Have you ever had an idea you thought would be a hit television show? Well here are a few rules to go by to make sure that your idea has what it takes to make it on the small screen.
Number one: Engage the audience.
Finding away to connect to the audiences is the key that unlocks the door success in the TV world. This is why reality shows have become so successful, because viewers tend to perceive reality people as normal. Audiences want something to relate to, a familiarity with an entertaining twist. This is not the only way to engage an audience; another popular is to give the viewers something to aspire to. Indulging the viewers’ fantasy of what they could do gives their imagination room to roam. There is nothing as engaging as the imagination if you can offer the viewer a dream they can wish they had. This can be done by giving the characters cool and/or desirable jobs.
Number two: Is one of the main characters a cop, a doctor or a lawyer?
If you look at the highest rated television show you will be able to see a clear patter of police, lawyers and doctors. While such shows as Law & Order SVU, Law & Order Criminal Intent, Without a Trace, Cold Case and all of the CSI spin-offs are focused on law enforcement officials solving cases. Highly rated shows like House M.D., Grey Anatomy and E.R. focus on medical mysteries and the relationships of the lead characters. Shows like perennial powerhouse Law & Order and other popular shows like Boston Legal and Justice all center on the courtroom drama. Viewers like to be mentally challenged to have something to figure out.
The mystery is built in to all three of these of these professions and by assigning one of them to your characters gives you an automatic way to engage with the audience. The whodunit aspect of who killed who, what’s disease is killing him or her, and guilty or innocent have long been big draws for audiences. Giving the audience something to think about a challenge is ties back in with rule number one.
Number three: Don’t get to far away from what works
Basically, when it comes to storylines do not be afraid to manipulate storylines used by other shows of similar genres. This has been an age old tradition of television, if one storyline works in one show why not apply it to another show and its characters? Hence, the continual occurrence of amnesia in television characters, the plot just works. This has been used in sitcoms, soap operas, late night dramas and Saturday morning cartoons successfully.
Strangely enough this works because applying the same situation to different characters inevitably supplies you with a different result, making one series interpretation of circumstances just as entertaining as another series’ interpretation. People deal with similar situations everyday in the real world, why shouldn’t television be any different?
Number four: Set your show in a Metropolitan area or in the suburbs, preferably New York or Los Angeles.
Since the rural purge of 1970-71, it has been nearly impossible to market a television show set in rural America. For those not familiar with the purge, shows like the Beverly Hillbillies and Green Acres all met demise despite their continued popularity. Ever since more urban themed shows have come in to being, the majority of which are set in New York or Los Angeles. One might speculate the reason behind this urban obsession could be linked to the television executives being able to relate to the programming.
The majority of TV networks are stationed in and film their shows in New York or Los Angeles. So it would be safe to assume most executives live in New York or Los Angeles and as a result are more likely to relate to television shows set in these or other urban areas. You have to relate to the television executives before you relate to American audiences.
For all of you who aspire to have your name in the credits followed by the words created by. Then follow these rules and you will stand a fighting chance, either that or come up with something completely new and original. If you do that who knows maybe TV execs will recognize a good thing when they see.
