One Writer vs Team of Writers

American TV series are typically 26 weeks for one season; however, that does not mean they will all air or even be produced and written. If the ratings are bad, the whole thing can be cancelled after a couple of weeks. For a new show, chances are the writers and actors would only be paid for the episodes that aired and maybe something for the ones produced and not aired. They'd probably get nothing for the rest. Now, if a show is popular, it could be renewed for say 3 or 5 years. It could still be cancelled, but the writers and actors might get something anyway, depending upon how well they negotiated the contract. The basic objective is to stay onthe air for five years minimum. That will give the producers enough episodes to go into rerun heaven for a very long time. They don't make much on a successful series, but they make tons on the reruns and syndication.

I'm guessing "Whose line is it anyway" may have more than one incarnation. We have a version over here with Drew Carey as host and Ryan Styles is on it. One of the few shows I'll actually sit and watch, funny as hell. Canadian comedians are funnier than Americans, far and away.

I think I could understand that writers frustration with the team writing EGOS could become a huge factor I loved Whose Line is It Anyway and although I thought the british version was great I have to admit I like the american version better. Wayne Brady, Colin and Ryan are GREAT together. I still catch the reruns as often as I can What I like about Saunders is the fact that she can do it all. But her skill of writing is a huge plus I would love to see one American compare to her on writing and comdedic acting. I guess its the fact that she can write a well developed and funny show that impresses me

As for Dharma and Greg, what I liked most about that show was the relationship between Dharma and Greg. It was reasonably funny as well, but that was not what interested me. I wrote a review of that show a few years ago which was 'story of the day or week' at one point here on ABCtales. If you're interested, you should be able to find it in my review folder. Since I haven't lived in the US since January 1995, my access to TV has been periodic at best. Even when I lived in London for three years, the pickings were slender. Oddly, the best place for variety of television viewing outside the US is Cambodia. They simply steal every channel available and sell them on for $10/mo. Even in a modest guest house, you get a better selection of TV from around the world than you can find in London at any price. Now that's my kind of country!

On your one did they do the voiceover round to end the show? They'd have an old war movie or something and Ryan and co would voiceover a couple of scenes. Absolute comedy genius. Also, the round where they had to do funny things with random, inanimate objects was brilliant. Was it spontanious, though? I really hope so, or all my dreams will be shattered. You get those panel shows these days where it's obviously all pre-scripted although supposedly it's 'spur-of-the-moment-quips'. Who's Line is it Anyway was REAL...wasn't it?

Yes Enzo they did all of that on the American version. I'm suprised you have not seen it. I'm very sure you would not be disappointed. Since i have seen both versions I think the american version stuck to the bristish formula. Why tamper with a good thing, eh?

I get the impression that Americon sitcoms are written much as our soaps are written, by staff writers employed by a particular company. British comedies written by teams are usually friends. Both work, and don't work in varying degrees.

I'd love to see the American one, too. I feel an internet trawl coming on...

I've been away from my computer, so I'm just catching up with this thread. Again I agree with Enzo, Josie Lawrence was very funny on Who's Line... Also Jessica Stevenson in spaced, which is why I'm bothered about Everything I know About Men. Like Justyn_Thyme I too really liked Dharma and Greg and especially Jenna Elfman who, as well being one hot looking woman, was very funny in the show. I just hope the 'Bex' effect doesn't affect her career... I need my eye candy.

Dharma and Greg was on show I could just not get into at all A lot of people say its hysterical so i guess its just me that found the show dull

Dharma and Greg was one show I could just not get into at all A lot of people say its hysterical so i guess its just me that found the show dull

The first three seasons of D&G were the best RIG... the show "jumped the shark" (just me showing off that I know the terminology) in the fourth season and came good again in the fifth, but it was too late by then, the damage had been done. Did America ever get to see Rab C Nesbitt? Now, that was one hilarious comedy... if you could understand what was being said.

