Definition of storylines
Storylines are the individual plot threads that run through a TV episode. Each one tracks a different character or group of characters dealing with a specific conflict or goal. Most episodes juggle two or three storylines at once, weaving them together to create a layered narrative that holds viewer attention across the full runtime.
Understanding how these storylines relate to each other, and how much weight each one carries, is fundamental to writing a well-structured script.
A storyline vs B storyline
The A storyline is the main event. It drives the episode's primary conflict, features the protagonist or central cast members, and gets the most screen time. If someone asks "what was that episode about?" the answer is usually the A story.
The B storyline runs alongside it as a secondary plot thread, typically following supporting characters or exploring a subplot. It gets less screen time and lower stakes, but it serves a real purpose: it can mirror the A story's theme from a different angle, develop characters who don't get focus in the main plot, or provide tonal contrast (comedy in a heavy episode, or vice versa).
The key relationship between A and B is complementary. A strong B story doesn't just fill time; it enriches the A story by reflecting, contrasting, or complicating its themes.
C storyline and beyond
C storylines are the lightest threads in an episode. They cover minor plot points, quick character moments, or running gags. A C story might be two characters having a recurring argument in the background, or a small setup that pays off episodes later.
C stories are commonly used for:
- Comic relief to balance heavier A and B plots
- Character texture, giving minor or recurring characters a moment to breathe
- Planting seeds for future storylines that will eventually grow into A or B plots
In ensemble shows with large casts (think Grey's Anatomy or Game of Thrones), you might even see D or E storylines. But for most half-hour and hour-long formats, A/B/C is the standard framework.
Importance of multiple storylines
Running multiple storylines in a single episode does more than just fill a runtime. It gives writers the ability to explore different themes, tones, and characters simultaneously, which is what separates TV writing from most film writing. A single episode can be funny, tense, and heartfelt all at once because different storylines carry different emotional registers.
Engagement and pacing benefits
Multiple storylines keep an episode from dragging. When one plot thread reaches a pause or a moment of tension, the episode cuts to another storyline, which:
- Prevents narrative fatigue by giving viewers variety within a single episode
- Creates natural cliffhanger moments (you cut away from the A story right when things get tense, building suspense)
- Allows for varied emotional tones, so the audience isn't sitting in one mood for the entire runtime
- Gives the editor and director tools to control pacing, speeding up or slowing down the episode's rhythm
Character development opportunities
Not every character can get meaningful development in the A story. B and C storylines solve this problem by giving supporting and minor characters their own arcs, goals, and conflicts. Over the course of a season, these smaller storylines accumulate, turning side characters into fully realized people the audience cares about.
They also let writers show different sides of main characters. A protagonist might be intense and driven in the A story but vulnerable or funny in a B story scene. That range is what makes characters feel real.
A storyline characteristics
The A storyline is the backbone of the episode. Everything else orbits around it. It carries the highest stakes, the most screen time, and the biggest emotional payoff.
Main plot focus
The A story centers on the episode's primary conflict or goal. In a procedural like Law & Order, that's the case of the week. In a serialized drama like Breaking Bad, it's whatever stage of the protagonist's larger journey the episode is advancing.
A strong A storyline does at least one of these things:
- Advances the season-long narrative arc
- Forces the protagonist through a significant decision or change
- Addresses the episode's central theme head-on
- Reaches a turning point or resolution by the episode's end (even if the larger arc continues)
Screen time allocation
The A storyline typically occupies about 50-60% of the episode's runtime. It appears in every act, maintaining a consistent presence throughout. Most episodes open and close with the A story, bookending the episode so viewers know what the main event is and leave with its resolution fresh in their minds.
Character involvement
The A story belongs to the protagonist or the core ensemble. It explores their primary goals, motivations, and obstacles for the episode. Key supporting characters appear in the A story too, but only when they directly affect the main conflict.
B storyline elements
The B storyline is where much of a show's texture comes from. It runs parallel to the A story, usually with lower stakes and different characters, but it pulls real weight in making an episode feel complete.
Secondary plot importance
B storylines serve several functions:
- They develop supporting characters who don't drive the A plot
- They introduce plot points that may escalate into future A stories
- They explore the episode's theme from a different perspective
- They provide tonal contrast, balancing the A story's mood
A B storyline that feels like filler is a missed opportunity. The best B stories make you care about characters and conflicts you weren't expecting to care about.
Connection to A storyline
The strongest episodes connect their A and B stories thematically. Both storylines explore the same idea but from different angles or through different characters. For example, if the A story is about a character struggling with trust, the B story might show a different character learning to trust someone new.
