180 - Bad Teachers, Good Advice and the Default Male

Jan 20, 2015

Aline Brosh McKenna joins John and Craig to discuss the how movies featuring good mentors (Dead Poet’s Society, To Sir with Love) differ from films with bad mentors (Whiplash, The Devil Wears Prada). It’s not just that the teachers are bad guys; rather, the stories are structured completely differently.

 

John asks Craig and Aline about some ethical quandaries he’s been facing, ranging from awards voting to who is a “friend.”

 

We also discuss the “default male problem,” especially how it relates to comedy and the cleanest version of a joke.

 

Links:

 

• Aline Brosh McKenna on episodes 60, 76, 100, 101, 119, 123, 124 152, 161, and 175
• Raphael Bob-Waksberg Breaks Down Comedy’s “Default Male” Problem
• Writers on Writing: Simon Kinberg
• Read the Whiplash screenplay on Weekend Read
• Evernote Scannable
• The Comeback on HBO
• Jason Hall in WGAw’s Written By
• Ryan Reynolds is now on Twitter
• Outro by Scriptnotes listener Rajesh Naroth (send us yours!)

 

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.