Writing A Chuck Lorre Comedy In A Few Easy Steps

For all those aspiring screenwriters out there who can't seem to catch a break and get their great ideas in the big and/or small screen here are a few simple steps to follow that has made Chuck Lorre a huge success in todays ADHD world of channel flipping. So my fellow screenplay writers, throw down your Starbucks coffees and turn your MacBook to 'full steam ahead' (that's a Mac term, right?) and lets get writing

1. Setting

First of all you need to set your series in a place that is easy for people to relate to. For example at home, a la Two and a Half Men, Dharma and Greg, big Bang Theory (actually I think all Chuck Lorre series are set primarily in the homplace so this one is a no brainer, just set your series in the home of your characters).

I hear what you're saying fellow writers, "That's been done a hundred times over, I can't copy that", or "What about setting it in a pawn shop, that's cool and artsy like me" or "Mine's set in an antiquery which is even more artsy than a pawn shop" and even "Mine's set in a metaphysical world where everybody is no one and nobody is everyone else". So put away your quirky settings and set the series at home, be that house or flat

2. Characters

When creating your characters don't make them too complicated, best to not even give them a three dimensial personality. Make the character so shallow that in turning to the side they would disappear and never return. People like simple and easy, too complicated and they're flipping over to Jersey Shore where everyone is so shallowyou could barely fill a thimble with their personalities.

Take Chuck Lorre's example: Two and A Half Men; Charlie- Sex crazed booze hound, Alan- Sex crazed weirdo. Neither of these characters had personalities evolved past their constant sex talk. Here's how one episode usually goes

Charlie: I just had so much sex
Alan: And I had no sex
Audience: Ha ha, one guy had sex and the other didn't, classic Two and a Half Men!

Then just take this and repeat in slightly different ways for 24 episodes and shazam you got yourself a tv series

3.Plot Devices

Keep your plots simple, do not delve too much into plot detail, this is a must! If you don't want your audience flipping over to Jersey Shore again, where the plot usually involves either sex or fighting, then you keep the plot to an absolute minimum. You don't want several subtle subplots confusing your audience.

Take Chuck Lorre's Big Bang Theory for example: This series involved two geeky guys living across from a hot popular girl (nothing complicated so far). An episode usually involved someting like this:

Geek #1: Hey, do you want to come with us to (insert geek activity here)
Hot Girl: I don't know what that means, is it something to do with shoes/fashion/drinking? (any one of the three is fine)
Audience: Ha ha, they don't understand each other because one is a geek and the other is popular, it's like they're speaking a different language, classic Big Bang theory!

And, as before, repeat this process in various, only slightly different ways, for 24 episodes and you got yourself an amazing tv series


So there you go, three easy steps in creating your very own tv series. Tune in next time when I take these helpful tips and write the pilot episode to my very own Chuck Lorre tv series