Episode five does not work. The writers' room has three versions, the director of block two starts prep on Monday, and the broadcaster wants to see the season arc again. The showrunner picks one version, rewrites the ending over the weekend and tells the line producer that the extra night exterior has to go. The showrunner is the person who holds a whole series together, in the scripts and on the screen.
What a showrunner does
The showrunner is usually the creator or lead writer of a series, with the power of a senior producer. They run the writers' room, a group of screenwriters who plan the season and write the episodes. They approve every script, often rewrite it, and decide the tone, the characters and where the story goes.
On most series several directors each shoot a block of episodes. The showrunner makes sure all of those blocks still feel like one show. They approve casting, sets and key crew, watch the dailies and give notes on the edits. They answer to the broadcaster or platform, usually through the commissioning editor, and work with the line producer to keep the scripts affordable.
Responsibilities
- Set the creative vision for the series and the season arc
- Run the writers' room and approve or rewrite every script
- Approve directors, cast and heads of department
- Keep the voice and look consistent across episodes and directors
- Give notes on cuts and approve the final episodes
- Present the series to the broadcaster or platform and handle their notes
- Balance story ambitions against the budget and schedule
How the role touches the budget
Indirectly but strongly. The showrunner does not keep the books, but every scene they write costs money. A crowd scene, a night shoot or a new location in episode seven can move the budget more than any negotiation. Good showrunners learn to write within the money the line producer has, and to trade one expensive scene for another. Their own fee sits above the line.
How people become showrunners
Most showrunners started as writers in someone else's writers' room, moved up to more senior writing credits, and then created a series of their own. Some begin as playwrights, novelists or comedians. Running a show also needs management skills, so first-time showrunners are often paired with an experienced producer.
In the US and Europe
The title comes from American television, where the showrunner is the clear head of a series. In the UK and the rest of Europe the same work is often split. A lead writer handles the scripts while an executive producer or series producer runs the production, although the showrunner model is now used more widely there too.