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Each month in This Is How We Do It writer Cortney Matz mines her own frustrations to explore issues of productivity, coming away with (more or less) helpful thoughts on finishing that pesky screenplay, short film or whatever else may be vexing the artistic mind. Warning: this is not an advice column.

CREATIVE BURNOUT

One of the scariest things I've ever experienced as a professional writer, one who depends on my creativity to make a living, is a loss of interest.

Sure, we all know being creative is work. We have to put the time in, whether we feel like doing whatever it is we do (writing, acting, directing, editing, etc.) or not. But what about when you keep putting in the time, only to feel completely lackluster and unengaged? That's some frightening stuff. Worse still is when the creative instinct seems to flee altogether. Maybe you recognize the signs: fatigue, anxiety, apathy. Feeling overwhelmed and unfulfilled by the project you're working on. Weight gain or loss is not uncommon either. Even depression.

Bottom line, you just feel tired. And the thing you've loved with such passion, the thing that's been the driving force for your productivity all this time, is now uninspired and disappointing. Have we lost it? Are we washed-up, has-beens?

Hardly. And I really mean that-I'm not just trying to get you to keep reading (but do keep reading.)

THE SHOVEL

Meet Zack Arnold, editor for indie films such as The Bannen Way and Blue as well as TV shows Burn Notice and Empire. Now, everyone bookmark his website: Fitness in Post.

Arnold started the site after crawling out of a hole of depression and workaholism as a professional film and TV editor working 12-hour days. It took years of trial-and-error to find habits that would fit his demanding schedule. He writes:
"I lived most of my life making very poor health choices and have driven myself into the ground more times than I can count. Unfortunately, the post-production industry does not provide the tools or resources to guide us out of the dark holes we dig for ourselves. This industry hands us the shovel. So I decided 10 years ago it was time to do the research myself and build my own personal health and wellness program. It's been a long journey and I've failed a lot more than I've succeeded."
The entertainment industry does indeed hand us the shovel, no matter which aspect of production each of us work in: development, pre-production, shooting, post-production, distribution, publicity. And when we're flying on the wings of creative inspiration, too often we're more than happy to dig like maniacs.

But here's the secret: we can pause and take a rest now and then. Maybe take a sip of water. Chat with a fellow excavator. We are not slaves to the muse.

HEAL THYSELF

So! Here are some suggestions for heading off burnout (or coming back from it):

Accept that this is happening. Also, that it's temporary. You've burnt the candle at both ends, and you're going to need more candles. Especially in the case of a hard dash toward a deadline, once you've recovered from sleep deprivation and begun feeding yourself properly again, the sheer volume of everyday tasks that have been buried under overwork (laundry, housecleaning, yard work, filing, paying bills) will more than keep you occupied for a spell. If you invest in yourself and tend to the details of your life, you will eventually feel like creating again. No one can say how long it will take, but it won't take as long as it seems like it's taking.

Move more. But only gently, no need for CrossFit levels of activity just yet. Stand and stretch every hour or so. Walk to lunch instead of driving. Pace while taking phone calls. Move your neck and shoulders, stretch your legs. You were not designed to sit, stand, or lie in one position all day long.

Get enough rest. That includes sleep, lying on the floor in shavasana, meditation, deep breathing. We're all constantly underestimating how much rest we need in order to live well. If you feel tired, it's time to take a rest.

Watch movies. Pull out your old favorites-the films that made you want to do this in the first place. Creativity is as much about input as it is output. Absorb some films, books, theatre and art museums. Let other creative expressions sink into your psyche.

But just watch the movies. I'm not talking about analysis, dissection, criticism or anything that sounds like work. You don't even have to enjoy them. Just watch.

Journal. Even if you don't enjoy writing (in which case, try these alternatives), Find some way to externalize your feelings and thoughts about your project with as much honesty as you can find in your heart of hearts. It's amazingly helpful for identifying whatever underlying attitudes are contributing to your creative burnout.

In the words of Zack Arnold:
"What I've realized is that the post-production industry needs its own health and wellness program. There is no organization in our industry looking out for our well-being, we have to be our own advocates. And the only way to adequately do that is educating ourselves."
So let's notice the quality of our lives while we're chasing our dreams and admit that pushing ourselves too hard is a dead end. Chances are, we have more control over our muses and inspiration than we may think.

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This Is How We Do It: How To Avoid Creative Burnout - Film Independent

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Each month in This Is How We Do It writer Cortney Matz mines her own frustrations to explore issues of productivity, coming away with (more or less) helpful thoughts on finishing that pesky screenplay, short film or whatever else may be vexing the artistic mind. Warning: this is not an advice column.

