--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Most TV shows are writing the next…" description: "\"Most TV shows are writing the next episode while you're directing the one you're doing, and they're trying to figure out what they're going to do, and ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffe/alex-graves-21348_directing_most-tv-shows-are-writing-the-next-episo_3166594.jpg" --- # Most TV shows are writing the next episode while you're… ![“Most TV shows are writing the next episode while you're directing the one you're doing, and they're trying to figure out what they're going to do, and they're putting it all together.” quote by Alex Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffe/alex-graves-21348_directing_most-tv-shows-are-writing-the-next-episo_3166594.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffe/alex-graves-21348_directing_most-tv-shows-are-writing-the-next-episo_3166594.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffe/alex-graves-21348_directing_most-tv-shows-are-writing-the-next-episo_3166594.jpg) > “Most TV shows are writing the next episode while you're directing the one you're doing, and they're trying to figure out what they're going to do, and they're putting it all together.” [Alex Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-graves/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. TV writers juggle multiple storylines, balancing current direction with future planning. **In simple terms:** Writers manage present episodes while planning ahead. Key Takeaway Plan ahead but stay flexible. Themes creativity planning collaboration Mood analytical strategic Type process-oriented insightful When to use this quote - scriptwriting - showrunning - episode editing - story arcs - team coordination Key Concepts narrative structure production workflow Questions to Reflect On - How do you prioritize ideas? - When does planning become a hindrance? A Different Perspective Over‑planning can stifle spontaneity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Tv shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tv-shows/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [But I've never tried writing an episode of 'EastEnders', even as an exercise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emer-kenny/but-i-ve-never-tried-writing-an-episode-of-eastenders-even-as-an/) [Emer Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emer-kenny/) > [Well, I must tell you I write the scripts very close to the bone. So I'm writing episode seven now and couldn't tell you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/well-i-must-tell-you-i-write-the-scripts-very-close-to-the-bone-so-i/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [Years passed and I hadn't really done much writing. Other than the fact that I'm constantly developing new shows, writing up proposals and stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-weisman/years-passed-and-i-hadn-t-really-done-much-writing-other-than-the/) [Greg Weisman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-weisman/) > [Whatever's going on in my life shows up in the writing room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-hunt/whatever-s-going-on-in-my-life-shows-up-in-the-writing-room/) [Sam Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-hunt/) > [We do want the freedom to move scenes from episode to episode to episode. And we do want the freedom to move writing from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-soloway/we-do-want-the-freedom-to-move-scenes-from-episode-to-episode-to/) [Jill Soloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-soloway/) > [I think that computer programming shows in my writing. Often when I write about computer programmers I'll write about the way that they see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-mosley/i-think-that-computer-programming-shows-in-my-writing-often-when-i/) [Walter Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-mosley/) > [Being a doctor has taught me a lot about directing. You're doing the same thing: You're reconstructing the manifold of behavior to the point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-miller/being-a-doctor-has-taught-me-a-lot-about-directing-you-re-doing-the/) [Jonathan Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-miller/) > [When you're the guy behind the camera, you're aware of the reasons for the compromises or the changes that get made. As an actor,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-affleck/when-you-re-the-guy-behind-the-camera-you-re-aware-of-the-reasons-for/) [Casey Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-affleck/) > [Well, directing is doing the key drawings, not the key animation, mind you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-jones/well-directing-is-doing-the-key-drawings-not-the-key-animation-mind/) [Chuck Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-jones/) > [It doesn't matter who's directing, or who's doing the movie; there are a ton of things that can go wrong, and they do all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-hauer/it-doesn-t-matter-who-s-directing-or-who-s-doing-the-movie-there-are/) [Rutger Hauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-hauer/) > ['The Reckoning' is one of my proudest hours. I love that episode so much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-plec/the-reckoning-is-one-of-my-proudest-hours-i-love-that-episode-so-much/) [Julie Plec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-plec/) > [I think I approach my choices much the way I approach the way I consume movies and TV and stuff. I like everything, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-pare/i-think-i-approach-my-choices-much-the-way-i-approach-the-way-i/) [Jessica Pare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-pare/) > [When I'm working in finite serials, I always think in terms of the entire book rather than the individual episode because, by far, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-ellis/when-i-m-working-in-finite-serials-i-always-think-in-terms-of-the/) [Warren Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-ellis/) > [When good media takes a bounded form, and comes once in a period of time, it begs to be consumed as a whole -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-battelle/when-good-media-takes-a-bounded-form-and-comes-once-in-a-period-of/) [John Battelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-battelle/) > [We did an episode where she goes out to get a job and she gets fired because she's not good. They hire a babysitter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-heaton/we-did-an-episode-where-she-goes-out-to-get-a-job-and-she-gets-fired/) [Patricia Heaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-heaton/) ## More by Alex Graves > [I was really, really stagnating and getting bored in the steady work of television and didn't really know what movies I would be making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-graves/i-was-really-really-stagnating-and-getting-bored-in-the-steady-work/) [Alex Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-graves/) > ['Terra Nova,' more than anything I've ever done in my life, is for everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-graves/terra-nova-more-than-anything-i-ve-ever-done-in-my-life-is-for/) [Alex Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-graves/) > [And one of the things that's interesting about how they're doing the show is that the audience almost knows more than the characters do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-graves/and-one-of-the-things-that-s-interesting-about-how-they-re-doing-the/) [Alex Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-graves/) > [My experience on 'The West Wing' was, I think, now rare in that I was pretty young, and I walked into this environment where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-graves/my-experience-on-the-west-wing-was-i-think-now-rare-in-that-i-was/) [Alex Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-graves/) > [For 'Game of Thrones,' I realized immediately that it was about the characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-graves/for-game-of-thrones-i-realized-immediately-that-it-was-about-the/) [Alex Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-graves/) > [Especially as a director on 'West Wing,' I directed a lot of different things in a lot of different ways and really stretched my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-graves/especially-as-a-director-on-west-wing-i-directed-a-lot-of-different/) [Alex Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-graves/) > [The hardest part of 'Game of Thrones' is there is so much incredible talent bouncing off the walls that you'll actually miss some of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-graves/the-hardest-part-of-game-of-thrones-is-there-is-so-much-incredible/) [Alex Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-graves/) > [Obviously the highest pressure scene, I guess it might've been a tie - what was the bigger death, Tyrion with Shae, Tyrion wth Twyin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-graves/obviously-the-highest-pressure-scene-i-guess-it-might-ve-been-a-tie/) [Alex Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-graves/) > [Because if you remember - and people forget this - the first two years of Game of Thrones everybody was going, "I don't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-graves/because-if-you-remember-and-people-forget-this-the-first-two-years-of/) [Alex Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-graves/) > [Death is either an incredible ending to a story or, more often than not if you ask the right questions, it's the beginning of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-graves/death-is-either-an-incredible-ending-to-a-story-or-more-often-than/) [Alex Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-graves/) > [For someone making a pilot, assuming the talent is there and you can maneuver the system properly, it's just a matter of standing your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-graves/for-someone-making-a-pilot-assuming-the-talent-is-there-and-you-can/) [Alex Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-graves/) > [There weren't any deleted scenes, it was just a matter of tightening stuff. I didn't have any deleted scenes in what I did as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-graves/there-weren-t-any-deleted-scenes-it-was-just-a-matter-of-tightening/) [Alex Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-graves/) > [You can certainly shorten things and tighten things, we tightened up Jon's walk to Mance Rayder's tent. That was something that got tightened up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-graves/you-can-certainly-shorten-things-and-tighten-things-we-tightened-up/) [Alex Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-graves/) > [I was, and am, a frustrated filmmaker and film student, and my passion and love for movies was so broad that, in the earlier…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-graves/i-was-and-am-a-frustrated-filmmaker-and-film-student-and-my-passion/) [Alex Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-graves/) > ['Game of Thrones' is the broadest of narratives. I don't know if anyone in the U.S. has done a story on such a large…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-graves/game-of-thrones-is-the-broadest-of-narratives-i-don-t-know-if-anyone/) [Alex Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-graves/) [Explore all 29 Alex Graves quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-graves/) ## More Directing quotes > [Anybody can direct a picture once they know the fundamentals. Directing is not a mystery, it's not an art. The main thing about directing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ford/anybody-can-direct-a-picture-once-they-know-the-fundamentals/) [John Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ford/) > [“I was ambitious and desperate to direct my first film, so I capitulated and blew it. Never again. Never fucking again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/i-was-ambitious-and-desperate-to-direct-my-first-film-so-i/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [That's what I learned most about directing on my own - you've got to build a family, a filmmaking family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-lance-black/that-s-what-i-learned-most-about-directing-on-my-own-you-ve-got-to/) [Dustin Lance Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-lance-black/) > [I took on the role of CEO, which involves directing the Management Team and overall day-to-day operations of 500.