What spec scripts should you write?

Now that NBC has already announced its schedule for next season (renewing a show because it’ll be co-financed and a spin-off they know nothing about) it’s a reminder that spec script season is pretty much here. If you’re an aspiring writer this is the time of year when agents and show runners looking to staff-up are most receptive to reading new material.

So what should you submit?

I can speak primarily from comedy but the rules for drama are pretty much the same.

It used to be that show runners/agents (let’s just call them THEY) only wanted samples from existing shows. Tony winning playwrights were banging out spec DHARMA & GREGS. If you submitted something original THEY would not look at it.

Things have changed. Now that networks are trying to shake things up (translation: the old tired formulas they’d like to hold on to forever aren’t working anymore) THEY are looking for fresh voices and ideas. But not enough that they don’t also want to see how you operate in the formula world too. You can be daring just as long as you can also write NCIS.

So the new mandate: submit two samples. One from an existing show and something original. It could be a play, screenplay, one-act, series of sketches, or pilot. In the coming weeks I will share some tips on writing pilots. Just keep in mind there is a fine line between “original” and “scary bizarre”.

As for what existing show to write – the overriding rule is pick the show you love and feel best exhibits your strengths. You’re going to do a better job if you really know and understand the show. That said, it’s probably not wise to write a LOST or 24 – any show that has a continuing storyline (although if you have Jack Bauer trying to disarm a bomb while his daughter is kidnapped, there’s a mole in CTU, and the President wants him arrested you have an 89% chance of being right).

Procedural shows like CSI show off little character but if that’s your genre, go for it. I might hire any writer who does a CSI: MIAMI where David Caruso gets whacked.

For comedy – THE OFFICE is probably the hot spec now, followed by ENTOURAGE, 30 ROCK, EARL, and HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER. SCRUBS was big for awhile but has kind of run its course. Shows always on the verge of cancellation tend not to be good bets. TWO AND A HALF MEN and OLD CHRISTINE are more mainstream, UGLY BETTY and DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES are hours but contain a lot of humor. What best fits your sensibility?

It’s a gamble but sometimes if you can jump on a new show that you think will be around you’re ahead of the curve and won’t have as much competition from competing specs. The danger of course is that you kill yourself writing an episode of THE RETURN OF JEZEBEL JAMES and it’s cancelled the minute you get the 50 copies back from Kinkos. And I hope you’re not halfway through your CAVEMAN.

New comedies I might spec today are BIG BANG THEORY, SAMANTHA WHO?, and maybe PUSHING DAISIES. If I wanted to go more edgy I’d look towards THE RICHES or FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS.

But again, if RULES OF ENGAGEMENT or TIL’ DEATH is your favorite show, write that.

Some people have written novelty scripts – a spec DICK VAN DYKE SHOW or JEFFERSONS. Agents I’ve talked to think that’s a bad idea. Don’t out-cute yourself right into the reject pile.

Getting your script to agents/showrunners/anyone who can help you is another discussion. But if you don’t have the goods it makes no difference. Concentrate first on writing the best damn scripts you can. Good things will follow.

Every year new writers break in. Why not you?

Best of luck.

Tomorrow: Based on a TV Squad post today -- my answers to the five mysteries of CHEERS.