Ben Blacker
@benblacker.bsky.social
The Writers Panel // Cut+Run: http://bit.ly/CutRunAudible // Hex Wives: http://bit.ly/HWtrade // Thrilling Adventure Hour // Dead Pilots Society
Re:Writing: benblacker.substack.com
Re:Writing: benblacker.substack.com
Should we start a podcast? “Goop Group?”
November 8, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Should we start a podcast? “Goop Group?”
And in this week's Writers Panel pod, HUNTING WIVES creator Rebecca Cutter discusses why she thinks people have responded so positively to the show, hiring the writers’ room, regulating tone by instinct, quality without “prestige,” + more
benblacker.substack.com/p/rebecca-cu...
benblacker.substack.com/p/rebecca-cu...
November 6, 2025 at 11:32 PM
And in this week's Writers Panel pod, HUNTING WIVES creator Rebecca Cutter discusses why she thinks people have responded so positively to the show, hiring the writers’ room, regulating tone by instinct, quality without “prestige,” + more
benblacker.substack.com/p/rebecca-cu...
benblacker.substack.com/p/rebecca-cu...
I've been traveling and so haven't gotten to post about the past couple of newsletter drops. Right before Halloween, I offered up another round of horror movie recs, this one all about creature features: benblacker.substack.com/p/son-of-a-c...
November 6, 2025 at 11:31 PM
I've been traveling and so haven't gotten to post about the past couple of newsletter drops. Right before Halloween, I offered up another round of horror movie recs, this one all about creature features: benblacker.substack.com/p/son-of-a-c...
Yeah, I always wonder about that moment when it starts to click. They were writing and then producing in such quick succession so it literally could be one week to the next.
October 25, 2025 at 1:22 PM
Yeah, I always wonder about that moment when it starts to click. They were writing and then producing in such quick succession so it literally could be one week to the next.
Shows now, with those kinds of orders, are pretty overworked before production even starts, so I think they know what they are. But, in part bc writing is done before production, there’s so little room for discovery.
October 25, 2025 at 1:10 PM
Shows now, with those kinds of orders, are pretty overworked before production even starts, so I think they know what they are. But, in part bc writing is done before production, there’s so little room for discovery.
SMG has such confidence in this episode too. Maybe the “two people” theme hit home for her who Buffy is. And the writers must have seen her chemistry with Anthony Head (and his comic range as well) because they really lean on it here. All around a great ep, including some fun visual storytelling too
October 25, 2025 at 1:07 PM
SMG has such confidence in this episode too. Maybe the “two people” theme hit home for her who Buffy is. And the writers must have seen her chemistry with Anthony Head (and his comic range as well) because they really lean on it here. All around a great ep, including some fun visual storytelling too
“Buffy wants to be a normal girl but her responsibilities as Slayer prevent her” was surely part of the initial pitch. It’s flirted with in 101-104 but someone must have left Spider-man comics in the writers room because it’s front and center here and that clarity makes the episode sing.
October 25, 2025 at 1:02 PM
“Buffy wants to be a normal girl but her responsibilities as Slayer prevent her” was surely part of the initial pitch. It’s flirted with in 101-104 but someone must have left Spider-man comics in the writers room because it’s front and center here and that clarity makes the episode sing.
Did they figure it out over night? In 104, “Never Kill a Boy on the First Date,” everything clicks together. The characters sound like themselves, the show looks like itself, they’re all STYLED as they would come to be. Most importantly, the personal and monster stories work in harmony.
October 25, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Did they figure it out over night? In 104, “Never Kill a Boy on the First Date,” everything clicks together. The characters sound like themselves, the show looks like itself, they’re all STYLED as they would come to be. Most importantly, the personal and monster stories work in harmony.
It really is fun seeing them figure out the show. You don’t really get that any more. Everything (scripted) arrives in its final form.
So worth watching series that did 22 eps per season for multiple yrs to see how they cracked the show in real time.
You’d never get a pointless shot like this now
So worth watching series that did 22 eps per season for multiple yrs to see how they cracked the show in real time.
You’d never get a pointless shot like this now
October 24, 2025 at 9:43 PM
It really is fun seeing them figure out the show. You don’t really get that any more. Everything (scripted) arrives in its final form.
