Friday, March 31, 2006

This is just nit picking, I know. But can we all agree that introducing a character by having him wake up late and then run to class is a tired go-to?

Actually, introducing a character by having him wake up at all is a tired go-to.

Ironically, in our first version of the Naked Josh pilot, we had Josh being late to a meeting on campus. (At least we didn't have him wake up late.) Then we scrapped it. It creates a false sense of urgency, but contributes very little to character.

I tried watching the whole episode. I mean, when people borrow the basic concept of your show, you at least owe them the courtesy of watching their pilot. But it was pretty tedious.

I don't think you can get away any more in a pilot with spending most of the episode introducing characters. "Hi, I'm a freshman." "Hi, I'm the girl who jumped off a building." "Hi, I'm the editor of the paper. And you're the teacher who had an affair with a student." These days I think the audience wants you to start your characters off in motion. Just give them interesting stories as if it were a "center cut" episode. We'll pick up who they are from watching them in action.

I'm sure if I'm missing a wonderful show, you'll let me know to keep watching...

Labels: pilot

9:14 AM

4 Comments:

Would you mind explaining what a "center cut" episode is? Thanks!

By  the third coast, at 1:32 PM  

Anything in the middle of the season. Like a slice out of the middle of a cut of beef or a loaf of bread.

By  Alex Epstein, at 2:09 PM  

I have been reading your blog for awhile now and I find even though my focus is feature writing that its full of great information. I must say that The Bedford Diaries is one of those shows that makes me realize that as much as studios think they know what their prize demographic wants, they've completely missed the boat. Nothing about this show felt original and all the sexual stuff (especially where Matthew Modine gives them video cameras) felt like the worst gimmick I've seen on tv in awhile. I assume that Naked Josh is airing in Canada but I wish I could see it. It has to be better than this.

By  Hollie Nell, at 7:42 PM  

One of the worst shows I have ever seen and that is saying a lot...I can't believe I actually watched the whole first episode...One of my favorite details was that the campus was suddenly covered in snow halfway through the episode (which was supposed to take place in the beginning of the school year). In all my years at Columbia, I most definitely cannot remember a day when it snowed in September...Maybe that wouldn't have stood out so much if the dialogue were at all tolerable...

By  sam, at 10:48 AM  

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