4 ms·

One of the few writers who doesn't constantly churn out cop/doctor/lawyer dramas over & over & over. Just once I'd like to see a show about postal workers or t

One of the few writers who doesn't constantly churn out cop/doctor/lawyer dramas over & over & over. Just once I'd like to see a show about postal workers or trashmen or even construction crews. Anything but another cop/doctor/lawyer show. A truly gifted writer could make a show about almost anything interesting.

evgen 16y ago
And to add a dash of irony, as a bit of a gimmick two years ago the shows Two and a Half Men and CSI swapped writing staffs for an episode. If you watch the CSI episode with this rant by Chuck Lorre as a cheat-sheet it is kind of interesting how many of his little life-lessons made it into the final cut of the episode.
reduxredacted 16y ago
Couldn't help but remember a TV show from my childhood called Roc about a garbage man. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101184/ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101184/ I couldn't remember any shows that centered around postal workers. Seinfeld had a regular character and a few episodes about the postal system (but then that show had an episode about almost everything). But it did make me think about "Get a Life" which starred an adult paperboy http://thetvdb.com/?tab=series&id=76500&lid=7 http://thetvdb.com/?tab=series&id=76500&lid=7 Construction crews was the same, I could think of several shows off the top of my head that center around the "idea" but none that landed right on it. There's Arrested Development which centers around a land development company (but really isn't about that all that much). Home Improvement, which isn't actually about home improvement and is more about a guy who has a show about tools. You said "show" but I'm guessing you meant sitcom/drama based on context so that rules out Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, since that's really reality-vertising. No worries, I'm sure someone on HN will figure this one out. A truly gifted writer could make a show about almost anything interesting I totally agree, including a cop/doctor/lawyer show. :o) One of my favorites was "Ed" on NBC ... first season only, though (http://stuckeyville.com http://stuckeyville.com).
- ubojan 16y ago
  About postal workers: The King of Queens http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0165581/ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0165581/
  - reduxredacted 16y ago
    Isn't he a (not identified but rather planted) UPS guy? Either way, much better example than mine.
noonespecial 16y ago
How about "Defying Gravity"? http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1319690 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1319690 IMHO, it was at least as good as the endless Cop permutations on the tube. Probably better. It still bombed. People like the cop,doctor,lawyer shows because they are all the same. They don't have to trouble their brains loading a new context. Its just the same show over and over with a slight ratcheting of the shock value of the crimes and or medical problems. Toss in a "very special episode" dealing with some social problem du jour and you've got it done without much effort from viewer of producer.

evgen 16y ago

And to add a dash of irony, as a bit of a gimmick two years ago the shows Two and a Half Men and CSI swapped writing staffs for an episode. If you watch the CSI episode with this rant by Chuck Lorre as a cheat-sheet it is kind of interesting how many of his little life-lessons made it into the final cut of the episode.

reduxredacted 16y ago

Couldn't help but remember a TV show from my childhood called Roc about a garbage man. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101184/ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101184/ I couldn't remember any shows that centered around postal workers. Seinfeld had a regular character and a few episodes about the postal system (but then that show had an episode about almost everything). But it did make me think about "Get a Life" which starred an adult paperboy http://thetvdb.com/?tab=series&id=76500&lid=7 http://thetvdb.com/?tab=series&id=76500&lid=7 Construction crews was the same, I could think of several shows off the top of my head that center around the "idea" but none that landed right on it. There's Arrested Development which centers around a land development company (but really isn't about that all that much). Home Improvement, which isn't actually about home improvement and is more about a guy who has a show about tools. You said "show" but I'm guessing you meant sitcom/drama based on context so that rules out Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, since that's really reality-vertising. No worries, I'm sure someone on HN will figure this one out. A truly gifted writer could make a show about almost anything interesting I totally agree, including a cop/doctor/lawyer show. :o) One of my favorites was "Ed" on NBC ... first season only, though (http://stuckeyville.com http://stuckeyville.com).

ubojan 16y ago
About postal workers: The King of Queens http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0165581/ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0165581/
- reduxredacted 16y ago
  Isn't he a (not identified but rather planted) UPS guy? Either way, much better example than mine.

noonespecial 16y ago

How about "Defying Gravity"? http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1319690 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1319690 IMHO, it was at least as good as the endless Cop permutations on the tube. Probably better. It still bombed. People like the cop,doctor,lawyer shows because they are all the same. They don't have to trouble their brains loading a new context. Its just the same show over and over with a slight ratcheting of the shock value of the crimes and or medical problems. Toss in a "very special episode" dealing with some social problem du jour and you've got it done without much effort from viewer of producer.