Lesson 3

[Lloyd Shellenberger]

Lloyd Shellenberger

[Binge Worthy TV] Mod 2 Lesson 3: Easy Way to Five Seasons

Working hard every day to become the best writer I can be and as a result I do become the best writer in Hollywood.

What I learned from this exercise is an easier way to create a 5 season show arc and mainframe to build my characters and the show upon.

Season 1: Exploring more Dangerous ground. Bigger Mystery.

A. High Concept or major hook of the season. After Col. Greene and his crew are brought into the Puzzle works family, they quickly find a world of illegal drugs, black bag money, and murder.

B. Big Picture Season Arc/Journey: The honest and dangerous world of Special Operations just went from bad to worse, now Col. Greene is shot and almost killed on his first mission. He also must betray an old friend who ordered the hit.

C. Main Conflict: Dealing in drugs is a thorn in the Lt. Greene’s side. They must Reconcile what the Puzzle Works wants with what’s right. Col. Greene and his crew end the illegal drug trade by General Mosley. Lt. Greene and First Sergeant Desmoines take it over.

Gang members and drug lords have painted a target on the Puzzle works crew. The moral compass of the crew is being distorted badly.

D. Main Mystery/Open Loops: The local Police Chief has been helping them and getting a kickback. Can Col. Greene save his son and get him out? Will the Puzzle Works protect or turn on the crew? Will the crew be able to leave this lifestyle behind? Will Col. Greene’s secret be discovered?

E. Cliffhanger: Lt. Greene and First Sergeant Desmoines are shot and wounded by rival drug lords. Does the Puzzle Works execute the drug lords?

Cliffhanger: Col. Greene

Major Layer or reveal: They intend to shut it down once all the players in the local and regional area are exposed, arrested, or killed. They have been pocketing the money for the distribution. Bigger Mystery They are informants for the PD.

Season 2: Bigger Conflict. Major Layer Exposed. Bigger Opponent.

A. High Concept or major hook of the season. The past of several characters has shown up to haunt them including Col. Greene and SPC Jones.

B. Big Picture Season Arc/Journey: The past that Col. Greene and SPC. Jones has come back to haunt them and their enemies are not backing off. Agent Stockton is using this to his advantage.

C. Main Conflict: Agent Stockton is coming after Col. Greene full throttle as the missions are done and the body count rises. He uses the crew’s vulnerabilities to do this.

D. Main Mystery/Open Loops: Can Col. Greene save SPC Jones or will Agent Stockton use his past to turn him? Will he put Lt. Greene behind bars or turn him also? Will Col. Greenes son find our about his father’s past? Will Col. Greene cut a deal with Agent Stockton?

E. Cliffhanger: SPC Jones is arrested for murder.

Season 3: Bigger Opponents. Bigger Conflict. Bigger arena for the fight

A. High Concept or major hook of the season. The main concept for this season is The crew appears to do their job well while killing Black Suits and stealing Black Bag money.

B. Big Picture Season Arc/Journey: As the missions progress we see members of the crew who have set aside plans to leave the agency. Will they be able to leave or will the become a liability to the Puzzle Works?

C. Main Conflict: The Puzzle Works is not what it appears to be in the end it is still just another rogue agency that is manipulative and secretive. For Col. Greene and his crew, it is becoming harder and harder to reconcile that fact.

D. Main Mystery/Open Loops: Col Greene believes it was the Black Suits that shot his son. Lt. Greene must heal in secrecy. First Sergeant Desmoines stages his own death. Can he pull it off?

E. Cliffhanger: Lt. Greene is shot and injured in the season finale while Col. Greene takes revenge on those responsible.

Season 4: Bigger Conflict. Exploring more dangerous ground. Bigger Opponent, the PW.

A. High Concept or major hook of the season. Col. Greene and his crew decide they must eliminate the moles and agents after them.

B. Big Picture Season Arc/Journey: From Season 1 up to now, the bodies and evidence have piled up and the end of the road is in sight. Black Suit are ending up dead around the crew and the Puzzle Works is figuring out these casualties are not the cost of doing business but signs of betrayal. Black Bag money is disappearing as well.

