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At the panel for CBS’ new cop/family drama Blue Bloods, the show’s writers-executive producers Robin Green and Mitchell Burgess were asked about departing the anti-hero drama genre they mastered on HBO’s The Sopranos to take on the CBS series starring Tom Selleck.
“We did the anti-hero for all those years, it was wonderful, it’s an old tradition…but every great character you see on TV right now is dark, they have a problem, we were very interested, as a curative after the Sopranos, to find out what a hero is,“ said Green. Added Burgess: “We were very conscious that we wanted to rediscover the hero, and write that, we did the other thing and now we want to do this. “
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Well, the fact that they seem to think the world can be divided into heroes and anti-heroes makes it pretty clear that they either weren’t very important to the creation of Sopranos, or have forgotten everything that made that show great.
Chill out. The Sopranos had excellent writers or else you and everyone else wouldn’t have watched it. Jesus. Stop over-analyzing everything.
That’s a pretty asinine comment. It’s no coincidence that Sopranos went markedly downhill in Season 6 when Chase fired Robin and Mitch. They were the #2s for the first five seasons, and then Chase went bananas, couldn’t handle anyone else basking in the glow of success. They’re excellent writers, and good people who have paid their dues. I’m rooting for them, and hopeful that because of the Good Wife’s success, CBS will be willing to at least dip their toes in character shows again.
They were Number Two all right.
Holy Cow — they were fired? They’re admitting they were fired? Because they’d been saying for years they voluntarily decided to leave the show. Anonymous, you better talk to your two pals and ask them which party line they want you to tow.
Funny, Chase never seemed to have a problem with Terry Winter or M. Weiner, during their stints on the show, “basking in the glow of success”. How come Winter and Weiner didn’t get fired?
Because Weiner was famously up Chase’s ass and was only there for the last two seasons. Everyone else got fired, except Terry Winter whom I guess is just a mensch and a great writer.
The Sopranos went “markedly downhill”? Really? It ended its run stronger than ever, winning Emmys for Best Drama, Writing & Directing. (Not to mention the WGA Award and a slew of other nominations and awards in every conceivable category.) Sorry Anonymous, but your noble attempt at revisionist history will not change that.
The Wire never won any Emmys, yet was probably the best show of all time. Using Emmys as a benchmark is idiotic — it won those awards mostly as a sort of lifetime achievement, the way Martin Landau or jack Palance get them for movies that weren’t their best work. There were a couple good episodes those last two seasons, but mostly, I agree with Anonymous — the show went way downhill those last two years. Height was season 5, with Adriana dying and the Buscemi Tony Blunedetto character. Season 4 was weak, but had Whitecaps which almost made up for it.
The Sopranos was one of my favorite shows. Excellent writing. I’m really looking forward to BB probably out of all the new CBS shows.
Dear Anonymous (Robin Green’s mother)
Everyone else go fired? There was no one else, you fucking moron.
I take that back — Todd Kessler was also invited to leave but the parting was amicable and he went on to create Dexter. But you’re still a fucking moron. 2 writers let go in 7 years of a series? Obviously you know nothing about episodic television. And yes, 2 not 3. Burgess and Green make one writer. But I’m sure Green-Burg is deeply indebted to you that you’ve told the truth and placed them/her among the canned when they/she have lied for four years that they/she decided to leave on their/her own. Bravo!
On stage at TCA, where was Ken Sanzel who was, according to deadline hollywood, brought in to actually run the show (presumably because Green and Burgess couldn’t)? Is he back in the writers room doing the real work because Sopranos Alums sounds more important than Numb3rs? They should really give him the credit he deserves.
These two shleppers are hitched to Tom Selleck’s moustache. Otherwise, bupkis.
Selleck is too stiff boring