Writing Without Rules: Deep Dives

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‘Silo’: A Three’s Company Story
Some stories don’t work if you imagine a single character just having a normal conversation with someone.
8
May 2023
I Am ‘Ted Lasso’s’ Total Lack of Surprise
If you’re wondering why Season Three of Ted Lasso has felt … off, it’s because the show has nothing new to say.
3
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves: Allow Me to Introduce Myself
A lightweight comedy set in a RPG world absolutely nails the fine art of quickly establishing characters.
4
The One Great Idea in the Snyderverse
Superman is terrifying.
4
‘Ghosted’ and The Disconnect
I hope you like the back of Ana de Armas’s stand-in’s head.
2
Mythic Quest and the Awkward, Forced, Unhappy Art of the Reset
Today’s situation comedies are more sophisticated than examples from the past, but they still adhere to the same awful rules.
3
April 2023
‘The Last of Us’ Redux: Signposts
When Someone Tells You Who They Are, Believe Them
6
‘Party Down’ and the Appeal of Failure
The reason this cult show has grown such a following is simple: We all relate to the frustrated dreams of its characters.
5
‘Babylon’: Brad Pitt Overload
Sprawl can be epic, but only if you make it cohesive.
1
‘Fall’ and Seeing the Grinder
Seeding your story with clues to set up twists is a good idea. But you need to be subtle about it.
2
March 2023
‘Last Night’ by Morgan Wallen: The Algorithm is Winning
It’s a great song, but it’s also a song that could have been written by a robot.
2
‘Skinamarink’ and Creeping, Dreadful Minimalism
The cult horror film’s dreamy, nightmarish minimalism makes you wonder, what even is story anyway?
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© 2023 Jeff Somers
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