--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The great thing about working in cable is…" description: "\"The great thing about working in cable is that, since the season is truncated - we only do 12 shows - the writers are more at ease in terms of mapping ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/189/jimmy-smits-3297_cable_the-great-thing-about-working-in-cable-i_532371.jpg" --- # The great thing about working in cable is that, since the… ![“The great thing about working in cable is that, since the season is truncated - we only do 12 shows - the writers are more at ease in terms of mapping out the trajectory of the story and the characters.” quote by Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/189/jimmy-smits-3297_cable_the-great-thing-about-working-in-cable-i_532371.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/189/jimmy-smits-3297_cable_the-great-thing-about-working-in-cable-i_532371.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/189/jimmy-smits-3297_cable_the-great-thing-about-working-in-cable-i_532371.jpg) > “The great thing about working in cable is that, since the season is truncated - we only do 12 shows - the writers are more at ease in terms of mapping out the trajectory of the story and the characters.” [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Limited episode count lets writers plan character arcs more deliberately, reducing pressure and improving narrative cohesion. **In simple terms:** Fewer shows enable careful story planning. Key Takeaway Plan arcs early when constraints exist. Themes storytelling planning creativity Mood reflective optimistic Type industry insight creative process When to use this quote - TV series production - scriptwriting - season planning Key Concepts narrative structure character development Questions to Reflect On - How does episode count affect character depth? - Can constraints boost creativity? A Different Perspective Limited episodes may reduce audience engagement opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) ## Related quotes > [With network shows, writers can be so protective of every syllable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shanks/with-network-shows-writers-can-be-so-protective-of-every-syllable/) [Michael Shanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shanks/) > [The show girls do, like, 12 shows a day. I only did one or two shows a day, and I was like, 'I need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-hadid/the-show-girls-do-like-12-shows-a-day-i-only-did-one-or-two-shows-a/) [Bella Hadid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-hadid/) > [We did like 12 shows, then we did the entire Ozzfest with the first half completely booked; then we did the second half with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-araya/we-did-like-12-shows-then-we-did-the-entire-ozzfest-with-the-first/) [Tom Araya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-araya/) > [And actually, about three weeks ago, Micky, Peter and I were in Vegas at the MGM Grand. And we did about 12 shows in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davy-jones/and-actually-about-three-weeks-ago-micky-peter-and-i-were-in-vegas-at/) [Davy Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/davy-jones/) > [I did 12 shows in 13 weeks at a summer theater in Maine where we were paid $35 a week. After taxes and $25…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/i-did-12-shows-in-13-weeks-at-a-summer-theater-in-maine-where-we-were/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [With the advent of cable and such, you guys are calling it the golden age of TV in terms of the writing and stuff.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/with-the-advent-of-cable-and-such-you-guys-are-calling-it-the-golden/) [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) > [There's discussion in athletics about how sport - where they say 'SportsCenter' has ruined the fundamentals of basketball because it's - it only applauds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-pfeiffer/there-s-discussion-in-athletics-about-how-sport-where-they-say/) [Dan Pfeiffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-pfeiffer/) > [I didn't have cable growing up. I never saw ESPN or GameDay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-ponder/i-didn-t-have-cable-growing-up-i-never-saw-espn-or-gameday/) [Samantha Ponder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-ponder/) > [All three networks have always had a morning show but now cable of course is taking some of that audience away and a variety…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-couric/all-three-networks-have-always-had-a-morning-show-but-now-cable-of/) [Katie Couric](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-couric/) > [We are in a time, because of the proliferation of online media and a hundred channels on cable, where teenagers and young adults and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-grayer/we-are-in-a-time-because-of-the-proliferation-of-online-media-and-a/) [Jonathan Grayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-grayer/) > [Cable TV? Stressful? Never.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-bash/cable-tv-stressful-never/) [Dana Bash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-bash/) > [With the recession, people are having to choose between their cable and their internet connection. And think about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosario-dawson/with-the-recession-people-are-having-to-choose-between-their-cable/) [Rosario Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosario-dawson/) > [Cable would not translate into the public radio universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-williams/cable-would-not-translate-into-the-public-radio-universe/) [Juan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-williams/) > [The whole cable-TV original programming just changed the nature of television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anson-mount/the-whole-cable-tv-original-programming-just-changed-the-nature-of/) [Anson Mount](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anson-mount/) > [What Cable is up to is not something that can be done quietly. It will raise the interest of some pretty important people and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeph-loeb/what-cable-is-up-to-is-not-something-that-can-be-done-quietly-it-will/) [Jeph Loeb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeph-loeb/) ## More by Jimmy Smits > [Growing up in New York, we lived all around the city depending on our economic circumstance. I also lived in Puerto Rico for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/growing-up-in-new-york-we-lived-all-around-the-city-depending-on-our/) [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) > [I left 'L.A. Law' after five years when my contract was up because I felt I had done all I could do with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/i-left-l-a-law-after-five-years-when-my-contract-was-up-because-i/) [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) > [I don't feel I have to acknowledge how I'm doing by an award.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/i-don-t-feel-i-have-to-acknowledge-how-i-m-doing-by-an-award/) [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) > [People become actors because they want to hide, and it's not easy to talk about myself. I accept that a certain responsibility goes with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/people-become-actors-because-they-want-to-hide-and-it-s-not-easy-to/) [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) > [What struck me more than anything is how the people that are involved in government start out from a place of really wanting to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/what-struck-me-more-than-anything-is-how-the-people-that-are-involved/) [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) > [As an actor, you think to yourself, 'I want to do good work,' but you also want the work that you do to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/as-an-actor-you-think-to-yourself-i-want-to-do-good-work-but-you-also/) [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) > [I have no tattoos at all - it was a huge undertaking for me in the '80s to let my parents know I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/i-have-no-tattoos-at-all-it-was-a-huge-undertaking-for-me-in-the-80s/) [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) > [It just makes you feel proud, more than anything else, that the work has in some way transcended itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/it-just-makes-you-feel-proud-more-than-anything-else-that-the-work/) [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) > [The most obvious thing that comes to mind is the loss of one's privacy. Your life becomes an open book, but I've found ways…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/the-most-obvious-thing-that-comes-to-mind-is-the-loss-of-one-s/) [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) > [Michael C. Hall is an incredibly detailed actor who can convey so much with just an eyebrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/michael-c-hall-is-an-incredibly-detailed-actor-who-can-convey-so-much/) [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) > [The Fourth of July concert is invigorating in so many ways, in terms of what it feels like to be an American.