This game is known as the game that could be the breakthrough game of the industry—the game that gets the general public into RPGs. The combination of its über-familiar subject matter and simple mechanics make it a perfect entry point into the hobby. Though the breakthrough hasn't happened yet, this game is still a must-see for any RPGer, no matter how inveterate, despite its simplicity.

The game was designed to be equally good at running Star Trek, The O.C., Lost or Ugly Betty. (Not that all those shows existed at the time of its creation, but it still applies.) Somehow, Primetime Adventures succeeded.

The game begins with the playgroup brainstorming what kind of show they want to create. They then make a more specific premise, and then develop characters, each stemming from a core issue that the character will explore and deal with as the series progresses. They plan the number of episodes in the first season and figure out how much each cast member will feature in each episode, assigning them a screen presence number of 1 or 2 depending on how important they are to that episode's story, and one episode per season each character gets a screen presence rating of 3 because that episode is the character's "spotlight" episode. (Of which Marc from Ugly Betty certainly deserves more.) This preliminary pre-planning also allows for some fun things like dramatic next-episode previews at the end of every session. Conflicts are resolved by playing regular playing cards, the amounts of which are determined by the cast members' screen presence and the values of which add a random element to gameplay.

As for character attributes, they each get 1 each of Edges (special talents, professions or identities) and Connections (allies, family, friends), and then 1 more of either. These are not base attributes in the usual sense of the word, but bonuses that can be used as many times as the value of the character's screen presence for that episode.

The Producer (the GM) and the cast members can each make different scenes more important by spending extra resources, represented by playing cards—the Producer gets cards as "Budget," which is a set amount for the season that the Producer needs to decide how to distribute. The cast members get cards as "Fan Mail," rewards for doing cool things in-game.

It's a really easy system, and really enjoyable. I can't think of the number of times where my group has run games trying to be in the vein of certain TV shows, and this is a really satisfying way to do it. No matter your usual playing style or subject matter, there's a good chance you'll like this game—nicely character-focused and story-driven, but with the freedom to be whatever you want it to be. Flexible, familiar, yet totally fresh: Primetime Adventures, your second indie game of the week!