Writing Without Rules: Deep Dives

Writing Without Rules: Deep Dives

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Save It For Later: The Glory of Ambiguity
Sometimes it’s fun to just get lost in the weeds.
2
The Greatest Scene in Television History: The Wire’s Fuck Scene
It’s more than the poetic use of ‛fuck.’
The Abyss: An Ending that Shouldn't Exist
James Cameron's arrogance almost killed us all in 1989.
10
‘It’s Called Manslaughter’: Cliff Booth and Solid Character Work
In “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” Quentin Tarantino does some masterful showing without telling.
2
The Greatest Scene in the MCU: The ‘Winter Soldier’ Elevator Fight
You don’t have to know anything about—or even enjoy—superhero movies to admire this perfect scene.
6
Hold Onto Your Hat: Miller’s Crossing and How to Do Symbolism
I was walkin' in the woods, I don't know why. Wind came up and blew me hat off.
5
‘Loudermilk’: Making an Unlikable Character Work
The obscure series Loudermilk demonstrates the right and wrong way to develop an asshole character within the span of 3 episodes.
4
‘Hundreds of Beavers’ and What Even Is Reality, Anyway
This kind of exhausting comedy is either the greatest thing you’ve ever seen or the most bizarre or both or maybe neither and what did I just watch?
2
‘Project Hail Mary’: Know When to Fold ‘Em
Andy Weir’s 2021 novel uses a structural technique. And then overuses it.
3
The Most Important Episode of ‘The Sopranos’
The fifth episode of the series was essential.
1
‘Skinamarink’ and Creeping, Dreadful Minimalism
The cult horror film’s dreamy, nightmarish minimalism makes you wonder, what even is story anyway?
8
'Moonlighting' and The Memory Hole
Standards were way, wayyyy lower back in the 1980s, kids.
6
© 2025 Jeff Somers
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