How I Landed My Job as a ‘This Is Us’ Writer

May 19, 2018

If you’re curious about how television gets made, you’ll be happy to know that more and more women are at the helm of some of TV’s best shows, both in front of the camera and behind it. In our Women in TV series, we chat with female producers, writers, and crew members who prove that being in the entertainment industry isn’t just for boys. This week, This Is Us supervising producer and writer Bekah Brunstetter gives us an inside look into how she broke into the television world, and how the entire crew works collaboratively to make us cry every week. (We’re still not over Jack’s death, no matter how many times Milo reassures us, or the loss of Kate’s pregnancy.)

Meet the tv writer pro: bekah brunstetter

Brit + Co: For people who don’t work in the entertainment industry, could you explain your title and responsibilities?

Bekah Brunstetter: I’m a supervising producer, but that still basically means writer! The bulk of my responsibility is breaking episodes with the rest of the writing staff, which means mapping out an episode beat by beat. I write a few episodes a season. As a producer, I’m on set for my episodes, such as working with the director or answering actors’ questions. I’m also involved in the editing process and giving notes on early cuts of episodes before they air.

B+C: What does your typical workday look like?

BB: Most days are spent in the writers’ room, which is essentially a conference room filled with an absurd amount of gum, white boards, index cards, and dry erase markers. We start off talking about what’s happening in our lives and in the world — then we get to actual work, talk through story ideas beat by beat, hone and specify, sometimes throw them out and re-do them, then eventually get to the point where we’re happy, and gradually over time, we build an episode.

B+C: How did you land your first TV gig?

BB: I started out as a playwright, and was fortunate enough to land a theater agent a few years after grad school at the New School for Drama. My theater agent introduced me to my LA-based TV manager, and I started coming out to LA a few times a year to take meetings, which means driving around to various buildings and shaking hands with various people and collecting bottles of water. TV people love meetings! I used my plays as writing samples, which felt good, as I was really staying true to who I am as a writer when putting myself out there. It took a minute, but eventually, I was offered a job as a writer’s assistant on an MTV show, then got my first staff writer job soon thereafter.

B+C: What is something that people don’t know about your work that you wish that they did?

BB: I guess how TV is made can be quite a mystery, so I always try and explain it this way: We start macro, with large sweeping plans and goals, like this thing will happen in the middle of the season. This thing will happen at the end of the season. These posts guide us as we gradually get more and more micro, building episode by episode towards those large events.

B+C: What do you love about working in TV?

BB: I love how it’s collaborative. It reminds me of theater in that way. It’s never all on me to have the answer. I work with a handful of brilliant people, and if my brain can’t crack it, surely someone else’s will. I love how we all get to know each other as humans, and as brains, and how we learn to build on each other’s ideas.

B+C: How do you see women’s role in producing television evolving and changing?

BB: I am seeing way more parity in writing staffs. Gone seem to be the days of staffs with mostly men. Women’s voices are imperative. The showrunners know it and the executives at the networks know it, so the staffs are so much more balanced now, not to mention diverse. I’m incredibly lucky because my first long-standing job was on ABC Family’s Switched at Birth, which was created and run by Lizzy Weiss. I got a strong yet kind woman as a mentor and boss for the first three years of my TV career, and I’ve stayed pretty lucky in that regard ever since.

Would you love to work in the entertainment industry? Tweet us @BritandCo to let us know, and we could feature an interview with a boss who has your dream gig!

(Bekah Brunstetter photo via Katie McGehee; This Is Us photos via Ron Batzdorff/NBC Universal)

Keri Russell "Would Totally" Do 'Felicity' Reboot — On One Condition

Reboots and rewatches are all the rage right now, and for good reason. They're nostaltic, they're cozy, and they really make me wish I was a teenager in the 00s. In addition to Scott Patterson saying he's "always hopeful" for Gilmore Girls to come back, Keri Russell just revealed how much she'd love to revisit Felicity, too!

Keri Russell reveals she'd "totally do" a Felicity reboot — on one condition.
Scott Foley also says "it would be really nice" to get the cast back together.
Felicity ran from 1998-2002 on The WB and is now available to stream on Hulu.

Are they rebooting Felicity?

