The Writers Panel Dana Klein & Matt Kuhn (DMV)
Oct 14, 2025
Join Dana Klein, TV writer-producer known for hits like Fresh Off the Boat and Friends, alongside Matt Kuhn, co-showrunner of DMV and writer for How I Met Your Mother. They delve into the journey of pitching DMV to CBS, sharing Dana's winning Zoom pitch strategy. The duo discusses their complementary skills, crafting a positive writers' room, and the importance of original writing samples. They also reflect on how comedy has evolved since their early careers, emphasizing the timeless role of engaging stories and nurturing creativity.
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
Intro
00:00 • 5min
How DMV Got Optioned and Pitched
04:37 • 4min
What a Network Pitch Looks Like
08:56 • 2min
Matt's Recent Career and Why He Joined
10:47 • 3min
How Dana and Matt Became Co-Showrunners
13:40 • 16sec
Complementary Strengths They Bring
13:56 • 2min
Staffing the Writers' Room
16:06 • 2min
What They Look For In Writing Samples
18:14 • 2min
Their Own Spec Scripts When Breaking In
20:07 • 3min
Staying Inspired in Comedy
23:27 • 3min
How Formed Was The Show Before The Room?
26:33 • 2min
Balancing Creative Wants and Production Realities
28:17 • 2min
Recognizing Wrong Roads and When To Pivot
29:56 • 4min
Has Television Comedy Changed?
33:45 • 3min
Maintaining a Positive, Safe Writers' Room
36:47 • 2min
What They’re Watching Now
38:19 • 1min
Outro
39:46 • 1min