Top Drama TV Showrunners on Killing Off Beloved Characters, Mapping Out Multiple Seasons and the Trick to Not Becoming Overwhelmed
No, Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann didn't kill Pedro Pascal. That was just one key messaging point delivered during Variety's A Night in the Writers' Room on Thursday night.
Although this was the drama panel, many hilarious conversations came out of the discussion moderated by Variety's senior TV features editor Emily Longeretta. In addition to 'The Last of Us' creators, panelists included 'Severance' creator Dan Erickson, 'Paradise' creator Dan Fogelman, 'The Pitt' creator R. Scott Gemmill, 'Doc' creator Barbie Kligman, 'Yellowjackets' co-creators Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson and 'Cross' creator Ben Watkins.
More from Variety
Don't Forget 'Severance' Star Tramell Tillman This Emmy Season
Why Nicola Coughlan Is the Soul of 'Bridgerton' and Deserves an Emmy Nomination
'Severance' Creator Dan Erickson Discusses the 'Depressing' Lumon Industries - While Touring Lumen, the Actual Name for Variety's Office Building
While discussing the pressures of following a stellar first season with a second one — Mazin and Druckmann shed light on the ups and downs.
'There's this thing that happens when you're making the first season of something where you truly are just rolling down a hill on fire. If you stay alive, that's a huge achievement. If a show comes out, that's amazing,' Mazin said. 'The second season comes with so many expectations, and we did learn a lot of lessons. And the problem with learning lessons is then you have to be accountable to those lessons. And you're not allowed to make those mistakes anymore, which is tragic. You do feel pressure to somehow fulfill what people want but also surprise them. You're now a topic of discussion, whereas before you were just new and surprising. I mean, the bar for video game adaptations was pretty low. We had that going for us in Season 1 — now we kind of fucked ourselves.'
Druckmann added that it 'can feel very scary' doing a second season, just like it did when creating a second chapter of the video game. 'People had very strong reactions to whatever controversial story decision we made,' he said, referring to the death of Pedro Pascal's Joel Miller in Season 2.
'He did a thing. Everyone lost their shit, and then I had to do that same thing, because he did the thing. I loved doing the thing, I thought it was great,' Mazin says of the death. 'The big complaint that I've gotten is, 'Why did you kill Pedro Pascal?' And I keep explaining, we didn't kill him! He's a man, he's alive. He's fine. And he's in literally everything else. So I don't know what the problem is!'
The group also discussed planning ahead when pitching a season and knowing how many seasons their shows will last. Fogelman said he pitched 'Paradise' as a three-season show since he has a three-year plan — and always does that in the room — but the plans could always change.
'I know, generally, how many episodes I want to do, but then once you have those markers, you say, 'that's act one, that's act 2, that's act 3,' he said. 'If you set that, it's a really lucky place to be, but it can be really helpful, even if it's 10 seasons.'
One of the bigger themes that the writers dove into was just how difficult it is to launch a successful show, continue a successful show and not become overwhelmed. However, Gemmill, who worked on 'ER' and showran 'NCIS: Los Angeles' before creating 'The Pitt' seemed to have it all figured out — much to the others' chagrin.'I've been doing it a long time, and I also think, at the end of the day, I'm not saving kids' lives. I'm making a fucking TV show. It's 'Gilligan's Island.' If it's still on the air 50 years after I'm dead, wonderful,' said Gemmill. 'I'm just so damn lucky to get paid not to have people shoot at me or run into a burning building.'
When Nickerson noted that of Gemmill is right, he also had a follow up question: 'The thing that we need to know is how you hold onto that perspective and frame when the void that lives inside you is threatening to eat everything you ever thought you could be, would be or should be.'
Gemmill had the perfect response: 'You've never tried ketamine?'
Watch the full panel above.
Best of Variety
Emmy Predictions: Documentary Programs — Nonfiction Races Spotlight Pee-wee Herman, Simone Biles and YouTube Creators
25 Hollywood Legends Who Deserve an Honorary Oscar
New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
22 minutes ago
- Yahoo
'Materialists' Totally Set Dakota Johnson's Character for Up Failure and You Can't Convince Us Otherwise
Materialists poses the question of whether or not we should be going for love or for money and the choice Dakota Johnson's character makes has people on internet divided The film also stars Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans Materialists is in theaters nowMovies have long wanted to convince us that we should be marrying for love. From The Notebook to Titanic, films have always suggested that women should follow their hearts and go for the sweet charmer with no money instead of the well-established gentleman who has financial stability. (Granted, Billy Zane's character in Titanic was awful, but stay with me here.) Well, Materialists has repurposed that trope once again, and the internet is seething. The film follows Lucy (played by Dakota Johnson), a successful matchmaker who has managed to find love for everyone except for herself. Her skills are immediately tested when she finds herself in a love triangle with Harry (played by Pedro Pascal), a successful billionaire who errs on the side of superficiality but is offering her the world, vs. John (played by Chris Evans), her ex-boyfriend, who offers her lots of love and affection, but works from gig to gig while trying to get an acting career off the ground. The film takes us through all the hijinks of a romcom as both men have their pros and cons and try to woo her. In the end, Lucy goes for John, the broke boy who loves her dearly, but can't provide her with the lifestyle she always dreamed of. And while the internet is upset over the fact that Pedro Pascal doesn't get the girl, the truth of the matter is, Lucy was set up for failure from the jump. As PEOPLE editor Bailey Richards pointed out. Regardless of whom she was going to end up with, Lucy was going to be settling. "I don't think she should have ended up with either of them," Richards says, considering Bailey's options. "Marry this hot, caring man who will pay for everything for you for the rest of your life — any materialistic whim you may have. He doesn't love you, but he will pay anything. Or a hot, caring man who does love you, but makes no money ... he will drop anything, at any given moment to do whatever for you." We can all agree that the only real winners are Lucy's children (if she wants any), who will 100% win the genetic lottery regardless of which guy she chooses. However, when it comes to meeting the standards Lucy deeply desires, she's bound to lose regardless. So, instead of settling for the loverboy with no money, Richards believes Lucy should have actually axed both men. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. "After everything that she, as a matchmaker, as a woman, goes through in that movie, she just needs to break from romance altogether and do some introspection, the kind that requires you to be single and be alone," says Richards. Personally, the right choice for me is always Pedro Pascal. But I have to agree with my colleague here. Relationships are hard, even when you find everything you want in a person, so why give yourself more heartache by settling for someone who doesn't meet your standards? Read the original article on People