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While promoting The Diplomat season 2, Keri Russell said she'd love to bring the series back if the story made sense. “I would totally do that if it was the right stuff,” she told E! News. “Mandy had a good pitch for it, actually. A really good pitch for, like… life wasn’t going great and, you know, didn’t work out. And she was supposed to be all these things. And then she bumps into someone…Never say never!"

In case you haven't seen the show (which ran from 1998-2002 and is available to stream on Hulu, FYI), Felicity follows Keri Russell's titular character, who's in for a rude awakening when she follows her high school crush to college in New York City. But once she's there, she realizes just how big the Big Apple really is.

The series also starred Scott Speedman as Ben Covington, Scott Foley as Noel Crane, Amy Jo Johnson as Julie Emrick, and Tangi Miller as Elena Tyler. Keri actually said they "all still talk all the time!”

“They’re like my total pals,” she says.

What else has the cast said about bringing Felicity back?

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Scott Foley told ET that he'd consider coming back for another installment of Felicity, even though he's been against a reboot in the past. "I had always said I wouldn't — you know, there's no reason to do anything," he said. "But just to be with them again, I think would be really nice... When we did the 20th reunion down in Texas at the [ATX Television Festival], we were onstage in a panel answering questions, and I missed being with them."

"I don't know if it could ever really happen, you know, Felicity was such a specific show at a specific time that took took place in a specific moment in people's lives," he continues. "And it's really hard to recapture — especially with the amount of gray going on right now."

In March, Greg Gunberg (who played Sean Blumberg) hinted that there'd be some "GIGANTIC Felicity News Coming VERY Soon."

So are we getting a Felicity reboot? It looks like, in Keri Russell's words, never say never!

Check out 5 Old-School Shows To Stream On Prime Video for your weekend watch!

21 Of The Best Medical Dramas To Stream Right Now

I might not have wanted to be a doctor growing up, but man oh man do I enjoy watching a medical drama. Something about the literal life-or-death stakes in the operating room makes the personal stakes feel even juicier, and thanks to shows like Doctor Odyssey and Grey's Anatomy, it's never been a better time to be a medical drama fan. Here are some of the best medical TV shows to give you the chance to scrub in — and where to stream them.

Doctor Odyssey — On ABC/Hulu

Tina Thorpe/Disney

Max might live on a luxury cruise ship, but life is not a vacation (even if the crew really knows how to party). Working as the ship's doctor means constantly facing unexpected medical (and relational) issues. And while that already sounds complicated, being miles off shore doesn't help.

Doctor Odyssey stars Joshua Jackson, Don Johnson, Callum Swan, Emma Churms, and Stuart Clark.

Grey's Anatomy — On ABC/Hulu

Anne Marie Fox/Disney

You'd think by now we'd know what to expect from a day at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, but Grey's Anatomy season 21 has PLENTY of surprises in store. I'm still reeling from Mika's sister undergoing cancer treatment and potential fertility-saving treatment.

Grey's Anatomy season 21 stars Ellen Pompeo, Chandra Wilson, James Pickens Jr., Kevin McKidd, and Camilla Luddington.

Transplant — On Peacock

CTV/NBC

This can't-miss show follows Syrian doctor Bashir "Bash" Hamed, who takes refuge in Canada during the Syrian Civil War and rebuilds his career at Toronto's York Memorial Hospital.

Transplant stars Hamza Haq, Laurence Leboeuf, Ayisha Issa, Jim Watson, and Sirena Gulamgaus.

Chicago Med — On NBC And Peacock

George Burns Jr./NBC

Dick Wolf's NBC medical drama provides the staff of Gaffney Medical with plenty of challenges — both inside the emergency department and out.

Chicago Med stars S. Epatha Merkerson, Oliver Platt, Marlyne Barrett, Jessy Schram, and Luke Mitchell.

Saving Hope — On Hulu

Ken Woroner/NBCUniversal

Dr. Alex Reid already has a lot on her mind as a doctor at Hope Zion. But when a car accident leaves her fiancé Dr. Charles Harris in a coma (while on the way to their wedding no less), Alex has to balance her patients with the hope that he'll make it out okay.

Saving Hope stars Erica Durance, Michael Shanks, Erica Durance, Michael Shanks, Daniel Gillies, Huse Madhavji, Julia Taylor Ross, Kristopher Turner, Wendy Crewson, and Benjamin Ayres.

