ABC’s ratings-challenged Happy Endings created a cult following thanks to its relatable stories about a group of friends in their late 20s and early 30s. While the comedy helped to launch the careers of stars Eliza Coupe (Jane), Elisha Cuthbert (Alex), Zachary Knighton (Dave), Adam Pally (Max), Damon Wayans Jr. (Brad) and Casey Wilson (Penny), behind the scenes, the Sony-produced series created by David Caspe was effectively its own showrunner training program. As Rutherford Falls creator Sierra Teller Ornelas revealed in a recent Twitter thread, Happy Endings had 23 writers over its three seasons, with an incredible 21 — including assistants — becoming showrunners.
During this week’s TV’s Top 5 podcast, hosts Lesley Goldberg and Daniel Fienberg reunite 14 of the Happy Endings writers to build off Ornelas’ thread and discuss, in light of the ongoing Writers Guild strike, the benefits of having a traditional writers rooms, why having writers on set...
During this week’s TV’s Top 5 podcast, hosts Lesley Goldberg and Daniel Fienberg reunite 14 of the Happy Endings writers to build off Ornelas’ thread and discuss, in light of the ongoing Writers Guild strike, the benefits of having a traditional writers rooms, why having writers on set...
- 6/16/2023
- by Lesley Goldberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Bong Joon Ho and Han Jin Won-penned South Korean class thriller “Parasite” won Best Original Screenplay and Taika Waititi’s Nazi satire “Jojo Rabbit” won Best Adapted Screenplay at the Writers Guild Awards Saturday night.
The annual awards, which honor the best in film, TV, and radio writing, were handed out at dual ceremonies in New York and Los Angeles.
Both “Parasite” and “Jojo Rabbit” are in the running for Oscars in their respective categories.
“Parasite” bested three Best Original Screenplay nominees up for the Writers Guild Award: “1917,” “Knives Out,” “Marriage Story,” and “Parasite.” The WGA swapped the fifth Oscar-nominated script, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” in favor of a nomination for “Booksmart.”
“Jojo Rabbit” also beat three Best Adapted Screenplay nominees up for the Writers Guild Award: “The Irishman,” “Joker,” and “Little Women.” “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood was a WGA nominee and is not up for the Oscar,...
The annual awards, which honor the best in film, TV, and radio writing, were handed out at dual ceremonies in New York and Los Angeles.
Both “Parasite” and “Jojo Rabbit” are in the running for Oscars in their respective categories.
“Parasite” bested three Best Original Screenplay nominees up for the Writers Guild Award: “1917,” “Knives Out,” “Marriage Story,” and “Parasite.” The WGA swapped the fifth Oscar-nominated script, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” in favor of a nomination for “Booksmart.”
“Jojo Rabbit” also beat three Best Adapted Screenplay nominees up for the Writers Guild Award: “The Irishman,” “Joker,” and “Little Women.” “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood was a WGA nominee and is not up for the Oscar,...
- 2/2/2020
- by Chris Lindahl
- Indiewire
Dead To Me, Russian Doll in running for new series honours.
Writers of The Crown, Succession and Watchmen are among the television nominees for this year’s Writers Guild Awards, unveiled on Thursday (5) by the East and West branches of the Writers Guild of America (WGA).
Joining the three projects in the list of drama series nominees are writers of The Handmaid’s Tale and Mindhunter. Nominees in the WGA’s new series category include PEN15, Russian Doll and Watchmen.
In the original long form category, nominees include the writers of Chernobyl and True Detective and the adapted long form category includes Fosse/Verdon and Unbelievable.
Writers of The Crown, Succession and Watchmen are among the television nominees for this year’s Writers Guild Awards, unveiled on Thursday (5) by the East and West branches of the Writers Guild of America (WGA).
Joining the three projects in the list of drama series nominees are writers of The Handmaid’s Tale and Mindhunter. Nominees in the WGA’s new series category include PEN15, Russian Doll and Watchmen.
In the original long form category, nominees include the writers of Chernobyl and True Detective and the adapted long form category includes Fosse/Verdon and Unbelievable.
- 12/5/2019
- by 31¦John Hazelton¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
Writers Guild of America West and Writers Guild of America, East have announced nominations for outstanding achievement in television, with Netflix’s The Crown, Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale, Netflix’s Mindhunter and HBO’s Succession and Watchmen competing for the top drama trophy.
The outstanding comedy nominees are HBO’s Barry, Amazon Prime’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Hulu’s PEN15, Netflix’s Russian Doll and HBO’s Veep.
Best new series nominees are PEN15, Russian Doll, Watchmen, Netflix’s Dead To Me and FX’s What We Do In The Shadows.
