Screenwriting : The "package" and the agent by Cynthia Garbutt

sometimes the studios are a bit wonky too. One of the most infamous examples was the assertion that the show "The Rockford Files" never made a profit for its studio even though it (at the time) was one of the highest rated shows on the air.

An interesting and eye opening article. I do take issue with the last sentence, "But good television would be more alive than ever." Really? In what universe is "good television" alive? I can't remember the last time I watched a whole episode of anything and didn't feel like I'd wasted a portion of my life.

I get what you mean about telly - a vast wasteland of the mind. Its no wonder that the majority of the mind of folks that tune in - is going to mush. Well that's THE PLAN anyway, isn't it. Shows with the exception of House of Cards, AHS: S1 possibly S3, which I haven't seen yet - S2 sucks. (and I hate horror, even films, I love Kubrick, but never seen The Shining.)

Patrick there are some amazing tv shows out there and some mind blowing episodes. I don't know what you're watching so I can't argue on your taste. I actually prefer TV to films these days.

Cherie, I've heard that argument over and over again for years now. Every time I try again, or watch something I've never seen, something someone claimed was good, I walk away going "Really?" I can't remember the last time I actually laughed while watching a sitcom. There have been a few shows that started out good, The Good Wife, Castle, Detroit 187, Blue bloods, to name a few. They either get cancelled or it's like the producers just don't care how stupid they scripts are. I'm sorry. I may only have another 50 years left to live. I'm not going to spend precious time watching way too many commercials and shows that are mind numbing.

Wow, I couldn't disagree with you more, Patrick and Cynthia. Sure, there's going to be a wide variety and quality of TV shows out there, but to just generalize and lump them all together, frankly, is your loss. Perhaps you need to explore a little further, try different networks or try online streaming options. Wishing not to spend precious time watching commercials is a poor excuse to me -- there are many ways to avoid commercials. Why close yourself off to great programming, to great creative storytelling? There's incredible shows like; Boardwalk Empire, The Sopranos, Breaking Bad, Banshee, The Walking Dead, American Horror Story, Orphan Black, Dexter, The Leftovers, The Americans, True Detective, Fargo, Ray Donovan, just to name some... Then, there's fantastic original programing coming from Netflix, Amazon and other online networks; House of Cards, Bloodline, Transparent, just to name a few... As writers, isn't it better to have an open mind? Be aware of what's currently happening? Stay relevant? Sorry, but good television is alive and well!

If it's true, that writers have more control in TV, then that's even less excuse for the writing being so bad. In a movie, there are so many things that can change an original script, the original writer may not even recognize the final product. Once it's out of his hands there's not much he can do about it if it turns to crap. Let me just give a few examples of what I'm talking about. The Good Wife: The last episode I watched, Cary Agos, a high priced attorney who once worked for the State's Attorney, gets arrested on a trumped up drug possession charge and is held for hours with no phone call or charges being filed. OH COME ON! Attorneys NEVER GETS ARRESTED in real life unless there is iron clad evidence. Why, because attorney's know the law better than cops do. Blue Bloods: The last episode I watched Danny Reagan, a detective and the Police Commissioner's son, is pulled over by cops, they search his personal vehicle, find drugs and arrest him. OH COME ON! Every cop in the country has every vehicle he owns registered at the address of the police station. Before any cop pulls a car over they run the plates. This would tell them that A) The vehicle owner was a cop and, in this case, the commissioners son. Cops don't pull over other cops for no reason. In real life, in most places in the country, if a cops pulled over another cop, there could be a dead body in the trunk and no one would go to jail. Castle: The last episode I watched, Castle and Beckett are guarding a witness, who gets scared and runs away from them because he sees pigeons flying in a flock. He says, Pigeons never flock together unless there's danger. OH COME ON! Rizzolli & Isles: The only episode I watched, Someone has a heart attack during a marathon. They have the victim in the ambulance but they stuck in the crowd. They can't turn on the siren because it might start a panic. OH COME ON! In every single organized marathon in the world somebody gets taken away in an ambulance. People die running the marathon all the time. Don't even get me started on CSI: MIAMI or CSI: NEW YORK Again, it's as if the producers and writers think their audience is stupid.

Have you ever considered that you may be considering the wrong things as important? That the problem isn't with the show (since everyone else loves it) ?

Patrick I haven't bothered watching any of the shows you mentioned so maybe you really are watching the WRONG shows. I'd suggest a few, but they aren't airing anymore. Maybe try looking up the ground breaking The X'files, Carnivale, Twin Peaks. But maybe you don't like imagination so I don't know. I don't like US comedies. Other than The Big Bang Theory they don't make me laugh. Try Britcoms. SOME of them are really funny. I think if you can't laugh at the very brilliant Blackadder (possibly the best comedy ever written) there's something wrong with you. Maybe you don't have a sense of humour? Not trying to be insulting, but some people think they have one when they don't. I find the lack of emotional connection in films to be why I prefer TV these days. You really get to know that characters and care what happens to them.