Chris Bernard is first up.
Hi Ken, when you write can you sit down and start writing or do you have to get into a certain focus and sustain that focus?
If there’s one thing you learn in television it’s to create on demand. Yes, I can just sit down and start cranking it out (doesn't mean it's any good). For most of my career I’ve had to. I couldn’t afford the luxury of waiting for my Muse to call or getting myself situated in my cozy cabin overlooking Mt. Everest drinking Swiss Miss.
It’s a work skill you learn and ultimately does you good. Especially if you want to write for TV.
From VHS Village (Formerly The Beta Barn):
Sometimes when I'm watching what turns out to be a mediocre comedy, I will think of a funnier punchline than some of the ones in the movie. Do you ever do this? When you watch a comedy and there's a good setup but a crappy payoff, do you find yourself coming up with a better punchline in your head?
Sometimes, sure. Often though, it’s more fun to guess what their actual punchline will be. Sad to say I’ve become really good at that.
I also find that in these mediocre sitcoms there are places for jokes that they just let go by. Either they’re lazy or just don’t recognize where there is more fun to be had.
As with writing on demand, this too comes with experience.
Jay Moriarty (a top flight comedy writer in his own right) asks:
Re likability and its role in relation to sitcom characters, I'd be curious to hear what you, Ken, and readers think about Married With Children, a series which ran for eleven seasons and birthed a fourth network.
I found it funny at times but it was too broad for me. I like my sitcoms to be more grounded and this was essentially a live-action cartoon. I never cared about their problems.
I appreciated what it accomplished for the fledgling Fox network, and I also understand that not every comedy need be Noel Coward, but MARRIED WITH CHILDREN was not for me.
And finally, from DyHrdMET:
Do you normally keep copies of your own scripts for your collection/archives? I imagine it's easier in the computer age, but did you do that in the typewriter age?
Yes. I have several file cabinets and have pretty much drafts of everything David Isaacs and I have written.
When we started out David wrote the script in longhand on a binder and then I typed it. I still have most of those binders.
The problem is they’re not perfectly catalogued so to find a specific one might be a problem. I know I have our first pilot but I can’t remember where.
When we were working with Mary Tyler Moore I gave her a copy of our spec MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW and asked her to sign it “this is the worst MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW script I’ve ever seen.” Somewhere I have that too.
What’s your lazy hazy summer Friday Question?
from By Ken Levine
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