Cape May County native has stake in 'Guardian's' return
From:Press of Atlantic City
Date:February 17, 2004
By VINCENT JACKSON
No one wants the TV drama "The Guardian" to be renewed for a fourth season more than Jennifer Johnson. The 1986 Ocean City High School graduate became one of the show's writers last year and is anxiously awaiting the news as much as any of the series' fans or actors.
Johnson joined the seven-member writing team of the hourlong show this season, the series' third. The show revolves around a hot-shot, thirtysomething lawyer, who was arrested for using drugs and must now perform community service or risk being disbarred.
"It can be a little bit heavy," John-son said about the show. "There is serious subject matter."
The character of Nick Fallin, portrayed by Simon Baker, does his community service for a legal services office where he encounters those truly in need.
Johnson, 34, did a great deal of research in the areas of child abuse, orphaned children and foster care to help her write scripts for the show. She co-wrote a November episode titled "Believe" with the show's creator David Hollander. The Fallin character struggled to find a permanent home for two young children living with HIV during that hour.
When Johnson looked for a TV writing job in the spring, "The Guardian" was her first choice among the returning shows that had an opening. She was impressed by the show, which has gotten good reviews. The Detroit Free Press called it " ... CBS' underrated drama series." TV Guide said it was "one of CBS' more quiet success stories."
A graduate of Boston College, who majored in finance, Johnson never incorporated what she learned about the business world from her schooling into any of the TV series she has written for.
Now a Los Angeles resident, Johnson has written for the MTV soap opera "Undressed" during its first two seasons from 1997 to 1999. She also wrote for the one-hour, family drama "Providence" in its final two seasons from 2000 to 2002. She created the character of Owen Frank, who married the show's main character, Dr. Sydney Hansen, portrayed by Melina Kanakaredes, in the series' final episode.
"A wedding was a perfect end to the show. It was bittersweet," Johnson said.
Landing a job with the writing team at "The Guardian" was a good career move for the young writer. First, "The Guardian" is considered a "procedural" in the TV business. Once a writer has experience writing for one procedural show, the person becomes more qualified to write for others, including "Law & Order," "CSI," "The Practice" and "ER."
Second, "The Guardian" is the most serious show Johnson has ever written for. This series stretches her as a writer because each series she worked on used less humor than the one before it.
Johnson, who has been married for the past two years, uses input from her family life, travel and friends in scripts. She tried to use her friends' names as characters. People have told her they "could hear her voice" coming through at times even though she is one writer out of a half dozen on a show.
At the end of January, Johnson was coming up with episode ideas to finish off the third season of "The Guardian" while awaiting word whether it would be back for a fourth. The show features all new episodes from today to March 9.
In the last week of January, "The Guardian" was ranked 26th among prime time network offerings. The only show that beat it in the ratings during its time slot was the half-hour, ABC sitcom "According to Jim" with Jim Belushi at 9 p.m. "The Guardian" finished ahead of Fox's "24," the ABC sitcom "Less Than Perfect," UPN's "Next Top Model 2," a special broadcast of NBC's "Dateline" and the WB's "One Tree Hill."
"No show is a guarantee. ... Presumably, 'The Guardian' will be renewed," Johnson said.
'The Guardian' airs 9 p.m. Tuesdays on KYW-TV 3.
Date:February 17, 2004
By VINCENT JACKSON
No one wants the TV drama "The Guardian" to be renewed for a fourth season more than Jennifer Johnson. The 1986 Ocean City High School graduate became one of the show's writers last year and is anxiously awaiting the news as much as any of the series' fans or actors.
Johnson joined the seven-member writing team of the hourlong show this season, the series' third. The show revolves around a hot-shot, thirtysomething lawyer, who was arrested for using drugs and must now perform community service or risk being disbarred.
"It can be a little bit heavy," John-son said about the show. "There is serious subject matter."
The character of Nick Fallin, portrayed by Simon Baker, does his community service for a legal services office where he encounters those truly in need.
Johnson, 34, did a great deal of research in the areas of child abuse, orphaned children and foster care to help her write scripts for the show. She co-wrote a November episode titled "Believe" with the show's creator David Hollander. The Fallin character struggled to find a permanent home for two young children living with HIV during that hour.
When Johnson looked for a TV writing job in the spring, "The Guardian" was her first choice among the returning shows that had an opening. She was impressed by the show, which has gotten good reviews. The Detroit Free Press called it " ... CBS' underrated drama series." TV Guide said it was "one of CBS' more quiet success stories."
A graduate of Boston College, who majored in finance, Johnson never incorporated what she learned about the business world from her schooling into any of the TV series she has written for.
Now a Los Angeles resident, Johnson has written for the MTV soap opera "Undressed" during its first two seasons from 1997 to 1999. She also wrote for the one-hour, family drama "Providence" in its final two seasons from 2000 to 2002. She created the character of Owen Frank, who married the show's main character, Dr. Sydney Hansen, portrayed by Melina Kanakaredes, in the series' final episode.
"A wedding was a perfect end to the show. It was bittersweet," Johnson said.
Landing a job with the writing team at "The Guardian" was a good career move for the young writer. First, "The Guardian" is considered a "procedural" in the TV business. Once a writer has experience writing for one procedural show, the person becomes more qualified to write for others, including "Law & Order," "CSI," "The Practice" and "ER."
Second, "The Guardian" is the most serious show Johnson has ever written for. This series stretches her as a writer because each series she worked on used less humor than the one before it.
Johnson, who has been married for the past two years, uses input from her family life, travel and friends in scripts. She tried to use her friends' names as characters. People have told her they "could hear her voice" coming through at times even though she is one writer out of a half dozen on a show.
At the end of January, Johnson was coming up with episode ideas to finish off the third season of "The Guardian" while awaiting word whether it would be back for a fourth. The show features all new episodes from today to March 9.
In the last week of January, "The Guardian" was ranked 26th among prime time network offerings. The only show that beat it in the ratings during its time slot was the half-hour, ABC sitcom "According to Jim" with Jim Belushi at 9 p.m. "The Guardian" finished ahead of Fox's "24," the ABC sitcom "Less Than Perfect," UPN's "Next Top Model 2," a special broadcast of NBC's "Dateline" and the WB's "One Tree Hill."
"No show is a guarantee. ... Presumably, 'The Guardian' will be renewed," Johnson said.
'The Guardian' airs 9 p.m. Tuesdays on KYW-TV 3.
posted by nikita | 6:21 AM
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