B stories can also intersect with the A story structurally. A piece of information discovered in the B plot might change the direction of the A plot, or both storylines might converge at the climax.
Subplot development techniques
- Parallel structure: The B story mirrors the A story's arc (setup, complication, resolution) but with its own characters and stakes
- Foreshadowing: The B story plants details that become important later in the season
- Tonal counterpoint: A comedic B story offsets a dramatic A story, or a quiet B story provides breathing room in an action-heavy episode
- Character intersection: Characters from the B story cross into the A story at a pivotal moment, linking the two threads
C storyline features
C storylines are brief, light, and often the most fun to write. They don't carry the episode's weight, but they add flavor and keep the world of the show feeling alive.
Minor plot points
C stories focus on small-scale conflicts or moments: two coworkers making a bet, a character dealing with a minor personal problem, a recurring joke that pops up a few times across the episode. These aren't meant to be dramatic centerpieces. They're meant to round out the episode and give the audience quick, satisfying beats between the heavier A and B material.
Comic relief vs serious themes
C storylines are most commonly used for humor, especially in dramas that need to lighten the mood. But they can also handle serious material in a quieter, more understated way. A brief C story about a minor character dealing with loss, for instance, can land with surprising emotional impact precisely because it doesn't overstay its welcome.
Screen time considerations
C storylines typically get about 10-15% of the episode's runtime. They appear in short scenes scattered throughout the episode and may skip entire acts. Some C stories resolve within the episode; others are left open-ended, either as running gags or as setups for future episodes.
Balancing multiple storylines
Juggling A, B, and C stories is one of the hardest parts of TV writing. Each storyline needs enough room to breathe, but none should overwhelm the others or feel disconnected from the episode's core.
Interweaving techniques
- Thematic links: All storylines explore variations of the same theme, even if the plots are unrelated
- Cause and effect: An event in one storyline triggers a consequence in another
- Parallel structure: Storylines hit similar beats (complication, setback, resolution) at roughly the same points in the episode
- Character crossover: A character who appears in the B story walks into an A story scene, naturally bridging the two threads
Transitions between storylines
Smooth transitions keep the audience from feeling jerked between plots. Common techniques include:
- Dialogue hooks: A line at the end of one scene connects thematically or literally to the opening of the next
- Visual or auditory cues: A sound, image, or color palette signals the shift
- Act breaks: Commercial breaks or chapter divisions provide natural transition points
- Match cuts: The end of one scene visually mirrors the beginning of the next
Maintaining coherence and flow
Every storyline in the episode should feel like it belongs. If you removed a storyline and the episode felt incomplete or tonally off, that's a sign it was doing its job. If you could remove it and nobody would notice, it probably needs reworking.
Coherence comes from making sure each storyline connects to the episode's theme, tone, or narrative arc in some way. Even a silly C story should reflect something about what the episode is exploring.
Storyline hierarchy
Not all storylines are created equal, and that's by design. The hierarchy tells you where to invest your best scenes, your biggest emotional beats, and your most important character moments.
Establishing priority
Before writing, determine what the episode needs to accomplish. Ask:
- What is the main conflict this episode must resolve or advance?
- Which characters need development at this point in the season?
- What tone does this episode need, and which storylines serve that tone?
- What does the audience expect, and where can you subvert or satisfy those expectations?
The answers shape which storyline gets top billing and how the others support it.
Screen time distribution
A general guideline for a standard episode:
- A storyline: 50-60% of screen time
- B storyline: 25-30% of screen time
- C storyline: 10-15% of screen time
These aren't rigid rules. A particularly important B story might get more time in a given episode, or a bottle episode might dedicate nearly all its runtime to a single storyline. But as a baseline for structuring a typical episode, these percentages hold up.
Emotional weight allocation
The A storyline carries the episode's biggest emotional moments: the revelation, the confrontation, the decision that changes everything. B storylines handle complementary or contrasting emotional arcs. C storylines provide lighter emotional touches or quiet character beats.
Spreading emotional weight across storylines prevents the episode from feeling one-note. A devastating A story hits harder when the B story offers a moment of warmth or humor nearby.
Character arcs across storylines
Protagonist in A storyline
The A story is where the protagonist faces their most significant challenge of the episode. Their goals, obstacles, and growth should align with the episode's central theme and push the season's larger arc forward. The most memorable episodes feature A stories where the protagonist is forced to make a difficult choice or undergo a real change.
Supporting characters in B storyline
B storylines are where supporting characters get to shine. A well-crafted B story reveals new dimensions of a secondary character: their backstory, their motivations, their relationships outside the main plot. Over a full season, these B stories transform supporting players from functional roles into characters the audience is genuinely invested in.