C. Main Conflict: The Puzzle Works is beginning to see the crew as a liability so they must fix the problem or jettison them.

D. Main Mystery/Open Loops: Agent Stockton arrests Col. Greene. Can he make it stick? Can First Sergeant Desmoines remain hidden or does he return.

E. Cliffhanger: SGT. Jones is killed by Col. Greene. Lt. Greene suspects it wasn’t an accident. Will he find the truth? Does Agent Stockton finally get Col. Greene? SGT. Jones cannot testify since she is dead.

Season 5: Betrayal. Bigger Conflict. Final Conflict. Great Deception. Major Layer Exposed.

A. High Concept or major hook of the season. Col. Greene and his son are trying to leave the Puzzle Works and the Army without being killed or arrested.

B. Big Picture Season Arc/Journey: As with everything in life, timing is everything. Col. Greene, Lt. Greene, and SPC. Jones know it is time to get out. Everything they do is geared toward an exit plan. Agent Stockton has revealed his true colors since time is running out. Agent Stockton is bribing the crew. He also has plans to kill them off one by one to eliminate witnesses.

C. Main Conflict: Agent Stockton has now closed in and plans to recharge Col. Greene until we find out he is dirty. He arrest Lt. Greene instead and offers him a deal. Lt. Greene and SPC Jones decide Agent Stockton must die before they end up in prison themselves.

D. Main Mystery/Open Loops: Does Stockton keep Lt. Greene in jail or does he take the financial parachute and disappear? Why does Lt. Greene kill his father? Is it in retaliation to SGT. Jones? Is it a way of liberating him and letting him move on?

E. Cliffhanger: In the end Lt. Jones convinces the drug bosses the new kingpin is Agent Stockton and sets him up to be killed by the Drug Lords.

Lt. Greene kills his father after he agrees to testify against him or did he?

[CJ Lyons]

CJ’s Five Seasons

What I learned from this assignment… this was by far the most challenging assignment, trying to distill all my ideas into a few concise, compelling lines!

Season 1:

ER doctor Angela Rossi suddenly experiences bizarre symptoms that give her the ability to access memories of dying patients.

When a dead nun tells Rossi to “save the girl,” she’s guided by the nun’s memories to the labyrinth of tunnels below the city where she discovers a serial killer’s lair. As she joins the girl’s father, Devin, and the homicide detective, Ryder, on the killer’s trail, more symptoms emerge and she’s finally diagnosed with a rare prion disease, Fatal Insomnia, that will eventually destroy her body and mind.

Determined to save as many lives as possible before the end, Rossi uses her new gift to embark on a search as more children go missing, only to save them and discover they’re all also suffering from Fatal Insomnia. And some of the children have strange new psychic powers similar to Rossi’s.

Someone has created a new form of Fatal Insomnia and is spreading it. Is it the killer? Why? Is there a cure? Rossi may be dying, but if she’s Patient X in a man-made epidemic targeting innocent children, she won’t stop until she has answers—even if it means breaking every oath she took as a physician, every law, even, in the end, using violence.

The one thing she never expected: to fall in love. It’s a bittersweet irony that can only end in tragedy. But when she confronts the murderer and uses her power to strip his memories before killing him, she learns something even more horrifying: the person who has been infecting children with Fatal Insomnia, who has engineered this outbreak and used Rossi as Patient X, is Rossi’s own mother, who she thought was dead.

Season 2:

As Ryder recovers from his gunshot wound, Devin and Rossi hide the infected children and their families from Rossi’s mother’s Cabal. Rossi’s physical symptoms worsen but she has hope for her and the children after her friend, Louise, finds a prion specialist working on an experimental treatment.

Hope turns to despair when Rossi discovers the specialist is actually responsible for infecting the children. She tries to steal his research but he catches her and stabs a bystander to buy him time to escape.

Ryder and Rossi’s ex, Jacob, join forces to learn more about the Cabal, piecing together its murky history, and learning more about Rossi’s parents: her father kidnapped her from the Cabal, placing her with an adoptive family for her safety, then fled, only to be killed by Rossi’s mother.

