--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The thing with being on a series that…" description: "\"The thing with being on a series that runs that long is that the writers run out of things to do.\" — Ted Shackelford" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df5/ted-shackelford-24028_long_the-thing-with-being-on-a-series-that-ru_1111499.png" --- # The thing with being on a series that runs that long is… ![“The thing with being on a series that runs that long is that the writers run out of things to do.” quote by Ted Shackelford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df5/ted-shackelford-24028_long_the-thing-with-being-on-a-series-that-ru_1111499.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df5/ted-shackelford-24028_long_the-thing-with-being-on-a-series-that-ru_1111499.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df5/ted-shackelford-24028_long_the-thing-with-being-on-a-series-that-ru_1111499.png) > “The thing with being on a series that runs that long is that the writers run out of things to do.” [Ted Shackelford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-shackelford/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Long-running series eventually exhaust creative ideas, leading to repetitive plots. **In simple terms:** Series can run out of fresh ideas over time. Key Takeaway Seek fresh angles to keep stories alive. Themes creativity media longevity Mood reflective analytical Type critical observational When to use this quote - TV writing - script development - showrunner meetings - creative retreats Key Concepts storytelling fatigue writer's block Questions to Reflect On - How can writers sustain originality? - What strategies prevent plot stagnation? A Different Perspective May not apply to all series; some reinvent successfully. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [For as long as writers have written, they've had second thoughts about their work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-konnikova/for-as-long-as-writers-have-written-they-ve-had-second-thoughts-about/) [Maria Konnikova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-konnikova/) > [TV is where writers get to tell interesting stories. Because writers, for the most part, run television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-gilligan/tv-is-where-writers-get-to-tell-interesting-stories-because-writers/) [Vince Gilligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-gilligan/) > [I believe that writers run out of material, I really do. I believe very strongly in the fact that when the natural time is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-wilson/i-believe-that-writers-run-out-of-material-i-really-do-i-believe-very/) [Brian Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-wilson/) > [What interests me very much as a writer is the ability for writing to have our lives to be occupied so vividly by others.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/what-interests-me-very-much-as-a-writer-is-the-ability-for-writing-to/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [Readers have a loyalty that cannot be matched anywhere else in the creative arts, which explains why so many writers who have run out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/readers-have-a-loyalty-that-cannot-be-matched-anywhere-else-in-the/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [I think writing is a process that starts long before the writers are actually writers and probably goes on long afterward. It's rather like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/i-think-writing-is-a-process-that-starts-long-before-the-writers-are/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [That's the definition of a mini-series. A mini-series is a show that has no continuing story or narrative elements between one group of episodes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-landgraf/that-s-the-definition-of-a-mini-series-a-mini-series-is-a-show-that/) [John Landgraf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-landgraf/) > [I don't really watch TV series because I don't want to get hooked on them and have them suck up all my time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-ward/i-don-t-really-watch-tv-series-because-i-don-t-want-to-get-hooked-on/) [M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-ward/) > [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/) > [ I missed the whole thing \[X-files series\]. And I know it went for nine seasons, and I think I saw bits and pieces of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhys-darby/i-missed-the-whole-thing-x-files-series-and-i-know-it-went-for-nine/) [Rhys Darby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhys-darby/) > [Frankly, I didn't want to do a television series because of the grind mainly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-wahl/frankly-i-didn-t-want-to-do-a-television-series-because-of-the-grind/) [Ken Wahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-wahl/) > [It's different as a guest as opposed to being a star of a series. A guest star is a whole different responsibility. It's much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-wahlberg/it-s-different-as-a-guest-as-opposed-to-being-a-star-of-a-series-a/) [Donnie Wahlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-wahlberg/) > [We've been pretty successful over the years, not necessarily adding series regulars, but just bringing long-term recurring characters. In my opinion, it's sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-korsh/we-ve-been-pretty-successful-over-the-years-not-necessarily-adding/) [Aaron Korsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-korsh/) > [Television series are like the stock market. There's room for bears and bulls but no room for pigs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/television-series-are-like-the-stock-market-there-s-room-for-bears/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) ## More by Ted Shackelford > [What happens if you're the guy who's been on the show ten years and is highly paid but they have nothing for you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-shackelford/what-happens-if-you-re-the-guy-who-s-been-on-the-show-ten-years-and/) [Ted Shackelford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-shackelford/) > [I remember the actor Dale Robertson said he quit acting when he got tired of having to hold his stomach in. I feel that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-shackelford/i-remember-the-actor-dale-robertson-said-he-quit-acting-when-he-got/) [Ted Shackelford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-shackelford/) > [Everything I have in life comes from Knots Landing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-shackelford/everything-i-have-in-life-comes-from-knots-landing/) [Ted Shackelford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-shackelford/) > [I can't really recall the first time I was noticed by a producer but the first time I was on television was doing Daytime…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-shackelford/i-can-t-really-recall-the-first-time-i-was-noticed-by-a-producer-but/) [Ted Shackelford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-shackelford/) > [I was in a Paris for four or five days and I couldn't believe the reaction I got there. It was just bizarre; people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-shackelford/i-was-in-a-paris-for-four-or-five-days-and-i-couldn-t-believe-the/) [Ted Shackelford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-shackelford/) > [I act for the reality, for the moment, and most of all I do it for the process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-shackelford/i-act-for-the-reality-for-the-moment-and-most-of-all-i-do-it-for-the/) [Ted Shackelford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-shackelford/) > [I have no interest in writing, directing or producing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-shackelford/i-have-no-interest-in-writing-directing-or-producing/) [Ted Shackelford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-shackelford/) > [My wife is Danish and we go to Denmark a couple of times a year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-shackelford/my-wife-is-danish-and-we-go-to-denmark-a-couple-of-times-a-year/) [Ted Shackelford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-shackelford/) > [The reason that people say one line at junkets is that they've heard the same question 37 times. You get bored out of your mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-shackelford/the-reason-that-people-say-one-line-at-junkets-is-that-they-ve-heard/) [Ted Shackelford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-shackelford/) > [In January '77 I went out to LA and have been here 26 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-shackelford/in-january-77-i-went-out-to-la-and-have-been-here-26-years/) [Ted Shackelford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-shackelford/) > [On daytime they continue to revisit a lot of the same stuff while nighttime does move on and show development.