It could be said that behind every great showrunner is a great executive — or at least that’s how it should be.
Every writer/producer in Hollywood dreads “notes” — those little missives that come down from executive suites at studios and networks. Sometimes they’re helpful; sometimes they’re annoying; sometimes they’re downright stupid.
But if you get a good exec that knows what he or she is doing — especially you’re running a TV show for the first time — those notes can be invaluable.
They can even become a master class on how to spin out story successfully over many seasons.
One of the good ones was John Litvack, of the late and (by me) fondly remembered The WB Network, who just passed away on March 21 at the age of 69 — far too young — after failing to recover since having triple-bypass surgery in January.
From Variety:
Litvack was considered an elder statesman during his 1997-2004 run as head of scheduling and current programming at the WB Network. Earlier in his career he’d held exec posts at CBS, NBC and Disney TV. He spoke to creatives from experience thanks to the time he spent time behind the camera as a director of soap operas in the 1970s and as a co-exec producer of “Hill Street Blues” in the NBC drama’s final season.
“He knew story,” said Jordan Levin, the former WB Network president who also worked with Litvack at Disney in the early 1990s.
Litvack was highly regarded by showrunners and others for his skill at spotting problems with stories and generally helping to keep successful shows running smoothly. At the WB, he was a key coach for producers such as “Felicity” creator Abrams, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s” Joss Whedon and “Dawson’s Creek” showrunner Greg Berlanti, who were then inexperienced in pacing themselves through the marathon that is series television.
Click here to read the rest — and there’s a lot more to tell, as Litvack was involved with some of the most popular and acclaimed shows of the last few decades.
Image: Courtesy of Warner Bros./Variety
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