Showrunner Rules from Jeffrey Lieber: Numbers 181–190

Jeff Lieber is a screenwriter and TV writer. His movie credits include Tuck Everlasting and he is currently an executive producer of the USA Network series “Necessary Roughness.” On Twitter (@JeffLieber), he has run a series of tweets called Showrunner Rules. For background on Jeff and this Twitter series, go here.

Today: Numbers 181–190:

Showrunner Rule #181: Don’t rush pilot. Producer’s “They’re picking up NOW” is noise. Think Paul Masson: We’ll sell no wine before its time.

Showrunner Rule #182: No matter good/bad, scariest day day is when director’s cut of 1st episode arrives. Signals the coming of 90 hr weeks.

Showrunner Rule #183: Break order: 1 Character season arcs 2 Season episode structure. 3 Individual Episode Structure. 4 Individual Scenes.

Showrunner Rule #184: Same health erosion that happens with Presidents during 1st term… happens to showrunners during pilot pick up week.

Showrunner Rule #185: You know you’re close when you wake at 2AM to write, “It’d be better if it was an eagle” on a nearby scrap of paper.

Showrunner Rule #186: The 6th time you move a comma in the same sentence, is the moment you should leave your office and go break story.

Showrunner Rule #187: Iconic TV simplified. Universal emotions (love, hate, despair) portrayed in a manner unique to only YOUR show.

Showrunner Rule #188: Act structure via interjections. Tease: Cool. Act 1: Wow. Act 2: Fuck! Act 3: WHAT?! Act 4: Ah-hah! Tag: Wait, REALLY?

Showrunner Rule #189: Execs have 2, 4… maybe 6 shows to think about. You only have 1 & your show only has YOU. So… defend your show.

Showrunner Rule #190: Moment you get inkling you might use actor you down “own” (regular) pin’m. Nothing kills story like actor absentitus.

Showrunner Rule 190A: “Pinning” actor means calling agent to say, “Don’t let them take another job without letting us know first.”

Here is Jeff’s bio:

One day in 1986, after blowing up a glass beaker in a lab in high school, Jeffrey Lieber’s science teacher, Dr. Nagoi, turned to him and said, “Jeffrey… you be an actor… you be a writer… maybe have a family… but please, dear God, don’t be a chemist.” And it was those words that launched a journey that has ended up with Mr. Lieber becoming a screenwriter, showrunner, blogger, father and husband (Credits? Go here). Every day, while pursuing his passions, Mr. Lieber takes a moment to stop and thank Dr. Nagoi for his sage advice.

We can look for more Showrunner Rules from Jeff in the months to come. You can follow them live on Twitter (@JeffLieber) as Jeff rolls them out.

For all of the Showrunner Rules, go here.

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