Anthony Zuiker Weighs In On Procedural vs Serial Debate

Anthony Zuiker, creator of CSI revealed recently why the show works better as a procedural than a serial.

"We simply did not want to handcuff the viewers to their television sets from week to week," he said. "We wanted to make great television, earn the viewers' trust and welcome them back 24 times a year. What works best for CSI and many procedurals today are "stand-alone" episodes with serialized character arcs. This lessens the pressure of the viewer to tune in every single week, yet encourages loyal viewing by serializing character beats."

Zuiker also said procedurals works better for viewers who can't watch every single episode. "We'd rather have you watch 20 or 24 rather than miss two shows in a row and tune out forever."

Rick Kushman, TV critic for the Sacramento Bee, says procedurals are more accommodating, but serials allow for better writing and tend to be the series that most grab viewers' attention. "Serials let writers tell better stories. They offer the size and depth of a novel."

"Serials open all kinds of doors," he continued. "Plots can twist, split, then sprint forward. Mysteries can expand and venture into new, unexpected territory, like, uh, hatches. Characters can grow, adapt, slowly get flushed out in all their complexities, or get whacked -- R.I.P. half the characters on 24."

The original article can be found at Daily Variety. Thanks to Al Forno for this.

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