| Pitfall | Fix | |---------|-----| | Romance overshadows the genre (crime/politics/thriller) | Every romantic beat must cost something (time, risk, intel). | | “Will they/won’t they” past the point of sense | Resolve by mid-season 2, or one moves on. | | No consequences for getting together | If they become a couple, show how it changes tactics, trust from others, or decision-making. | | Love triangle with no stakes | The triangle should represent two different futures for the protagonist (e.g., safety vs. ambition, past vs. change). |
Link: TV King + long-time friend/manager or neighborhood friend turned stylist
Storyline: tvking in sex link
A romantic link must affect the story’s outcome. Use this checklist: | Pitfall | Fix | |---------|-----| | Romance
Anti-example: Romance that pauses during action scenes.
TVKing fix: Have one character hesitate in a fight because the other is in danger. Let a romantic secret slip while under interrogation. Link: TV King + long-time friend/manager or neighborhood
Example: TV King + rookie actress OR network president’s daughter
Conflict:
TVKing Example: A cynical fixer and an idealistic detective must clear a mutual friend’s name. He respects her code; she sees his wounds. They kiss in a stairwell after a shootout—then spend three episodes avoiding each other.