niceolelevy

Hello, friends — wanted to update this list because a lot of shows have come and gone since my last posting on the topic. Remember, here “spec” means a sample episode of an existing show (seriously, how have writers been unable to come up with a separate way to describe this when “spec” also means an original pilot written on spec?).

To reiterate — yes, if you’re still trying to break into the TV writing game, you should have at least one current sample episode of an existing TV show. Why? Because some fellowships still require them. Because you can still compete at places like the Austin Film Festival with them (which can help you get repped). And because you might run into upper-levels or showrunners like moi who want to be sure you can do the job you’re after: writing a show in another creator’s voice.

But mostly, you’re writing them to build your muscles so that when you get your first assignment on staff, you’re ready to hit the ground running and you feel confident in your ability to mimic another writer’s style and voice. It’s for you more than it’s for anyone else.

Anyway… I’ve lectured about this enough. If you’re ready to write a new spec… or write your first one… here’s a list of shows as current as I could conjure. Shows will get canceled any day now and more will debut as 2024 progresses — and anything that has aired in this broadcast year (Sept 2023 on) works — or if you know it’s coming back but was delayed because of the strikes — that still works, too.

So pick a show you love and dive in. You’ll be better prepared for your first staff job if you do it.

SHOWS TO SPEC LIST

COMEDY

• Abbott Elementary
• American Dad
• And Just Like That
• Bad Sisters
• Based on a True Story
• Bob’s Burgers
• Bookie
• Bupkis
• Emily In Paris
• Family Guy
• Frasier (2023)
• Ghosts
• Girls 5 Eva
• Hacks
• Harlem
• Harley Quinn
• Jury Duty
• Killing It
• Lopez vs. Lopez
• Loot
• Mythic Quest
• Night Court (2023)
• Not Dead Yet
• Only Murders In the Building
• Rap Sh!t
• Rick & Morty
• Scott Pilgrim Takes Off
• Sex Lives of College Girls
• Shrinking
• Somebody Somewhere
• South Park
• Star Trek: Lower Decks
• Survival of the Thickest
• The Bear
• The Connors
• The Curse
• The Neighborhood
• The Righteous Gemstones
• The Upshaws
• Twisted Metal
• Unstable
• Unprisoned
• Upload
• We Are Lady Parts
• What We Do in the Shadows
• XO, Kitty

DRAMA

• 9-1-1
• 9-1-1 Lone Star
• Accused
• Alert: Missing Persons Unit
• All American
• All American: Homecoming
• American Horror Story
• Andor
• Bel-Air
• Black Mirror
• Blue Eye Samauri
• BMF
• Bosch: Legacy
• Bridgerton (Most current chapter)
• Cobra Kai
• CSI: Vegas
• Echo
• Euphoria
• Evil
• Fargo (Season 5)
• Fire Country
• For All Mankind
• Found
• Foundation
• From
• Gen V
• Ginny & Georgia
• Godfather of Harlem
• Goosebumps
• Halo
• House of the Dragon
• Industry
• Interview with a Vampire
• Invincible
• Leverage: Redemption
• Loki
• Lupin
• Mayfair Witches
• Mayor of Kingstown
• Monarch: Legacy of Monsters
• My Life With the Walter Boys
• Nine Perfect Strangers
• One Piece
• Our Flag Means Death
• Outer Banks
• P Valley
• Peacemaker
• Percy Jackson and the Olympians
• Poker Face
• Power: Book II, III, & IV
• Quantum Leap (2022)
• Reacher
• Reasonable Doubt
• School Spirits
• Severance
• Silo
• Slow Horses
• So Help Me Todd
• Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
• Station 19
• Stranger Things
• Superman & Lois
• The Boys
• The Brothers Sun
• The Chi
• The Changeling
• The Cleaning Lady
• The Diplomat
• The Equalizer
• The Gilded Age
• The Handmaid’s Tale
• The Irrational
• The Last of Us
• The Lincoln Lawyer
• The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power
• The Mandalorian
• The Morning Show
• The Other Black Girl
• The Recruit
• The Rookie
• The Night Agent
• The Sandman
• The Umbrella Academy
• The Wheel of Time
• The White Lotus
• The Witcher
• Virgin River
• Walker
• Wednesday
• What If?
• Will Trent
• Yellowjackets
• Yellowstone

Franchise shows like the 911s, Chicagos, L&O, and Walking Deads, are all fine to spec if you so choose. People will probably be familiar with those tones even if they no longer watch these long-running shows.