--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every episode [in a TV series] is a…" description: "\"Every episode [in a TV series] is a challenge, and what's challenging in most episodes is the monster. You're always a heartbeat from the monster looki..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/512/steven-moffat-2328_challenges_every-episode-in-a-tv-series-is-a-challe_2880959.png" --- # Every episode \[in a TV series\] is a challenge, and what's… ![“Every episode [in a TV series] is a challenge, and what's challenging in most episodes is the monster. You're always a heartbeat from the monster looking ridiculous. You really have to work so hard to make them not look like ridiculous when they turn up on the set.” quote by Steven Moffat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/512/steven-moffat-2328_challenges_every-episode-in-a-tv-series-is-a-challe_2880959.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/512/steven-moffat-2328_challenges_every-episode-in-a-tv-series-is-a-challe_2880959.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/512/steven-moffat-2328_challenges_every-episode-in-a-tv-series-is-a-challe_2880959.png) > “Every episode \[in a TV series\] is a challenge, and what's challenging in most episodes is the monster. You're always a heartbeat from the monster looking ridiculous. You really have to work so hard to make them not look like ridiculous when they turn up on the set.” [Steven Moffat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-moffat/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Each episode presents a monster challenge; making it believable requires effort to avoid absurdity. **In simple terms:** Monsters need believable design. Key Takeaway Invest in thoughtful execution. Themes storytelling monster design production Mood practical analytical Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - TV production - theater - gaming Key Concepts creative writing visual effects Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance budget with monster quality? - What techniques hide imperfections? A Different Perspective Budget constraints can limit monster realism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Heartbeat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heartbeat/) [Monster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monster/) [Monsters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monsters/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Tv series](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tv-series/) ## Related quotes > [It is a curious thought, but it is only when you see people looking ridiculous that you realize just how much you love them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/it-is-a-curious-thought-but-it-is-only-when-you-see-people-looking/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [As an actor, you don't have much choice about your appearance. It's a good excuse for looking ridiculous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kit-harington/as-an-actor-you-don-t-have-much-choice-about-your-appearance-it-s-a/) [Kit Harington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kit-harington/) > [If you love someone tell them. Forget about the rules of the fear of looking ridiculous. What is truly ridiculous is passing up on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-love-someone-tell-them-forget-about-the-rules-of-the-fear-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Rock is ironic in that, up to a certain point, you can get better and better at it if you don't mind possibly looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/rock-is-ironic-in-that-up-to-a-certain-point-you-can-get-better-and/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [“When you find yourself looking ridiculous, reasoning isn't worth a damn.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osamu-dazai/when-you-find-yourself-looking-ridiculous-reasoning-isn-t-worth-a-damn/) [Osamu Dazai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osamu-dazai/) > [Anyone who takes himself too seriously always runs the risk of looking ridiculous; anyone who can consistently laugh at himself does not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/anyone-who-takes-himself-too-seriously-always-runs-the-risk-of/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [It is a curious thought, but it is only when u see people looking ridiculous that u realize just how much u love them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-a-curious-thought-but-it-is-only-when-u-see-people-looking/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A TV series is a long commitment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-loach/a-tv-series-is-a-long-commitment/) [Ken Loach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-loach/) > [Communication. 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I don't do a regular TV series because I don't want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-katt/i-like-to-spend-as-much-time-on-the-stage-as-possible-i-don-t-do-a/) [William Katt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-katt/) > [“Set out to correct the world's wrongs and you'll almost certainly wind up adding to them. -- from the TV series "Person of Interest",…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-segel-jonathan-nolan/set-out-to-correct-the-world-s-wrongs-and-you-ll-almost-certainly/) Amanda Segel Jonathan Nolan > [When the Batman TV series was taken to the silver screen, one of America's favourite sweethearts would don the mask and claws of Catwoman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/when-the-batman-tv-series-was-taken-to-the-silver-screen-one-of/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) > [I've always longed for the theatre and acting to be popular. No actor wants to play to an empty house. We only do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/i-ve-always-longed-for-the-theatre-and-acting-to-be-popular-no-actor/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) ## More by Steven Moffat > [Like most writers, I write about what has happened to me as that involves the minimum amount of research.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-moffat/like-most-writers-i-write-about-what-has-happened-to-me-as-that/) [Steven Moffat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-moffat/) > [“I'm not a psychopath, I'm a high-functioning sociopath. Do your research.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-moffat/i-m-not-a-psychopath-i-m-a-high-functioning-sociopath-do-your-research/) [Steven Moffat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-moffat/) > [ The Doctor: This is bad, I don't like this. \[kicks console and yells in pain\] Never use force, you just embarrass yourself. Unless you're… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-moffat/the-doctor-this-is-bad-i-don-t-like-this-kicks-console-and-yells-in/) [Steven Moffat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-moffat/) > [Don't play games with me! You just killed someone I like, that is not a safe place to stand! I'm the Doctor, and you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-moffat/don-t-play-games-with-me-you-just-killed-someone-i-like-that-is-not-a/) [Steven Moffat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-moffat/) > [The universe is big, its vast and complicated, and ridiculous. And sometimes, very rarely, impossible things just happen and we call them miracles. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-moffat/the-universe-is-big-its-vast-and-complicated-and-ridiculous-and/) [Steven Moffat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-moffat/) > [Fascinatingly confident, rude people are great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-moffat/fascinatingly-confident-rude-people-are-great/) [Steven Moffat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-moffat/) > [ Rose: Look at you, beaming away like you're Father Christmas! The Doctor: Who says I'm not, red-bicycle-when-you-were-twelve? Rose: \[shocked\] What? The Doctor: And everybody… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-moffat/rose-look-at-you-beaming-away-like-you-re-father-christmas-the-doctor/) [Steven Moffat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-moffat/) > [River Song? Amy Pond? Hardly weak women. It's the exact opposite. 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Remember the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-moffat/if-it-s-time-to-go-remember-what-you-re-leaving-remember-the-best/) [Steven Moffat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-moffat/) > [The Doctor: 'You know when grown-ups tell you everything's going to be fine, but you really think they're lying to make you feel better?'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-moffat/the-doctor-you-know-when-grown-ups-tell-you-everything-s-going-to-be/) [Steven Moffat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-moffat/) > [“Hello, old friend. And here we are. You and me, on the last page. By the time you read these words, Rory and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-moffat/hello-old-friend-and-here-we-are-you-and-me-on-the-last-page-by-the/) [Steven Moffat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-moffat/) > [“Rory: Amy. I'm gonna need a little help here. Amy: Just stop it! Rory: Just think it through, this will work. This will kill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-moffat/rory-amy-i-m-gonna-need-a-little-help-here-amy-just-stop-it-rory-just/) [Steven Moffat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-moffat/) > [Brainy's the new sexy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-moffat/brainy-s-the-new-sexy/) [Steven Moffat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-moffat/) [Explore all 169 Steven Moffat quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-moffat/) ## More Challenges quotes > [I know for my wife and I, we always loved the idea of being young parents. It is an incredibly inspiring and challenging job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hanson/i-know-for-my-wife-and-i-we-always-loved-the-idea-of-being-young/) [Taylor Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hanson/) > [Our biggest challenge is to eliminate the popular perception that economists don't have anything useful to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zandi/our-biggest-challenge-is-to-eliminate-the-popular-perception-that/) [Mark Zandi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zandi/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [I think the next 50 years are going to present the human race with challenges that so far exceed the limitations of geopolitical boundaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-think-the-next-50-years-are-going-to-present-the-human-race-with/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [“Doing the work to transform your dreams into reality is like walking across the earth. It can be that hard, and it can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dragos-bratasanu/doing-the-work-to-transform-your-dreams-into-reality-is-like-walking/) [Dragos Bratasanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dragos-bratasanu/) > [I want to be perceived as a guy who played his best in all facets, not just scoring. A guy who loved challenges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/i-want-to-be-perceived-as-a-guy-who-played-his-best-in-all-facets-not/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [People in great groups have blinders on. Their work is all they see. They value failures as learning opportunities. They are optimistic, not realistic,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-g-bennis/people-in-great-groups-have-blinders-on-their-work-is-all-they-see/) [Warren G. Bennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-bennis/) > [If, as I anticipate, a wide array of personal, portable information/communication devices becomes increasingly important and widespread for information-intensive users, it will be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/if-as-i-anticipate-a-wide-array-of-personal-portable-information/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [“Two powerful, little words I've learned to use when facing challenges, fears, and doubts— so what? ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/two-powerful-little-words-i-ve-learned-to-use-when-facing-challenges/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [It's a challenge to work a character's arc into a format in which you only have a very limited amount of time to grow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginnifer-goodwin/it-s-a-challenge-to-work-a-character-s-arc-into-a-format-in-which-you/) [Ginnifer Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginnifer-goodwin/) > [I personally think if something's not a challenge, there's no point doing it, because you're not gonna learn much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-personally-think-if-something-s-not-a-challenge-there-s-no-point/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Men want a challenge, but they want a challenge they can win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-gaskell/men-want-a-challenge-but-they-want-a-challenge-they-can-win/) Whitney Gaskell > [Growing up with a parent in the army, I saw firsthand the challenges our service members face when transitioning to new jobs after time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharice-davids/growing-up-with-a-parent-in-the-army-i-saw-firsthand-the-challenges/) [Sharice Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharice-davids/) > [Nobody challenges me. I challenge myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakuntala-devi/nobody-challenges-me-i-challenge-myself/) [Shakuntala Devi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakuntala-devi/) > [Challenging is good, like good conversation, yes? Who wants to have dinner with the same old easy listening music sounding friends all the time?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/challenging-is-good-like-good-conversation-yes-who-wants-to-have/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) [Browse all 8,851 Challenges quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Every episode [in a TV series] is a challenge, and what's challenging in most episodes is the monster. You're always a heartbeat from the monster looking ridiculous. 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