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/the-fourth-of-july-concert-is-invigorating-in-so-many-ways-in-terms/) [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) > [You have to be like a sponge and use what you can and how it relates because TV is fluid. Things change on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/you-have-to-be-like-a-sponge-and-use-what-you-can-and-how-it-relates/) [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) > [California has been very good to me in terms of the professional arena.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/california-has-been-very-good-to-me-in-terms-of-the-professional-arena/) [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) > [I save the rage for the stage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/i-save-the-rage-for-the-stage/) [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) > [I almost feel like sometimes when I'm on location, you miss your home and your family and all that stuff, but it keeps you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/i-almost-feel-like-sometimes-when-i-m-on-location-you-miss-your-home/) [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) [Explore all 134 Jimmy Smits quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) ## More Cable quotes > [What Cable is up to is not something that can be done quietly. It will raise the interest of some pretty important people and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeph-loeb/what-cable-is-up-to-is-not-something-that-can-be-done-quietly-it-will/) [Jeph Loeb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeph-loeb/) > [The whole cable-TV original programming just changed the nature of television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anson-mount/the-whole-cable-tv-original-programming-just-changed-the-nature-of/) [Anson Mount](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anson-mount/) > [Cable would not translate into the public radio universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-williams/cable-would-not-translate-into-the-public-radio-universe/) [Juan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-williams/) > [With the recession, people are having to choose between their cable and their internet connection. And think about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosario-dawson/with-the-recession-people-are-having-to-choose-between-their-cable/) [Rosario Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosario-dawson/) > [Cable TV? Stressful? Never.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-bash/cable-tv-stressful-never/) [Dana Bash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-bash/) > [We are in a time, because of the proliferation of online media and a hundred channels on cable, where teenagers and young adults and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-grayer/we-are-in-a-time-because-of-the-proliferation-of-online-media-and-a/) [Jonathan Grayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-grayer/) > [All three networks have always had a morning show but now cable of course is taking some of that audience away and a variety…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-couric/all-three-networks-have-always-had-a-morning-show-but-now-cable-of/) [Katie Couric](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-couric/) > [I didn't have cable growing up. I never saw ESPN or GameDay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-ponder/i-didn-t-have-cable-growing-up-i-never-saw-espn-or-gameday/) [Samantha Ponder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-ponder/) > [There's discussion in athletics about how sport - where they say 'SportsCenter' has ruined the fundamentals of basketball because it's - it only applauds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-pfeiffer/there-s-discussion-in-athletics-about-how-sport-where-they-say/) [Dan Pfeiffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-pfeiffer/) > [Cable is not bound because people pay for it. It's literally a choice, that's the operative word. If you don't like the language, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/cable-is-not-bound-because-people-pay-for-it-it-s-literally-a-choice/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [All of the people who are using their BlackBerries or their iPhones, Facebook, all of the people who are sitting in cafes and hotels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/all-of-the-people-who-are-using-their-blackberries-or-their-iphones/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [Cable had a latitude to move which created less censorship and bestowed upon the artists, the writers and the creators, more liberty to create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-gillies/cable-had-a-latitude-to-move-which-created-less-censorship-and/) [Daniel Gillies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-gillies/) > [How do you do something where you're able to be specific and edgy enough to compete with what the cable networks are doing and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-katims/how-do-you-do-something-where-you-re-able-to-be-specific-and-edgy/) [Jason Katims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-katims/) > [I didn't have cable, so YouTube was my cartoons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-chamberlain/i-didn-t-have-cable-so-youtube-was-my-cartoons/) [Emma Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-chamberlain/) > [Look, we can definitively agree that cable is far superior to network. That isn't to say that there can't be a great network drama…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/look-we-can-definitively-agree-that-cable-is-far-superior-to-network/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) Browse all 245 Cable quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The great thing about working in cable is that, since the season is truncated - we only do 12 shows - the writers are more at ease in terms of mapping out the trajectory of the story and the characters.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jimmy Smits" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/the-great-thing-about-working-in-cable-is-that-since-the-season-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cable" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/the-great-thing-about-working-in-cable-is-that-since-the-season-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/189/jimmy-smits-3297_cable_the-great-thing-about-working-in-cable-i_532371.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/189/jimmy-smits-3297_cable_the-great-thing-about-working-in-cable-i_532371.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/189/jimmy-smits-3297_cable_the-great-thing-about-working-in-cable-i_532371.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The great thing about working in cable is that, since the season is truncated - we only do 12 shows - the…” — Jimmy Smits", "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": "Jimmy Smits", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The great thing about working in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/the-great-thing-about-working-in-cable-is-that-since-the-season-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/the-great-thing-about-working-in-cable-is-that-since-the-season-is/#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 } } ] } ```