Writers Splitting in TV Series, Bad or otherwise?

[bulldogtragic]

I was watching the Big Bang the other night, and thought that the writing seemed worse than usual. I generally don't mind it for switching my brain off. I was reading that the creative company added a new sitcom to the stable, after starting with Two and A Half Men.

So it got me thinking of writing teams. I am to understand that writers were split from TAAHM, to Big Bang and then this new one. My enjoyment of those shows roughly correlates with the splitting of writers from the previous show? Has anyone seen this phenominan or am I making it up?

Teams that run solely on a show and move to other projects, as a team or head up as part of a new team seem to be able to do it, see Sopranos and Boardwalk Empire. The other show that has been regularly changing writers is Family Guy. Some love the writing team changes, some not. Am I reading tea leaves to an end, or is there something about running concurrent writing projects or splitting writing teams? Any other examples to point me to?

[Twodogs]

Re: Writers Splitting in TV Series, Bad or otherwise?

A similar thing happened with the most recent series of Community. Dan Harmon the guy who wrote and produced most of the first 5 series left and the show has lost something. It's just not as funny anymore.

[hujsh]

Re: Writers Splitting in TV Series, Bad or otherwise?

One of the factors attributed to the decline of the Simpsons is that a fair few writers left to do Futurama. These shows always have rotating writing staff but having a set showrunner with a vision and a few core writers (think David Chase at the Sopranos or Matt Weiner at Mad Men) seems to have a lot to do with keeping the quantity up

A similar thing happened with the most recent series of Community. Dan Harmon the guy who wrote and produced most of the first 5 series left and the show has lost something. It's just not as funny anymore.

Year he left after season 3, missed season 4, got rehired as showrunner for season 5 and declared season 4 to be shit (it is). The show is back on track now.

[Murphy'sLore]

Re: Writers Splitting in TV Series, Bad or otherwise?

Same thing happened with West Wing, they floundered after Aaron Sorkin left and it took a couple of seasons to get back on track. Year 7 was great again, then that was the end of the show.

[Greystache]

Re: Writers Splitting in TV Series, Bad or otherwise?

I don't know if there was a writer change for season 7 & 8 of Dexter, but the series went from brilliant, to cheesy, to downright embarrassing by the finale. Season 6 had some mixed reviews, but it at least had some redeeming value.

[Ozza]

Re: Writers Splitting in TV Series, Bad or otherwise?

I don't know if there was a writer change for season 7 & 8 of Dexter, but the series went from brilliant, to cheesy, to downright embarrassing by the finale. Season 6 had some mixed reviews, but it at least had some redeeming value.

Agree with your assessment of Dexter's final series. I quite liked series 6 and 7 - but hated 8. The 'Trilogy (killer)' series was the standout for me.

[Topdog]

Re: Writers Splitting in TV Series, Bad or otherwise?

Season 7 was like a bad dream. Pretty sure they had a change of writers for it.

[Twodogs]

Re: Writers Splitting in TV Series, Bad or otherwise?

Year he left after season 3, missed season 4, got rehired as showrunner for season 5 and declared season 4 to be shit (it is). The show is back on track now.

I didn't know he'd returned to the show. I stopped watching a couple of series ago. But if Harmon is back I will watch season 5 because at its best its very funny television.

[wimberga]

Re: Writers Splitting in TV Series, Bad or otherwise?

Frank Darabont, the creator of The Walking Dead was fired along with virtually all of the writing staff after what was such a successful first season. It is really amazing and not explained at all beyond "creative differences".

I lost interest after season 2 but plenty of people still like it so I am not sure you can necessarily say it got worse, but it is sad when the creator loses control.

[hujsh]

Re: Writers Splitting in TV Series, Bad or otherwise?

I don't know if there was a writer change for season 7 & 8 of Dexter, but the series went from brilliant, to cheesy, to downright embarrassing by the finale. Season 6 had some mixed reviews, but it at least had some redeeming value.

I don't think Dexter ever really had a stable showrunner/writing staff. It joins Weeds as a show I watched all the way to the last season before giving up from boredom half way though.

Frank Darabont, the creator of The Walking Dead was fired along with virtually all of the writing staff after what was such a successful first season. It is really amazing and not explained at all beyond "creative differences".

I lost interest after season 2 but plenty of people still like it so I am not sure you can necessarily say it got worse, but it is sad when the creator loses control.

The Walking Dead has had a new showrunner pretty much every season. Despite the show being super popular they have to battle the creative guys to keep the costs down, hence why we got plots like the gang stays at a farm or a prison (less new sets to design). I think Robert Kirkman (the guy who wrote the comics) is the only real constant behind the scenes and basically runs the show.