Also announced were nominees in the new media, news, radio/audio and promotional writing categories.
Winners will be honored at the 2020 Writers Guild Awards on Saturday, February 1, 2020, at concurrent ceremonies in Los Angeles and New York City.
Here is the complete list of nominees:
Television, New Media, And News Nominees
Drama Series
The Crown, Written by James Graham,...
The outstanding comedy nominees are HBO’s Barry, Amazon Prime’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Hulu’s PEN15, Netflix’s Russian Doll and HBO’s Veep.
Best new series nominees are PEN15, Russian Doll, Watchmen, Netflix’s Dead To Me and FX’s What We Do In The Shadows.
Also announced were nominees in the new media, news, radio/audio and promotional writing categories.
Winners will be honored at the 2020 Writers Guild Awards on Saturday, February 1, 2020, at concurrent ceremonies in Los Angeles and New York City.
Here is the complete list of nominees:
Television, New Media, And News Nominees
Drama Series
The Crown, Written by James Graham,...
- 12/5/2019
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
“The Simpsons” is leading the way with three Writers Guild of America nominations, followed by two each for “Bob’s Burgers,” “The Crown,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “Pen15,” “Russian Doll,” “Succession,” “Veep” and “Watchmen.”
Fox’s “The Simpsons,” which began airing in 1989, scored noms in the animated category for the “Go Big or Go Homer,” “Livin’ La Pura Vida” and “Thanksgiving of Horror” segments. Fox’s “Bob’s Burgers,” which won the category for 2018, received nominations for the “Bed, Bob & Beyond” and “The Gene Mile” segments.
Amazon Prime Video’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” which won the WGA comedy series award earlier this year, received nods for comedy series and for the episode “It’s Comedy or Cabbage,” written by showrunner Amy Sherman-Palladino.
The seventh and final season of HBO’s “Veep,” which has won the WGA comedy series award three times, was nominated again in the series category and for the final episode of the season,...
Fox’s “The Simpsons,” which began airing in 1989, scored noms in the animated category for the “Go Big or Go Homer,” “Livin’ La Pura Vida” and “Thanksgiving of Horror” segments. Fox’s “Bob’s Burgers,” which won the category for 2018, received nominations for the “Bed, Bob & Beyond” and “The Gene Mile” segments.
Amazon Prime Video’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” which won the WGA comedy series award earlier this year, received nods for comedy series and for the episode “It’s Comedy or Cabbage,” written by showrunner Amy Sherman-Palladino.
The seventh and final season of HBO’s “Veep,” which has won the WGA comedy series award three times, was nominated again in the series category and for the final episode of the season,...
- 12/5/2019
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
The Writers Guild of America released the nominees for its 2020 awards on Thursday, which saw newcomers “Watchmen,” “Russian Doll” and “Pen15” each bag a pair of nominations.
Other series to get multiple nods include “Veep,” “Succession,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” and “The Crown.”
Ava DuVernay’s Netflix miniseries on the Central Park 5, “When They See Us” did not recieve any nominations, with the WGA instead picking “El Camino,” “Fosse/Verdon,” “The Loudest Voice” and “Unbelieveable” in the adapted longform category. In the original longform category, the nominees were “Chernobyl,” “The Terror: Infamy,” “True Detective” and the upcoming Disney+ movie “Togo.”
Also Read: Aubrey Plaza to Return as Host of 2020 Film Independent Spirit Awards
Winners will be honored at the 2020 Writers Guild Awards on Saturday, February 1, 2020, at concurrent ceremonies in New York City and Los Angeles.
See all the nominees below:
Drama Series
The Crown, Written by James Graham, David Hancock, Peter Morgan; Netflix
The Handmaid’s Tale,...
Other series to get multiple nods include “Veep,” “Succession,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” and “The Crown.”
Ava DuVernay’s Netflix miniseries on the Central Park 5, “When They See Us” did not recieve any nominations, with the WGA instead picking “El Camino,” “Fosse/Verdon,” “The Loudest Voice” and “Unbelieveable” in the adapted longform category. In the original longform category, the nominees were “Chernobyl,” “The Terror: Infamy,” “True Detective” and the upcoming Disney+ movie “Togo.”
Also Read: Aubrey Plaza to Return as Host of 2020 Film Independent Spirit Awards
Winners will be honored at the 2020 Writers Guild Awards on Saturday, February 1, 2020, at concurrent ceremonies in New York City and Los Angeles.
See all the nominees below:
Drama Series
The Crown, Written by James Graham, David Hancock, Peter Morgan; Netflix
The Handmaid’s Tale,...
