Storytelling
The Mystery Box Is Broken, and Here’s How to Fix It
From Lost to Game of Thrones to The Rise of Skywalker, the “mystery box” style of storytelling is coming up short. Here’s why — and how to fix it.
Storytelling
Game of Thrones’s Biggest Surprise of All Was… a Satisfying Ending?
The final episode of Game of Thrones leaves no one entirely happy… and that’s exactly the way it should be.
Storytelling
How “The Bells” Ruins Several Major Character Arcs in Game of Thrones
In the penultimate Game of Thrones episode “The Bells,” the show explores the ugly side of war, power, and consequences — but is it good storytelling?
Storytelling
How Avengers: Endgame Fulfills the Emotional Arcs of Marvel’s Characters
Avengers: Endgame owes its success to one word: character.
Storytelling
This Lazy Dialogue Habit Is Making Game of Thrones Funny By Accident
Overusing this soap opera writing trope will turn your story’s drama into comedy.
Storytelling
The Unfortunate Lesson Storytellers Should Learn from Missing Link
Laika’s biggest animated fim is missing a crucial element that causes the movie to fall short of satisfying.
Storytelling
Captain Marvel: A Genius Lesson in Story Structure
Captain Marvel offers a smart answer to a hard storytelling question: how do you make a compelling movie about the world’s strongest hero?
Armchair Sociology
Steve Harrington, Jaime Lannister, and the Secret to Writing a Redemption Arc
How did Steve Harrington become one of the most popular characters on Stranger Things?
Storytelling
53 Reactions from a Drunken Viewing of Mortal Engines
Mortal Engines may be one of 2018’s biggest box-office bombs, but it didn’t have to be. Here’s the key ingredient the movie forgot to include.
Storytelling
What Went Wrong with Bad Times at the El Royale?
This caper flick wants you to believe it’s full of twists and turns… but it’s frustatingly empty.