---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: With any television series - and it's…"
description: "\"With any television series - and it's something that is taken for granted with movies because you have the whole arc within two hours - you establish w..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/974/rashida-jones-2217_accepted_with-any-television-series-and-it-s-some_2257327.jpg"
---

#  With any television series - and it's something that is…

![“With any television series - and it's something that is taken for granted with movies because you have the whole arc within two hours - you establish who the character is and it's a two-dimensional version, or if you're lucky, a two and a half-dimensional character. Once you establish that, you…” quote by Rashida Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/974/rashida-jones-2217_accepted_with-any-television-series-and-it-s-some_2257327.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/974/rashida-jones-2217_accepted_with-any-television-series-and-it-s-some_2257327.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/974/rashida-jones-2217_accepted_with-any-television-series-and-it-s-some_2257327.jpg)

> “With any television series - and it's something that is taken for granted with movies because you have the whole arc within two hours - you establish who the character is and it's a two-dimensional version, or if you're lucky, a two and a half-dimensional character. Once you establish that, you can move forward and break all the rules. Once the audience has accepted who the person is, then you can do the exact opposite. What makes it funny and interesting is doing the opposite.”

[Rashida Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-jones/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

After establishing a character’s identity, breaking expectations creates humor and intrigue, using contrast to engage audiences.

**In simple terms:** Set expectations, then subvert them for effect.

Key Takeaway

Use contrast to surprise and entertain.

Themes

storytelling humor character development

Mood

playful energetic

Type

creative educational

When to use this quote

- TV writing
- comedy sketches
- character arcs
- improvisation

Key Concepts

narrative theory expectation subversion

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you balance consistency with surprise?
- When is breaking a rule most effective?

A Different Perspective

Risk of alienating audience if subversion feels forced.

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