This past month and a half, I’ve been intentionally challenging myself to study thrillers.
The market appetite for thrillers has been booming, and instead of just talking about it, I wanted to really immerse myself in the genre. So I made a decision: I would watch widely and across formats: Network, premium cable, streaming, U.S. series, international series, big IP. and smaller character driven pieces.
Over the last six weeks, I’ve watched:
Cross — Amazon Prime
Untamed — Netflix
The Hunting Party — Peacock
Mr. Mercedes — Audience Network
Top of the Lake — BBC
His and Hers — Netflix
Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials — Netflix
Happy Face — Paramount+
Happy Valley — BBC
Blue Lights — BBC
Long Bright River — Peacock
Girl Taken — Paramount+
Not all of them were brilliant. A few genuinely blew me away. Some were uneven. Some were fascinating case studies in tone or pacing even when they didn’t fully land.
But that wasn’t really the point. The point was immersion.
Watching this many thrillers back to back has given me so much clarity about what’s working right now, what feels tired, how protagonists in this space are evolving, and how mystery plotting has to be both propulsive and character-driven to sustain momentum.
I’ve noticed how much tone and atmosphere matter. How the best thrillers don’t just rely on twists, but on flawed, compelling characters who make you lean forward. How reveals have to feel inevitable in hindsight but surprising in the moment. How restraint can be more powerful than shock.
How are you challenging yourself creatively right now? Let’s talk about what you’re immersing yourself in and what you’re learning from it.
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being disabled and poor will you accept an unsolicited script
Ernest Wedgwood Thank you for reaching out and for being honest about where you’re at.
I’m not currently working in Development, so I’m not personally accepting scripts or projects for consideration. My full-time focus is supporting this community as Head of Community here on Stage 32. That said, there are some incredible producers and executives on this platform who are actively looking for strong material.
My best advice is to stay active in the Lounges. Join conversations. Start your own posts. Share your thoughts on industry topics. Engage with others not with the goal of pitching right away, but with the goal of building real relationships. The strongest opportunities here tend to come from authentic connection. It can take time, but when someone gets to know you, your voice, and your perspective, it naturally creates space to share your work in a meaningful way. The good news is that building that network inside the community doesn’t cost anything. Time and consistency go a long way. You can gain feedback, insight, encouragement, and connections just by being present and contributing thoughtfully.
Our Support Team is also a fantastic resource. They can help guide you on next steps and point you toward opportunities that make sense for your goals. You can reach them anytime over email at: Success@stage32.com
Right now, they’re also running a promotion through Sunday that allows members to connect with Oscar-Winning and Oscar-Nominated creatives at a discount. If you’d like to explore that opportunity, you can learn more here: https://mailchi.mp/stage32/oscars
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You know what, Ashley Renée Smith? I will do the same now!! I am writing a romance thriller feature and struggle a little with the thriller structure, I've never wrote one before. What could be better than to reeducate myself and get a fresh look at what's out there and especially to find out what works for me and why. So, thank you for this reminder! I should have done this earlier.
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Love it, Phil Leasure! I'm always happy to inspire others to fall into binge obsessions. Lol! And I honestly believe that studying content and what is out on the market is powerful. Regardless of whether you love it or hate it, watching it will make you more informed and aware, as you said, about what works for you and WHY. The why is the most important part to identify and learn to articulate for yourself.
Ashley Renée Smith
This article resonated with me greatly. Lately, I too have been forcing myself to consciously delve into the genre, rather than engaging in superficial analyses. Especially in the thriller genre; the tone, atmosphere, and character psychology...
Lately, what has become clearest to me is this: restraint really makes a difference. Memorable thrillers aren't so much about cleverly constructed twists, but rather about the return of flawed characters.
In my own writing process, I also focus on simpler narratives, morally ambiguous characters, and mysteries that progress through character manipulation rather than spectacle. This kind of intense process of observation and reflection..
I'm curious: In recent thrillers that have truly worked, what do you think is the most critical element of craftsmanship that most writers still underestimate?
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Thank you for sharing this list Ashley! I have not seen many of these films, I'm going to check them out.
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if you write any romance script and it does not make you cry man or woman then it is not good enough until it does.
It's not writing-related but I made panna cotta the other night for the second time and experimented with rose and orange blossom water (RIP the strawberries I waited too long to use ^^;), making it very Persian indeed. Turned out pretty decent!
Writing-wise... I'm reading over the latest batch of notes I got for Lunar Window and contemplating a slight return to its original setup that I completely did away with when actually writing it (Cass was supposed to have increasingly impossible standards and demands that John would nonetheless meet; now she's got a much more pronounced internal conflict/hypocrisy that instead makes her more vulnerable while John has remained much the same). But so far I think an even bigger challenge than that has been showing that despite his abilities, John isn't magical at all ^^;
Wow… This article made me rethink how we measure tension and emotional weight in a thriller. What interested me most was that it's not just the plot that drives the story forward, but also a flawed character.
Most discussions are limited to celebrating twists, but here we're talking about why suspense is truly effective. This shows me how scenes can be structured to stay in the audience's mind for a long time.
I wonder… out of so many thrillers, how many truly explore human flaws with intelligence, and which ones rely solely on shock effect?
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Ashley Renée Smith
Thank you so much for your kind reply!
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Ashley Renée Smith Hello Thank you so much for your kind reply!
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Hi AshleyReneeSmith, thank you so much for your thoughtful reply!
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Ashley Renée Smith
Hi, thank you for your thoughtful reply!
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I would love your input.
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“Ashley, immersion as a growth strategy really resonates. Watching within a genre back-to-back reveals tone patterns and fatigue points you can’t see otherwise. It’s fascinating how restraint often lands stronger than shock.”
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Recently, I learned that I had been writing two Prestige thrillers without knowing it. This realization was both surprising and exhilarating. Both stories are grounded in genuine, real-life experiences. It turns out that these lived moments naturally aligned with the style and substance of Prestige thrillers. When I uncovered this connection, I was absolutely amazed.
What did you notice about the thrillers you watched Ashley Renée Smith ? When you say some are better than others, was it depending on the country of origin? I watch a lot of thrillers and horror- my focus creatively right now is on watching more comedies to answer your question..
I, personally, find that there are very few thrillers produced in the US that I find compelling. I noticed that some countries like New Zealand, the UK and Norway have thrillers nailed. Most of the really great thriller series here in the US are based on IP that’s been around for years, like CROSS and REACHER. They even try to remake some of the foreign thrillers for the US , but they don’t turn out as good as the original. Why do you think that is?
PARADISE is the first US thriller TV series since 24 that I can’t get enough of. I am glad that it is being released weekly or I would binge it all at once and I love to savor a good show.
As someone who used to be in development, why do you suppose that is? Are studio executives really that afraid to develop untested IP and that’s why they are eager to try to recreate foreign series? Or are compelling thrillers not being written for the US market? Why? Why are the remake of foreign shows not as good as the original when the scripts already exist? Are execs dumbing them down intentionally? Why? I am really interested in hearing yours and others’ thoughts on this.