Inside the Writers’ Room of “The Boroughs” | Screenwriter Yona Speidel

By the penultimate episode of a serialized mystery, every decision matters. In this episode of Below the Line, Screenwriter Yona Speidel joins Skid to discuss Episode 7 of “The Boroughs,” the Netflix sci-fi mystery series created by Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews. Together they explore how a modern television writers’ room operates, how Yona’s specific episode evolved during development, and how real-life experiences helped shape key moments in the series. From breaking down an entire season before a single script is written to planning a complex action sequence inside the Manor before any sets existed, Yona offers a behind-the-scenes look at the collaborative process of television writing. Topics include: How the writers’ room collaborated to break down the entire season before a single episode was drafted Why Episode 7 became the show’s “heist episode” and the process of bringing multiple storylines together Planning a complex action sequence inside the Manor before any actual sets had been built Drawing on family history, retirement communities, and personal memories to shape key moments in the script Balancing a writer’s creative contributions with the vision of a show’s creators and showrunners Whether you’re interested in television writing, writers’ rooms, or the creative process behind “The Boroughs,” this conversation offers an inside look at how ideas evolve from story outlines to finished episodes. Subscribe for more conversations with the artists and craftspeople behind film and television production. CHAPTERS 00:00:00 Introduction & Yona Speidel’s path to “The Boroughs” 00:01:47 Inside the writers’ room 00:06:20 Writing Episode 7: The Heist Episode 00:15:05 Personal experiences behind the story 00:20:47 Music, collaboration & what changes in production 00:25:05 Paying off character arcs before the finale 00:29:05 Season 2, future projects & closing thoughts