- 12/5/2019
- by Tim Baysinger
- The Wrap
The 2018 Writers Guild of America Awards take place on Feb. 11 with simultaneous ceremonies held in both New York and Los Angeles. Only scripts written under the guild’s guidelines or those of several international partners are allowed to vie for these awards. As such, these kudos are not the most reliable barometer of the Oscars.
In the past nine years only 59 of the WGA nominees have numbered among the 90 screenplays that reaped Academy Awards bids. Indeed, 2014’s Oscar winner for Best Original Screenplay, “Birdman,” was deemed ineligible. Likewise for one of this year’s leading contenders for that award: “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.”
On the television side, the leading nominees are “Better Call Saul,” which competes for best drama series writing as well as for two individual episodes and “The Americans,” which is up for both overall drama series writing and an individual episode. Over in comedy, reigning Emmy...
In the past nine years only 59 of the WGA nominees have numbered among the 90 screenplays that reaped Academy Awards bids. Indeed, 2014’s Oscar winner for Best Original Screenplay, “Birdman,” was deemed ineligible. Likewise for one of this year’s leading contenders for that award: “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.”
On the television side, the leading nominees are “Better Call Saul,” which competes for best drama series writing as well as for two individual episodes and “The Americans,” which is up for both overall drama series writing and an individual episode. Over in comedy, reigning Emmy...
- 2/10/2018
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
Writers of Hell or High Water, La La Land, Arrival and Deadpool are among the nominees for this year’s Writers Guild Awards.
Writers of Hell or High Water (pictured), La La Land, Arrival and Deadpool are among the nominees for this year’s Writers Guild Awards, set to be presented at ceremonies hosted by the West and East branches of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) on Feb 19.
Also nominated in the WGA’s original screenplay category are the writers of Loving, Manchester By The Sea and Moonlight. Fences, Hidden Figures and Nocturnal Animals produced the other nominations in the adapted screenplay category.
Documentary nominations went to Author: The Jt Leroy Story, Command And Control and Zero Days, while dramatic TV series getting nods were The Americans, Better Call Saul, Game Of Thrones, Stranger Things and Westworld.
Full list of feature nominees and selected TV nominees:
Original Screenplay
Hell or High Water Taylor Sheridan
La La Land [link...
Writers of Hell or High Water (pictured), La La Land, Arrival and Deadpool are among the nominees for this year’s Writers Guild Awards, set to be presented at ceremonies hosted by the West and East branches of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) on Feb 19.
Also nominated in the WGA’s original screenplay category are the writers of Loving, Manchester By The Sea and Moonlight. Fences, Hidden Figures and Nocturnal Animals produced the other nominations in the adapted screenplay category.
Documentary nominations went to Author: The Jt Leroy Story, Command And Control and Zero Days, while dramatic TV series getting nods were The Americans, Better Call Saul, Game Of Thrones, Stranger Things and Westworld.
Full list of feature nominees and selected TV nominees:
Original Screenplay
Hell or High Water Taylor Sheridan
La La Land [link...
- 1/4/2017
- ScreenDaily
Writers of Hell or High Water, La La Land, Arrival and Deadpool are among the nominees for this year’s Writers Guild Awards.
Writers of Hell or High Water (pictured), La La Land, Arrival and Deadpool are among the nominees for this year’s Writers Guild Awards, set to be presented at ceremonies hosted by the West and East brances of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) on Feb 19.
Also nominated in the WGA’s original screenplay category are the writers of Loving, Manchester by the Sea and Moonlight. Fences, Hidden Figures and Nocturnal Animalsproduced the other nominations in the adapted screenplay category.
Documentary nominations went to Author: The Jt Leroy Story, Command and Control and Zero Days, while dramatic TV series getting nods were The Americans, Better Call Saul, Game of Thrones, Stranger Things and Westworld.
Full list of feature nominees and selected TV nominees:
Original Screenplay
Hell or High Water Taylor Sheridan
La La Land [link...
Writers of Hell or High Water (pictured), La La Land, Arrival and Deadpool are among the nominees for this year’s Writers Guild Awards, set to be presented at ceremonies hosted by the West and East brances of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) on Feb 19.
Also nominated in the WGA’s original screenplay category are the writers of Loving, Manchester by the Sea and Moonlight. Fences, Hidden Figures and Nocturnal Animalsproduced the other nominations in the adapted screenplay category.
Documentary nominations went to Author: The Jt Leroy Story, Command and Control and Zero Days, while dramatic TV series getting nods were The Americans, Better Call Saul, Game of Thrones, Stranger Things and Westworld.
Full list of feature nominees and selected TV nominees:
Original Screenplay
Hell or High Water Taylor Sheridan
La La Land [link...
