RerunCentury.comWe got this email just the other day and found it fascinating:
Dear TVWriter™,
I run a site documenting free classic TV videos in the public domain. The videos are those in the massive catalog at Internet Archive. Videos are browsable by title chronologically and by genre, with thumbnails & episode summaries. EZ to binge-watch the classics!
Stephen Falk has written for ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK and WEEDS, and is the creator of YOU’RE THE WORST, an FX comedy series that’s – well, it’s genuinely funny is what it is, and that’s a rarity. Here’s what Stephen has to say about his experiences on his new show:
by Todd VanDerWerffStephen Falk first became known to TV fans for his work on two of Jenji Kohan’s series — Weeds andOrange Is the New Black, writing episodes for both. But those who get really into following the careers of TV writers might have known him for Next Caller, a sitcom he created that was to star Dane Cook. NBC picked that show up and produced four episodes, then declined to finish out its six-episode order or ever air said episodes. Falk wrote a semi-famous, blisteringly funny Tumblr post about the experience that made the TV fan rounds.
But this summer, he returned with his first “created by” credit to make it on the air, FX’s brilliant You’re the Worst. And to commemorate the end of the show’s first season tonight, Falk talked with us about some of the things he learned over the course of making that first season. What follows is in his words, which have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
This Fall, TV has opened its arms wide to comic book characters, especially superheroes, as much as – if not more, in our humble opinion – films have. So, um, what’s that mean for the medium anyway? Oh, and for us?
For years, superheroes have reigned supreme over movies. Now they’ve set their sights on dominating TV, too.
This fall, the broadcast networks will feature five first-year shows based on DC and Marvel comics characters: Fox’s Batman prequel Gotham; NBC’s Constantine, based on the Hellblazer comic about a demon hunter from DC’s Vertigo label; The CW’s Arrowspinoff, The Flash, and iZombie, based on another Vertigo comic; and ABC’s Marvel adaptation Agent Carter. They join a roster that includes AMC’s hit The Walking Dead, ABC’s Agents of SHIELD and Arrow.
(EDITED BY LB TO ADD: Muncher, I told you to SHUT UP!!!)
So, um, that’s it for now. Write in and tell munchilito what you’ve sold today. TVWriter™ can’t wait to brag to all your friends. (And, more importantly, enemies. Hehehe….)
Recently there was an article in The Guardian about the future of web series that’s been causing a bit of an uproar in the indie web series community.
It says that web series are in decline because Hollywood has stepped in and indie creators can’t compete with the big guns: Netflix and Amazon. It goes as far as saying that aside from a few established talents/series that have managed to sustain themselves, everyone else seems to have “packed their bags and gone home.”
Wow. Harsh! I agree. And disagree.