--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Their argument is that most shows are…" description: "\"Their argument is that most shows are losers, which is true, but it's also disingenuous to say, 'We are not going to take the risk unless it is totally..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b2/dick-wolf-17740_argument_their-argument-is-that-most-shows-are-lo_2681379.jpg" --- # Their argument is that most shows are losers, which is… ![“Their argument is that most shows are losers, which is true, but it's also disingenuous to say, 'We are not going to take the risk unless it is totally covered by the few successful shows that are out there.'” quote by Dick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b2/dick-wolf-17740_argument_their-argument-is-that-most-shows-are-lo_2681379.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b2/dick-wolf-17740_argument_their-argument-is-that-most-shows-are-lo_2681379.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b2/dick-wolf-17740_argument_their-argument-is-that-most-shows-are-lo_2681379.jpg) > “Their argument is that most shows are losers, which is true, but it's also disingenuous to say, 'We are not going to take the risk unless it is totally covered by the few successful shows that are out there.'” [Dick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. TV shows are often dismissed as failures, yet risk‑taking is essential despite low odds of success. **In simple terms:** Shows are risky; many fail, but risk is necessary. Key Takeaway Embrace calculated risk in creative projects. Themes creativity risk media industry Mood cautious hopeful Type practical inspirational When to use this quote - pilot development - network pitching - budget planning - audience testing Key Concepts business strategy innovation Questions to Reflect On - What risks are worth taking in your field? - How do you mitigate potential failures? A Different Perspective Risk can lead to financial loss and burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) [Covered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/covered/) [Disingenuous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disingenuous/) [Going Risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-risk-638973/) [Loser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loser/) [Losers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/losers/) [Losers True](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/losers-true-2583828/) [Risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk/) [Shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shows/) [Shows Losers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shows-losers-2583827/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Successful Shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful-shows-2128650/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) ## Related quotes > [Successful shows will always generate great business deals in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-dubuc/successful-shows-will-always-generate-great-business-deals-in-the/) [Nancy Dubuc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-dubuc/) > [I can say with pride verging on smugness that I've got two very successful shows that assume their audience is very smart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-moffat/i-can-say-with-pride-verging-on-smugness-that-i-ve-got-two-very/) [Steven Moffat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-moffat/) > [I feel TV has a wider reach in terms of audience. Also, if you have successful shows - I had quite a few luckily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohnish-bahl/i-feel-tv-has-a-wider-reach-in-terms-of-audience-also-if-you-have/) [Mohnish Bahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohnish-bahl/) > [I had tremendous success in show business - star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. 'The Apprentice' was one of the most successful shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-had-tremendous-success-in-show-business-star-on-the-hollywood-walk/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [There's been a lot of successful shows like 'This Is Us,' 'Atlanta,' and 'Insecure,' so, I feel like whenever something works, Hollywood wants to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-waithe/there-s-been-a-lot-of-successful-shows-like-this-is-us-atlanta-and/) [Lena Waithe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-waithe/) > [A lot of people in television who've had successful shows claim the 'Roseanne' show as their starting place, and I'm really proud of that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roseanne-barr/a-lot-of-people-in-television-who-ve-had-successful-shows-claim-the/) [Roseanne Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roseanne-barr/) > [If you're going to risk dying, there's no sense doing it wet, cold and hungry unless absolutely necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-e-feist/if-you-re-going-to-risk-dying-there-s-no-sense-doing-it-wet-cold-and/) [Raymond E. Feist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-e-feist/) > [If I have positions going against me, I get right out; if they are going for me, I keep them Risk control is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tudor-jones/if-i-have-positions-going-against-me-i-get-right-out-if-they-are/) [Paul Tudor Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tudor-jones/) > [Honestly, I'm not perfect & I don't pretend to be. But I only have one life to live & I'm going to take every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/honestly-i-m-not-perfect-i-don-t-pretend-to-be-but-i-only-have-one/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [If you're going to take a risk, some people will like what you offer, and some definitely won't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/if-you-re-going-to-take-a-risk-some-people-will-like-what-you-offer/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) > [And then at the end of the day, the most important thing is how good are you at risk control. Ninety-percent of any great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tudor-jones/and-then-at-the-end-of-the-day-the-most-important-thing-is-how-good/) [Paul Tudor Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tudor-jones/) > [I realized - and I think I learned this at a young age - that anything that's worth anything, you're going to take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-deville/i-realized-and-i-think-i-learned-this-at-a-young-age-that-anything/) [Sonya Deville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-deville/) > [If you're going to take a risk as a comic, make sure it's surrounded by other things that you're certain are funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/if-you-re-going-to-take-a-risk-as-a-comic-make-sure-it-s-surrounded/) [Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/) > [It was always going to be a risk to go away, reinvent the band, and come back and release this new stuff, which has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calum-hood/it-was-always-going-to-be-a-risk-to-go-away-reinvent-the-band-and/) [Calum Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calum-hood/) > [If you are going to have a risk-taking culture, you can't really look at every failure as a failure, you've got to be able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/satya-nadella/if-you-are-going-to-have-a-risk-taking-culture-you-can-t-really-look/) [Satya Nadella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/satya-nadella/) ## More by Dick Wolf > [There was an interesting article in Los Angeles Magazine about women directors. A woman director makes one bad independent film and her career is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-wolf/there-was-an-interesting-article-in-los-angeles-magazine-about-women/) [Dick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/) > [I don't think you can really make television based on what you think audiences want. You can only make stories that you like, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-wolf/i-don-t-think-you-can-really-make-television-based-on-what-you-think/) [Dick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/) > [There are professional negotiators working for the writers and the actors, but basically you've got the writers and actors negotiating against businessmen. That's why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-wolf/there-are-professional-negotiators-working-for-the-writers-and-the/) [Dick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/) > [The story drove the book. That