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As the business has evolved, we've all had to take a more collaborative approach in order to deliver great creations. A good example of where this is really making a difference is on the scripted side. We are experiencing a golden age of scripted television right now and there are many reasons for this success. One of them is in the way shows are written. The days of the lonely writer in a small room are over. Today, in order to generate engaging stories, you need a collaborative effort. A group of people with the same desire but with different skills working together is the key to success. If you can tap into this formula and invite all areas of the business to be involved, you can achieve great results. This is certainly a process that we've adopted. Working with a team of individuals enables us all to experience different ways of thinking and working and all in one room!

There's also the little issue of money! With less money available, the industry is being forced into thinking differently and looking for creative ways to make the budgets work. Once again, collaboration is the key here. Allowing yourself to try something new can often give you surprising results whilst teaming up with other like minded people allows you to share the risks and hopefully, success! It's the only way to keep the model moving forward.

We live in a world where we're surrounded by big brands that want to enjoy success on TV too. And producers want to tap into that revenue source in order to make up the budgets. And whilst brands have always sponsored content, the way they do it is evolving. They're no longer happy to be an "add on" and want to be more integrated into the content. They have to keep up with the same pace as the TV industry and are aware that viewers have much more control over their viewing. If they're not engaged, they'll switch you off - the death knell for a brand! To keep a brand prominent, relevant to the target audience but not intrusive, we first have to figure out a way to keep content interesting whilst ensuring that the brands remain a part of this. Compelling content is key. This will allow us to retain the ability to generate revenue and engage the viewer. A win, win situation.

This has been achieved in the past and POPEYE experienced huge success with this model. They delivered a fantastic marketing campaign for USA spinach producers while remaining an exciting viewing proposition for the audience. Sales of spinach increased by 33 percent which was a saviour to the spinach industry in the 1930's. More recently, Audi has experienced success with movies. Here at Phileas, we are working with companies who are using both their brand and TV expertise to bring this business model to the next level. If a brand can participate in the investment, production and distribution of premium entertainment content, then hopefully we can drive success. Collaboration in this business is the key to success!
This is the latest in a series of posts from MIPCOM 2017's MIPBlog Ambassadors, a group of industry experts coordinated by consultant Debbie Macdonald, who'll be sharing their insight here in the run-up to MIPCOM this October. Stay tuned for more! Top photo © filadendron/GettyImages

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Collaboration in the TV market: the key to success!

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As the business has evolved, we've all had to take a more collaborative approach in order to deliver great creations. A good example of where this is really making a difference is on the scripted side. We are experiencing a golden age of scripted television right now and there are many reasons for this success.

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The WGA has found that "systematic discrimination against writers from historically underrepresented groups remains pervasive in the hiring of television writers." The guild, however, also found "some evidence of progress: As writer employment on TV series has doubled over the last decade, women have increased from 30% to 35% of the work force, while persons of color have increased their share from 17% to 27%."

Even so, "Women and persons of color remain underrepresented relative to their percentages in the overall U.S. population, and discrimination worsens at upper employment levels," according to the WGA West's Inclusion Report Card for the 2017-18 staffing season. "On writing staffs, persons of color are mostly concentrated at lower levels. In 2018, only 24% of TV showrunner roles were held by women - and only 12% were held by persons of color."

See the full report here.

Disabled writers face even more profound discrimination, the report found. "Despite the fact that 56.7 million Americans identify as disabled, writers with disabilities make up less than 1% of employed TV writers."

The guild also said that "writers over 50 face the same ageism in TV staffing that pervades all of Hollywood - and the near-total absence of staff writers over 50 is clear evidence of systemic age discrimination."

While data on LGBTQ+ writers is based on self-identification, the guild says that numerous LGBTQ+ writers "report being told by agents and studio executives that they 'don't count as diverse.' The WGA West maintains that LGBTQ+ writers are, without question, members of a historically underrepresented group who are still fighting for equal rights and continue to face hiring discrimination in the entertainment industry and around the world."

The report also found that "discrimination does not end with hiring," According to the independent Think Tank for Inclusion and Equity's report titled "WGAW Includion Repord Card; 2017-2018 Staffing Season," "64% of writers from historically underrepresented groups reported bias, discrimination, and/or harassment in the workplace."

Despite recent progress, the report card shows that the entertainment industry's problems are far from being solved. "To remedy the issue and achieve real change, the guild urges all studios and showrunners to continue being part of the solution by improving upon 2018's numbers in the 2019 TV staffing season. With honesty, accountability, and continued effort, we can end unfair discrimination against writers and increase inclusion and equality across our industry."

