Social media gets one quarter portion of the residuals

April 17, 2019 12:56 PM

After reading yet another "one quarter portion" joke today, a question occurred to me: are TV and movie scriptwriters and producers intentionally trying to create meme-able lines nowadays?

Specifically, I'm curious whether there is a conscious, systematic effort to write things that are likely to become internet memes (and if so, if there's any documentation of the practice) as opposed to simply trying to include some memorable lines in a script.

posted by metaquarry to Media & Arts (4 answers total)

A lot of screenwriters for network TV are very well aware that people livetweet and create memes from their shows as they air, and write accordingly.
posted by Jairus at 11:55 AM on April 18, 2019

Best answer: As a TV writer, I can honestly say that I have never been in a writers room in which any time was spent thinking about catchphrases or memes. (I'm a drama writer; comedy rooms may differ.)
posted by OolooKitty at 2:37 PM on April 18, 2019

For the perplexed, "one quarter portion" is a reference to the scene in The Force Awakens where Rey is selling scrap to some stingy alien who will only give her one quarter of a portion of a survival ration.

I have no understanding of how something becomes a meme, but I bet if you're trying to make fetch happen, it's not going to happen.
posted by zeusianfog at 2:54 PM on April 18, 2019

Best answer: Comedy writer here- yes and no. Late night shows like Jimmy Fallon and SNL are indeed going for the viral/ memorable moments. That’s why those shows have such a strong online presence, it translates to more viewers.

The rest of us are going for the joke. If y’all put it on shirts, that’s on y’all.
posted by Pretty Good Talker at 8:36 PM on April 18, 2019