Let's Make A Horror

With their romantic leads (kind of!) fleshed out, the comedians each try writing the genre's most iconic staple: the meet cute. Maddy hosts a rom-com movie marathon for inspiration. Mark discovers the term's unexpected origins. Story analyst Billy Mernit ("Writing the Romantic Comedy") returns to demystify how important the "cute" is in a potent "meet cute." Finally, the comedians read their romantic run-ins aloud to test their characters' chemistry.

The comedians turn to rom-com royalty Kirsten "Kiwi" Smith (10 Things I Hate About You, Legally Blonde, She's the Man) to help refine their pitch. They also develop their romantic leads, Greg and Catalina. But are they failing to see a few key rom-com red flags…?

Billy Mernit, author of 'Writing the Romantic Comedy', shares the rom-com formula. Addison Duffy from United Talent Agency discusses popular rom-coms. The hosts pitch rom-com concepts including Santa, spies, and superspreaders.

Can three comedians write a heartfelt rom-com script? Let’s Make A Rom-Com takes you inside a real writers’ room, where Maddy Kelly, Mark Chavez and Ryan Beil get (semi-)serious about love. Coming February 14 wherever you get your podcasts.

Mark, Maddy, and Ryan listen to the table read of their pilot. They reflect on what worked, what didn’t, and what was the most embarrassing. They also pitch each other on what genre they’ll tackle next.

The day is finally here. The sci-fi script is done and ready for all to judge. Introducing: Progeny. Progeny, Episode 1: Kirby, a low level worker aboard a massive generational spaceship containing the last humans in the universe makes contact with a mysterious vessel that claims to be from Earth, sent to bring them back. Featuring performances by Mark Meer (Mass Effect), Rainn Wilson (The Office), Suleka Mathew (Claws), Carly Pope (Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin), Ashleigh Ball (My Little Pony), Alessandro Juliani (BattleStar Galactica), Richard Newman (Transformers: Beast Wars), Barbara Pollard, and more.

Ryan, Mark, and Maddy send their script to an important, scary Hollywood executive for review. Podcaster-turned-TV writer Paul Bae drops by to reassure the comedians that they can survive the feedback process. With only days before actors read their script, executive producer Kerry Appleyard (Orphan Black) gives Ryan, Mark, and Maddy her notes—triggering major rewrites.

Ryan, Mark, and Maddy write their first draft, but after reading it aloud to each other they worry they’ve strayed galaxies far, far away from their serious goals. Comedy legend Rainn Wilson (Galaxy Quest, Star Trek: Discovery, The Office) helps the comedians find a balance between humour and hard science fiction.

Before diving into their first draft, the comedians map out the plot of their pilot and try to untangle the deeper messages they want their script to tackle. Screenwriters Jose Molina (Firefly) and Neill Blomkamp (District 9) assist, sharing their secrets on writing sci-fi plots with real-world purpose.

The gang has their world and their characters, but is there enough science in the fiction? They pit their concept against all-star experts—astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, “Bad Astronomer'' Phil Plaitt, and Hollywood science advisor Mika McKinnon (Sharknado) — to determine whether the pilot makes scientific sense. And when the science doesn’t check out, they get the experts to create some that does.