I've heard of Rab C Nesbitt but have not seen it. Right now what America is missing is a good funny comedy... I think Scrubs is about the only really funny show out there That 70's Show was HILARIOUS but it too has jumped the shark and has been going down hill the last two seasons...I blame it on Donna dying her hair blonde!!!!! LOL

It's hard to say if there is a rule for this is in the US because the system is almost completely commercial. A successful writing team might pitch a show to a producer who then takes it to a network. Alternatively, a producer or even actor might pitch a concept and then hire some writers. Long-term writing teams are often friends, but not all shows are like that. Under the old studio system in Hollywood, the studios employed writers who wrote scripts for specific actors. Very few studios now have teams of writers on staff. Disney is probably an exception.

I think Two and a Half Men is good, not exactly hilarious, but pretty funny nonetheless, as is Just Shoot Me... The best American comedy I've seen in recent years is The Mind of the Married Man, but I think that's finished now. And you're right what we need is the next Seinfeld.

Just Shoot Me was definitly funny but its not on now just in repeats Two and Half Men is okay just something to pass the time till CSI: Miami comes on but nothing I would turn to just to watch Have any of you seen Girlfriends out there? Its kind of an Sex and the City for black women. I love that show although the writing has been dropping off a bit this season Seinfeld was and is still hilarious as is: Everybody Loves Raymond Cheers Cosby Show That 70's Show Scrubs (its going to be a classic its hilarious in my book)

I've not heard of Girlfriends, but I'll look out for it and pretend I'm a black woman when I watch it :o) I forgot to mention Family Guy which has its moments and is set in Rhode Island I believe. Does the town they live in, Quahog (or something like that) really exist RIG? Has Shameless made it to your shores yet? In my opinion its one of the best British comedies ever made.

Family Guy definitly has its moments very funny imo! No the town does not exist but at least they put Rhode Island on the map...we are like the forgotten New England State LOL Shameless I think wrapped up its season and I missed ALL the episodes. Hopefully they will repeat it again No need in pretending your a Black woman to watch Girlfriends its just a funny show and believe me all women can relate to their fiascos

i'll just have to pretend to be a woman then...

LOLOLOL you are not a woman???? I just assumed with the sig Foxy LOL

The sig comes from my surname which is Fox, and Foxy is what my wife calls me, among other things. My first name is Patrick, but everybody calls me Pat which is equally gender ambiguous... I'm still trying to decide whether to use Pat or Patrick when I finally become a published author :o)

I actually love the name Patrick its very sexy or rather foxy in your case but I'm just one person :) LOL

*blushes* Thanks RIG, you just made my year.

I did an ethnography project on the first season of Friends. I had never been a fan, nor had I watched a single episode in its entirety, so I was quite a newcomer. I found the first season absolutely hilarious. I never watched the second, third, fourth, 56789th seasons, however, so I don't know whether it was as funny in the end as it was in the beginning...

Wolfie's girlfriend's mother used to call him Foxy in 'Citizen Smith.' For the predomiantly American audience here 'Citizen Smith,' was a crap sitcom aired here in the UK in the 70's.

Awww - I loved Citizen Smith! [%sig%]

One would think it would fuel greater creativity. Look at Monty Python.

I think that if you are trying to make a crappy television show that mindless people consider entertainment and want to sell cars and home pregnancy tests and home delivered pizza, you'd be best served hiring a bunch of people to figure out how to keep these people entertained.

Simpsons is generally done by committee I belive. And it's possibly the best thing to come out of America . . . well, ever. Also, the Office is two people, so basically a team. As is Spaced. The Mary Whitehouse Experience was four. So yes, multiple heads are better than one, in my opinion.

I think that either approach is equally valid when they work. British comedy does have a tradition of only being written by a single writer or a two man team, but there are exceptions; the aforementioned Monty Python and The League of Gentlemen are two that spring readily to mind. A comedy series in Britain usually only runs for around six or so episodes, I think it would be asking rather a lot of a writer to produce twenty-four scripts for a show such as One Foot in the Grave or Only Fools and Horses. A lot of great comedy is produced on both sides of the Atlantic and so is a lot of dross. For examples of the crimes committed by America see most of the output of the Paramount Comedy channel (with one or two exceptions). And us Brits can hang our heads in shame over the likes of; My Hero, Hardware, My Family and the godawful According to Bex which, incidentally, is about to be piloted in the US under the title Everything I know About Men with Jenna Elfman in the Bex role... you have been warned.