The report is based on data from the 2017-18 TV staffing season, when writers were hired for 2,985 jobs in television, across network, cable, and streaming platforms.

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WGA Finds "Systematic Discrimination" Persists Against Female & Minority TV Writers, Despite Progress

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The WGA has found that "systematic discrimination against writers from historically underrepresented groups remains pervasive in the hiring of television writers." The guild, however, also found "some evidence of progress: As writer employment on TV series has doubled over the last decade, women have increased from 30% to 35% of the work force, while persons of color have increased their share from 17% to 27%."

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Angel

A spinoff of the cultural phenomenon Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1996 - 2003), Angel was another fan-favorite from creator Joss Whedon. Over the course of five seasons, audiences experienced what life was like for the titular vampire ( David Boreanaz) burdened with a soul, venturing off on his own in Los Angeles and becoming a private detective.

Network execs over at The WB allegedly waffled on renewing the acclaimed series for a sixth season, and after prompting to either piss or get off the pot by Whedon, the network brought the ax down and it became one of Whedon's first canceled tv shows, cheating fans out of what would have surely been an even more stellar season.

Arrested Development

Despite winning several awards and critical acclaim, including 6 Emmys, 1 Golden Globe, and 2 AFIs, Fox's Arrested Development made canceled TV history when it was axed mid-season 3. Compared to the 22 episodes in season 1, the final Fox season aired a measly 13. (Ominously, season 2 was also shortened down to18 episodes.] Though its viewership wasn't the worst, the show did not have the numbers for network television.
Arrested Development actually has a happy ending, as it was revived on streaming service Netflix for a fourth and fifth season seven years after cancellation, with a new season and film planned. And it's a good thing too, as audiences clearly were nowhere near done with the Bluths.
Freaks and Geeks

Judd Apatow 's first canceled TV show was t rue to its name, focusing on two distinct groups of high school outcasts. The misfits collectively navigated the messy transition from childhood to early adulthood, with varying degrees of success. While typical topics are covered such as bullying and popularity, veers into dark and troubled territory such as grief, emotional abuse, and the search for identity.

The dramedy was canceled after season one, and Apatow has said everything he's done since was revenge on NBC for canceling the show so abruptly. A solid season of TV, Freak and Geeks gave a platform to nearly every main person connected with the show, most notably James Franco, Seth Rogen, and Jason Segel.

Sleepy Hollow

Sleepy Hollow hit many tick marks out the gate with its action, drama, and supernatural attributes. As a particularly delicious bonus, the on-screen chemistry between show leads Nicole Beharie and Tom Mison enticed the show's audience for more of this unique horror/buddy comedy.

This new spin on an old classic eventually ended up lopping its own head off once the Powers That Be saw fit to axe show lead Abbie Mills (Beharie). Ichabod Crane (Mison) seemed lost without her, and the charm the show once had left with Abbie. "I'm rooting for my co-stars and crew...," Beharie said in a statement. "But, most of all, Sleepyheads for all of your love - what an honor. I will never be the same. Stay tuned." Despite her well-wishes, the show ended shortly after her departure.

Firefly

Acclaimed creator Joss Whedon strikes the list again with Firefly, a western/sci-fi fusion that earned a hardcore fan base of Browncoats (the coat worn by show lead Nathan Fillion as Captain Malcolm Reynolds) after only being given one season to air. "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the road less traveled by and they CANCELLED MY FRIKKIN' SHOW," Joss Whedon said of the cancellation. "I totally shoulda took the road that had all those people on it. Damn."

Whedon took a step back from his first series Buffy the Vampire Slayer in order to give his full attention and dedication to the film. While some fans were able to receive closure with the spinoff film Serenity in 2005. to this day Browncoats still await a revival or a follow-up film.

Boston Legal

A series that was a winner of several prestigious awards-including Emmys for Outstanding Lead and Supporting Actor for series star James Spader and William Shatner- David E. Kelley's Boston Legal almost made it to five full seasons before getting the axe, ending on a two-hour series finale after a shortened 13 episode season.

"ABC didn't want us back," Kelley told the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. "It's as simple as that. They didn't even want us back for this year at all. We had to fight to get back on with 13. It's not a product they care to market."