Rossi and Devon find the scientist and his secret lab. They sneak inside, determined to grab the research that might save the children, only to be caught in a maelstrom when the Cabal sets off incendiary devices to cover their tracks. They barely escape, their last chance to save the children apparently destroyed… Worse, when they return to the tunnels where the kids are hidden, they learn the Cabal has found them and is sending an attack force to take the children.

Season 3:

Deep in the tunnels, Rossi and her allies use guerrilla tactics to slow the Cabal’s forces and get the children and their families to safety. Even Devon’s old gang joins the fight and the Cabal is defeated—for now.

The physical exertion takes a toll on Rossi and she collapses, near death, panicking Ryder and giving Devin an unwelcome glimpse of his own daughter’s future. Louise is able to revive Rossi, and Ryder insists on caring for her, their feelings for each other finally revealed.

Their respite is brief, though poignant. The Cabal take Jacob, Rossi’s ex, and torture him. They’ll kill him unless Rossi surrenders herself and the children. Wanting to protect Ryder, Rossi goes alone but refuses to give the Cabal the children, so they kill Jacob in front of her. Thankfully Devin has followed her to the meet and takes out the Cabal team of corrupt cops. But now they’re both on the run from the law, unable to return to the children or any of their allies for fear they’ll be targeted by the Cabal.

Season 4:

Desperate to avoid capture, Devon and Rossi take refuge in an abandoned coal mine, hidden in the mountain from Cabal searchers. Ryder and Louise return to work, not knowing who they can trust, certain Cabal eyes are on them constantly. It’s a time of desolation, lovers separated, families divided, suspicion guiding every move.

The only good news is that Rossi’s plan to evacuate the children has worked, they’re safe from the Cabal—but not from the devastating symptoms of Fatal Insomnia. Time’s running out and she needs to get the Cabal’s research if she has any hope of saving them. When Devon’s daughter falls into a coma, he risks everything to return to her.

The only person Rossi trusts other than Ryder and Devon is Louise, who has managed to re-create some of the Cabal’s research. Rossi offers herself as test subject and leaves her mountain hideout to meet Louise.

Meanwhile, Ryder’s new case has him partnering with a former Army buddy, a man Ryder trusted his life to more times than he can count. But his buddy leads him into a trap and Ryder barely escapes with his life.

He goes to warn Rossi, only to find she’s been kidnapped by the Cabal, a weeping Louise explaining that they threatened to kill her husband and infect her three-year-old with Fatal Insomnia if she didn’t help. Rossi surrendered herself to save their lives, but Louise has no idea where the Cabal has taken her.

Season 5:

After Rossi is kidnapped by the Cabal, Ryder and Devon begin a relentless search for her. Rossi is being held captive on an island near Venice where her mother’s cutting edge biolab is hidden in an ancient plague hospital.

Rossi uses her mother’s ego against her to learn the Cabal’s plan. The situation is worse than she’d feared: the Cabal’s plan isn’t only to harvest and use Powered children, but under her mother’s leadership they’ve become convinced that in order to save humanity from self-destruction, they need to “cull the herd” via a new modern-day plague that will kill at least a quarter of the world’s population.

Nations, entire civilizations will fall as they did in the days of the Black Death when the Cabal was initially created. With the help of their financial resources and the immense power the infected children will wield under their control, the Cabal will rebuild the world in their image.

But her mother didn’t count on Rossi’s resourcefulness—or Ryder and Devon’s determination. As Ryder and Devon mount a rescue, Rossi creates a way to destroy the biolab—but it can only be done from the inside and she’ll be killed.

The Cabal’s forces are well-trained and after a fire-fight, all three are trapped in the lab. Devon sacrifices himself to destroy the lab while Ryder takes on the Cabal’s defenders to give Rossi a chance to escape with the treatment for the children. Rossi’s mother isn’t giving up so easily and tries to kill Rossi, ending in a life or death showdown with the fate of the world at stake.

Rossi survives and she and Ryder return with a treatment for the children, adopting Devon’s daughter as their own in a bittersweet tribute to his courage.

[hilton Garrett]

Hilton Garrett, Five Seasons

What I learned – to see how the entire series can grow out of the initial inciting event

Season 1 – That Day at the Bridge

High Concept – Who killed Will’s parents?