Bex: Post-'Spaced' Stevenson isn't what it should be, and that's the truth.

Foxy thanks for that bit of insight...I just figured out that the English tv seasons are shorter than ours. Radio you don't think that America has any good shows under the team philosophy? I think if you are writing for six episodes and have time off to get fresh ideas one man is great but I think the team takes a great deal of pressure off. But I think I would LOVE to be the only writer for a show at least try it

Couldn't agree more Enzo... I guess it just goes to show how important the writing is.

Going back to the Pythons ... they didn't write as a team. Graham Chapman and John Cleese wrote as a pair - Cleese was very hard to work with and Chapman was a chronic alcoholic who often lost days at a time (which possibly explains why they paired up!) Michael Palin and Terry Jones also wrote as a pair. Eric Idle wrote on his own and Terry Gilliam made his cartoons alone. Later, they would all meet up and read out their sketches and the ones that got the biggest laughs went into the progamme. It's why they eventually broke up ... their disparate personalities created too many explosions - mainly from Cleese who was the first to say No More! Not so sure about their films but I reckon it was a similar scenario since, if you think about it, each film is nothing more than a series of sketches/scenes linked by a common theme and held together by Terry Jones who directed them. Fawlty Towers, considered to be the funniest ever british sitcom, took Cleese and his then wife and writing partner, Connie Booth, a year of writing (this is from memory - correct me if I'm wrong) to produce six episodes and a further year for the next six. Then they got divorced. Told you Cleese was difficult. *** I agree with the above regarding American sitcoms running seemingly forever - don't the studios commision 50 or more episodes at a time? - and British ones only lasting for a season - 12 or 6 episodes a year - but would add that the American sitcoms seem to need a gag every line or two, certainly no longer than three. There also has to be the poignant moment and the uplifting moral at the end of the episode unlike Brit sitcoms which invariably end with the MC getting his/her just deserts and, until recent years, had no poignant moments (apart from the last Blackadder, but, it was the last episode so I forgive them). More of these moments are creeping in though and I blame Richard Curtiss who is clearly going soft/been affected by hollywood fame. Anyway, that's why you need a team of writers. No one person or pair of writers could keep up the relentless pace and format (see last paragraph)demanded by the producers of American sitcoms.

It's a shame, there are precious few truly funny women / female characters on TV. JS was one of the few, and now she's gone and let herself down. If I met her, I would tut and shake my head. And then quote loads of Spaced at her! "Skip to the end..."

JS? would you be referring to Jennifer Saunders? How did she let herself down. I find her to be extremely talented. I don't think there is a woman in America on her level

Sorry, no Jessica Stevenson. Lazy typing on my part. Of course, Saunders is great although personally I don't find her that funny these days. I like a bit more...edge (for want of a better word). Anyone remember 'Whose Line is it Anyway?'. Josie Lawrence was hilarious on that. As was Tony Slattery. But Ryan Stiles (styles? sp?), he was the best for me. Canadian, if I remember correctly. They should bring that show back. Ben

Foxy's point is right on. American series have more episodes. Additionally, and here I'm not so sure, but in the US, the producers don't know if the show will even air until after the pilot episode is purchased. Thus, not only are there more episodes, but they must write them very quickly. I suspect that the British system gives them more time as well as fewer episodes. In any case, some of the American comedy series are wonderful: Frasier, Simpsons, Dharma and Greg, just to name a few. No one person could do a good job on all that writing in such a short time and keep doing it for year after year. Oddly, I met a american guy on vacation here in Warsaw who works as a comedy writer for Disney. He was complaining about the group writing sessions and the egos, etc. I told him it sounded like heaven on earth to me. I would love to be part of a writing team on a TV series.