Constantine

More true to the comic book source material than the film preceding it, Constantine had a rough pilot, but a most engaging season once it found its legs. Instead of being on The CW with the rest of its DC-verse counterparts ( Arrow, The Flash), it was short lived on NBC.
Despite its short lifespan, the show ultimately spawned two entirely different web spin-offs. Though not particularly popular with the mainstream audience, die-hard fans of the show kept it's legacy alive. Matt Ryan's portrayal lives on, however, beginning with guest appearances on Arrow , and is now a series regular on Legends of Tomorrow.
Chappelle's Show

A groundbreaking instance of success for a racial sketch comedy, Chappelle's Show had a powerful first two seasons, with many of the skits referenced and revered today. Segments became instant classics; you'd be hard pressed to find someone who doesn't understand the meaning of "I'm Rick James, b*tch!"
From True Hollywood Stories to racial drafts, Chappelle's Show gave an array of social commentary through comedy gold. Sadly, creator and star Dave Chappelle walked away from the critically acclaimed show after season 2, leaving a $50M deal on the table. But it all worked out; Netflix gave the comedian a $60M deal for two stand-up specials.
Hannibal

Though the tale of Dr. Hannibal Lecter has taken on many incarnations for decades, NBC's dark horror-thriller Hannibal took the character to new heights, showcasing Hannibal's ( Mads Mikkelsen) relationship with empathetic profiler Will Graham ( Hugh Dancy). A summer series with critical acclaim, the low ratings made this extraordinary show end prematurely. For now.

Show creator Bryan Fuller and leads Dancy and Mikkelsen have expressed the desire for a revival in the future. "There's an interesting next chapter in the relationship between Will Graham and Hannibal Lecter that would be fascinating to unpack," Fuller said. "I've shared it with the gentlemen [Dancy and Mikkelsen] and they're both keen on it."

Veronica Mars

With what was perhaps the answer to the vacuum created by the end of , Veronica Mars was about a once popular high school girl ( Kristen Bell) who experiences personal growth through life traumas, becoming a snarky detective in the process.
The show wasn't just a hit with the audience. During the series' run, it was nominated for two Satellite Awards, four Saturn Awards, five Teen Choice Awards and was featured on AFI's TV Programs of the Year for 2005. Though ending after three seasons, this cult show will once again see the light of day. Much like Arrested Development , revival strikes again thanks to Hulu, with the cast reuniting for a new season later this year.
The Phoenix

The Phoenix began with a TV movie in 1981 and ran for five episodes in 1982. A sci-fi, it was about an ancient alien who wakes up in the 20th century and goes on a search to find his partner. The pilot was 90 minutes, with four-hour episodes broadcast.

The show, like many, didn't even get a chance to film all of the episodes that were written. In addition to the pilot, eight episodes were made. Only five were aired. Though never filmed, four additional episodes were written, ready to be utilized for what is sure to be an impending reboot or feature film.

Otherworld

With only an eight-episode run, the canceled tv sci-fi series Otherworld left a huge cult following in its wake. Otherworld put a spin on Lost in Space, having the Sterling family thrust into another dimension on Earth. Although not exactly mainstream, the show ultimately became a cult classic. Despite the fact that it ran for only two seasons during the '80s, it still managed to erect a fan-run Facebook page in order to honor it.

The then-unique concept of inter-dimensional travel kept audiences intrigued, but it was not enough for CBS. The Nielsen ratings for the two-part premiere were low to start, and continued to drop as the remaining episodes aired. Despite mostly positive reviews from critics, the show was canceled before it could end its first season.

Lucan

Based on a made-for-TV movie, is about a boy who's raised by wolves and is integrated into society, all the while fighting his animalistic tendencies. Part of Lucan Lucan's intrigue was due to the fact that it began with a somewhat cryptic declaration: "much of this story is based on fact, though we have also included an element of speculation."

had an 11 episode run on ABC and is now recently available for DVD purchase. For fans of the show feeling nostalgic, there's an active Facebook page of the show. Given the premise and the popularity of Tarzan and Mowgli, there is promise for a revival of this series in some form or fashion.

Quantum Leap

One of sci-fi's most iconic canceled TV series, Quantum Leap followed the tale of Sam Beckett, who travels by "leaping" into the bodies of different people. The show aired on NBC for five seasons, and just barely missed the milestone of 100 episodes, coming in with only 97 by the series' end.

, creator Quantum Leap is considered one of the best cult TV shows of all time. The critic's agreed, which resulted in the show receiving awards at both the Primetime Emmys and Golden Globes. At the 2017 LA Comic Con Donald Bellisario announced, "I just finished writing a Quantum Leap feature. I don't know what's going to happen with it, but I did write it." Since then, there has been a plethora of speculation and hope of a reboot or film.

Misfits of Science

In 1986, NBC canceled TV show Misfits of Science after only one season. was about a group of young adults with "human anomalies" (and not to be confused with metas or mutants) who fought crime. Though quirky and intriguing, the ratings for the show were crushed against the juggernaut of .