Big Picture Arc – Will goes from beat-down reporter to fighting for his life

Main Conflict – Will is assigned to cover Rountree’s campaign for governor. When he goes to Rountree’s hometown for background he finds evidence of Rountree’s past deeds and what appears to be a direct connection to Santorro. He also uncovers evidence of Rountree’s connection to the death of Will’s parents.

Mystery/open loop – who is the killer? What is Rountree’s connection to Santorro? What is Martaan’s connection to the death of Will’s parents?

Cliffhanger – Bruce and Mary-Grace get captured

Season 2 – Will Makes a Move

High Concept – Will throws in with Martaan, exposing them both to the F.B.I.

Big Picture Arc – Needing proof of Santorro’s connection to the bank, Will and Martaan break into the bank at night and Martaan opens the vault and they find the record of Santorro’s deposits in the bank, going all the way back to that fateful day when Santorro rescued the bank and saved it from going under.

Main Conflict – Rountree realizes Will is after more than mundane campaign material and sets a trap to eliminate Will’s continued push to get behind the curtain.

Mystery/Open Loop – How far does the corruption reach?

Cliffhanger – The head bookkeeper at the bank realizes the accounts book has been tampered with, notifies Rountree who tells Santorro. Santorro sends his men to kill Will.

Season 3 – New Enemies

High Concept – Will is hunted by Santorro’s men and must somehow find a way to stay alive while still gathering evidence.

Big Picture Arc – As will and Martaan dig deeper into the conspiracy, they uncover a shocking alliance between corrupt officials and criminal organizations. After initially resisting Santorro’s move into Georgia, Rountree decides to get in deeper with Santorro which leads to unexpected twists and betrayals.

Main Conflict – Will is pursued relentlessly by the deadly assassins tasked with protecting the conspiracy’s secrets. He goes into hiding under the protection of Mary-Grace who is also seeking the truth about Rountree, even though she can’t publish it in her paper. Unable to show his face in public Will relies on Martaan to dig up new evidence which exposes Martaan to danger. Together they become entangled in a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse, testing their alliances and pushing their limits to survive.

Mystery/open loop – A key piece of evidence leads Will and Martaan to the distribution center where Santorro breaks down and repackages the cocaine he imports, unknowingly from Martaan. They encounter a survivor who may hold the key to exposing the entire operation, but before they can extract vital information, they are discovered and forced to flee, leaving the survivor behind.

Cliffhanger – In the season finale, Will and Martaan are cornered by the assassins, and a tense standoff ensues. Just as it seems they have no way out, a mysterious figure emerges from the shadows, creating a distraction and allowing them to escape. The season ends with the identity of the mysterious figure unknown, leaving the fate of Will and Martaan uncertain, and setting the stage for a thrilling showdown in the next season.

Season 4 – Who is the Cat?

High Concept – Will and Martaan go off the grid, operating covertly as fugitives while they dig deeper into the conspiracy’s darkest secrets, risking everything to bring the truth to light and dismantle the corrupt network.

Big Picture Arc – The investigation takes them to the heart of the conspiracy, uncovering a sinister plan that reaches the highest echelons of power. They must navigate a world of deception and danger, with allies becoming enemies and enemies becoming allies.

Main Conflict – They are pursued not only by the covert group but also by a powerful enemy within the government who wants to keep the conspiracy buried. They must stay one step ahead while facing personal sacrifices and betrayal that threaten to tear apart their partnership.

Mystery/Open Loop – They discover a hidden location where the conspiracy’s leaders meet in secret. They witness a chilling demonstration of the conspiracy’s power and are shocked to find someone close to them among the attendees. However, before they can confront this individual, they are discovered, and a fierce battle ensues, leaving their fate uncertain.

Cliffhanger – In the intense season finale, Will and Martaan are captured by the covert group and brought face to face with the conspiracy’s mastermind. The mastermind reveals a shocking truth about their ultimate objective, leaving Will and Martaan shaken to their core. Just as it seems like all hope is lost, an unexpected ally emerges, initiating a daring rescue mission, setting the stage for an epic confrontation in the upcoming season.

Season 5 – All In

High Concept: In the climactic final season, Will and Martaan’s relentless pursuit of the truth leads to a high-stakes showdown with the conspiracy’s mastermind, culminating in a battle for justice and redemption that will change their lives forever.

