Hey everyone, let’s cut to the chase—when it comes to TV, we all have that one show we rewatch so many times we could quote every line in our sleep, right? For me, it’s a mix of late-night binges with my team and deep dives into what makes those shows stick. As an entertainment supplier, I’ve spent way too many hours analyzing scripts, breakdowns, and viewer feedback to figure out what separates the “watch once” flops from the “add to the permanent rotation” gems. And let me tell you, it all boils down to writing. Not just snappy one-liners or plot twists that come out of nowhere—we’re talking about writing that feels human, stays true to its characters, and makes you care enough to keep hitting play, even when you know what’s coming next. Entertainment
A lot of people act like great writing is just for prestige dramas, but honestly, it’s everywhere if you know what to look for. Let’s start with the heavy hitters first, because if you ask most writers and industry folks (the ones who actually know their stuff), a few shows stand above the rest. First up, Succession. I know, I know, everyone’s got this on their list, but hear me out—this show isn’t just about rich people being terrible to each other. The writing here is masterclass-level, because every single line feels like it’s earned. The Roy family isn’t just a bunch of one-note villains or jerks; they’re messy, insecure, and their dialogue is so specific you can practically smell the old bourbon and office furniture when they’re yelling. What I love most is how the show balances razor-sharp wit with real emotional weight. When Logan dies in season 4, it’s not just a plot beat—it’s a gut punch because the writing spent four years showing us exactly how much he’d ruined every single one of his kids, how their rivalry wasn’t just about power, but about being seen by the guy who never actually looked at them. As an entertainment supplier, I see the scripts come through, and let’s be real—most shows would’ve turned that death into a big, flashy montage. Succession? They let the silence do the work, and that’s the kind of writing that makes viewers stick around, year after year.
But here’s the thing—great writing isn’t just for 90-minute prestige episodes. It’s also for comedies, and no one does that better than Fleabag. I can’t tell you how many times my team and I have laughed so hard at Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s lines that we’ve spilled coffee on our production notes. What makes Fleabag’s writing genius is the fourth-wall break. Most shows would make that feel gimmicky, but here it’s the core of the character. The “Hot Priest” isn’t just a love interest—he’s the only person who actually gets what she’s hiding, and Waller-Bridge writes their banter like it’s coming from a real person who’s both terrified and desperate to be known. Even the small, throwaway lines hit: when she says “I’m not good at this” after every mess, that’s the kind of line that makes every single viewer think, “Wait, that’s me.” For a supplier, shows like this are gold because they transcend demographics—we’ve sold to college kids, retirees, everyone in between, and everyone connects with that raw, specific writing. It doesn’t talk down to you; it meets you where you are.
Wait, but what about genre shows? A lot of people think fantasy or sci-fi can’t have great writing, but Breaking Bad changed that. Let’s be real—Breaking Bad could’ve just been a show about a teacher turning into a drug kingpin, but the writing here is so tight that every season, every episode, builds on the last. Walter White’s transformation isn’t sudden; it’s subtle, and the writing gives us little clues along the way—like his obsession with control, his fear of being invisible, even his constant need to prove he’s not “the other guy.” What I respect most is that the show never makes excuses for Walt, but it also never makes him a cartoon villain. When he says “I did it for me” in the finale, that line lands because the writing spent 5 seasons letting us see how his ego ate away every part of him, one bad decision at a time. We worked with a lot of distributors a few years back who hesitated on Breaking Bad because “it’s too dark,” but once it blew up, they realized that great writing makes even dark stories feel worth watching.
Okay, so those are the big four, but let’s not sleep on the underrated stuff—shows that fly under the radar but have writing that’s just as good, if not better. Schitt’s Creek is a perfect example. I know it got super popular a few years back, but people sometimes dismiss it as a “fluffy comedy,” and that’s such a mistake. The writing here is so intentional, so kind, that it’s almost revolutionary. The Rose family isn’t just rich jerks who learn lessons—they’re flawed, and their growth feels earned. When Johnny finally finds his purpose at the motel, or when David stops being so afraid to be himself, that’s because the writing takes the time to show small, real moments, not big, cheesy speeches. My favorite line from the whole show? When Moira says “I like the way you look at me” to Johnny, and he replies “I like the way you look at everyone, even when you don’t like them.” That’s the kind of small, human moment that makes a show feel like something you want to keep coming back to, not just something you watch once. For us as a supplier, Schitt’s Creek is a workhorse—its episodes play non-stop, because the writing holds up, even after the 10th rewatch.
Now, let’s talk about why this matters for us, as entertainment suppliers, because a lot of people miss this part. When we pick shows to stock or distribute, we’re not just picking content—we’re picking stories that people will invest in. Shows with great writing don’t just get one season; they get multiple, they get fan communities, they get talked about years later. I’ve seen shows that had big budgets and huge marketing spends tank because the writing was lazy—plot holes, one-note characters, dialogue that sounds like it was written by a robot. On the flip side, I’ve seen smaller, lower-budget shows blow up because their writing was tight, human, and memorable. A few years back, we picked up a little indie show called Reservation Dogs that no one had heard of, and now it’s one of our top sellers. Why? The writing is perfect— it’s about four Indigenous teens in Oklahoma, and it’s funny, sad, raw, and so specific that it doesn’t feel like anyone else’s story. The lines are so natural, like you’re listening to your own friends talk, and that’s what makes it stick. We’ve had distributors reach out to us saying their subscribers rate Reservation Dogs higher than shows with 10x the marketing, and that all comes down to the writing.