One point of contention among die-hard fans is the fact that the show's final episode was not even aired before it's demise. Luckily, a DVD box set that included its elusive final episode was released in 2008. As with all cult shows, it lives on today through its ravenous fandom. There's even an oral history on the series.

A Year at the Top

A Year at the Top was a sitcom about two musicians who make a deal with the Devil's son to obtain a year of success. Sadly, A Year at the Top did not live up to its namesake. After only five episodes on CBS, the series was canceled due to mixed reviews. Perhaps it would have done better if the producers had also made some kind of deal for solid ratings.
Still, it is highly revered by the fans it enraptured, and thought of fondly, as it details a loophole to the American dream. Series star Paul Shaffer ended up playing as David Letterman's musical sidekick, so he probably counts himself lucky that his previous series turned out to be a total flop.
My So-Called Life

Though only allowed a 19-episode run, My So-Called Life left a huge impact on 90s kids and television. A drama that tracked the life of teen Angela Chase ( Claire Danes), the series suffered due to established competition in its time slot from Mad About You, Friends, Martin, and Living Single.
Though given a premature ending, the show earned some milestones, including a Golden Globe for Danes. It notably featured the first openly gay teenager on television, Rickie Vasquez, portrayed by Wilson Cruz. "It broke the heart of every 14-year-old girl alive and its cancellation at the height of its popularity was never fully explained," said writer Rachel Cavanaugh.
Soap

A parody of daytime soap operas, the ABC parody ran for four seasons. As you'd expect from a show spoofing such a byzantine and melodramatic genre, Soap covered a wide variety of bizarre plot points humorously, allowing it to be a standout from standard sitcoms. (It also happened to feature a very young Billy Crystal as the family's closeted gay son.)

Not everyone was a fan. actually sparked outrage among several religious organizations, including the Catholic church. This was mainly due to the show's storylines that dealt with sex and infidelity. The backlash ultimately resulted in ABC dropping its advertising price point during the shows evening slot.

Yet in 2007, as one of the best 100 TV Shows Time magazine listed Soap in history . Created and written by Susan Harris, the comedy is still beloved by fans today.

Get Christie Love!

Get Christie Love! starred Teresa Graves as an undercover detective for the LAPD, accompanied by the very 70s catchphrase, "You're under arrest, sugah!" whenever she would apprehend a suspect. For 23 episodes, the crime drama intertwined with Blaxploitation, but was censored due to Graves' religious beliefs.
That in conjunction with a shoestring budget lead to the show's eventual cancellation. There have been multiple rumors surrounding the show. In 2017 there were whispers about Vin Diesel being involved in a reboot of the series for ABC. It was later announced, however, that they decided not to move forward with the project.
Best of the West

ABC sitcom followed the story of a wild west Marshal, former shopkeeper and veteran named Sam Best. A spoof on Old West features, it mimicked popular shows such as Bonanza, Gunsmoke and Rawhide. The series was well-received and obtained notable guest stars such as Andy Griffith, Betty White and Christopher Lloyd.
Despite this, the series ran for only one season with 22 episodes. This was actually due to star Joel Higgins signing on for an NBC series, Silver Spoons after ABC dragged its feet in renewing the show for a second season. What a difference a day makes.
Moonlighting

Though it lived a five-season run, the dramedy Moonlighting only had 66 episodes. Starring Cybill Shepherd and Bruce Willis, it has ranked in many lists, including magazine's "100 Best TV Shows of All-Time." A dramedy, this series often broke the fourth wall and dipped into fantasy elements.

Though it started off strong with critics and audiences alike, the ratings slowly declined, leading to its cancellation in the fifth season. This is in due part to Bruce Willis wanting to focus more on his film career, and Cybill Shepherd growing tired of the grueling work schedule immediately following the birth of her twins.

Probe

Created by sci-fi author Isaac Asimov with Michael Wagner, Probe was a cross between a sci-fi and a mystery that put a spin on buddy pairings with a science prodigy and his secretary. A mid-season replacement, it was meant to be a modernization of Tom Swift.

The series was likened to a modern-day Sherlock Holmes, with science utilized to solve crimes. A victim of the 1988 writers strike, the series only ran for 8 episodes on ABC. Thanks to the modern invention that is YouTube, the series is available for free streaming [at the time this article was written].

