Academy insiders said the new essay rule was introduced to address last year's concern that serialized shows like "Lost" fare poorly in the blue ribbon screenings — where the show's complex mythology baffles voters who haven't been watching.
Now, producers will be given a chance to briefly explain the context of the episode they've submitted. Essays can be as long as 250 words (handy for a heavily layered show like "Lost" or "Heroes") or as few as five words (for shows that are self-explanatory, like "CSI").
Thesps will be asked to include an essay as well in the event that their character's actions in the submitted episode demand explanation.
Even though the idea of submitting an essay to explain a TV show is in direct violation of the "show don't tell" rule, I applaud this decision–provided, of course, that these essays are made public.
I can't imagine anything more ridiculous that reading a 250-word essay by Tracy Morgan explaining Tracy Jordan's motivations in 30 Rock, or Ellen Pompeo's treatise on the actions of her Grey's Anatomy character ("See, she's a doctor, which involves medicine and stuff. But she's also a woman, which involves emotions and love for Patrick Dempsey. On top of that she has a compulsion to listen to The Fray.."), or reading the premise of an episode of Two And A Half Men that has been painfully stretched to the required length of 5 words ("Sheen & Cryer raise kid. Enough said.)"