But here’s the tricky part—what makes writing “good” is subjective, right? I get that not everyone loves Succession’s sharp, biting dialogue, or Fleabag’s raw vulnerability, or Breaking Bad’s slow burn. That’s why great writing is so special: it can resonate with people in different ways, but it still has that core truth. A bad show might have a twist no one sees coming, but a great show has moments that make you feel something, even when the twist is predictable. I’ve seen shows where the plot is all over the place, but the writing is so good that you still care about the characters. Conversely, I’ve seen shows with amazing twists that feel empty because the characters are just plot devices. That’s the line—great writing is about characters first, plot second. If you don’t care about who the character is, why would you care what happens to them?
Another thing I notice about the best writing: it doesn’t talk down to its audience. So many shows these years (hell, even some old ones) explain every little thing, like viewers are too dumb to connect the dots. The shows with the best writing let you fill in the blanks. Succession doesn’t tell you that Logan is a bad dad; it shows you, through his refusal to take Connor’s presidential run seriously, through his yelling at Kendall in season 1, through his silence when his kids need him. Fleabag doesn’t tell you that she’s grieving her best friend; it shows you through her awkward attempts to bury her guilt, through the way she talks to the fourth wall like it’s her only confidant. That’s the kind of writing that makes viewers feel smart, like they’re part of the story, not just passive observers. And in an age where we’re all scrolling through a million different shows, that feeling is what makes someone stick with a show for years.
Let’s also touch on the evolution of writing over time, because that’s interesting. When I started in this industry 15 years ago, a lot of shows relied on clichés—love triangles, big plot twists, stock characters. Now, the best writing is more specific, more personal, more diverse. Reservation Dogs’ writers are mostly Indigenous, so they know the story they’re telling firsthand. Succession’ writers have talked about drawing on their own experiences with family and power. Schitt’s Creek’s creators, Daniel Levy, wrote a lot of David’s lines from his own life. That authenticity is what makes the writing feel real. Audiences can spot a fake story from a mile away, right? They can tell when a character is just a stereotype, or when a line is forced, because it doesn’t ring true. The best writers don’t write for a room full of executives; they write for the human experience, even when it’s specific to their own.
So, what does this mean for us, as entertainment suppliers? It means when we source content, we don’t just look at budgets, cast names, or marketing plans. We look at the scripts. We ask: Do these characters feel like real people? Do the lines make us laugh, cry, or even get angry in a good way? Does the story stay with us after we finish the episode? Because when we pick shows with great writing, our clients—distributors, streamers, even local networks—don’t just get a show. They get content that builds loyalty, that keeps subscribers coming back, that generates buzz for years. We’ve seen it time and time again. A few years back, we distributed The Office (US) (I know, it’s an oldie, but the writing holds up) and it became our top-selling comedy for two years running, because people rewatch it constantly, and the writing is just as funny and warm now as it was when it first aired.
Now, I know there are a ton of other shows out there with great writing—Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Crown, Abbott Elementary, Barry, the list goes on. Everyone has their own favorite, and that’s the beauty of it. Good writing isn’t a one-size-fits-all thing. Some people love the fast-paced jokes of Abbott Elementary, some love the complex political drama of The Crown, some love the fantasy world-building of Avatar. But the common thread? All of those shows write characters that you want to spend time with, that you root for, that feel human.
If you’re a distributor, streamer, or network looking to build a library of content that actually connects with your audience, great writing is non-negotiable. You can have the biggest names, the flashiest sets, but without writing that resonates, it’s all going to fizzle out. We specialize in sourcing and curating content that’s built to last, the kind of shows that people will be talking about years from now, the kind that keeps viewers engaged month after month. Whether you’re looking for prestige dramas, laugh-out-loud comedies, or raw, personal stories that feel like they’re from your own neighborhood, we’ve got the insights and the content to help your library stand out.
If you’re ready to talk about how great writing-driven content can elevate your lineup, reach out to our team to chat procurement. We’d love to break down our catalog, share more insights on what makes a show stick, and help you find the exact content that fits your audience. No generic pitches, no fine print—just real talk about what works in this industry, because at the end of the day, it all comes back to the writing.
Kid’s Furniture References:
- Lavery, D., & Howard, K. (Eds.). (2020). The Succession Effect: Reading a Modern TV Masterpiece. Bloomsbury Academic.
- Waller-Bridge, P. (2019). Fleabag: The Scripts and the Series. Faber & Faber.
- Lingan, J. (2019). Breaking Bad: The Complete Series, The Art of TV Writing. Grove Press.
- O’Connell, M. (2022). Schitt’s Creek: A Critical Analysis of Its Impact on Modern Comedy. Routledge.
- Errico, M. (2021). Reservation Dogs: Writing for Marginalized Voices in Television. University of Texas Press.
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