Podcast Summary: How I Write with David Perell

Guest: Steven Levitan (Co-Creator of Modern Family)
Episode: "How Modern Family Rewrote The Rules of Sitcom | How I Write"
Date: July 9, 2025

Overview

In this engaging episode, David Perell sits down with Steven Levitan, the Emmy-winning co-creator of Modern Family, to dissect the mechanics of writing hit sitcoms, the interplay between character and story, and the untold realities of showrunning in television. Levitan candidly shares behind-the-scenes stories, his obsessive process, creative frameworks, and the existential questions facing writers in the era of AI.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Speed of Writing & Work Ethic

• Background in Journalism: Levitan credits his early career as a TV reporter for instilling speed and discipline. Deadlines were urgent and unforgiving, which later made TV writing schedules feel luxurious by comparison. (00:15)
  • Quote: "My first TV writing job, they're like, oh my God, we're going to need the script so fast...in a week. And I'm like, well, that's an eternity to me right now." (00:15–00:40, Levitan)
• Fast Twitch vs. Slow Twitch Writers: Levitan identifies as a 'fast twitch' writer, but sees value in both paces within a writing team. The presence of slower, more deliberate writers complements his urgency and helps refine work. (01:31–02:26)

2. Risk-Taking Storytelling: The FaceTime Episode

• Origin Story: The episode told entirely through screens (inspired by a short film and his own tech obsessions) was both a creative risk and a technical challenge.
• Writing & Production Challenges: Every on-screen detail was crafted and written, from background jokes to pop-up notifications.
  • Quote: "Everything you saw on the screens had to be manufactured by us...every little background behind everybody, everything..." (04:22, Levitan)
• Partnerships in Writing: Co-wrote with Megan Ganz, leveraging shared tendencies to 'geek out' on details. (04:54–05:54)

3. Drawing on Real Life & Authenticity

• Based on Real Lives: Stories were often lifted directly from the writers' and co-creators’ lives, believing those “real” moments had more resonance than fiction for fiction’s sake. (07:26–08:47)
  • Quote: "We started to realize that those [family stories] were in many ways more compelling than the ones we were trying to figure out for this other show." (07:26–08:10)
• The “Jay’s House” Example: Even set choices, like Jay’s modern house, were lifted from Levitan’s personal neighborhood experiences. (14:36–15:54)

4. Managing Complexity: Writers’ Room Mechanics

• Alternating Leadership: Levitan and Christopher Lloyd alternated leadership on episodes to break deadlocks and drive momentum.
• Organizational Strategies: Balanced group rewrites and story-breaking, tracking storylines like “math problems” to ensure coherence among three to four interwoven plots per episode. (09:22–11:39)
  • Quote: "It was a lot of math...10 characters or more, had to make sure everybody had something to do." (11:40–12:13)

5. Pace, Energy, and Letting Episodes “Breathe”

• Tight Runtime, Rapid Storytelling: Writing for network TV meant telling multiple concurrent stories in just over 21 minutes.
• The Importance of Talking Heads: Employed as both a narrative device and a production-friendly approach, drawing on the real experiences of the show’s creators and writers. (13:07–14:34)

6. Character, Dynamics, and Longevity

• The ‘Crackling Line’ Theory: Levitan explains his approach to developing deep, sustainable character dynamics—every character should have relationships with sparks and tension.
  • Quote: "I always say I want that line between them to crackle like a high power electrical line." (37:29, Levitan)
• Development Process: Six weeks were devoted ahead of scripting to mapping detailed differences, relationships, and dynamics for every character. (36:41–42:01)

7. Balancing Comedy and Heart

• Story over Joke: Levitan emphasizes that strong stories and character-driven moments produce the best comedy, rather than punchlines.
  • Quote: "The best jokes, the best laughs come out of character..." (27:15, Levitan)
• Earned Sentimentality: Levitan advises writers to “sneak up on” big emotional moments without crossing into the sentimental or cheesy, citing examples from Taxi and Modern Family. (48:11–54:19)

