How Colin Firth inspired ‘Bridgerton’ and other surprising stories from 6 top TV bosses

Early this month before the confusion of the CDC’s notice that masks are no longer necessary, COVID and its devastating intrusions into life — and television productions — was top of mind for the six storytellers gathered remotely, some from as far away as Amsterdam, for The Envelope’s annual Showrunner Roundtable. “When I see someone even going for a handshake I’m like, ‘Whoa, wait a minute.’ The level of anxiety just hits the roof,” the director of Amazon Prime’s five-film anthology “Small Axe” added. Because in that case, that would have to be in the show,” said Alena Smith, creator of Apple TV+’s “Dickinson,” a fictionalized look at the life of poet Emily Dickinson. Bruce Miller, who created Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale,” Chris Van Dusen of Netflix’s popular “Bridgerton” and Jen Statsky, who co-created the new HBO Max comedy “Hacks,” joined in the conversation that covered adapting to a virtual writers’ room, what TV shows they binge-watched in lockdown and the inspiration of Colin Firth dripping wet in “Pride and Prejudice.” Their conversation here has been edited for length and clarity. Steve McQueen of the series “Small Axe.” McQueen: I also feel like if ever there was a time when people are wanting information, want to be enlightened, wanting to engage, it’s now.