showrunner
noun
show·run·ner
ˈshō-ˌrə-nər 
variants
or less commonly show-runner
or show runner
plural showrunners also show-runners or show runners
: a person who oversees the writing and production of each episode of a television series and has ultimate managerial and creative control over the series
A showrunner is more than just a producer. He or she is the creator or co-creator of a show and is a writer as well. These people are the guiding lights for a production. They are making decisions about casting, story arcs, as well as the day-to-day issues of getting a show done and ready for air.—
G. Michael Dobbs
G. Michael DobbsExamples of showrunner in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The 9-1-1 star is apparently a major Bachelor fan — and when her former Fox first-responder drama moved over to ABC, the actress had a pitch for her series' co-creator and showrunner Tim Minear.
—Patrick Gomez, EW.com, 30 Mar. 2024
Series creator Little Marvin serves as showrunner and executive producer with Miri Yoon and Roy Lee of Vertigo Entertainment and Steve Prinz.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 29 Mar. 2024
Taking on the role of showrunner, Per Blankens has produced 10 seasons of Idol in Sweden; seasons 13 and 14 of American Idol; and the annual Melodifestivalen in Sweden, the competition the country uses to select its Eurovision entry.
—Fred Bronson, Billboard, 28 Mar. 2024
Rest easy, dear readers, showrunner and executive producer Ben Vanstone and creator/writer Joe Murtagh have done this one a solid and nothing more.
—Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2024
In these culturally sensitive times, having an American director and showrunner on a quintessentially Japanese series is sure to raise the issue of cultural appropriation.
—Patrick Frater, Variety, 27 Mar. 2024
The four-part series featured extensive interviews with former Nickelodeon child stars, who detailed the toxic work environment at the network during the reign of Dan Schneider, the showrunner for hit series like All That, The Amanda Show, and Drake & Josh.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 26 Mar. 2024
Plus, The Times’ Ashley Lee interviews Calderón Kellett, who is also a groundbreaking Hollywood showrunner.
—Carolina A. Miranda, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2024
The series’s creators—the Game of Thrones duo David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, and The Terror: Infamy showrunner Alexander Woo—have stripped the scene of its hard-science jargon while piling on the theatrics.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 23 Mar. 2024
Patrick Gomez, EW.com, 30 Mar. 2024
Series creator Little Marvin serves as showrunner and executive producer with Miri Yoon and Roy Lee of Vertigo Entertainment and Steve Prinz.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 29 Mar. 2024
Taking on the role of showrunner, Per Blankens has produced 10 seasons of Idol in Sweden; seasons 13 and 14 of American Idol; and the annual Melodifestivalen in Sweden, the competition the country uses to select its Eurovision entry.
—Fred Bronson, Billboard, 28 Mar. 2024
Rest easy, dear readers, showrunner and executive producer Ben Vanstone and creator/writer Joe Murtagh have done this one a solid and nothing more.
—Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2024
In these culturally sensitive times, having an American director and showrunner on a quintessentially Japanese series is sure to raise the issue of cultural appropriation.
—Patrick Frater, Variety, 27 Mar. 2024
The four-part series featured extensive interviews with former Nickelodeon child stars, who detailed the toxic work environment at the network during the reign of Dan Schneider, the showrunner for hit series like All That, The Amanda Show, and Drake & Josh.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 26 Mar. 2024
Plus, The Times’ Ashley Lee interviews Calderón Kellett, who is also a groundbreaking Hollywood showrunner.
—Carolina A. Miranda, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2024
The series’s creators—the Game of Thrones duo David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, and The Terror: Infamy showrunner Alexander Woo—have stripped the scene of its hard-science jargon while piling on the theatrics.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 23 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'showrunner.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Showrunner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/showrunner. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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