- 1/4/2017
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: For his first writing effort since the end of Happy Endings, the series’ showrunner Jonathan Groff is taking on another single-camera comedy about a group a friends. CBS has given a put pilot commitment to The 40s, which explores the trials and tribulations of that special time in life for a group of friends living on the same street. Groff is writing and executive producing for ABC Studios where he is under an overall deal. This is the second put pilot commitment at CBS for ABC Studios, which has been very aggressive in selling to outside networks this season, along with a multi-camera comedy from Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky and Danny Chun. This marks Groff’s second big commitment so far this season and the fourth sale, joining Dinks with Casey Wilson and June Diane Raphael, which has a pilot production commitment at ABC, as well as projects...
- 9/17/2013
- by NELLIE ANDREEVA
- Deadline TV
Leila Strachan, most recently a writer-producer on ABC’s comedy Happy Endings, has signed a two-year overall deal with ABC Television Studios. She will work on current series as well as develop new projects for the studio. The remaining original episodes of Sony TV’s Happy Endings were recently shifted to a Friday 8-9 Pm time slot (its third move this season), and the network has launched a campaign asking fans to save the show. Strachan is repped by UTA.
- 4/3/2013
- by THE DEADLINE TEAM
- Deadline TV
Happy Endings' Leila Strachan is staying put at ABC. The writer/co-producer has inked a two-year overall deal with ABC Television Studios. As part of the arrangement, she will work on current series as well as develop new projects for the studio. The news comes as Happy Endings, a co-production between ABC Studios and Sony Pictures Television, crawls toward its season three finale, with its future in limbo. Many of the critically adored series' other writers and producers have locked themselves into long-term deals in recent weeks, too, including producers Brian Bradley and Steven Cragg as well as
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- 4/3/2013
- by Lacey Rose
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Happy Endings, Season 3, Episode 11: “The Ex Factor”
Written by Leila Strachan
Directed by Fred Goss
Airs Sundays at 10pm (Et) and Tuesdays at 9pm (Et) on ABC
The opening image of Roslita’s means that the gang is having their normal sit down drink. Within the first minutes we discover that Jane’s ex is coming to town and that Max has gotten a new roommate, who he continues to hope is better than his last (poor Dave!). After some discussion back and forth with each other, the episode kicks off into its respective storylines. Unlike the last episode, where the group was all together, this one has them split into three different arcs. Max, Alex and Dave are together, Brad and Jane are in their apartment, and lastly Penny is with Pete. (Congrats to Pete for making it this long! That’s got to be a record!)
Brad...
Written by Leila Strachan
Directed by Fred Goss
Airs Sundays at 10pm (Et) and Tuesdays at 9pm (Et) on ABC
The opening image of Roslita’s means that the gang is having their normal sit down drink. Within the first minutes we discover that Jane’s ex is coming to town and that Max has gotten a new roommate, who he continues to hope is better than his last (poor Dave!). After some discussion back and forth with each other, the episode kicks off into its respective storylines. Unlike the last episode, where the group was all together, this one has them split into three different arcs. Max, Alex and Dave are together, Brad and Jane are in their apartment, and lastly Penny is with Pete. (Congrats to Pete for making it this long! That’s got to be a record!)
Brad...
- 1/17/2013
- by Joshua Bouye
- SoundOnSight
Happy Endings, Season 3, Episode 4: “More Like Stanksgiving”
Written by Leila Strachan
Directed by Jay Chandrasekhar
Airs Tuesdays at 9pm Et on ABC
Thanksgiving is in the house! That’s what this week’s episode of “Happy Endings” is all about. It’s nice to see them actually tackle the Thanksgiving holiday this season, especially since last season they dedicated an entire episode to Halloween and Christmas but forgot that good old turkey.
This episode is a nice change in pace in the fact that for the most part it has all six characters together; well, make that five- Dave is actually off trying to get clams for the group so that he can give them a perfect Navajo Thanksgiving.
The main centerpiece of the episode is a video that Max brings which is the “lost” season of Real World that he and Brad were on together. And it’s...
Written by Leila Strachan
Directed by Jay Chandrasekhar
Airs Tuesdays at 9pm Et on ABC
Thanksgiving is in the house! That’s what this week’s episode of “Happy Endings” is all about. It’s nice to see them actually tackle the Thanksgiving holiday this season, especially since last season they dedicated an entire episode to Halloween and Christmas but forgot that good old turkey.
This episode is a nice change in pace in the fact that for the most part it has all six characters together; well, make that five- Dave is actually off trying to get clams for the group so that he can give them a perfect Navajo Thanksgiving.