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-tsai/i-took-on-the-role-of-ceo-which-involves-directing-the-management/) [Christine Tsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-tsai/) > [Steven Spielberg seems to have wanted to be a director from 13. He put his dog in a certain position and made him eat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-brooks/steven-spielberg-seems-to-have-wanted-to-be-a-director-from-13-he-put/) [Albert Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-brooks/) > [When I see my movies on the editing table, I do think I could have done them a certain way. The satisfaction is never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sajid-nadiadwala/when-i-see-my-movies-on-the-editing-table-i-do-think-i-could-have/) [Sajid Nadiadwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sajid-nadiadwala/) > [For me the dream is the freedom to make all the crazy ideas I have in my head into movies. I truly love directing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-ozeki/for-me-the-dream-is-the-freedom-to-make-all-the-crazy-ideas-i-have-in/) [Nicholas Ozeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-ozeki/) > [The producing thing has come quite naturally to me. I feel like for directing, I would like to be more technically-savvy. I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/the-producing-thing-has-come-quite-naturally-to-me-i-feel-like-for/) [Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/) > [I'm addicted to directing!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-shankman/i-m-addicted-to-directing/) [Adam Shankman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-shankman/) > [Making a movie and not directing the little moments is like drinking a soda and leaving the little slurp puddle for someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/making-a-movie-and-not-directing-the-little-moments-is-like-drinking/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [Directing films is easier said than done. The job needs a lot of sensibility to put many things in place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-sethupathi/directing-films-is-easier-said-than-done-the-job-needs-a-lot-of/) [Vijay Sethupathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-sethupathi/) > [I starred in a Broadway play that was Sidney Poitier's first directing job and the cast was Lou Gossett, Cicely Tyson, Diana Ladd and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steinberg/i-starred-in-a-broadway-play-that-was-sidney-poitier-s-first/) [David Steinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steinberg/) > [I don't get nervous when I'm directing a play. It's not like acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-seymour-hoffman/i-don-t-get-nervous-when-i-m-directing-a-play-it-s-not-like-acting/) [Philip Seymour Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-seymour-hoffman/) > [My dad's a prominent theatre director in Toronto, so I grew up in that world, directing and producing theater since I was a teenager.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-gass-donnelly/my-dad-s-a-prominent-theatre-director-in-toronto-so-i-grew-up-in-that/) [Ed Gass-Donnelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-gass-donnelly/) > [The hardest part about directing is getting everyone on the same page.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-marshall/the-hardest-part-about-directing-is-getting-everyone-on-the-same-page/) [Rob Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-marshall/) Browse all 1,163 Directing quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Most TV shows are writing the next episode while you're directing the one you're doing, and they're trying to figure out what they're going to do, and they're putting it all together.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alex Graves" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-graves/most-tv-shows-are-writing-the-next-episode-while-you-re-directing-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Directing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-graves/most-tv-shows-are-writing-the-next-episode-while-you-re-directing-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffe/alex-graves-21348_directing_most-tv-shows-are-writing-the-next-episo_3166594.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffe/alex-graves-21348_directing_most-tv-shows-are-writing-the-next-episo_3166594.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffe/alex-graves-21348_directing_most-tv-shows-are-writing-the-next-episo_3166594.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Most TV shows are writing the next episode while you're directing the one you're doing, and they're trying…” — Alex Graves", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alex Graves", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-graves/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Most TV shows are writing the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-graves/most-tv-shows-are-writing-the-next-episode-while-you-re-directing-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-graves/most-tv-shows-are-writing-the-next-episode-while-you-re-directing-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```