Introduction

This chapter provides the introduction to this book of curated interviews on television dialogue. It describes the interviews that are included, with David Mandel (Curb Your Enthusiasm, Veep), Jane Espenson (Buffy, Battlestar Galactica, Once Upon a Time), Sheila Lawrence (Gilmore Girls, Ugly Betty, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), Robert Berens (Supernatural), and Doris Egan (Tru Calling, House, Reign). The chapter provides the rationale for the interviews, and outlines the objectives of the book and its potential readership. It also situates the book in the context of existing material on TV screenwriting, and describes its contents and structure. The interview methodology is explained and the book is positioned in relation to a larger linguistic research project on television series.