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Scriptwriting for Series: How Streaming Frees The Writer

Fargo is one of my favorite TV series ever made, for the extreme differences it has in focus in scenes, looking at character quirks as majorly impactful on the plot. And the pacing falls back on standards of dramatic television, with many scenes being basic dialogue between two characters.

The quirkiness of a Coen-inspired story needs the standard pacing of drama to flourish. However, some unique aspects of this TV show make the scenes unfold naturally and the story unravel without pressures of standard episode length.

Episode 1: 69 minutes

Episode 2: 52 minutes

Episode 3: 50 minutes

Episode 4: 50 minutes

Episode 5: 50 minutes

Episode 6: 53 minutes

Episode 7: 47 minutes

Episode 8: 54 minutes

Episode 9: 51 minutes

Episode 10: 64 minutes

Fargo is broadcast on FX, which often airs shows that have low numbers of viewers, but reach critical acclaim. They depend on the big moneymakers for profit, but host independent creators with unique visions that treat television as more of an artistic platform than the commercial platform.

Moving to streaming services, these differing, non-standard episode lengths should become more the status quo, enabling writers and editors to let the episode be the length that it naturally settles at, rather than conforming each episode to 42-44 minutes.

In the new golden age of television, shorter seasons seems to be the trend, and less limitations could only improve the quality of these dramas further.


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