The Mystery of the 52nd Minute

Just past the 52nd minute....

The Mystery of the Fifty-second Minute

Sounds like a great title, doesn’t it? “The 39 Steps”, or “Sixth Sense”?  Throw a number in the title, and you create a question and a grabber.

This is how TV shows always play out. It doesn't matter the genre of the show. Code Black (ER with quality actors; good show)? Elementary (modern Sherlock Holmes in NYC; good show)? Bones (now in syndication, FBI meets forensics; good show as well)? are all good examples.

I have observed that at the 52nd minute, stuff happens. There are 8 more minutes left. Factor in 2 or 3 commercials about 1 minute + each, leaving 5 more minutes.  These allow things to be wrapped up with all sorts of ruminations, memories, self-doubt, and finally resolution. 58 rolls around, show ends at 58.5, and then there are previews of the next show, along with more commercials. The 60 minutes ding,  and Bob's Your Uncle.


At this site, Guide to writing TV scripts the process is broken down in this way:

Any script should come in 5 steps. First there is the "Teaser" which supposedly catches the viewer. Commercial break kicks in, indicating movement onto......  

"Act One" which presents the problem to be addressed. A commercial break appears, leading to....

"Act Two" has the characters facing down the problem, figuring things out, but meeting up with all sorts of brick walls in their discoveries.  Another commercial break interrupts, and then there is....

"Act Three" finds the characters' frustrations overwhelming and bad guys making headway. Another blasted commercial break, leading to....

"Act Four" is the big event, where basically it is all figured out. (THIS is where the 52nd minute heralds the Ah-Ha moment).Yet another commercial break happens, and....

"Act Five" allows for closure and maybe "wait, look over there, OH NO..." 

Somehow, knowing this format makes it all less irritating. Being able to identify "Oh this is Act Three." sets up the next bathroom run.

What spurred this interest? "A Team", old show from late 70s.  This show was textbook on predictability. My nephews explained it to me and I saw their logic. 

I could write these scripts.

We all could write this type of script. But, the question is could we all factor in the 52nd minute?

Disappointment is a Harsh Burden

Disappointment is a harsh burden, especially when there was great expectation.  Any fan of mysteries can understand this sentiment.

I remember the Agatha Christie books and how my white-haired grandmother would devour them.  Devour them!  Then those books came to me, and I became a Christie fan.

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In 1985 or so, BBC released the Agatha Christie Mysteries starring Joan Hickson.  She was an amazing Miss Marple, perfect to the letter.  The excellent filming, settings that screamed “England!  Right here!”, as well as the accuracy of clothing and times presented all the engaging drama one has come to expect from BBC mysteries.

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Let’s leave Dame Margaret Rutherford out of this, shall we.

Today’s American murder/drama/police dramas have gone down a dark, predictable road.  My heart is broken.

It is a dead give-away who did what the moment actors start appearing.  Excluding the usual main characters, the “bad guy” will be the once-off actor who is the most famous and gets paid the most.

And the plot?  The instigating event occurs by the 14^th minute.  The searching for clues lasts until the 47^th minute.  The big “Ah HA!” hits around the 52^nd minute, with winding down (through commercials) until the 58^th minute.  Then there are ads and previews of the next episode.

Disappointment, indeed.  Agatha Christie would have wept.

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