Minor characters in C storyline
C storylines give minor and recurring characters brief moments in the spotlight. These don't need to be deep or complex. A short C story can establish a new recurring character, pay off a running joke, or simply show a corner of the show's world that the A and B stories don't have time to visit.
Pacing and structure
Act breaks for storylines
Act breaks are strategic tools for managing storyline tension. Standard practice:
- Place the A storyline's biggest turning points or cliffhangers at act breaks to maintain suspense
- Use act breaks to shift focus between storylines, giving each one a fresh start in the new act
- Make sure each act advances every active storyline at least slightly, so no thread goes dormant for too long
Climax timing across storylines
Coordinate your climaxes so they build on each other rather than competing. A common approach:
- C storyline resolves first, often providing a light beat or emotional breather
- B storyline climaxes next, raising the emotional temperature
- A storyline climaxes last, delivering the episode's main payoff
This sequencing creates a sense of escalation. Each resolution raises the stakes for the next.
Resolution sequencing
Resolve the A storyline last. That's where the audience's primary emotional investment lies, and ending on the A story gives the episode its strongest closing beat. B storylines should wrap up before or alongside the A story's conclusion. C storylines can resolve earlier in the episode or be left open for future pickup.
The final minutes of an episode often handle A story resolution while also planting a hook for the next episode, whether that's a new question, a complication, or a quiet character moment that reframes what just happened.
Genre-specific storyline approaches
Drama vs comedy storylines
In dramas, A storylines tend to involve high-stakes conflicts, complex relationships, and intense emotional arcs. B and C storylines might provide tonal relief or explore quieter character moments.
In comedies, the A storyline is built around a comedic premise or situation, while B and C stories often run parallel comic plots with different characters. Half-hour comedies typically run tighter storyline structures (often just A and B, sometimes with a brief C runner).
Many of the best shows blend both. A drama like Atlanta uses comedy throughout its storylines, while a comedy like Scrubs regularly delivers emotionally heavy A stories.
Procedural vs serialized formats
Procedural shows (like NCIS or House) feature a self-contained A storyline each episode (the case, the patient) with B and C storylines that develop ongoing character relationships or workplace dynamics across the season.
Serialized shows (like Better Call Saul or Succession) build storylines across multiple episodes or entire seasons. An A storyline in one episode might become a B storyline in the next as the focus shifts. This format rewards long-term planning and careful tracking of where each thread stands.
Many modern shows are hybrid, combining a procedural A story with serialized B and C arcs.
Common pitfalls in storyline writing
Overcomplicated plots
Cramming too many storylines into one episode is a common mistake, especially in ensemble shows. If the audience can't track what's happening or why they should care, you've overloaded the episode. Signs of this problem:
- Storylines that don't get enough screen time to develop properly
- Connections between plots that feel forced or confusing
- Plot points that are introduced but never resolved
- The central narrative getting lost in tangential threads
Underdeveloped storylines
The opposite problem: B and C storylines that feel like afterthoughts. If a secondary storyline lacks clear motivation, conflict, or resolution, it drags the episode down. Every storyline, even a brief C story, needs a reason to exist and a beginning, middle, and end (even if the "end" is a deliberate cliffhanger).
Lack of cohesion
When storylines feel like they belong in different episodes, the episode loses its identity. This usually happens when there's no thematic connection between the A, B, and C stories, or when tonal shifts between storylines are too jarring. The fix is almost always thematic: find the common thread that ties your storylines together, even loosely, and the episode will feel unified.
Evaluating storyline effectiveness
Audience engagement metrics
Professional writers' rooms track how storylines land with audiences through viewership data, social media discussion, and fan community reactions. Which storylines generate conversation? Which ones do viewers skip through on streaming platforms? This data informs future storyline decisions.
Critical reception analysis
Professional critics often evaluate how well an episode's storylines work together, whether individual arcs feel earned, and how effectively the episode balances its multiple threads. Patterns in critical feedback across a season can reveal structural habits that are working or not working.
Writer's room feedback process
Before an episode reaches production, storylines go through multiple rounds of development:
- Pitching: Writers propose storyline ideas and the room discusses which ones serve the episode and season best
- Outlining: The chosen storylines are structured beat by beat, with screen time and act breaks mapped out
- Table reads: The script is read aloud so the team can hear how storylines flow and where transitions feel rough
- Revision: Storylines are tightened, reordered, or reworked based on feedback from the room, showrunner, and network
This iterative process is how professional shows maintain storyline quality across a full season.