassed): Oh, Character A, stop.
Character C (disgusted): Yes, Character A, stop."
There's many more I've noticed throughout the years. They're bizarre little twilight zone moments, connecting shows from different times and styles, especially since they don't really happen in real life.
I was wondering, how come they're not considered stealing, since every writer in every room must know they've been done before when they're being pitched?
Well, it’s hard to pinpoint just who was the first person to come up with these tropes (and if you did would you really want to admit it?).
But I’d say it was more lazy writing than outright stealing. These tropes have become clichés and when you use them you’re a hack.
What’s your Friday Question?
from By Ken Levine
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