History Main / ExecutiveMeddling

May lead to {{Nepotism}} (where someone is given a role solely because they are related to one of the execs), DungeonMastersGirlfriend (where an exec's love interest is given preferential treatment), ViewersAreMorons (where everything has to be explained every time it is mentioned), CreativeDifferences (where the creator and the execs fall out over the work), ExecutiveVeto (where the creator is forbidden to use a particular plot device), RevisedEnding (where the creator is forced to change the work's ending), GetBackInTheCloset (where homosexual content is rated more strictly than heterosexual content), NoOriginStoriesAllowed (where a backstory is forbidden from being revealed), ChristmasRushed (where the creator is forced to complete the work by a specific deadline), PublisherChosenTitle (where the work's title is chosen by the execs) and MyWayOrTheHighway (where the creator is given a choice between making the required changes or taking the work elsewhere).

See also MusicIsPolitics, ObviousBeta, MediaWatchdog, MoralGuardians, and AlanSmithee. Compare WhatCouldHaveBeen, WagTheDirector, DevelopmentHell, and {{Vaporware}}. Sometimes, an ObviousRulePatch will be the result of this. Contrast with GettingCrapPastTheRadar, ProtectionFromEditors, and AuteurLicense. ScrewedByTheNetwork, FridayNightDeathSlot, and DumpMonths are similar to the sabotage version, but the work's content is usually left untouched. For fictional examples where one interferes with another's work, see TooManyCooksSpoilTheSoup and ForcedCreativity.

While this tends to have [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools negative connotations due to the idea that the people calling the shots are not the creative heads, the results can be positive]]. Executives aren't always wrong, after all; just like there are good and bad creators, there are execs that are good at their job and execs that are bad at it. Alternatively, a creator can be inspired by the execs' ideas and make something even better. Creators have the capacity to cause issues because of a CreatorBreakdown, or too much ProtectionFromEditors leaving their ideas unchallenged regardless of their quality, or putting in an unnecessary AuthorFilibuster or WriterOnBoard moment that can taint a work. All of these issues can be stopped if a higher up puts their foot down, and the work can benefit from it. But since when does someone doing their job ''right'' get any attention? No one complains when the system works. However, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negativity_bias when something breaks, EVERYONE knows about it.]] Also, creators talk much more to the public about the creative process than do the executives, and creators, like most people, tend to like to take credit for what went right and pass blame for what went wrong. As a result, there is reason to believe that harmful cases of executive meddling are rare but over-reported, while helpful executive meddling is common but under-reported.

See also MusicIsPolitics, ObviousBeta, MediaWatchdog, MoralGuardians, and AlanSmithee. Compare WhatCouldHaveBeen, WagTheDirector, DevelopmentHell, and {{Vaporware}}. Sometimes, an ObviousRulePatch will be the result of this. Contrast with GettingCrapPastTheRadar and ProtectionFromEditors. ScrewedByTheNetwork, FridayNightDeathSlot, and DumpMonths are similar to the sabotage version, but the work's content is usually left untouched. For fictional examples where one interferes with another's work, see TooManyCooksSpoilTheSoup and ForcedCreativity.

See also MusicIsPolitics, ObviousBeta, MediaWatchdog, MoralGuardians, and AlanSmithee. Compare WhatCouldHaveBeen, WagTheDirector, DevelopmentHell, and {{Vaporware}}. Sometimes, an ObviousRulePatch will be the result of this. Contrast with GettingCrapPastTheRadar and ProtectionFromEditors. ScrewedByTheNetwork, FridayNightDeathSlot, and DumpMonths are similar to the sabotage version, but the work's content is usually left untouched. For fictional examples where one interferes with another's work, see TooManyCooksSpoilTheSoup.

->'''Yakko''': Hey, come on! The Wheel of Morality adds boring educational value to what would otherwise be an almost entirely entertaining program!
-> '''Dot''': But the morals make no sense! Who came up with this stupid Wheel of Morality idea, anyway?
->'''Yakko''': The execs at the Fox Kids Network.
-->-- ''WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}}''

-->-- ''Animaniacs''

->''"Now Pinky and the Brain share a new domain.\\
It's what the network wants; why bother to complain?"''
-->-- '''The theme song''' to ''WesternAnimation/PinkyElmyraAndTheBrain'' indulges in some BitingTheHandHumor

