Story Maps: TV Drama: The Structure of the One-Hour Television Pilot

the sooner you establish a line of action that moves forward (a character pursuing a goal against obstacles) the better.

Introduce a Fascinating Protagonist (Protag):

Hint at Central Conflict (“The Compelling Crisis”): Give us a taste of the ongoing dramatic dilemma of this series.

Enter the action of your story as late as possible in the world but as soon as possible in the script.

Keep in mind that a “premise pilot” may not utilize the Week-to-Week engine of subsequent episodes.

a shocking yet inevitable turn

External and Internal Goal:

do it with fewer words,

We want to see our hero realize their own true power and unleash a show of strength that makes them come into their own.