iCritics: Showrunners Friends or Worst Enemies?
Social media and the 24-hour news cycle have pushed the water cooler conversation into hyper-drive. It’s happening around the clock with instantaneous reactions from professional critics and their armchair counterparts alike. For the industry, this trend is creating a bigger and bigger impact as the web’s response to TV shows has altered plotlines and even meant curtains for unpopular characters.
Showrunners are responding and adapting in different ways. Some embrace the feedback and participate in the conversation, while others lambast the episode-by-episode, plot-by-plot analysis. So what does this mean for the future of TV? Are the real-time reviews killing creativity? Should show runners embrace or rebel against their outspoken online audiences? And, why hasn't the model of traditional focus groups evaluating pilots evolved? Should the process move online and be more open?
TV.com will host an engaging Q&A with celebrated showrunners on the topic.
Presenters
Peter Lenkov is a native of Montreal, Canada. He has been a writing producer of movies and television shows for nearly 20 years.
Prior to HAWAII FIVE-0, Lenkov served as executive producer on “CSI: NY,” for which he won a Media Access Award. Additionally, acclaimed actor, Ed Asner, earned an Emmy nomination for his guest starring role in a “CSI: NY” episode which Lenkov wrote.
Lenkov’s additional television credits include “24,” for which he earned an Emmy nomination for Best TV Series, “The District,” and “La Femme Nikita.” He also co-produced the miniseries “XIII,” based on of the popular graphic novel and video game of the same name.
On the big screen, Lenkov has written and produced several films, including “Demolition Man,” starring Sylvester Stallone and Sandra Bullock, “Son in Law” and “Jury Duty.”
Lenkov has also written several comic books for Dark Horse Publishing, most notably, “R.I.P.D.,” which is currently in development to become a feature film, and “Fort: Prophet of the Unexplained,” which was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award in 2002.
Lenkov lives outside of Los Angeles on a ranch with his wife, four children and pets.
Tim has written for TV.com since 2007, covering the business and sharing his thoughts on television. He believes Joffrey is the rightful king.
Saturday, March 9