8. Writers’ Room Culture and Leadership

• Mantras for Writers: Levitan’s cardinal rule: “Does it feel real?” Encourage dialogue that mirrors true human behavior, with an ear for the timeless over the trendy. (57:27)
  • Quote: "Are they talking the way people talk? Are you tapping into what you’re thinking about today?" (57:27–58:15)
• The Value of Theme: Strong episodes revolve around a clear thematic idea, often explored across all subplots. (65:34–67:50)
  • Quote: "Some of our best episodes...we would try to stick to a theme." (65:34–66:02)
• Joy as a North Star: The lasting appeal of Modern Family, Levitan says, comes from its intention to bring joy and comfort, not just laughs. (67:50–71:31)

9. Evolution of Craft & Constructive Toughness

• Learning Through Doing: Levitan reflects on growing more deliberate with time, both in writing and in nurturing young writers with encouragement as much as with critique. (73:24–76:51)

10. The Mechanics of Comedy Formats: Multicam vs. Single Cam

• Performance & Audience: Distinguishes between the demands of live-audience multicam sitcoms (like Frasier) and the cinematic approach of single-cam shows (like Modern Family).
  • Quote: "Single camera came around...you’re just doing the scene honestly, and hopefully it’s funny." (79:12–81:46)

11. Reflections on AI in Writing and Hollywood

• AI as Threat and Tool: Levitan sees inevitability in AI’s impact but believes it’s best as a research and partnership supplement—not a replacement for writerly conviction or taste.
  • Quote: "If you use it as a tool, it could be useful. It can’t do what we do yet. I hope it doesn't." (84:36–86:53)
• Fear and Game Theory: The acceleration of AI adoption is outpacing thoughtful safeguards, he warns, framing Hollywood’s anti-AI stance as anxious but ultimately pragmatic. (95:29–97:54)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Creative Urgency:
  “I just like to get it done. I’m anxious to get the process over with. So I jump in and I can’t stop thinking about it until it’s finished.” (00:40)
• On Story vs. Jokes:
  “Story is the thing that moves you along...I’m interested in this, I’m caring about this, ooh, I want to see what happens next.” (27:15–30:16)
• On Realism and Timelessness:
  “Writing...be of the moment, tap into the zeitgeist. But at the same time, what are just classic things...timeless things that can live on always?” (57:27–59:44)
• On Emotional Impact:
  "He sucked it up without saying anything. He did the right thing for the kid. It was very understated...no more. And it was a very poignant moment." (51:19–54:19)
• On AI and the Future:
  “It’s a little grand of us to say, well, they should be [replaced by AI], but we shouldn’t be because we’re artists. It’s going to affect everybody. ... I'm hoping that all those people ... can then become part of that movement..." (89:20–94:08)

Segment Timestamps

• Writing Speed, Fast/Slow Twitch Writers: 00:00–02:26
• Creating the FaceTime/Macebook Episode: 02:26–05:54
• Tech Obsessions, Geeking Out: 05:54–07:14
• Grounding in Real Life: 07:14–09:07
• Managing Complexity/Writers’ Room Structure: 09:07–11:39
• Pace, Energy, and 'Talking Heads': 12:13–14:34
• Authenticity & Real-World Inspiration: 14:34–16:45
• Tone, Leadership, and Collaboration: 17:42–21:54
• Typical Writers’ Room Week: 21:54–26:15
• Story vs. Jokes, Character-Driven Laughs: 26:56–32:05
• Pilot Creation & Developing Character Dynamics: 35:43–42:01
• Crackling Character Lines & Dynamics: 37:29–44:58
• Emotion, Depth, and ‘Earning It’: 48:11–54:19
• Writers’ Room Mantras, Timelessness: 57:24–61:06
• AI, Technology, & The Future of Writing: 84:17–99:48

Final Thoughts

With candor and warmth, Steven Levitan demystifies the art of sitcom construction—balancing rigor and joy, structure and spontaneity, timeless themes and contemporary texture. His insights underscore that great TV comes from observation, carefully crafted character webs, and a relentless pursuit of authenticity. As the writing landscape changes, especially with the advent of AI, Levitan’s emphasis on conviction, humanity, and genuine connection is more relevant than ever.

For aspiring writers, fans of Modern Family, or anyone curious about the intersection of storytelling and technology, this conversation stands as an essential listen.

Further Listening:
David Perell’s How I Write – All Episodes