had a very seminal effect on the way I saw writing and storytelling. If you can set a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-wolf/the-story-drove-the-book-that-had-a-very-seminal-effect-on-the-way-i/) [Dick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/) > [I've known John Landgraf for 20 years. He said it perfectly. People will ask if I've seen X. My response has often been, 'Seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-wolf/i-ve-known-john-landgraf-for-20-years-he-said-it-perfectly-people/) [Dick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/) > [People recognize certain things, like 'D' means 'this dialogue stinks.' We're dealing with shows that are written here, shot in New York and posted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-wolf/people-recognize-certain-things-like-d-means-this-dialogue-stinks-we/) [Dick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/) > [I consider myself one of the luckiest people in the history of show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-wolf/i-consider-myself-one-of-the-luckiest-people-in-the-history-of-show/) [Dick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/) > [The threat to free television. The reason television is free is because it is a life support system for commercials. That fundamental aspect is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-wolf/the-threat-to-free-television-the-reason-television-is-free-is/) [Dick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/) > [People do have viewing patterns, and you disrupt those at your own peril. That's something that everybody learned after 1988. The numbers have gone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-wolf/people-do-have-viewing-patterns-and-you-disrupt-those-at-your-own/) [Dick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/) > [I think most people don't react well to being screamed at. It's counterproductive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-wolf/i-think-most-people-don-t-react-well-to-being-screamed-at-it-s/) [Dick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/) > [Advertising is the art of the tiny. You have to tell a complete a story and deliver a complete message in a very encapsulated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-wolf/advertising-is-the-art-of-the-tiny-you-have-to-tell-a-complete-a/) [Dick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/) > [And the consumer doesn't care. They don't watch networks, they watch TV shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-wolf/and-the-consumer-doesn-t-care-they-don-t-watch-networks-they-watch-tv/) [Dick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/) > [I hardly see myself as a futurist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-wolf/i-hardly-see-myself-as-a-futurist/) [Dick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/) > [I would say that if you really wished to be a working member of the community, don't go out on strike because then there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-wolf/i-would-say-that-if-you-really-wished-to-be-a-working-member-of-the/) [Dick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/) > [There are other options out there, after all, like read a book, go on the Internet, rent a movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-wolf/there-are-other-options-out-there-after-all-like-read-a-book-go-on/) [Dick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/) [Explore all 36 Dick Wolf quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/) ## More Argument quotes > [A flourishing, morally credible media is a vital component in the maintenance of genuinely public talk, argument about common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/a-flourishing-morally-credible-media-is-a-vital-component-in-the/) [Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/) > [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [Lutherans, whose arguments and mistakes will not be difficult to contest or discover, do not want to attribute any value to works, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-servetus/lutherans-whose-arguments-and-mistakes-will-not-be-difficult-to/) [Michael Servetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-servetus/) > [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [There could be no more powerful argument against mixing religion and government than the success of independent African American churches in placing racial segregation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/there-could-be-no-more-powerful-argument-against-mixing-religion-and/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [On the stage, the characters express themselves more through words than images. So the arguments of the characters and the tension between characters -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/on-the-stage-the-characters-express-themselves-more-through-words/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [One argument goes that recessions are good for female artists because when money flies out the window, women are allowed in the house. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/one-argument-goes-that-recessions-are-good-for-female-artists-because/) [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) > [All of the barriers to innovation in the energy sector are arguments for a big commitment to public investment. Only the public sector can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nordhaus/all-of-the-barriers-to-innovation-in-the-energy-sector-are-arguments/) [Ted Nordhaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nordhaus/) > [“Arguments led by subjectivity are a waste of time. And, if they take place online, add to that, a waste of one’s keyboard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/arguments-led-by-subjectivity-are-a-waste-of-time-and-if-they-take/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [If in the middle of an argument I suddenly fall silent it does not mean you have won... No it means you should probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-nishah/if-in-the-middle-of-an-argument-i-suddenly-fall-silent-it-does-not/) [Hussein Nishah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-nishah/) > [Don't get divorced after your first argument! I have a lot of friends that have one fight and that's it, they get divorced. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-ripa/don-t-get-divorced-after-your-first-argument-i-have-a-lot-of-friends/) [Kelly Ripa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-ripa/) > [“The motive behind my arguments have always been to come at truth. I am not interested in conquering anyone with my ideologies or seeking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crystal-evans/the-motive-behind-my-arguments-have-always-been-to-come-at-truth-i-am/) [Crystal Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crystal-evans/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) [Browse all 3,479 Argument quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Their argument is that most shows are losers, which is true, but it's also disingenuous to say, 'We are not going to take the risk unless it is totally covered by the few successful shows that are out there.'", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dick Wolf" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-wolf/their-argument-is-that-most-shows-are-losers-which-is-true-but-it-s/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Argument" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-wolf/their-argument-is-that-most-shows-are-losers-which-is-true-but-it-s/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b2/dick-wolf-17740_argument_their-argument-is-that-most-shows-are-lo_2681379.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b2/dick-wolf-17740_argument_their-argument-is-that-most-shows-are-lo_2681379.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b2/dick-wolf-17740_argument_their-argument-is-that-most-shows-are-lo_2681379.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Their argument is that most shows are losers, which is true, but it's also disingenuous to say, 'We are not…” — Dick Wolf", "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": "Dick Wolf", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Their argument is that most shows...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-wolf/their-argument-is-that-most-shows-are-losers-which-is-true-but-it-s/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-wolf/their-argument-is-that-most-shows-are-losers-which-is-true-but-it-s/#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 } } ] } ```