# When did the term "show runner" become popular? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 11, 2016, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-term-show-runner-become-popular/754536 "2016-05-11T12:23:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Orwell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/dfb087/32.png) [@Orwell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orwell)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-term-show-runner-become-popular/754536/21 "2016-05-12T14:12:10Z")
> [@nightshadea](#): > > in a book drew carey wrote he said the use of the term "show runner " started when the stars of the show started getting executive producer credit to denote who actually did the work in putting the show together This jibes with what Ken Levine says (he has been a writer on many sitcoms). As the terms Producer and Executive Producer started being applied to a bunch of people who were actually actors and writers, the “show runner” term came into use to denote who the boss really was. I think the term “show runner” just sounds so twee and juvenile, and despite hearing it for at least the past five years, I still hate it. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-term-show-runner-become-popular/754536/22 "2016-05-12T17:19:50Z")
> [@nightshadea](#): > > in a book drew carey wrote he said the use of the term "show runner " started when the stars of the show started getting executive producer credit to denote who actually did the work in putting the show together That sounds about right. Phil Rosenthal, who worked with Ray Romano to create _Everybody Loves Raymond_, said he fought with the network because they didn’t think he had the experience to be the “show runner,” meaning to draw up the budgets and shooting schedules, hire and supervise the crew, etc. Looking at the credits for ELR, I see nine “executive producers” and nine “co-executive producers” who didn’t also have the executive producer title. Nine of the executive or co-exectutive producers were also called “supervising producer.” Not to mention four people who were called simply “producer.” Oh yeah, 26 different episode directors. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-term-show-runner-become-popular/754536/23 "2016-05-12T18:46:59Z")
So far the earliest citation I can find on this board is from [2005](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=323044). It didn’t seem to gain a lot of traction until the past two or three years, though. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-term-show-runner-become-popular/754536/24 "2016-05-12T19:59:10Z")
> [@](#): > > He is the creator of the HBO television series The Wire (2002–2008), for which he served as executive producer, head writer, and show runner for all five seasons Season 1 of The Wire was 2002. > **[The Wire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wire)** > > The Wire is an American crime drama television series created and primarily written by American author and former police reporter David Simon. The series was broadcast by the cable network HBO in the United States. The Wire premiered on June 2, 2002, and ended on March 9, 2008, comprising sixty episodes over five seasons. The idea for the show started out as a police drama loosely based on the experiences of Simon's writing partner Ed Burns, a former homicide detective and public school teache... ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-term-show-runner-become-popular/754536/25 "2016-05-12T20:17:18Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Joss whedon Was a big fan of everything in the Whedonverse since Buffy’s first season, but never heard him referred to as a show runner. With the influence Sorkin had over The West Wing, I could imagine the term applying to him. But again, never heard the term used. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-term-show-runner-become-popular/754536/26 "2016-05-12T20:42:38Z")
well on ncis at one time they had 3 exec producers 1 was bellisario who created the show 2 was mark harmon whos the main star of the show 3 shane brennan who ran the show through his production comp the lesser producers were no3’s underlings although I think brennan left when they gave him ncis la tho ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2016, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-term-show-runner-become-popular/754536/27 "2016-05-13T06:37:32Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > Norman Lear for All In The Family? To me, the term show-runner first started coming up when that person becomes something of a brand, and we’re expected to try a show because they’re involved. Lear would be a good example, as I remember people trying _The Jeffersons, Maude, Good Times_, and such because the guy producing _All In The Family_ was involved. I personally first heard the term applied to Aaron Soorkin, and more often about JJ Abrams after _Alias_ took off. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2016, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-term-show-runner-become-popular/754536/28 "2016-05-13T13:50:07Z")
I’ve always read tv news. I think I started hearing the term in the 90s. > [@Dinsdale](#): > > One thing that confuses me is the degree to which the show runner(s) have control over the future of the show. Do they own the show? Write it? Did they create it? Do they determine the overall story arc and character development, or approve others’ ideas about such things? Probably not. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe. Yes. It depends on the show. > [@](#): > > Those various roles confuse me when they talk about a show like The Good Wife ending because (in part) the show runners wanted to move on. I understand how someone who is really running things and aware of all elements has an outsized impact on how a show comes across. But in just about every other endeavor (business, sports, military, government…) ongoing efforts are able to continue with replacement of supposedly irreplaceable personnel. There are shows (arguably most shows) where changing showrunners won’t matter. There’s nothing specific enough about the story or style that someone else can’t pick up just as easily or even subtly shift without it being jarring for the audience. Those shows change showrunners all the time. Then there are some where the show doesn’t work without that specific person. Good Wife didn’t just end because the showrunners claimed they wanted to move on. If the show were still making a ton of money and/or getting a ton of critical praise, CBS would have found someone new to put at the center of the show. But at 7 years, the show was about to get very expensive to produce, the critics and awards haven’t been in love with it for the past few years, and ratings have been slipping. “The Kings want to move on” provides a graceful exit for everyone. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2016, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-term-show-runner-become-popular/754536/29 "2016-05-13T21:26:48Z")
> [@MrAtoz](#): > > When I was young, it seemed to be fairly rare for anyone outside of the television industry to pay much attention to who was producing a particular show. I’m not sure that’s right. Producers like Desilu (Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball), Quinn Martin, Aaron Spelling, Steven Bochco were very familiar to most viewers in the 60s, 70s, 80s. _This has been a Quinn Martin production!_ ---
**Author:** ![Cartoonacy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/848f3c/32.png) [@Cartoonacy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartoonacy)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2016, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-term-show-runner-become-popular/754536/30 "2016-05-13T22:07:10Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > I’m not sure that’s right. Producers like Desilu (Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball), Quinn Martin, Aaron Spelling, Steven Bochco were very familiar to most viewers in the 60s, 70s, 80s. > > _This has been a Quinn Martin production!_ Back then, I was never sure whether Quinn Martin was one person or two. (One.) The same with Goodson Todman. (They were two.) ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2016, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-term-show-runner-become-popular/754536/31 "2016-05-14T14:33:30Z")
I first heard the term when LOST became a smash hit in 2004. All the sudden Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse were near celeberties, and often branded as the show-runners next to J.J. Abrams. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-term-show-runner-become-popular/754536.md?page=1)