TV Writers

When I was a teenager I decided briefly that I wanted to be a tv writer. It was one of many possible careers I flirted with. The irony was that I really had no familiarity with television at all at that point. However, the research I did gave me a little perspective.

TV writers are an incestuous bunch. They eat at the same restaurants, type on their laptops at the same coffee shops and have intersecting groups of friends. It's a phenomenon that is unique to LA as far as I know, and it has some interesting affects. Basically, tv shows start to resemble each other. Since all the writers talk to all the other writers, the same plot devises start to show up in all the tv shows at the same time.

It's starting to become really ridiculous. Several shows are currently using hallucinations as a plot devise. The Unsuals, Grey's Anatomy, Bones, Fringe and House. And probably more that I'm not aware of. Coincidence? I think not. Writers, I'm on to you. I used to think I wasn't worthy of joining your ranks but now I know I dodged a bullet. You're supposed to be creative. You should be ashamed of yourselves.

[By the way, there are some exceptions. Lost, for example, is filmed in Hawaii. I suspect that the writers are there as well and their isolation might explain why Lost hasn't "lost" its touch.]