Showrunner
The executive producer who oversees all aspects of a television series, from creative direction to daily production.
Definition
A showrunner is the person with ultimate creative and operational authority over a television series. They manage the writers' room, approve scripts, oversee production, work with directors, make casting decisions, and interface with network or platform executives.
The role combines creative leadership (guiding story and tone) with managerial responsibilities (running a production budget of millions). Showrunners often create the series they run, though networks sometimes hire experienced showrunners to manage shows created by others.
Why It Matters
The showrunner is to television what a director is to film—the primary creative vision. Their decisions shape every element of a series, from casting to editing. A strong showrunner elevates material; a weak one can undermine a promising concept.
Showrunning is intensely demanding—managing writers, production, network relationships, and the creative process simultaneously. The best showrunners balance artistic vision with practical constraints, delivering quality content on schedule and budget while maintaining workplace culture.
Examples in Practice
Vince Gilligan's showrunning on "Breaking Bad" created one of television's most acclaimed series through meticulous attention to character development, visual storytelling, and long-term narrative planning.
A network hires an experienced showrunner to run a series created by a first-time writer, ensuring production expertise even though the original creator remains involved in creative decisions.
A showrunner's abusive behavior creates toxic workplace environment, leading to writer departures, production delays, and network intervention—demonstrating that the role requires leadership skills beyond creative vision.