Big Picture Arc: As Will and Martaan close in on the conspiracy’s mastermind, they face a web of lies and betrayal that threaten to destroy everything they hold dear. Their personal and professional lives collide as they uncover shocking secrets that challenge their beliefs and loyalties.

Main Conflict of Season 5: Will and Martaan’s final confrontation with the conspiracy’s mastermind becomes a race against time to prevent a catastrophic event that could plunge the nation into chaos. Their unwavering determination is put to the ultimate test as they grapple with the consequences of their pursuit of truth.

Main Open Loop: Will and Martaan discover a hidden facility where the conspiracy’s mastermind plans to unleash a devastating attack. The facility is heavily guarded, and they must navigate a treacherous maze of traps and obstacles to gain access. Along the way, they encounter unexpected allies who offer crucial assistance in their mission.

Cliffhanger to End the Series: In the emotionally charged series finale, Will and Martaan finally confront the conspiracy’s mastermind in a gripping showdown. The truth behind the conspiracy is exposed, and the nation watches as justice is served. However, during the chaos, Will is gravely injured, and Martaan is forced to make a heartbreaking decision. As the dust settles, Will’s fate remains uncertain, and Martaan is left to grapple with the consequences of their epic battle. The series ends with a poignant and bittersweet moment of reflection, as Martaan stands at a crossroads, ready to face a new chapter in a world forever changed by the Uncovered Truths.

[Brian Bull]

BRIAN BULL – Five Seasons

“What I learned from doing this assignment is…
I was trying to make a square peg fit in a round hole and I struggled with the assignment. I had a major breakthrough when I disregarded what I thought I wanted to do and where I wanted to go but then I ran into some snags with my breakthrough. I need to continue to work on the and stop thinking it has to be perfect because it apparently doesn’t. We’ll see where it goes from here.

ASSIGNMENT

Brainstorm to find the arc of the entire journey, from Season One to Five.

High Concept or major hook of the season: Discovering the powers of the “psychic” glasses.

B. Big Picture Season Arc/Journey: Gifted optometrist to psychic extraordinaire

C. Main Conflict: Staying alive while keeping the glasses a secret

D. Main Mystery/Open Loops: Pursuing the girl of his dreams

E. Cliffhanger: Witnesses a murder and must try and prevent it

2. Brainstorm the Stair Step version.

Season 1: Small town
Season 2: Big city
Season 3: Statewide
Season 4: Nationwide
Season 5: Worldwide.

Season 1 – Jim is the talk of the town and word spreads of his “gift”. He “sees” an attempt to kill the Mayor.

Season 2 – Jim prevents the attempted murder on the Mayor and he becomes a local celebrity.

Season 3 – Jim “witnesses” a serial killer and he is one of the victims.

Season 4 – Jim become a superstar with his own TV show.
Season 5 – Everyone wants Jim’s attention.

SEASON 1: Who knows what the future holds? – Jim does

A psychic desperately asks an optometrist, Jim Brown, to protect her crystal ball but suffers a heart attack in the process and drops the crystal ball splitting it into two halves.

The crystal ball is beyond repair. Intrigued by the clarity of the two halves Jim decides to create a pair of glasses. He soon discovers that he is able to see the future through with the glasses.

While trying the “psychic” glasses out, Jim “sees” all kinds of things; his office manager adopting a puppy, his mother romantically involved with a younger man, his future wife and an attempted murder of the mayor.

SEASON 2: It takes a kook to catch a crook

Jim must now try and prevent the attempted murder of the Mayor but he fears he may come across a “kook”. Ultimately, Jim does prevent the murder and he becomes a local hero making him a celebrity.

SEASON 3: Saving one’s own hide

A serial killer has been terrorizing the city. Jim “sees” who it is and he is one of his victims. It’s time for Jim to save his own life.

SEASON 4:

Jim has captured everyones attention and is the present-day Nostradamus. He gets his own TV show.

SEASON 5: Hero to Zero

Everyone wants Jim’s attention but then he makes a number of “bad” predictions because of misinterpretations of what he “saw” resulting in everyone dismissing Jim as a fraud.