I'm sure this topic has been exhaustively explained here and everywhere, yet here I am to bring it up with my apologies. I have written episodic spec scripts for one of my fav shows (a side brain hustle for creativity) that I think works well. After watching the current series latest episode, I was actually pleased in the surprising direction it took, which mirrored the exact path I was writing. Perhaps just in tune with the narrative, fate, (I wish), or dumb luck, but if one wanted to submit to an ongoing, popular tv series, should we, can we, and if so, what would be the procedure if so. Agent first or simply "Forget about it, Jake."
Many thanks in advance --
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I am not an expert on this topic, but the advice I've heard repeated is that it's better to use those specs as samples to get work on similar shows rather than the show itself. The logic is that anyone on the show itself will see all the flaws in your characters/plot/etc because they have intimate knowledge of the show (i.e. series bible) that you don't.
I'd still say go for it because at the end of the day I don't see how it could hurt, just maybe don't put all your eggs in that basket.
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Forget about it, Jake.
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I agree with Dan M. You would be writing a spec for one buyer who won't read your screenplay.
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Perhaps write a query letter to the showrunner.
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in my experience, before a showrunner can even look at a script, you would need to sign all sorts of disclosures/releases so that if the story idea is similar to something in a later episode, you can't come back and sue. Mostly though, sending your spec to the showrunner is not likely to go well - I have a good friend who is a big showrunner here in Hollywood, Because we are friends, he read my spec for his show after I signed a bunch of disclosures. He did give me great feedback, but essentially told me that to submit a spec to the showrunner is risky because the showrunner knows every character and their arc so intimitately its likely that your script will fail to achieve the level of verisimilitude they are looking for. Just my 2 cents. Better to use the spec as a writing sample when asked.
Understand - I figured it was a pipe dream, but wanted to explore if any ever had luck in that way. Thanks for all the help. It was more an exercise to break away from other work, but it did suffice. Thanks again all!