While this tends to have [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools negative connotations due to the idea that the people calling the shots are not the creative heads, the results can be positive]]. Executives aren't always wrong, after all; just like there are good and bad creators, there are execs that are good at their job and execs that are bad at it. Alternatively, a creator can be inspired by the execs' ideas and make something even better. Creators have the capacity to cause issues because of a CreatorBreakdown, or too much ProtectionFromEditors leaving their ideas unchallenged regardless of their quality, or putting in an unnecessary AuthorFilibuster or WriterOnBoard moment that can taint a work. All of these issues can be stopped if a higher up puts their foot down, and the work can benefit from it. But since when does someone doing their job ''right'' get any attention? No one complains when the system works. However, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negativity_bias when something breaks, EVERYONE knows about it]]. Also, creators talk much more to the public about the creative process than do the executives, and creators, like most people, tend to like to take credit for what went right and pass blame for what went wrong. As a result, there is reason to believe that harmful cases of executive meddling are rare but over-reported, while helpful executive meddling is common but under-reported.

While this tends to have [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools negative connotations due to the idea that the people calling the shots are not the creative heads, the results can be positive]]. Executives aren't always wrong, after all; just like there are good and bad creators, there are execs that are good at their job and execs that are bad at it. Alternatively, a creator can be inspired by the execs' ideas and make something even better. Creators have the capacity to cause issues because of a CreatorBreakdown, or too much ProtectionFromEditors leaving their ideas unchallenged regardless of their quality, or putting in an unnecessary AuthorFilibuster or WriterOnBoard moment that can taint a work. All of these issues can be stopped if a higher up puts their foot down, and the work can benefit from it. But since when does someone doing their job ''right'' get any attention? No one complains when the system works. However, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negativity_bias when something breaks,]] ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negativity_bias everyone]]'' [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negativity_bias knows about it]]. Also, creators talk much more to the public about the creative process than do the executives, and creators, like most people, tend to like to take credit for what went right and pass blame for what went wrong. As a result, there is reason to believe that harmful cases of executive meddling are rare but over-reported, while helpful executive meddling is common but under-reported.

While this tends to have [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools negative connotations due to the idea that the people calling the shots are not the creative heads, the results can be positive]]. Executives aren't always wrong, after all; just like there are good and bad creators, there are execs that are good at their job and execs that are bad at it. Alternatively, a creator can be inspired by the execs' ideas and make something even better. Creators have the capacity to cause issues because of a CreatorBreakdown, or too much ProtectionFromEditors leaving their ideas unchallenged regardless of their quality, or putting in an unnecessary AuthorFilibuster or WriterOnBoard moment that can taint a work. All of these issues can be stopped if a higher up puts their foot down, and the work can benefit from it. But since when does someone doing their job ''right'' get any attention? No one complains when the system works. However, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negativity_bias when something breaks, ''everyone'' knows about it]]. Also, creators talk much more to the public about the creative process than do the executives, and creators, like most people, tend to like to take credit for what went right and pass blame for what went wrong. As a result, there is reason to believe that harmful cases of executive meddling are rare but over-reported, while helpful executive meddling is common but under-reported.

While this tends to have [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools negative connotations due to the idea that the people calling the shots are not the creative heads, the results can be positive]]. Executives aren't always wrong, after all; just like there are good and bad creators, there are execs that are good at their job and execs that are bad at it. Alternatively, a creator can be inspired by the execs' ideas and make something even better. Creators have the capacity to cause issues because of a CreatorBreakdown, or too much ProtectionFromEditors leaving their ideas unchallenged regardless of their quality, or putting in an unnecessary AuthorFilibuster or WriterOnBoard moment that can taint a work. All of these issues can be stopped if a higher up puts their foot down, and the work can benefit from it. But since when does someone doing their job ''right'' get any attention? No one complains when the system works. However, when something breaks, ''everyone'' knows about it. Also, creators talk much more to the public about the creative process than do the executives, and creators, like most people, tend to like to take credit for what went right and pass blame for what went wrong. As a result, there is reason to believe that harmful cases of executive meddling are rare but over-reported, while helpful executive meddling is common but under-reported.

May lead to {{Nepotism}} (where someone is given a role solely because they are related to one of the execs), DungeonMastersGirlfriend (where an exec's love interest is given preferential treatment), ViewersAreMorons (where everything has to be explained every time it is mentioned), CreativeDifferences (where the creator and the execs fall out over the work), ExecutiveVeto (where the creator is forbidden to use a particular plot device), RevisedEnding (where the creator is forced to change the work's ending), GetBackInTheCloset (where homosexual content is rated more strictly than heterosexual content), NoOriginStoriesAllowed (where a backstory is forbidden from being revealed), ChristmasRushed (where the creator is forced to complete the work by a specific deadline), PublisherChosenTitle (where the work's title is chosen by the execs) or MyWayOrTheHighway (where the creator is given a choice between making the required changes or taking the work elsewhere).