New Amsterdam — On Netflix And Peacock

NBC

Upholding tradition while also embracing the new is something we've all probably faced at one point or another, and that includes this medical drama. When Dr. Max Goodwin becomes the director at one of the oldest hospitals in the country, he's determined to change it for the better.

New Amsterdam stars Ryan Eggold, Freema Agyeman, and Janet Montgomery.

SkyMed — On Paramount+

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Saving lives in a hospital? Incredible. Saving lives in a plane? Miraculous. This medical drama TV show follows the nurses and pilots flying air ambulances through Northern Canada, which is a concept I don't think I'll ever wrap my head around.

SkyMed stars Natasha Calis, Ace “Aason” Nadjiwon, Morgan Holmstrom, Praneet Akilla, Thomas Elms, Mercedes Morris, Kheon Clarke, and Braeden Clarke.

Dr. Death — On Peacock

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Mandy Moore stars in this medical drama TV show, which follows a doctor who cares more about his ego than his patients — and causes more harm than good.

Dr. Death stars Joshua Jackson, Grace Gummer, Christian Slater, Alec Baldwin, AnnaSophia Robb, Édgar Ramírez, Mandy Moore, Ashley Madekwe, Gustaf Hammarsten, and Luke Kirby.

The Resident — On Netflix And Hulu

Fox

Gilmore Girls fans will want to tune into this one because Matt Czuchry (Logan) stars as the lead! And dang he looks good in scrubs. This medical drama follows the staff at Chastain Park Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, treating their patients while also peeking past the curtain into the healthcare industry. But don't worry, there's plenty of relationship drama, too ;).

The Resident stars Matt Czuchry, Emily VanCamp, Manish Dayal, Shaunette Renée Wilson, Bruce Greenwood, Merrin Dungey, Melina Kanakaredes, Moran Atias, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, and Andrew McCarthy.

House — On AppleTV+, Hulu, Prime Video, And Peacock

Fox

The successful and unconventional Dr. House leads a team of diagnosticians at New Jersey's Princeton–Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in this loose take on Dr. Holmes.

House stars Hugh Laurie, Lisa Edelstein, Omar Epps, Robert Sean Leonard, Jennifer Morrison, Jesse Spencer, Peter Jacobson, Kal Penn, Olivia Wilde, Amber Tamblyn, Odette Annable, and Charlyne Yi.

The Good Doctor — On Hulu

ABC

In this medical drama, Freddie Highmore stars as Shaun Murphy, the good doctor in question, an autistic surgical resident at San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital. While he creates a new life for himself San Jose, California, it doesn't take long for his life in Wyoming to catch up with him.

The Good Doctor stars Freddie Highmore, Christina Chang, Richard Schiff, Will Yun Lee, Fiona Gubelmann, Paige Spara, Noah Galvin, and Bria Samoné Henderson.

Call The Midwife — On Netflix

PBS/BBC

Take a trip to London (and the '50s and '60s) with this dramatic series revolving around the lives of nurse midwives in the East End.

Call The Midwife stars Jessica Raine, Miranda Hart, Helen George, Bryony Hannah, Laura Main, Jenny Agutter, Pam Ferris, Judy Parfitt, Cliff Parisi, Stephen McGann, Ben Caplan, Daniel Laurie, Emerald Fennell, Victoria Yeates, Jack Ashton, Linda Bassett, Charlotte Ritchie, Kate Lamb, Jennifer Kirby, Annabelle Apsion, and Leonie Elliott.

Brilliant Minds — On NBC, FuboTV, And Peacock

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One of NBC's newest medical dramas follows a neurologist and his group of interns as they explore our brains like we've never seen before as they deal with relationships, mental health, and life outside the hospital.

Brilliant Minds stars Zachary Quinto, Tamberla Perry, Ashleigh LaThrop, Alex MacNicoll, Aury Krebs, Spence Moore II, and Teddy Sears.

Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman — On Prime Video

CBS

If you're a fan of science AND history, then tune into this 90s TV show that has literally every kind of drama wrapped into one: family, relationship, and more. I promise the series, which follows Dr. Michaela Quinn as she moves from Boston to the West in the 1800s, is a super compelling watch.

Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman stars Jane Seymour, Joe Lando, Chad Allen, Shawn Toovey, Orson Bean, Jessica Bowman, and Erika Flores.

