Sticking a landing in long-form storytelling can be one of the biggest challenges a writer faces. We've seen it time and again in series finale flops, whether it's Game of Thrones or Dexter or How I Met Your Mother.There have been a few shining stars in TV that did it right. New Girl comes to mind, or Better Call Saul.And that reminds me of its predecessor, Breaking Bad, another Vince Gilligan tale of violence and identity. The show ended exactly when it needed to, and there's a reason why.In 2013, staff writer Thomas Schnauz explained why one of television's most beloved shows had to end. They did it because the characters signaled it was time. - YouTube www.youtube.com The Golden Rule for Screenwriters"A rule in the writers' room was to never force the characters in any direction but to let them take us there," Schnauz wrote for Time. "And Walt was taking us to the end of the road."What can we learn from this? Trust your characters.Schnauz joined Breaking Bad's writing staff in Season 3 as a devoted fan who believed Walter White was genuinely cooking meth to provide for his family. But as he wrote scenes for Walt, he realized something darker. "What he was really doing was revealing his true inner nature," Schnauz wrote. He didn't have to pretend in this role. He liked being "the one who knocks."This insight shaped how the writers approached every major story decision. They could have ended the series with Walt triumphant,...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Yesterday