->''"Now Pinky and theBrain share a new domain.\\

->''"Now WesternAnimation/PinkyAndTheBrain share a new domain.\\

May lead to {{Nepotism}} (where someone is given a role solely because they are related to one of the execs), DungeonMastersGirlfriend (where an exec's love interest is given preferential treatment), ViewersAreMorons (where everything has to be explained every time it is mentioned), CreativeDifferences (where the creator and the execs fall out over the work), ExecutiveVeto (where the creator is forbidden to use a particular plot device), RevisedEnding (where the creator is forced to change the work's ending), GetBackInTheCloset (where homosexual content is rated more strictly than heterosexual content), NoOriginStoriesAllowed (where a backstory is forbidden from being revealed), ChristmasRushed (where the creator is forced to complete the work by a specific deadline), PublisherChosenTitle (where the work's title is chosen by the execs) or MyWayOrTheHighway (where the creator is given a choice between making the required changes or taking the work elsewhere). See also MusicIsPolitics, ObviousBeta, MediaWatchdog, MoralGuardians, and AlanSmithee. Compare WhatCouldHaveBeen, WagTheDirector, DevelopmentHell, and {{Vaporware}}. Sometimes, an ObviousRulePatch will be the result of this. Contrast with GettingCrapPastTheRadar and ProtectionFromEditors. ScrewedByTheNetwork, FridayNightDeathSlot, and DumpMonths are similar to the sabotage version, but the work's content is usually left untouched. For fictional examples where one interferes with another's work, see TooManyCooksSpoilTheSoup.

May lead to {{Nepotism}} (where someone is given a role solely because they are related to one of the execs), DungeonMastersGirlfriend (where an exec's love interest is given preferential treatment), ViewersAreMorons (where everything has to be explained every time it is mentioned), CreativeDifferences (where the creator and the execs fall out over the work), ExecutiveVeto (where the creator is forbidden to use a particular plot device), RevisedEnding (where the creator is forced to change the work's ending), GetBackInTheCloset (where homosexual content is rated more strictly than heterosexual content), NoOriginStoriesAllowed (where a backstory is forbidden from being revealed), ChristmasRushed (where the creator is forced to complete the work by a specific deadline), PublisherChosenTitle (where the work's title is chosen by the execs) and MyWayOrTheHighway (where the creator is given a choice between making the required changes or taking the work elsewhere). See also MusicIsPolitics, ObviousBeta, MediaWatchdog, MoralGuardians, and AlanSmithee. Compare WhatCouldHaveBeen, WagTheDirector, DevelopmentHell, and {{Vaporware}}. Sometimes, an ObviousRulePatch will be the result of this. Contrast with GettingCrapPastTheRadar and ProtectionFromEditors. ScrewedByTheNetwork, FridayNightDeathSlot, and DumpMonths are similar to the sabotage version, but the work's content is usually left untouched. For fictional examples where one interferes with another's work, see TooManyCooksSpoilTheSoup.

May lead to {{Nepotism}} (where someone is given a role solely because they are related to one of the execs), DungeonMastersGirlfriend (where an exec's love interest is given preferential treatment), ViewersAreMorons (where everything has to be explained every time it is mentioned), CreativeDifferences (where the creator and the execs fall out over the work), ExecutiveVeto (where the creator is forbidden to use a particular plot device), RevisedEnding (where the creator is forced to change the work's ending), GetBackInTheCloset (where homosexual content is rated more strictly than heterosexual content), ChristmasRushed (where the creator is forced to complete the work by a specific deadline), PublisherChosenTitle (where the work's title is chosen by the execs) and MyWayOrTheHighway (where the creator is given a choice between making the required changes or taking the work elsewhere). See also MusicIsPolitics, ObviousBeta, MediaWatchdog, MoralGuardians, and AlanSmithee. Compare WhatCouldHaveBeen, WagTheDirector, DevelopmentHell, and {{Vaporware}}. Sometimes, an ObviousRulePatch will be the result of this. Contrast with GettingCrapPastTheRadar and ProtectionFromEditors. ScrewedByTheNetwork, FridayNightDeathSlot, and DumpMonths are similar to the sabotage version, but the work's content is usually left untouched. For fictional examples where one interferes with another's work, see TooManyCooksSpoilTheSoup.

%% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1511518355099726600
%% Previous thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1446882910010776800
%% Please do not change or remove without starting a new thread.

[[caption-width-right:283:[[https://www.deviantart.com/purple-katt-13/art/Disney-Owns-Marvel-Oh-no-143002317 "Instead of 'spidey-sense', now it will now be 'pixie sense' and instead of 'tingling', we're thinking 'bubbling'."]]]]