Quark

A sci-fi sitcom, Quark told the adventures of an outer space garbage collector and his crew. The show satirized sci-fi series such as Star Trek (including using this show's sound effects), Flash Gordon and Lost in Space. Series star Richard Benjamin found out about the series after reading an article about it in Variety.
Curiosity struck, and he asked for an audition. Benjamin actually took a pay cut so that he could work with series creator Buck Henry. The show went on to win an Emmy nomination for costume design. After only 8 episodes, the NBC parody series was canceled.
The Bionic Woman

The Bionic Woman was an action-adventure drama about the first cyborg woman, who becomes a spy. For three seasons and 58 episodes, it jumped around from ABC, to NBC, to CBS, with curtains finally closing on its third year. In the 2004 issue of list of 25 Greatest Sci-Fi Legends, Jamie Somers came in at number 19.

The series was later rebooted in various incarnations, including three tv-movies, as well as a reimagined remake in 2007 as an hour drama on NBC, running for eight episodes. Its premiere had 14 million viewers, though the numbers declined as it went on, ending with six million (which is fine for cable, but not network television).

Hell Town

A crime drama about a priest roughened by his environment, Hell Town aired in the fall of 1985 on NBC. Series star Robert Blake was considered for the role of David Addison on Moonlighting beforehand but instead fought to get the pilot for this show made, as well as arguing with NBC to go from a six-episode order to twelve. He was able to garner four more.
The show started with a TV-movie as its pilot. Its success against Dynasty, coupled with Blake's determination for the show to succeed as star and producer, greenlit the series. This success was short lived however as the series only aired 8 episodes. " Hell Town was the best contribution as a human being that I've ever made," Blake said.
Crime Story

TV drama Crime Story ran for two seasons, opening with a two-hour TV movie pilot, and caught the attention of over 30 million viewers. The period show set in 1960s Chicago would later influence arc-driven dramas, as well as the Martin Scorsese film Casino. Adding a layer of grit and realness to this series was co-creator Chuck Adamson and lead actor Dennis Farina, both formerly Chicago cops, and John Santucci ( Pauli Taglia) was an actual former thief.

Some of the crimes portrayed in the show, such as burglaries, hijackings and heists were based upon Santucci's crimes. Despite its extraordinary start, numbers dropped drastically dropped into "failure" numbers. Though cast members made an effort to save the show with a five-city tour that was spearheaded by lead Farina, the show eventually succumbed to cancellation.

Alien Nation

Alien Nation intertwined science fiction with police procedural. An LA officer partners up with an alien that bred to be extremely strong and intelligent. This pairing set up the metaphor of dealing with racism and other social issues. This show was included in the "Cancelled Too Soon" list for Since its airing, it was set to be rebooted in 2009, but fell through, with another attempt made in 2015.
Deadline reported in 2016 that Jeff Nichols was set to write and direct a remake of the show for Fox. Things have shuffled around a bit, since Disney bought 20th Century Fox, so the timeline is unclear. However, in the fall of 2018 Nichols expressed optimism about his role in the remake. "It's epic. I mean, it's the biggest canvas I've ever painted on, but it 100 percent feels like a Jeff Nichols film... I put so much of myself into it, it takes place in Arkansas. There's so much of me in it."
War of the Worlds

The drama action-horror War of the Worlds picked up where the 1953 film The War of the Worlds left off. In the show's pilot, clips were utilized from the film with narration to explain some of the changes. The changes included a bit of shuffling and retconning, so that the aliens weren't actually dead (as was stated in the film). Decades after their defeat, the extraterrestrials rise yet again to take over the planet.
After two seasons, the show was canceled, though its influence was felt in sci-fi series to follow such as Dark Skies and The X-Files . Initially, the series was meant to be a remake of the film, with George A. Romero set to direct.
Freddy's Nightmares

Long before American Horror Story, there was Freddy's Nightmares, a horror anthology spinoff from the Nightmare on Elm Street films with Freddy Krueger. Set in Springwood, Freddy would share tales of death, and of course, nightmares. The show was ultimately canceled due to "controversy," and badly timed airings.
"You know what happened with us on that was that we were promised a late night show all over the country," series star Robert Englund told IGN. "It was late night and we could really be nasty, like Tales from the Crypt eventually was. What happened was that they stuck us on at like 6 o'clock in the Bible Belt and we got canceled. We did great the first six months when we were just on at night, we did phenomenal ratings."
Voyagers!

A family sci-fi adventure, Voyagers! Followed the travels of Phineas Bogg ( Jon-Erik Hexum) with his young protege Jeffrey Jones ( Meeno Peluce) as they traveled back centuries into time, fixing moments in world history. After a successful first season, execs gave the show the axe in favor of replacing it with a news program, hoping to compete with 60 Minutes.

Given its shares, NBC more than likely should have moved the series to a different time slot. The venture failed, proving that should have at least garnered a second season. For those feeling nostalgic, it's available for streaming on Amazon Prime.

