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. … 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

Examples of showrunner in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

With Atwood’s novel as its foundation, a returning showrunner in Miller, Dowd anchoring the cast, and a new generation of actors stepping into Gilead, The Testaments is the next major entry in a franchise that has shaped how audiences engage with dystopian fiction on screen. —Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 6 Mar. 2026

Lumen Awards Casa Del Mar Hotel The second annual ceremony spotlights filmmakers and changemakers having a real impact through their work, with honorees including Lilly director Rachel Feldman and Chief of War showrunner Doug Jung. —Kirsten Chuba, HollywoodReporter, 6 Mar. 2026

Luke Burbank talks with cast members Gary Cole, Brian Dietzen, Katrina Law, Sean Murray, Diona Reasonover and Wilmer Valderrama and longtime showrunner Steve Binder about the secret to the franchise's remarkable longevity. —CBS News, 6 Mar. 2026

With Atwood’s novel as its foundation, a returning showrunner in Miller, Dowd anchoring the cast and a new generation of actors stepping into Gilead, The Testaments arrives next spring as the next chapter in a franchise that has defined dystopian fiction on streaming television. —Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1989, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for showrunner

• forerunner
• brunner
• gunnar
• gunner
• runner
• tonner