TV Shows About Writers
I love a good TV show especially with ones involving writers as I love to write myself. I’ve seen so many over the years, but here are some picks of shows that I’ve enjoyed and that I continue to watch today. Enjoy!
To save money, two housemates get married but soon face unexpected complications, such as demanding in-laws and having to face their own growing bond.
I was absolutely blown away by this drama. The writing is very good, and I feel that this show is severely underrated. The main character Ji-ho is an assistant screenwriter and struggles to find her place in a field that she has been undervalued. She struggles through writer’s block and wonders if this is a career she wants to pursue throughout the course of the show. It follows the “marriage contract” trope, but the show is so much more than that. It talks about relationships (platonic/romantic), careers, issues in the workplace, gender equality, and growing up. It’s very realistic but is also full of many heart-warming and comedic moments. This show is becoming one of my favorites.
The series is based on Fernando Gaitán’s Colombian telenovela Yo soy Betty, la fea, which has had many other international adaptations. It revolves around the character Betty Suarez, who – despite her lack of style – lands a job at a prestigious fashion magazine.
I loved this series to pieces because of the writing and the characters. It followed a woman of color’s perspective of traversing through the journalism field and trying to navigate her way through the fashion world. It’s a show that is incredibly heartfelt and though at many times comedic it’s balanced out which more serious moments. Its cast of characters is memorable and I would love to do a re-watch of this show. I enjoyed how it gave viewers a realistic glimpse of the inner workings of a fashion magazine and the not so glamorous view of last-minute article changes, tedious deadlines, and downside of high fashion,
Han Ji-eun, an aspiring scriptwriter, lives in a house called “Full House” built by her late father. One day, her two best friends trick her into believing that she has won a free vacation. While she is away, they sell her house. On the plane, she meets a famous actor named Lee Young-jae. Through comedic events, they get acquainted during her vacation and when she returns, she discovers that her house has been sold to him. Though they do not get along with each other due to their contrasting habits, they agree to live with each other.
Full House is considered a pioneer of the “romantic comedy” genre in Korean dramas. Though it’s one of the cheesiest rom-com’s I’ve watched, I think that’s what gives it its special charm. The main character is an aspiring scriptwriter just like in the previous show Because This is My First Life. If fake relationship tropes are your thing this show is highly entertaining. On top of everything the show has some beautiful cinematography and is filmed at so many scenic locations.
The show revolves around the day-to-day life of Jessica Fletcher, (formerly MacGill), a widowed and retired English teacher, who becomes a successful mystery writer. Despite fame and fortune, Jessica remains a resident of Cabot Cove, a small coastal community in Maine, and maintains her links with all of her old friends, never letting her success go to her head.
Murder, She Wrote is an absolute classic when it comes to shows about writers with a cozy mystery feeling. It fills me with a lot of nostalgia whenever I watch it. I love watching Jessica play amateur sleuth and tries to nosily get involved in each episode’s case by carefully piecing the clues together and asking astute questions. With all that sleuthing it provides good material for her own books! It’s a notable show that I recommend to any fan of the mystery genre and it’s full of lots of fun appearances from a wide variety of actors too.
Tired of sexism and objectification in Japan’s TV industry, a Japanese female reporter quits her job as a game show host in Tokyo to pursue her long-time dream of becoming a news anchor.
Hodobuzz is a short Japanese web drama I found on Amazon Prime. It’s fast-paced, the episodes are short in length, and I think the blend of comedy and suspense was done well. It follows a journalist who wants to transition to new reporting and the difficulties she faces due to her past job. I enjoyed the aspect of getting the behind-the-scenes look at the newsroom and seeing the team work together to create informative stories. The journalist in me was intrigued!
Jane Villanueva, the daughter of a teen mother, grew up determined not to repeat her mom’s mistakes. Jane is studying to be a teacher, and she is engaged to a handsome detective who supports her decision to remain a virgin until marriage, but a routine visit to the clinic turns her life upside down. Inseminated by a specimen meant for a patient in the next room, Jane is in a situation made only more insane when she learns that the sperm donor is her boss, Rafael. As her meticulously planned life gets more like the telenovelas she loves, she faces a lot of complicated decisions about the future.
This drama series parodies commonly used tropes and devices in telenovelas by making viewers laugh out loud. The cast and writing for this show is so epic that I can’t even put it into words! I like among the other things going on in her life that it also shows Jane in the process of trying to write a full-length novel. It’s not as easy as it looks and Jane struggles to create a unique story in the midst of complicated life decisions.
What shows do enjoy/recommend watching with writers as the main characters? Comment below!
I always wanted to watch Ugly Betty. I remember when it first came out, my mom was like, “We’re not watching a show called Ugly Betty!” because her name is Betty haha! But you’re definitely making me want to revisit that one.
Lol, what a fun memory. It does have such a distinctive title. When you actually sit down to watch it though it’s a whole other experience. I need to revisit this show again too!
One of my favourite themes. What is the title of the first one? Jane is fun. But I don’t think I’ve watched far enough to see the part where she’s more overtly concerned with her writing though. I’m reminded of “You’re the Worst” in which Jimmy is a writer (who, spoiler, does become quite unexpectedly successful), for those viewers who don’t have to LIKE all the characters in a series. Also, Jimmy is big on process, which involves a lot of time not writing and drinking instead. *smirky laugh*
I forgot to add in the title sorry! The first show is called “Because This is My First Life”. I’ll have to check out “You’re The Worst”. I’ve heard of the show but haven’t watched it.