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Is TV Better Now?

Episode - 706

September 30, 2025 Scriptnotes

John and Craig wonder, how has TV changed in the last ten years? They compare what’s better and worse, the tradeoffs between quality and quantity, how curation is changing, the pros and cons of shorter seasons, and what this all means for writers and viewers.

We also look forward to our time at the Austin Film Festival, offer paths for writers to keep their health insurance, follow up on Three Page Challenge selections that actually got made, and answer listener questions on adapting a screenplay into an audio drama and payment for work after a script is turned in.

In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Craig looks at what makes a damn fine cup of coffee.

Links:

  • Going to the Austin Film Festival this year? Submit for our LIVE Three Page Challenge here!
  • Entertainment Community Fund Services & Programs
  • Signed editions of the Scriptnotes Book
  • Destination: Earth audio drama
  • Weekend Read
  • Episode 163: Ghost
  • WGA Showrunner Training Program
  • Phantom Ink
  • The House of Tesla
  • Preorder the Scriptnotes Book!
  • Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!
  • Check out the Inneresting Newsletter
  • Become a Scriptnotes Premium member, or gift a subscription
  • Subscribe to Scriptnotes on YouTube
  • Scriptnotes on Instagram
  • John August on Bluesky and Instagram
  • Outro by Nick Moore (send us yours!)
  • Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and edited by Matthew Chilelli.

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode here.

Related Posts

  1. The Long-Lost Austin Three Page Challenge
  2. Three Page Challenge Live in Austin
  3. Back from Austin

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Each week, screenwriters John August and Craig Mazin discuss screenwriting and things that are interesting to screenwriters, everything from the craft to the business to the best ways to get yourself writing.

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