The main centerpiece of the episode is a video that Max brings which is the “lost” season of Real World that he and Brad were on together. And it’s...
- 11/24/2012
- by Joshua Bouye
- SoundOnSight
Between now and June 28, the deadline for Emmy voters to return nomination ballots, EW.com is running a series called Emmy Watch, featuring highlight clips and interviews with actors, producers, and writers whom EW TV critic Ken Tucker has on his wish list for the nominations announcement on July 19.
There’s a moment in Happy Endings’ season 2 finale, “Four Weddings and a Funeral (Minus Three Weddings and a Funeral),” in which guest star Stephen Guarino (as groom Derrick) tells the show’s regulars he doesn’t have time for their endless bantering: “The back and forth, it’s exhausting. I...
There’s a moment in Happy Endings’ season 2 finale, “Four Weddings and a Funeral (Minus Three Weddings and a Funeral),” in which guest star Stephen Guarino (as groom Derrick) tells the show’s regulars he doesn’t have time for their endless bantering: “The back and forth, it’s exhausting. I...
- 6/19/2012
- by Mandi Bierly
- EW - Inside TV
Between now and June 28, the deadline for Emmy voters to return nomination ballots, EW.com is running a series called Emmy Watch, featuring highlight clips and interviews with actors, producers, and writers whom EW TV critic Ken Tucker has on his wish list for the nominations announcement on July 19.
“My dad is giving out nominations for best daughter. That’s probably what I’ll get nominated for this year,” jokes Casey Wilson. Not if we have anything to say about it. As unlucky-in-love but optimistic Penny on ABC’s Happy Endings, Wilson embodies the concept of total commitment — whether the...
“My dad is giving out nominations for best daughter. That’s probably what I’ll get nominated for this year,” jokes Casey Wilson. Not if we have anything to say about it. As unlucky-in-love but optimistic Penny on ABC’s Happy Endings, Wilson embodies the concept of total commitment — whether the...
- 6/11/2012
- by Mandi Bierly
- EW - Inside TV
Between now and June 28, the deadline for Emmy voters to return nomination ballots, EW.com is running a series called Emmy Watch, featuring highlight clips and interviews with actors, producers, and writers whom EW TV critic Ken Tucker has on his wish list for the nominations announcement on July 19.
“My dad is giving out nominations for best daughter. That’s probably what I’ll get nominated for this year,” jokes Casey Wilson. Not if we have anything to say about it. As unlucky-in-love but optimistic Penny on ABC’s Happy Endings, Wilson embodies the concept of total commitment — whether the...
“My dad is giving out nominations for best daughter. That’s probably what I’ll get nominated for this year,” jokes Casey Wilson. Not if we have anything to say about it. As unlucky-in-love but optimistic Penny on ABC’s Happy Endings, Wilson embodies the concept of total commitment — whether the...
- 6/10/2012
- by Mandi Bierly
- EW - Inside TV
Miss last night’s episode? Here’s what you need to know about Happy Endings’ “Four Weddings and a Funeral (Minus Three Weddings and One Funeral)”
Airdate: 4/04/12 Writers:: Josh Bycel and Leila Strachan Director: Rob Greenberg Synopsis: As is tradition, Happy Endings’ second season ended in the same manner as it’s first, with another wedding. This time, the nuptials of Derrick (Stephen Guarino reprising his role) and Eric (Nate Smith). Unfortunately, despite Derrick’s proclamation that there will be no drama at his wedding (Hence, his motto, “Save the drama for Wilmer Valderrama”), there is plenty of drama to go around. Specifically: Brad struggles to tell Jane that he’s been fired, Dave becomes the object of both Alex and Penny’s affections, while Max must find the courage to perform with his old all-male Madonna cover band. Introduced: Max’s Madonna tribute band Mandonna, which, for the record,...
Airdate: 4/04/12 Writers:: Josh Bycel and Leila Strachan Director: Rob Greenberg Synopsis: As is tradition, Happy Endings’ second season ended in the same manner as it’s first, with another wedding. This time, the nuptials of Derrick (Stephen Guarino reprising his role) and Eric (Nate Smith). Unfortunately, despite Derrick’s proclamation that there will be no drama at his wedding (Hence, his motto, “Save the drama for Wilmer Valderrama”), there is plenty of drama to go around. Specifically: Brad struggles to tell Jane that he’s been fired, Dave becomes the object of both Alex and Penny’s affections, while Max must find the courage to perform with his old all-male Madonna cover band. Introduced: Max’s Madonna tribute band Mandonna, which, for the record,...
- 4/5/2012
- by theTVaddict
- The TV Addict
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