So worth watching series that did 22 eps per season for multiple yrs to see how they cracked the show in real time.
You’d never get a pointless shot like this now
So worth watching series that did 22 eps per season for multiple yrs to see how they cracked the show in real time.
You’d never get a pointless shot like this now
I like the creature design too! Ultimately, I think the ep is just too ambitious for this early in the run. The pieces don’t quite come together. And they’re still figuring out the parameters of the show. She-mantis is a bit too Dr Who, and it’s a fine line that they haven’t firmly drawn yet.
October 24, 2025 at 9:36 PM
I like the creature design too! Ultimately, I think the ep is just too ambitious for this early in the run. The pieces don’t quite come together. And they’re still figuring out the parameters of the show. She-mantis is a bit too Dr Who, and it’s a fine line that they haven’t firmly drawn yet.
The scene between Buffy and her (late) teacher really works. It’s well written and acted. A lovely little moment with real emotion.
The Angel stuff starts to codify too. Leaning into his brooding/don’t give him too much dialogue. Let the wordless connection do the work.
The Angel stuff starts to codify too. Leaning into his brooding/don’t give him too much dialogue. Let the wordless connection do the work.
October 24, 2025 at 9:34 PM
The scene between Buffy and her (late) teacher really works. It’s well written and acted. A lovely little moment with real emotion.
The Angel stuff starts to codify too. Leaning into his brooding/don’t give him too much dialogue. Let the wordless connection do the work.
The Angel stuff starts to codify too. Leaning into his brooding/don’t give him too much dialogue. Let the wordless connection do the work.
“Teacher’s Pet” doesn’t work. The elements don’t come together. But there’s good stuff in it. Characters are aligning more closely with the actors. You can hear the writers start leaning on Alyson Hannigan/Willow’s pov for some strong comedy.
(Don’t love incel COMIC RELIEF Xander though)
(Don’t love incel COMIC RELIEF Xander though)
October 24, 2025 at 9:30 PM
“Teacher’s Pet” doesn’t work. The elements don’t come together. But there’s good stuff in it. Characters are aligning more closely with the actors. You can hear the writers start leaning on Alyson Hannigan/Willow’s pov for some strong comedy.
(Don’t love incel COMIC RELIEF Xander though)
(Don’t love incel COMIC RELIEF Xander though)
Also, outside of the brief (and pretty effective) fire effects, making a witch your first “monster of the week” was probably very budget friendly!
a man drinking from a green mug in front of a bookshelf that has the fourth dawn on it
Alt: a man drinking from a green mug in front of a bookshelf that has the fourth dawn on it
media.tenor.com
October 24, 2025 at 4:16 AM
Also, outside of the brief (and pretty effective) fire effects, making a witch your first “monster of the week” was probably very budget friendly!
I remember watching Witch when it first aired and being genuinely surprised at the twist! My horror knowledge was pretty much kept to monster movies. And we didn’t yet know what kinds of stories TV could or would do! Twilight Zone wasn’t an immediate comp for Buffy bc it was funny and young.
October 24, 2025 at 3:51 AM
I remember watching Witch when it first aired and being genuinely surprised at the twist! My horror knowledge was pretty much kept to monster movies. And we didn’t yet know what kinds of stories TV could or would do! Twilight Zone wasn’t an immediate comp for Buffy bc it was funny and young.
“Witch” is a really smart 3rd ep. Expands the world both on the supernatural side and, literally, at school and home. There are so many extras and speaking roles in this one. And we get to know Joyce!
Fun to see the writers starting to figure out what the actors can do and and leaning into it.
Fun to see the writers starting to figure out what the actors can do and and leaning into it.
a woman wearing a red shirt that says sunnydale is standing on a gym floor .
ALT: a woman wearing a red shirt that says sunnydale is standing on a gym floor .
media.tenor.com
October 24, 2025 at 3:47 AM
“Witch” is a really smart 3rd ep. Expands the world both on the supernatural side and, literally, at school and home. There are so many extras and speaking roles in this one. And we get to know Joyce!
Fun to see the writers starting to figure out what the actors can do and and leaning into it.
Fun to see the writers starting to figure out what the actors can do and and leaning into it.
This feels like old Twitter and I am thankful for it!
October 23, 2025 at 7:41 PM
This feels like old Twitter and I am thankful for it!