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📺 Format Guide

Television Writing

Pilots, specs, bibles, and series arcs. TV writing is its own discipline — with its own rules, rhythms, and routes to production.

30–60 min EpisodesPilot ScriptsSeries BibleBBC / ITV / SVOD
Overview
The Television Script

Television scripts differ from feature films in one fundamental way: they are never complete stories. Every episode exists within a larger web — the series. Understanding this structure, and writing within it, is the core skill of the TV writer.

In the UK, the dominant commissioners are BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Sky, and the international streamers (Netflix, Apple TV+, Amazon). Each has its own tone preferences, but the script format is largely universal.

Formats at a Glance
Episode Lengths
FormatPage CountBroadcast SlotStructure
Half-hour comedy22–28 pages30 min (with ads)2 or 3 acts
Hour drama45–58 pages60 min (with ads)4–5 acts + teaser
BBC Drama (no ads)55–70 pages60 min2 acts or continuous
Streaming drama40–65 pagesVariable (35–65 min)Flexible
Mini-series episode50–75 pages60–90 minFeature-like
Structure
The Multi-Act Structure
TEASER ACT I ACT II ACT III ACT IV ACT V TAG Act Out 1 ↓ Act Out 2 ↓ Act Out 3 ↓ Act Out 4 ↓ Act Out 5 ↓

The diagram above shows a five-act commercial TV hour. BBC dramas written without ad breaks use a two-act or continuous structure. Streaming shows often mirror the BBC model.

💡 Act outs: Each commercial act ends on a cliffhanger or question that compels viewers to stay through the break. The Teaser hooks the audience before the title sequence. The Tag resolves a comedic or emotional thread after the main climax.
Formatting
Television Script Specimen
FALLOUT LINE
"Pilot" — Episode 1x01
Written by <Author Name>
TEASER
EXT. THAMES EMBANKMENT — DAWN
The river breathes fog. A suited figure — DIANA WELSH (50s, controlled, not unkind) — stands at the parapet reading a note.
Her phone rings. She doesn't answer. It rings again.
DIANA
I told you not to call this number.
END OF TEASER
ACT ONE
INT. CABINET OFFICE — DAY
The Series Bible
Writing a Bible

A series bible (or show bible) is a document that explains what the show is. It accompanies a pilot script when submitting to commissioners and development executives.

  • 01
    Logline One to two sentences. Genre, protagonist, central conflict, and the emotional hook. Spend more time on this than anything else.
  • 02
    World Where and when is the show set? What are the rules of this world? What makes it distinctive and visually specific?
  • 03
    Series arc What is the overarching story of the full season (8–10 episodes)? Where do we begin and where do we end? How does this change the world of the show?
  • 04
    Character breakdowns 1–2 paragraphs per main character. Who they are, what they want, what they fear, and what their arc across the series will be.
  • 05
    Episode outlines A one-paragraph outline for each episode of the first series. Commissioners want to know you have a full season's worth of story.
📄
Page Count & Runtime
TV episode timing calculator.
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Quick Reference
  • Font Courier 12pt
  • Format Same as feature
  • 30-min comedy 22–28 pages
  • 60-min drama 45–58 pages
  • BBC hour 55–70 pages
  • Cold open Before title card
  • Act outs Cliffhanger / question
  • B-story Runs in parallel
  • Teaser Hooks pre-titles
  • Tag Post-climax beat
  • Spec Existing show sample
  • Pilot Original first ep.
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