Associated Press
23 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Beyond Entertainment: World Culture Film Festival 2025, Los Angeles, June 26-29
A Cinematic Celebration of Humanity Returns to Los Angeles LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA / ACCESS Newswire / June 20, 2025 / This summer, Los Angeles welcomes the return of the World Culture Film Festival (WCFF), a celebration not just of cinema, but of the human spirit itself. From June 26-29, 2025, the City of Angels will once again play host to this transformative cultural event, curated to showcase entertainment that Breakers - World Culture Film Festival Opening Night Screening and Red Carpet Event Now in its second year, the festival stands apart in a crowded landscape of film gatherings by focusing on stories that illuminate, unite, and inspire. An initiative of the globally respected Art of Living Foundation, the WCFF is rooted in the mission of its visionary founder, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, whose work toward a stress-free, violence-free world has touched over 800 million people in more than 180 countries. The WCFF builds on the enormous global impact of the World Culture Festival, a transcendent cultural gathering that drew over 1.1 million people to the National Mall in Washington, D.C., in 2023, with the support of DC Mayor Muriel Bowser. That momentum now flows into the world of cinema, bringing together international filmmakers, artists, thinkers, and changemakers for four unforgettable days. This year's lineup is both deeply meaningful and impressively star-powered. The festival opens with a special screening of Rule Breakers, followed by an exclusive Q&A with lead actors Amber Afzali, Nina Hosseinzadeh, and Sara Malal Rowe. Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar himself will deliver a featured address, marking one of the festival's most anticipated moments. Among the cinematic highlights is Laapataa Ladies, the Oscar-shortlisted breakout film directed by Kiran Rao and produced by Aamir Khan, whose artistic contributions to Indian cinema continue to resonate globally. Audiences will also experience The Performance, with special guests Chet Lowe and Jeremy Piven in attendance. Art lovers will find a special treat in The View Beyond, a stunning new aerial photography exhibition by Sahil Rohira, presented in collaboration with WCFF. This immersive experience transcends traditional visual storytelling, inviting visitors to witness the world from the still, sacred space of the skies. Rohira's lens captures landscapes as meditative poetry, each frame a quiet revolution in perspective. In addition to screenings, the festival will host a range of vibrant panels, international film blocks, and live performances, creating space for deep dialogue, joy, and creative exchange. The red carpet will shine even brighter with a growing list of celebrity attendees, including Jeremy Piven, Sam Asghari, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Richa Moorjani, Poorna Jagannathan, Cory Hardrict, Sarayu Blue, Preity Zinta, Tamanna Roashan, Punam Patel, Liza Koshy, and many more. The World Culture Film Festival isn't just a festival, it's a movement. A reminder that film can be more than art or entertainment: it can be an act of healing, of hope, of profound connection. The full program and ticket information can be found at Contact Information Aleksandar Tomovic EIC [email protected] SOURCE: World Culture Film Festival by Art of Living Foundation press release
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Legendary '70s Actor Seen in Rare Outing With Much Younger Girlfriend
Legendary '70s Actor Seen in Rare Outing With Much Younger Girlfriend originally appeared on Parade. Robert De Niro, 81, has been acting for over 60 years and shows no signs of slowing down — but when he's not working, he often spends time with his family and girlfriend Tiffany Chen, 45. Though the couple tends to keep a low profile, they were recently spotted leaving a restaurant in Los Angeles. On Thursday, June 19, De Niro and Chen were photographed enjoying a quiet dinner at Nobu, in photos obtained by Backgrid. The 81-year-old actor kept it casual in a blue jacket and green cap, while Chen wore an oversized jumper and sunglasses. Best known for his iconic roles in Goodfellas and A Bronx Tale, De Niro has made a few red carpet appearances with Chen, but the pair mostly stay out of the spotlight. The Academy Award winner was first linked to Chen — a trained dancer and martial arts instructor — in August 2021 following his split from ex-wife Grace Hightower. However, they've known each other much longer. The two reportedly met in 2015 on the set of The Intern, where Chen had a role. Speculation about their relationship began after PDA-filled photos of the pair went viral, leading fans to believe they were more than just friends. In May 2023, De Niro revealed in an interview with ET Canada that he had welcomed his seventh child, though he didn't initially share who the mother was. It was his About My Father costar Kim Cattrall who reportedly spilled and confirmed that Chen had given birth to their daughter, Gia. Since becoming parents, De Niro has praised Chen for her role as a mother. 'I mean, I don't do the heavy lifting,' he told The Guardian. 'I'm there, I support my girlfriend. But she does the work. And we have help, which is so important.' While the actor is grateful for the experience of raising a newborn again, he admits it comes with challenges. 'It doesn't get easier…It is what it is. It's OK.' The Golden Globe recipient has seven children in total — his eldest, daughter Drena De Niro, is 57. As for expanding their family, the couple haven't said whether they plan to have more children together. Legendary '70s Actor Seen in Rare Outing With Much Younger Girlfriend first appeared on Parade on Jun 21, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 21, 2025, where it first appeared.
