You never know what really goes on behind the scenes of a TV show. I'll never know, most likely, what happened with Sleepy Hollow.
But when a writer from inside the biz, not affiliated with the show, posts an informative rant like the following, it kinda makes this writer want to eat crow, at least a little.
Thanks Eric
But when a writer from inside the biz, not affiliated with the show, posts an informative rant like the following, it kinda makes this writer want to eat crow, at least a little.
Thanks Eric
- 21) AND STILL, you can't say a thing. You can't speak to what goes on behind the scenes for obvious legal reasons.
- 20) And so, you do your job. And when episode airs, fans write fanfic about you, writer, getting murdered. Piles of "fuck off & die" msgs.
- 19) This is your job as writer. You have the story, likely broken by room and/or showrunners. It's like trying to steer a train.
- 18) Now, finally, you get called into show office. You hope it's good news. "Write episode where Lead dies." Oh, no. No no.
- 17) Journalists who could make a few calls and get the real scoop decide instead to get clicks by supporting fan claims.
- 16) Meanwhile, it's not just fandom RAGING at you for "fucking up" Lead's role, now TV critics have hopped on. Without any research.
- 15) And again, you CANNOT say any of this publicly or else major lawsuit due to a number of laws on confidentiality+medical health.
- 14) Lead is relieved, they're getting what they want after months of frustration. But the DNA of the show has mutated due to constraints.
- 13) The reason you, writer, signed up for this is to write Lead and Co-Lead, now you don't get to do much of each. Plus Lead must exit show.
- 12) (And because Network operates on fear, the next week they say: Wait, make it so Lead can come back. Flip-flops a lot.)
- 11) The situation is becoming untenable. Lead has to go or else everything collapses. Network says: All right, kill Lead off.
- 10) New twists, next: Co-Lead realizes Lead has gotten a deal, and demands the same. Now you're really screwed. Network says: Manage it.
- 9) So to comply with medical condition as per Lead's note, you drop Lead out of some episodes. Fans rage at you. Not network -- you.
- 8) This is a ridiculous task for any writer. Especially since Lead is one of the engines for your show. Yet here you have to do something.
- 7) This medical condition progresses, according to Lead, to where Lead's agent demands: "Lead should get every 3rd episode off."
- 6) If you do, you open yourself and the network to lawsuits. So now you are burdened with a SECRET problem + fewer scenes for Lead.
- 5) Here's where it gets VERY tricky, legally. Due to confidentiality, you can't ask the ailment. You CANNOT share it publicly either.
- 4) While dealing with this, possibly during shooting, Troubled Lead comes in with a doctor's note that Lead must get reduced hours.
- 3) Your lead then asks for reduced hours. Fewer scenes. Something to ease the wanderlust. This makes it hard in new ways, naturally.
- 2) You now have a cranky lead making things tough for everyone else. You try to bear it best you can.
- 1) HYPOTHETICAL: You write for a show. One of your leads wants to leave and try movies for a while. Network says, "Uh, no. You're a lead."
Eric Heisserer 