>E.g. the directing skillset is somewhat related but ultimately very different.
Certainly. That's why the showrunner mostly doesn't direct episodes and film directors mostly didn't write the script (though they probably influenced it).
The difference is that films can go through a multi-year development process with things hopefully largely nailed down before production starts--because that's when the bills really start mounting fast.
TV, on the other hand, historically had a lot more writing and production values were often a lot lower. So writing was important (and had to happen relatively quickly) while a solid journeyman director was probably fine. Certainly their name was mostly not a draw for audiences.
(Obviously something like Rings of Power is a lot different from a season of Law and Order.)
Series director is just a different role than feature director. A feature director is usually the ultimate creative authority for the whole enterprise, but not on a series, where they report to the showrunning writer.
You probably think you're being clever but I won't take the bait. While good procedurals require talented writing as well, they operate under constraints and are both low risk and relatively low reward compared to something in less charted territory.
Writing even good formula is hard to screw up too badly given some level of talent (and clearly communicated and guardrailed formula).
You think you didn’t take the bait, but Dr. Devereaux wrote a four-part blog series on why Rings of Power is bad. The thesis was essentially that it was they ignored enough historical guardrails as to lack verisimilitude, earning the dreaded “I don’t care about these people.” After reading the OP, I can’t shake the feeling that the showrunners flubbed handling the writers room enough to make glaring continuity errors (traveling 1000+ km in two days), and instead spent time in post designing sails that wouldn’t work. Law and Order folks are smart enough to rip from the headlines.
If seeing is what you like, it’s a great show. The imagery is fantastic. If you like coherent setting and characters you identify with, it’s less than awesome.
Certainly. That's why the showrunner mostly doesn't direct episodes and film directors mostly didn't write the script (though they probably influenced it).
The difference is that films can go through a multi-year development process with things hopefully largely nailed down before production starts--because that's when the bills really start mounting fast.
TV, on the other hand, historically had a lot more writing and production values were often a lot lower. So writing was important (and had to happen relatively quickly) while a solid journeyman director was probably fine. Certainly their name was mostly not a draw for audiences.
(Obviously something like Rings of Power is a lot different from a season of Law and Order.)