Sharp thinking: Why timing matters in scripted TV

In less than two months, the world will be cheering on winter Olympians as they take to the ice, the slopes, and the trails of Milan Cortina.

I’m in awe of elite athletes, specifically how long their journey to the games can be; consistent, relentless training over years to achieve peak performance during a two-week window in a faraway future.

Sounds a bit like developing and making television, doesn’t it?

In just a few weeks, in the run-up to the Olympic Games, my new drama Finding Her Edge will debut on Netflix. It’s a swoony, soapy romance about a family in the competitive world of figure skating.

And like the competitive journey of the elite athletes, our production journey was lengthy, intense but incredibly fulfilling.

I’ve long wanted to make a show set in the world of figure skating. The combination of artistry and athleticism is filled with arresting visuals and compelling character drama.

In fact, years ago I created a book series set in the skating world that was my first novel to be optioned for TV (by the incomparable Jane Featherstone back in her Kudos days). The show never made it past development, but I kept the faith that audiences would love a soapy drama set in that world.

Nearly twenty years later, I fell in love with the novel Finding Her Edge by Jennifer Iacopelli, particularly her characters and the Jane Austen-inspired story. I first read the novel in 2021 and optioned it shortly after, initially setting it up with a broadcaster-backed production studio. But frustratingly, they shuttered the studio before the project could advance.

A less committed athlete would have given up, but by this point, I had shepherded Holly Smale’s novel Geek Girl from book to screen – and Jennifer placed her trust in me to give Finding Her Edge another run at the podium.

I picked up the option again in Autumn of 2024 - barely 12 months ago - and WildBrain spotted its potential. So too did Netflix, which seized the opportunity to greenlight a drama to premiere alongside the Winter Olympics. Commissioners always ask creators “Why this show, and why now?”, and this time I had a good answer.

Ice dancing is a beautiful sport, but it’s not one that dominates headlines outside of the Olympics. We had a very specific launch window to hit and the clock was suddenly ticking… loudly. To hit the Olympics timing, we needed to be filming by February.

Fortunately, WildBrain’s prolific producer Angela Boudreault laced up for the challenge and we assembled an incredible cast and crew. We went to camera in the second week of February, embarking on a four-month shoot that wrapped in Paris, France in early June.

This was my first showrunner role and it became an all-consuming job that entailed everything from setting the macro creative vision to the most minute details like the graphics decorating the boards around the rink.

I pulled together a small but mighty writers’ room to generate eight scripts, hired a talented team of HODs and started the mission-critical process of casting. I reviewed thousands of tapes and together with Netflix and WildBrain, selected a stellar line up of talent.

I wanted to achieve a ‘winter wonderland’ aesthetic, but be careful what you wish for. A few hours north of Toronto, we contended with ice storms and ten-foot snow banks. I’d do rewrites on the set floor to solve production challenges such as power outages, losing locations, or actor availabilities in script, always focused on delivering the most emotional experience for the audience.

And as showrunner, my most important role was to be the keeper of the tone; from the drafts of the script to the final post production; balancing the big picture with the thousands of small details.

We’ve been in non-stop post production since the summer and now, like the athletes heading to Milan to compete, so too will our show get its moment to perform. All the work that goes into making the show will be on display for the world to enjoy. May the games begin.

Jeff Norton is an author, showrunner and executive producer, and founder of Dominion of Drama. He is the originating exec producer of Geek Girl, showrunner of Finding Her Edge and is also exec producing upcoming Crew Girl. Finding Her Edge debuts on Netflix worldwide from 22 January, 2026.