Why do so many shows have a different writer for each episode?

In the podcast related to The Expanse, they talked a lot about the production of the show, particularly the writing. In the case of that show, they had a roomful writers who all contributed to every episode. Each episode would credit a singular writer from that writers room, generally the person who wrote the first full draft of the script, but every writer in that room would contribute and make edits to maintain consistency.

Hey, professional TV writer here. Currently in my office on a network TV show, surfing listnook when I'm supposed to be writing. The way TV shows writers rooms work, and what it means to be a TV writer, is a lot more complicated and interesting than a lot of folks assume. I talk about this in a huge amount of detail in this post on the r/Screenwriting sublistnook: [What are the different TV Writer Jobs? What does a Showrunner do?](https://www.listnook.com/r/Screenwriting/comments/1bwvp3b/what_are_the_different_tv_writer_jobs_what_does_a/?share_id=qeqBsL7fFyvbWHmNrk58u&utm_content=2&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_source=share&utm_term=1) It's worth a read, but here are a few simple thoughts: First, the main writer of a TV show is called the Showrunner. The voice of the show is the voice of the showrunner, and a key skill for TV writers is emulating our showrunners voice on the page. This is a key job skill -- us rank-and-file TV writers spend a lot of time getting really good at writing in the voice of the showrunner as well as the characters -- its a skill that many amazing writers don't have (and don't want to have) and it takes a long time to get good at. Second, when I turn in a draft of a script, my showrunners re-write it. Sometimes they change a word here and there, other times they rewrite everything. (Generally it's closer to the former then the latter, or I'm gonna get fired.) My job is like horseshoes -- I'm trying to get as close as I can to the mark, but then the showrunner takes it and gets it the rest of the way. Third, (on most US shows) we all hang out in one office together and we work together to "break" (come up with the detailed plan for) each episode. It's a team effort that involves the showrunner, and we're always asking ourselves how to get closer to "the showrunner's show" -- their taste, rather than our individual taste. We draw on our life experience and things we love to inform our own scripts, but always filtered through that lens. Finally, writing most US shows is a team effort. On a great show, we all work collectively and form a sort of hive mind for key elements of the writing, which makes the voice of the show become even more of a singular thing. But, by tradition, when I am assigned an episode, I get credited as the sole writer on that episode, no matter what other contributions my friends or bosses make. (The only exception would be if I *completely* shit the bed and what I turn in is unusable.) So, on-screen, you'll see "Written By Prince\_Jellyfish" even though it really was more of a team effort. Feel free to AMA or check out the detailed post I linked above, or the bajillion other posts in my profile for more about TV writing in the real world.

Most shows actually have writers room where they plan everything together first, then individual writers just execute the specific episodes based on those guidelines.

A show in the 90s called Babylon 5 is a great experiment in "what if one guy ran the show and wrote all of the episodes (22 per year)" starting somewhere in the middle of season 2 and all the way through season 5 with the exception of one episode toward the end of 5 where he asked Neil Gaiman to write an episode. That showrunner is J. Michael Straczynski, and the experience about killed him. Great show, though.

Don’t most shows have this? Sometimes to mix it a little you gotta introduce different writers.

So they can prepare a lot of content in a shorter amount of time. Same reason why they have so many different directors as well. Cohesion throughout a show is typically overseen by a showrunner or producer. By having different writers and directors, they can have multiple episodes in pre and post production simultaneously.

Some shows have a writers room. Most shows have every writer collaborate together, and one writer usually takes the lead. A showrunner is usually hired to make sure a show has a consistent feel to it.

Beside writer's rooms, more episodic shows like procedurals and those 80's toy cartoons that had 40+ episodes a season had something called a "writer's bible", a document explaining the premise, characters, intended tone, the dos and don't of submitting a script, etc. Then the production had one or two story editor to read scripts submitted by the freelancers and rewrite as needed.

In most non serialized shows a season of twenty episodes will have around 6 writers. This let's them write more episodes and work with each writer's strengths. It also gives more people ti brainstorm ideas.

On many shows a showrunner has a writers room who break the beats of the story together, then a writer is assigned to write the script - they are the ones who get the on screen credits for the episode - but once written, the entire writers room and showrunner then contribute to rewrites of the script, honing it. It's a team effort, but an individual actually writes out the first draft.

Think of it like a band: different musicians, same composer. The showrunner is the “voice,” the room follows a detailed plan/bible. DVD commentaries are great for seeing how unified scripts actually are.

Occasional TV writer here! The shortest answer: writing is hard and a whole show is a lot of volume for one person to write in a reasonable timeframe. THE PITT, for example, just opened the S3 writer's room in March, and they plan to start filming in June. That's over 1000 pages of FINISHED screenplays, not to count the thousands more pages of drafts getting there, and then getting production ready. As with anything, it helps to split the load!

I think a few writers can be fine when you’re doing a long season with bottle episodes or a procedural drama, things are frequently one and done. It doesn’t work when you’re trying to do a 6 hour movie long story arch in the form of 10 episodes and there are just as many writers. maybe it’s a $$$$ issue where execs know writers will work for peanuts just for a chance to get in the door. if you have just one good writer, they might get ideas in their head that they deserve to be paid fairly. Edit: Example of good and bad sized writers rooms: Andor Season 1 (12 Episodes): 1. Tony Gilroy 2. Dan Gilroy 3. Stephen Schiff 4. Beau Willimon Acolyte Season 1 (8 Episodes): 1. Leslye Headland 2. Jason Micallef 3. Charmaine DeGraté 4. Jasmyne Flournoy 5. Eileen Shim 6. Claire Kiechel 7. Kor Adana 8. Cameron Squires 9. Jocelyn Bioh 10. Jen Richards