I noticed a while back that most 1 hour action/drama shows have the same structure.
Protagonist(s) confronted with problem. Plan is made to resolve issue. Plan goes awry. An on the fly solution is successfully constructed.
Sometimes someone will lay a big technical document on my desk and I’ll say, “does the boy get the girl?”
Pain. Fear. Catharsis.
They all have the same time structure.
In a one hour time slot, there are 15 minutes of commercials, 45 minutes of show.
In that 45 minutes:
20 minutes- Protagonist(s) confronted with problem.
10 minutes- Plan is made to resolve issue.
5 minutes- Plan goes awry.
5 minutes- An on the fly solution is successfully constructed.
5 minutes- wrap up, smiles and hugs, bad guys taken away, killed, puppies found, etc. maybe a lead in to the next show.
PS- “I love it when a plan comes together” Col. Hannibal Smith.