Mara Brock Akil remembers the moment she gained the confidence to become a showrunner with the precision of someone who has turned it over in her mind a few thousand times. She was not long out of Northwestern University, working as a writer’s trainee on the buzzy Fox dramedy “South Central” in 1994. The series, […]
For the Love of the Game: Mara Brock Akil Recalls Her Rise Through 1990s TV Before Creating ‘Girlfriends,’ ‘Being Mary Jane,’ ‘Forever’
Mara Brock Akil remembers the moment she gained the confidence to become a showrunner with the precision of someone who has turned it over in her mind a few thousand times. She was not long out of Northwestern University, working as a writer’s trainee on the buzzy Fox dramedy “South Central” in 1994
Last updated: April 4, 2026, 8:29 AM

Related Stories

Gucci Mane Kidnapped in Dallas Studio: Pooh Shiesty and 8 Others Charged in Federal Court
Hip-hop legend Gucci Mane was allegedly held at gunpoint in a Dallas recording studio on January 10 where prosecutors say Pooh Shiesty forced him to sign papers voiding his 1017 Records contract. Eight men, including Shiesty and his father, were arrested across Texas, Tennessee, and Georgia.

Survivor 50 Midseason Check-In: Merge Chaos, Fan Twists, and the Future of Returnee Seasons
With Survivor 50 at its halfway point, critics debate the Blood Moon twist, Jeff Probst’s meta antics, and whether returnee seasons can still deliver strategic gameplay. Four Defector writers weigh in on standout moments, unforgivable twists, and their bold predictions for the season finale.

Ben Lerner’s Transcription: A Nuanced Exploration of Memory, Parenting, and Digital Life in Autofiction
Ben Lerner’s novel 'Transcription' reimagines autofiction with tender introspection, blending family trauma, digital dependence, and pandemic-era realities. The book’s three-part structure weaves interviews, memorials, and a child’s eating disorder into a meditation on storytelling’s role in process
