1. International airline pilots and/or crews
2. Tanker ship captains
3. Federal prisoners
4. Astronauts
5. Kimmy Schmidt (pre-2015)
6. Marquess of Queensberry
7. Edward Cullen
8. Vladimir Putin
9. Dr. Who
10. Dr. Bruce Banner
11. Most models of Terminator
Film Industry, News, QandA, Random Advice, Scriptnotes, Story and Plot, Transcribed
Aline Brosh McKenna joins John and Craig to discuss how movies featuring good mentors (Dead Poet’s Society, To Sir with Love) differ from films with bad mentors (Whiplash, The Devil Wears Prada). It’s not just that the teachers are bad guys; rather, the stories are structured completely differently.
John asks Craig and Aline about some ethical quandaries he’s been facing, ranging from awards voting to who is a “friend.”
We also discuss the “default male problem,” especially how it relates to comedy and the cleanest version of a joke.
Links:
* [Aline Brosh McKenna](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0112459/) on episodes [60](http://johnaugust.com/2012/the-black-list-and-a-stack-of-scenes), [76](http://johnaugust.com/2013/how-screenwriters-find-their-voice), [100](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-100th-episode), [101](http://johnaugust.com/2013/101-qa-from-the-live-show), [119](http://johnaugust.com/2013/positive-moviegoing), [123](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-holiday-spectacular), [124](http://johnaugust.com/2013/qa-from-the-holiday-spectacular) [152](http://johnaugust.com/2014/the-rocky-shoals-pages-70-90), [161](http://johnaugust.com/2014/a-cheap-cut-of-meat-soaked-in-butter), and [175](http://johnaugust.com/2014/twelve-days-of-scriptnotes)
* [Raphael Bob-Waksberg Breaks Down Comedy’s “Default Male” Problem](http://splitsider.com/2015/01/bojack-horseman-creator-raphael-bob-waksberg-breaks-down-comedys-default-male-problem/)
* [Writers on Writing: Simon Kinberg](http://scriptnotes.net/writers-on-writing-simon-kinberg)
* Read the Whiplash screenplay [on Weekend Read](http://johnaugust.com/2015/weekend-read-for-your-consideration)
* [Evernote Scannable](https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/evernote-scannable/id883338188?mt=8)
* [The Comeback](http://www.hbo.com/the-comeback#/) on HBO
* [Jason Hall in WGAw’s Written By](http://www.mydigitalpublication.com/publication/?i=239550#{“issue_id”:239550,”page”:12})
* [Ryan Reynolds](https://twitter.com/VancityReynolds) is now on Twitter
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Scriptnotes listener Rajesh Naroth ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))
You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_180.m4a) | [mp3](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_180.mp3).
**UPDATE 1-23-15:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2015/scriptnotes-ep-180-bad-teachers-good-advice-and-the-default-male-transcript).
John and Craig spend the hour discussing the number one topic whenever screenwriters are done complaining about studio notes: the end of the world, and how to get ready for it.
From zombies to asteroids to plagues, we make so many movies and TV shows about the extinction of the human race. But why? What is it about the Death of Everything that is so appealing to writers, and how should we approach the genre when beginning on a new story? This is an episode about that.
We’re considering making new Scriptnotes t-shirts, but only if listeners really want them. Click over to [johnaugust.com](http://johnaugust.com) and vote.
Links:
* 2014’s WGA Candidate Night is [September 3rd](http://www.wga.org/content/default.aspx?id=5597)
* [Jaye P. Morgan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaye_P._Morgan) is still alive
* [Get tickets now](http://www.slate.com/live/la-culturefest.html) for October 8th’s live Slate Culture Gabfest with guests John and Craig
* [The Knowledge: How to Rebuild Our World from Scratch](http://www.amazon.com/dp/159420523X/?tag=johnaugustcom-20) by Lewis Dartnell
* [Boxed Water](http://www.boxedwaterisbetter.com/) is better
* [Waze](https://www.waze.com/) gets you there with real-time help
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by [Orbit](http://www.orbitgum.com/) ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))
You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_160.m4a) | [mp3](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_160.mp3).
**UPDATE 9-4-14:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2014/scriptnotes-ep-160-a-screenwriters-guide-to-the-end-of-the-world-transcript).
This morning, I [tweeted](https://twitter.com/johnaugust/status/454629102142517248):
> Grimm’s fairy tales offer uniformly terrible marriage advice:
> 1. Endure supernatural hardship
> 2. Marry the person who rescues you
My observation was based on my nightly reading of a copy of Grimm’s that I got at Barnes and Noble last week, ((I’m reading one of those $20 made-for-Barnes versions, and it’s actually really nice.)) not any statistical analysis. But it sure feels true.
If someone has the time this weekend, I’d be curious to know which of Grimm’s tales actually fit this pattern. The book is free through [Project Gutenberg](http://www.gutenberg.org/files/2591/2591-h/2591-h.htm).
Obviously, fairy tales are simplifications of reality, so we can’t expect verisimilitude in them. But this pattern of marrying the first person who assists you seems an especially dangerous idea to instill in young women.
As I think about acquaintances with terrible boyfriends/husbands, almost invariably the girl came from a difficult background (abusive parents, poverty, illness), and this guy got them away from it.
But the fact that they rescued you once doesn’t mean they are the right person for you to build a life with. It doesn’t mean they’ll be a supportive spouse or a good parent. And it doesn’t mean that you’re right for them, either.
If the only requirement for marriage is saving you from peril, we should all marry firefighters.