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30 Canceled TV Shows That Ended Too Soon

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A spinoff of the cultural phenomenon Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1996 - 2003), Angel was another fan-favorite from creator Joss Whedon. Over the course of five seasons, audiences experienced what life was like for the titular vampire ( David Boreanaz) burdened with a soul, venturing off on his own in Los Angeles and becoming a private detective.

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For the first thirty years of its existence, television was skewered as basic entertainment for the masses. Horace Newcomb, in his 1979 book Television: The Critical View, sites the then widespread view that "excellence in television is taken to be the exception with continual surprise." The last fifteen years, on the other hand, has been an impressive period of growth and creative expansion. There are several factors that contributed to this evolution, but one could argue most important was the radical transformation in storytelling techniques. Here, we lay out television's progression from what was once deemed low quality fare to what is now considered true artistic craft.

In 1945 there were reported to be less than 10,000 television sets in households across the United States. The immediate post war economic boom saw that number increase to 6 million by 1950 and by 1960 that number would swell to 52 million. Television programming was in its infancy. Radio stars like Milton Berle and Jack Benny transitioned to television with their own variety shows. In 1949, The Lone Ranger aired and in 1951, the police drama Dragnet became a hit. 1951 also saw the premier of I Love Lucy and the soap opera Search for Tomorrow, which began a 35-year run.

Until about the 1960s, so-called anthology showcases dominated the airwaves. Considered the first golden age of television dramas, writers such as Rod Serling, Gore Vidal and Paddy Chayefsky would present stand-alone stories for each, usually live, telecasts. Often celebrities in the own right, these were the earliest creators of prime-time dramas. At the end of this golden age, three networks dominated television, live telecasts were rare and advertising was booming. Soon programming was divided between the dramatization of long-form stories where plots unfolded over a series of episodes (called serials; mostly commonly seen in soap operas) and the episodic format, where new situations would both arise and resolve during each episode. Gone were the once celebrated anthology writers.

Shows such as Bonanza, Leave it to Beaver and The Andy Griffith Show are classic episodic television. Their aim was to maximize audience viewership and minimize confusion feared to occur if audiences were given multiple plotlines and intricate characterizations. The major and most important way television storytelling changed over the years is in its increasing fluidity between the episodic and the serial form. In this modified form, characters and relationships emerge through central plot developments and across episodes. Multiepisode arcs tell lengthy stories with more fully developed characters that are involved in more detailed and robust relationships.

One of the first precursors to this eventual evolution was The Mary Tyler Moore Show. While following an episodic format, the show was unique in that it allowed for story arcs that saw its characters change over time and which highlighted these characters in more realistic and complex relationships. Likewise, the show M*A*S*H created deep character enrichment through the building of interpersonal relationships while it also provided searing social commentary. No longer just content with portraying situations and relationships predicated on laughs, these writers expanded beyond sketch comedy to develop intricate stories between complex characters.

Besides these outliers though, prime-time television remained divided between serials and episodic shows. The inherent limitations within the network television format are obvious and contributed to the hesitancy to inject more complex narratives. Commercial interruptions disrupted the flow of storytelling. Being limited to a half hour or an hour time period made it difficult to unfold the necessary elements required to tell a linear story that contained a beginning, middle and an end. The need for episodic shows to supply the audience with enough information so a stand-alone episode would make sense to the casual viewer on top of the realities of syndication, which relied on the ability to view episodes in no particular order, further restricted a writer's creative abilities.

It was the dearth of quality programming that caused Horace Newcomb to lament that television had not "realized that the regular and repeated appearance of a continuing group of characters" could be "one of its strongest techniques for the development of rich and textured dramatic presentations." He claimed that episodic television that until then had required a dramatic conclusion at the end of each self-contained episode both limited the ability of the audience to bond to characters and inhibited artistic expression. With no sense of continuity, television lost its chance to fully engage an audience. Soon though, an era of experimentation and challenges to the existing modes television storytelling emerged. Audiences would be given the chance to view increasingly complex narratives that more richly developed its characters and allowed for deeper examinations of intricate subject matter.

Certain changes in the industry helped lay the groundwork for this evolution. The growing power of independent stations in the 1970s challenged the tight control that the three major networks previously held and Norman Lear would be the most prominent creator to use this avenue. Lear's show, Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman was part soap opera that utilized multiple storylines, but also part satire of a soap opera. Further, it was part comedy, but at times conspicuously not funny, while also being part drama that dealt with overtly political and social issues. Simply put, the show did not fit easily into the elementary genre requirements that the major networks found so appealing. After the networks passed, Lear approached independent stations and was ultimately able to find an audience. In two seasons, the show aired 325 episodes and went on to enjoy a fruitful life in syndication.

