Writer Maureen Ryan delves into toxic TV shows in her new book'Burn It Down'

Sleepy Hollow

The 2013-17 series with a diverse cast had big problems when it came to the way it treated race. Ryan noted that, for example, there was an instance where several white men were talking about how to do the hair of lead actress Nicole Beharie, one of the few Black women who have led a network drama. They suggested that straight hair (white hair) is more professional than Black hair.

Ryan observed that Season 2 of the show began to become less progressive in its thinking and more stereotypical: a Black man was portrayed in prison orange, and lead actor Tom Mison's character of Ichabod Crane became the focal point.

Beharie was dealing with even more behind the scenes. Ryan noted that while both Beharie and Mison had tough adjustments when they took on being a network lead, "Beharie's behavior was weaponized against her in a way that Mison's was not."

For example, Beharie posed for a selfie in an on-set trailer in which she pretended to bite a hairstylist, and it became a rumor on the set and even online that it was a violent interaction rather than a playful interaction. It continued to follow Beharie after her character was killed off at the end of Season 3. Following that, Ryan said, there seemed to be "an apparent campaign to spread damaging information" about the actress, whose career is now on an upswing after a post-Sleepy Hollow lull.

The Goldbergs

Ryan spoke with more than a half-dozen, mostly female former and current employees of the retro sitcom, which premiered in 2013 and concluded in April. "Multiple people told me that, especially in The Goldbergs's early seasons, the attrition rate for the show's few female writers was high, and that, on the show's soundstages, writers' room, and elsewhere, unprofessional behavior by [creator Adam F.] Goldberg, star Jeff Garlin, and others was not unusual," Ryan wrote.

When she asked for comment, "Goldberg's lawyer said that he 'never harassed anyone in connection with The Goldbergs,' that he did not create 'a difficult and unprofessional climate,' and that he 'always created a safe space for women who worked on his programs, treated them with support and respect, and never allowed lewd or inappropriate conduct to occur in the writer's room.' Goldberg and his attorney shared emails from four female writers, two of whom worked on The Goldbergs, who spoke of positive experiences working for him."

Ryan noted that Garlin, who was fired from the show mid-season in 2021, had earlier confirmed to her that he'd been investigated by the show's HR department three times. (Garlin maintained that he was joking.)

Curb Your Enthusiasm

However, the same actor remains part of the cast for Larry David's Seinfeld-esque laugher for HBO.

And the author lists allegations that three sources with knowledge of the goings-on on the show have made to her about Garlin: that he "used demeaning, graphic, sexual language in the workplace; that his behavior was investigated by HBO, and those investigations touched on the harassment or mistreatment of people connected to the show."

She added: "I also heard that Garlin (an actor and executive producer on Curb) requested the names of people who had complained about him, and that it was not unusual for him to behave in an inappropriate, unprofessional, or vindictive fashion."

While a rep for Garlin did not respond, HBO provided a statement: "Any reports of inappropriate conduct on our productions are investigated fully and addressed. Jeff Garlin remains a cast member and executive producer on Curb Your Enthusiasm and will return for any subsequent season."

Lost

An excerpt of the book published last week in Vanity Fair alleges that the set of hit ABC drama Lost was toxic in many ways, including racist.

Writers and actors, including Harold Perrineau (Michael), talked to Ryan. He recalled telling a producer that he was concerned the white characters were being elevated and the characters of color were being left by the wayside. The producer's response was that Locke, Jack, Kate and Sawyer, who were white, were "relatable."

He also spoke to co-showrunnner Carlton Cuse about how his character didn't seem to be worried that his son was missing.

"I can't be another person who doesn't care about missing Black boys, even in the context of fiction, right?" Perrineau said. "This is just furthering the narrative that nobody cares about Black boys, even Black fathers."

When the season ended a few weeks later, Perrineau was notified that his character would not be back, and Damon Lindelof later bragged that he had fired Perrineau because he had accused him of being a racist.

Among other issues: the sole Asian American writer who worked for the show was routinely called "Korean" and a woman was randomly asked to take off her top.

Ryan contacted Lindelof, who said he was "shocked and appalled and surprised" by what she had reported for her book. He acknowledged to her that he "failed" to provide "safety and comfort" in the writers' room. Cuse expressed remorse that anyone had a bad experience on Lost, and he denied knowledge of many specific incidents or comments that Ryan asked about.

Friday Night Lights

Not all of Ryan's book is bleak. She offered suggestions for improvement and pointed out people and places that have done things right, like beloved NBC drama Friday Night Lights. (Whew!) "The generosity, openness, and undeniable creativity I witnessed on the Friday Night Lights set is how the Hollywood machine works sometimes. Of course, the show hewed to high standards on a lot of fronts. It was famously a set where actors were free to improvise lines and other performance elements, though I would be remiss if I did not note that it had a talented writing staff. The arcs, lines, and architecture the writers provided blended with the actors' efforts to produce scenes that were perceptive, amusing, and often tremendously moving."

She has consciously decided "not to dwell on certain unfortunate Season 2 plot developments," like that bizarre storyline where Jesse Plemons's Landry commits murder.

I purchased the book. Looking forward to diving in.

This book sounds quite dull, in my opinion.

Love her. I have her previous book. She was great in the 4-part documentary on Cosby. Think that was on Showtime.

I promise you: She'll Never Eat Lunch In This Town Again.

It's a shame how quickly Sleepy Hollow went downhill. I remember enjoying the first season. And Maureen also mentions The 100, I think a whole separate book would need to be made at all of the racist shit that goes on with CW shows.

[quote] I think a whole separate book would need to be made at all of the racist shit that goes on with CW shows.

Do you have any juicy stories, R7?

R4, I mean based on what I've read so far in this post...yeah.

Each time Variety or THR breaks stories like this, they jump right in.

R8 I wouldn't say juicy, it's all old bullshit. Some actors have talked about it. Like Candice Patton and her time on The Flash or Kat Graham while doing The Vampire Diaries. Julie Plec sounds like a real piece of work.

Candice Patton and Grant Gustin had zero chemistry. I think she was cast because Jesse L Martin was a lock as Joe West.

Grant had much better chemistry with Danielle Panabaker.

But my pointing that out makes me...you know....

Why won’t women own up to the fact that they use their pussies to get ahead.

R11 I disagree on the chemistry and Danielle doesn't exactly hide her racism.

I was a huge fan of the first season of Sleepy Hollow. The chemistry and relationship between Nicole Beharie's character and Tom Mison's was fun and promised a really terrific future for the show. Then in season two they bring in these other unnecessary characters (that blond, third rate Indiana Jones character was particular disposable) and relegated Nicole Beharie to a backseat role. They should've continued to develop Nicole and Tom's dynamic, not obscure and diminish by introducing lesser characters.

R11, you probably are...uh..."you know," if you don't see how much chemistry and romantic spark Candice and Grant had. Danielle Panabaker is as bland as white jockey shorts, but that's probably what "you know" people like you are into.