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05/23/2008: Waning Moonlight


I was asked by someone -- dear me, I've mislaid the note or email -- to check with the ABC Fellowship people about a very specific question. The writer needed to know if they could still submit a spec script for the show Moonlight, a show that has only just very recently been canceled. Well, I checked and was told, as I'd suspected, that they're going by the letter of the law here. The program accepts scripts only for shows currently on the air, and recently canceled is the same as canceled. Now, you might get lucky -- after all, there's no reason to think that all the readers for the program check the day's cancellation news, but is that a chance you want to take? (It isn't.)

This should also stand as a warning about specing first-season shows in general. It's very hard to tell, early on, what's going to be a hit (remember Commander-in-Chief) and you're taking a real gamble in assuming that any particular new show will survive. I think you should spec a first season show only if you have connections at that show and think you can get someone there to read it. Then you're taking the gamble of writing a show for the (sure to be hyper-critical) writers of that same show, but at least it's a different gamble.

UPDATE TO A PREVIOUS STORY: Today I received a gorgeous orchid from my new best friend Ringo. Or, I suppose, from the very charming Ringo-assistant I met the other day. I assume this is a thank you for returning the box of clothes. The note says "Peace and Love, Ringo," which is simply too cool for words.

Lunch: matzo ball soup and a cookie