The Night Shift — Rent On Amazon Prime

Cathy Kanavy/NBC

If you thought your average medical drama was crazy during the day, wait until you see The Night Shift, which follows the nightly staff — and patients — at San Antonio Memorial Hospital.

The Night Shift stars Eoin Macken, Jill Flint, Ken Leung, Brendan Fehr, Robert Bailey, Jr., Jeananne Goossen, JR Lemon, Freddy Rodriguez, Daniella Alonso, Scott Wolf, Tanaya Beatty, and Luke Macfarlane.

A Gifted Man — On AppleTV+

Craig Blankenhorn/CBS

Surgeon Michael is self-absorbed, cold, and materialistic — but things start to change when the ghost of his late wife begins visiting him.

A Gifted Man stars Patrick Wilson, Jennifer Ehle, Margo Martindale, Liam Aiken, Julie Benz, Pablo Schreiber, Rachelle Lefevre, and Afton Williamson.

ER — On Hulu And Max

NBC

If you've ever been to the ER, then you know how chaotic it can be. And seeing both the professional and personal issues play out in this medical drama? Just as wild as you'd think.

ER stars Anthony Edwards, George Clooney, Sherry Stringfield, Noah Wyle, Julianna Margulies, Eriq La Salle, Gloria Reuben, Laura Innes, Maria Bello, Alex Kingston, Kellie Martin, Paul McCrane, Goran Višnjić, Michael Michele, Erik Palladino, Ming-Na Wen, and Maura Tierney.

Body of Proof — On Hulu

Nicole Wilder/ABC

Think of Body of Proof like Gilmore Girls in a different font. Because while balancing her career as a medical examiner with the rest of her life, Dr. Megan Hunt is also trying to reconnect with her daughter.

Body of Proof stars Dana Delany, Jeri Ryan, John Carroll Lynch, Nicholas Bishop, Sonja Sohn, Geoffrey Arend, Windell Middlebrooks, Mary Mouser, Mark Valley, and Elyes Gabel.

Good Sam — On AppleTV+

CBS

One Tree Hill's Sophia Bush leads this medical drama about Dr. Sam Griffith, who becomes Lakeshore Sentinel's top surgeon when her boss (and dad) falls into a coma. Naturally, that means she's in charge when he wakes up.

Good Sam stars Jason Isaacs, Sophia Bush, Skye P. Marshall, Michael Stahl-David, Omar Maskati, Wendy Crewson, Edwin Hodge, and Davi Santos.

Private Practice — On Hulu

ABC

Anyone who's missing Bridgerton should totally tune into this medical drama (and Grey's Anatomy spinoff) from Shonda Rhimes! Addison Montgomery is a neonatal surgeon who swaps Seattle Grace Hospital for a public clinic in LA (and a love triangle for a fresh start).

Private Practice stars Kate Walsh, Tim Daly, Audra McDonald, Paul Adelstein, KaDee Strickland, Chris Lowell, Taye Diggs, Amy Brenneman, Brian Benben, Caterina Scorsone, Benjamin Bratt, and Griffin Gluck.

Trust Me — On The Roku Channel

BBC

Trust is one of the most important parts of a doctor-patient relationship. But what happens when that trust disintegrates? This medical drama finds out.

Trust Me stars Jodie Whittaker, Emun Elliott, Sharon Small, Blake Harrison, Alfred Enoch, Katie Clarkson-Hill, John Hannah, and Ashley Jensen.

Let us know your favorite medical drama on Facebook!

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Already Binged 'The Diplomat'? Here's When To Expect Season 3!

This is not a drill: Netflix’s critically acclaimed series The Diplomat is returning for a third season! And how do we know this? Just days before the season two premiere, the streaming service announced that the popular political drama will be returning for a third installment — and we couldn’t be more excited! So, what’s next for Kate Wyler (Keri Russell)? Will she be able to catch the culprit behind the catastrophic explosion that took place in the middle of London? Is there a future for Kate and her husband, Hal Wyler (played by Rufus Sewell), who was injured in the explosion? Here is everything we know about The Diplomat season 3, including plot, cast, premiere date, trailer and more.

What is 'The Diplomat' Season 3 about?

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Being that The Diplomat season two has yet to be released (FYI, the second installment premieres on October 31), we don’t know what the central plot for season three will be. But one thing we know for sure? “Season 3 flips the chessboard,” creator, showrunner, and executive producer Debora Cahn recently told Netflix’s TUDUM. And that’s not all: Cahn also revealed that The Diplomat season three finds Kate dealing with the “particular nightmare that is getting what you want.” OK, we will definitely be SAT.