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-shackelford/on-daytime-they-continue-to-revisit-a-lot-of-the-same-stuff-while/) [Ted Shackelford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-shackelford/) > [The decision as to why a show makes it has to do with politics and money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-shackelford/the-decision-as-to-why-a-show-makes-it-has-to-do-with-politics-and/) [Ted Shackelford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-shackelford/) > [I have German Shepherds that I train and have brought back to Germany. I love going there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-shackelford/i-have-german-shepherds-that-i-train-and-have-brought-back-to-germany/) [Ted Shackelford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-shackelford/) > [I went to the Westminster College for Men in Missouri, which is what it was called back then, and transferred to the University of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-shackelford/i-went-to-the-westminster-college-for-men-in-missouri-which-is-what/) [Ted Shackelford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-shackelford/) > [But no, I'm still living in LA and haven't dropped off the face of the earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-shackelford/but-no-i-m-still-living-in-la-and-haven-t-dropped-off-the-face-of-the/) [Ted Shackelford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-shackelford/) [Explore all 25 Ted Shackelford quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-shackelford/) ## More Long quotes > [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [I would borrow money all day long, if the cost of borrowing is less than the expected return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/i-would-borrow-money-all-day-long-if-the-cost-of-borrowing-is-less/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [Regardless of the criticisms I receive from the left, the right and the middle, I think it's important to maintain a prolific writing jab,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-reed/regardless-of-the-criticisms-i-receive-from-the-left-the-right-and/) [Ishmael Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-reed/) > [Contradictory precepts that have guided me for as long as I can remember: 1: I will live forever. 2: I will die tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-gardner/contradictory-precepts-that-have-guided-me-for-as-long-as-i-can/) [Howard Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-gardner/) > [Public infrastructure around the world is facing unprecedented stress, with hurricanes, cyclones, floods and forest fires all increasing in frequency and intensity. It's easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/public-infrastructure-around-the-world-is-facing-unprecedented-stress/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [The real world out there isn't nearly as nice as some people prefer it to be, so don't swallow everything your high-born teachers tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-real-world-out-there-isn-t-nearly-as-nice-as-some-people-prefer/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [ \[The Dalai Lama\] told me some years ago, "I've made every concession to China, and I've been as open and tolerant as I could,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pico-iyer/the-dalai-lama-told-me-some-years-ago-i-ve-made-every-concession-to/) [Pico Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pico-iyer/) > [I genuinely did not expect more than half our nation to choose to walk away from our long-term allies into the arms of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-reade/i-genuinely-did-not-expect-more-than-half-our-nation-to-choose-to/) Brian Reade > [Long before the 2016 presidential campaign, confidential sources had alerted me to longstanding misuses of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court system and the erosion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharyl-attkisson/long-before-the-2016-presidential-campaign-confidential-sources-had/) [Sharyl Attkisson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharyl-attkisson/) > [History has often showed us the strength of the forces that are unleashed by the yearning for freedom. It moved people to overcome their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/history-has-often-showed-us-the-strength-of-the-forces-that-are/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [From as long as I can remember, I was always fond of drawing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-lucia/from-as-long-as-i-can-remember-i-was-always-fond-of-drawing/) [St. Lucia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-lucia/) > [I was born and raised in Orlando, where the economy and culture has been powerfully shaped by tourism, and so I've long been interested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-van-den-berg/i-was-born-and-raised-in-orlando-where-the-economy-and-culture-has/) [Laura van den Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-van-den-berg/) > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) Browse all 39,551 Long quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The thing with being on a series that runs that long is that the writers run out of things to do.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ted Shackelford" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-shackelford/the-thing-with-being-on-a-series-that-runs-that-long-is-that-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Long" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-shackelford/the-thing-with-being-on-a-series-that-runs-that-long-is-that-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df5/ted-shackelford-24028_long_the-thing-with-being-on-a-series-that-ru_1111499.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df5/ted-shackelford-24028_long_the-thing-with-being-on-a-series-that-ru_1111499.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df5/ted-shackelford-24028_long_the-thing-with-being-on-a-series-that-ru_1111499.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The thing with being on a series that runs that long is that the writers run out of things to do.” — Ted Shackelford", "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": "Ted Shackelford", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-shackelford/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The thing with being on a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-shackelford/the-thing-with-being-on-a-series-that-runs-that-long-is-that-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-shackelford/the-thing-with-being-on-a-series-that-runs-that-long-is-that-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 } } ] } ```