A big part of the job of being a showrunner is, in my way of thinking, being a good communicator because there's really no other way to have hope for getting what you want, at the end of the day.
Vince GilliganRead
A typical TV show is always about protecting the franchise - it's all about stretching it out as long as you can take it. And it's about taking the characters in any given hour as far as you can take them, but then resetting them more or less back to zero so at the beginning of the next week, so they're still the character you know and love.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote discusses the formulaic nature of TV shows that prioritize franchise longevity over character development.
Vince Gilligan's quote highlights a common trend in television where shows prioritize the sustainability of their franchise by extending storylines and character arcs, only to revert characters back to their original states by the next episode. This cyclical approach allows audiences to feel comfort and familiarity with their favorite characters while maintaining the show's ongoing success, but can hinder deeper character growth and storytelling.
Themes
Tv ShowsFranchiseCharactersStorytellingDevelopment
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a discussion about the quality of modern television storytelling.
More from Vince Gilligan
All quotes →You don't make a movie by yourself; you certainly don't make a TV show by yourself. You invest people in their work. You make people feel comfortable in their jobs; you keep people talking.
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I'm very glad people love 'Breaking Bad,' but the harder character to write is the good character that's as interesting and as engaging as the bad guy.
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