When was 'The Diplomat' Season 3 confirmed?

Netflix

Three weeks before The Diplomat season two premiere, Netflix’s Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria officially confirmed that The Diplomat season three received the green light while on stage at the Bloomberg Screentime Conference in Los Angeles. Shortly after the news was revealed, The Diplomat creator Debora Cahn shared (per Variety), “After an amazing summer shooting in the U.K., we brought London home to NY.” She continued, “Best of both worlds—filming in Brooklyn. We love doing this. We’re so excited to get to keep going.” With so many TV show cancellations this year, we are so excited to see the continuation of Kate’s story in the U.K. Here’s to more adventures with our favorite diplomat!

Is 'The Diplomat' Season 3 currently in production?

Netflix

We’re happy to confirm that yes it is! According to Netflix’s TUDUM, production for The Diplomat season 3 has officially begun in London and NYC.

When will 'The Diplomat' Season 3 premiere?

Netflix

Here’s the thing…we don’t have an exact release date for The Diplomat season three at the moment. But given the fact The Diplomat season three has already started production, we speculate that the future installment may premiere sometime in 2025.

Who's in the cast for 'The Diplomat' Season 3?

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If Kate Wyatt and her team survive the chaotic events of The Diplomat season two (fingers crossed!), we’re confident that the main cast will return for the third installment, which includes Russell as Kate, Sewell as Hal Wyler, as Ali Ahn as CIA Station Chief Eidra Park, Ato Essandoh as Kate’s Chief of Staff Stuart Hayford and Rory Kinnear as British Prime Minister Nicol Trowbridge.

Is there a trailer for 'The Diplomat' Season 3?

Netflix

Currently, there is no trailer for The Diplomat season three. But when it’s released, you’ll be the first to know!

Where can I watch 'The Diplomat' Season 3?

Netflix

Being that The Diplomat is a Netflix Original series, all new episodes will be available to watch on Netflix! But until then, The Diplomat season one is streaming right now on Netflix!

Stay tuned for more The Diplomat season 3 news and updates — & follow us on Facebook!

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Fans Will Love This Easy ‘Bridgerton’ Costume For Halloween 2024

The latest season of Bridgerton gave us everything we loved about the first two installments: beautiful design and decor, romance, delicious recipes, and of course, some of the most beautiful costumes ever. Considering we can't pass up the opportunity to recreate memorable and iconic Halloween costumes, we had to give this one a go.

While the regency era might feel over the top, it's actually easier than you might expect to bring this look into your closet. There are only a few pieces you need to bring this look to life, and once you figure out which 'fit, colors, and accessories work for you, you'll have a Halloween costume you can wear for years to come.

The most important part of any Bridgerton costume is a colorful, empire waist dress. Each family in the show has a different color palette so you can base your Halloween costume off of your favorite characters. Since we're big fans of the Bridgerton family themselves, we went with blue ;).

This dress is also a great idea because of how versatile it is — if you have multiple Halloween parties, you can turn it into multiple costumes! Be a Bridgerton one day and a princess the next, or you can even turn it into a The Princess Diaries costume! It's a win-win-win.

Since the dress really steals the show with this costume, you only need a few more period piece-appropriate accessories and you're ready to party. Grab a pair of opera gloves and a tiara that you can add to your updo to really complete the look.

The beauty aspect of this costume is totally up to what you're comfortable with. The show has created its own makeup look that transcends the time period with a little bit of a smokey eye, and curls and jewels that make each character stand out, but you can also keep your hair and makeup plain if you'd rather be historically accurate and simple. Either way, you'll steal the show with this Bridgerton costume!

This post has been updated.

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45 Of The Best Baby Costume Ideas For Halloween

This Halloween might be your infant’s first, so why not go all out when it comes to their baby costumes? Maybe he or she’s a wee bit young for candy recipes and gummies, but that doesn’t mean you have to sidestep dressing up your kiddo to show ’em off during trick-or-treat time. And, let’s face it: Anything miniaturized is freakin’ adorable. Here are some of the sweetest and most creative infant Halloween costumes to either DIY or buy for your baby this spooky season.

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This post has been updated.

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