In honor of our producer Megana Rao’s departure, John and Craig discuss how to retool a long-running show when a beloved character leaves. How should writers think about replacing them, and does it have to change the fundamental dynamics?

We also follow up on staffing while pregnant, working with child actors, and European script consultants. We then answer listener questions about contributing to ideas as an assistant, selling a show in the room, and writing under pseudonyms.

In our bonus segment for premium members, we dive into the wild and wondrous world of online prescription services.

Links:

• Woman who poisoned lookalike with cheesecake to steal identity convicted from The Guardian
• ‘The Last of Us’ Featurette with Keivonn Woodard from HBO
• The Fleishman Effect: In a city of Rachels and Libbys, the FX show has some New York moms worried they’re the ones in trouble by Caitlin Moscatello for The Cut
• Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!
• Check out the Inneresting Newsletter
• Gift a Scriptnotes Subscription or treat yourself to a premium subscription!
• Craig Mazin on Twitter
• John August on Twitter
• John on Instagram
• John on Mastodon
• Outro by David Kawale (send us yours!)
• Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt with help from Chris Csont and edited by Matthew Chilelli.

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode here.