Then, in the late 1970s, soap operas began to appear on prime-time television. The success of Dallas (1978-1991), Knot's Landing (1979-1993) and Dynasty (1981-1989) was a key factor in the transformation of story structure for prime time hour-long dramas. Taking a nod from these serials, dramas began to interweave multiple storylines across episodes. Hill Street Blues (1981-1987) has been noted to be the first one to do so, but closely following was St. Elsewhere (1982-1988). Also notable is Twin Peaks (1990-1991), which with an art house sensibility mixed soap opera and mystery to create dramatic characterizations throughout multiple storylines. Shows such as The X-Files (1993-2002), ER (1994-2009), Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003) and The West Wing (1999-2006) continued this trend in fine fashion.

Networks coveted a series like The West Wing because it uncovered a previously untapped demographic ripe for advertisers. What one author calls a "boutique audience," these educated and informed viewers were an audience that previously stayed away from television. Central to a network's function is its relationship with their client advertisers and the goal of programming had been heretofore to strengthen and encourage its audience to tune in so they can be subjected to their advertisements. With the emergence of quality cable programs and the success of HBO's The Sopranos (1999-2007), which the Writer's Guild named "the best written TV series of all time," that landscape radically changed and networks took notice. The success of progressive network shows such 24 (2001-2010) and Alias (2001-2006) seemed an encouraging sign, so when in 2001 the networks suffered a dramatic drop in advertising revenues, it seemed a setback when they drastically revamped their 2002 schedules to reflect what they called more audience friendly fare-aka episodic television.

Early on, it was clear that narratively complex shows engendered viewer loyalty and the Internet provided a forum for increased audience participation and discussions about these narratives. Through online forums, blogs, chat rooms and fan websites viewers discuss these complexities not only with other viewers but with creators as well. Real time Twitter discussions while a show airs allow for up-close, interactive and personal communication with creators that not only provides feedback for those creators, but also increases audience understanding of creator objectives while it solidifies and expands a show's fan base. This active audience participation has more than proven to the industry that audiences hunger for narrative complexity and it has encouraged the development of more like-minded shows. The challenge for these shows though, is whether in the end, the payoff is worth it. Series such as Lost, Alias, and more recently, How I Met Your Mother faced backlash when they seemingly didn't live up to audience expectations for payoff, thus confusing viewers over whether its extended and passionate loyalty was worth it.

Arguably the most successful entity in this new era of television production is HBO and other networks have taken notice. The result of this increased competition? The shape of television is changing at a breakneck pace. While HBO continues to take risks and deliver groundbreaking television with shows like Game of Thrones, Boardwalk Empire, True Detective and Veep, there are also high quality competitors. Showtime is known for shows such as Dexter, Weeds, Homeland, The Affair and Nurse Jackie and Netflix which has House of Cards, Orange is the New Black and it's most recent addition, Marvel Cinematic Universe's Daredevil. Then, there is relative newcomer Amazon, who reportedly spent $100 million in the third quarter of 2014 alone on original programming and has Woody Allen developing a yet to be announced show. This so called "indie TV" may truly have earned its badge as it has been reported that the master of indie film, John Sayles has joined the movement by scripting an independent pilot called Dr. Del, which has yet to find it a home.

Advantageous to cable and its original programming are that they are not constrained by the issues that plague network television writers including network censorship and ad breaks that result in the need for intershow cliffhangers. Previously, limited network budgets discouraged what seemed to be extravagances such special effects and elaborate shooting locations, but no longer. In fact, it appears that in this new atmosphere, creative freedom abounds regardless of price as outlets push the boundaries of original programming to unknown limits. And with this radical transformation, the stigma of television storytelling is long gone. In its place, television is gaining recognition as the most desirable place for artists to practice their craft and where creativity and preeminent storytelling is not only encouraged but also rewarded.

In the last thirty years, one cannot help but notice that television viewing has become more audience centric. A record number of channels to choose from as well as streaming and VCR/DVR capability have shifted control to the viewer. Gone are mandated network schedules and in is binge watching. No longer constrained by previous storytelling mores, both writers and series creators have responded in kind with the production of high quality material. The trend seems to be here to stay, as viewers seem to be fully enjoying the rewards of this long coming evolution.

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The Evolution of American Television Storytelling - The Script Lab

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For the first thirty years of its existence, television was skewered as basic entertainment for the masses. Horace Newcomb, in his 1979 book Television: The Critical View, sites the then widespread view that "excellence in television is taken to be the exception with continual surprise."