It's the writing, stupid (or is it the stupid writing?)

During virtually every TV Press Tour session, I felt as if I was experiencing deja vu, as everyone kept waxing philosophical about the importance of writing in what they're working on.

Now, I'm not suggesting that the folks quoted below are pathological liars and their shows are junk and they're just trying to make crap sound hifalutin; a number of the shows cited below are pretty good. But if actors really value fresh, original writing, don't you think they'd cook up something more provocative than these myriad clichéd variations on the same, tired theme?:

Brad Garrett, Fox’s “’Til Death:� “I read the pilot and I just loved the writing.�

Skeet Ulrich, CBS’s “Jericho:� “When you have good writing, it makes you, as an actor, think.�

Sally Field, ABC’s “Brothers & Sisters:� “This is a phenomenal group. Robbie Baitz is an extraordinary writer, and this kind of thing doesn’t happen very often….�

Ted Danson, ABC’s “Help Me Help You:� “My homework is to find the script and the writers that excite you and make you laugh and smile and all of that.�

Anne Heche, ABC’s “Men in Trees:� “This script came along, and I felt that it was so wonderful and such a great combination of humor and drama.�

Gale Harold, Fox’s “Vanished:� “…the chance to work with these guys, the quality of the writing…�

Jason Katims, NBC’s “Friday Night Lights:� “I can only speak to what draws me to the material. … the way Peter (Berg) wrote and directed it…�

John Lithgow, NBC’s “20 Good Years:� “That’s one thing I’ve always loved about this premise and the writing.�

Jeffrey Tambor, NBC’s “20 Good Years:� “The script really made me laugh. … My writer friend, he really hit it right out of the park. And it spoke to me and it’s true.�

Leslie Pope, CW’s “Runaway:� “I had great advice when I left ‘24’ from Stephen Hopkins who told me to follow the writing.�

Erika Christensen, ABC’s “Six Degrees:� “It comes right down to the script. … Artistically, that was really exciting to me.�

Victor Garber, Fox’s “Justice:� “What intrigued me was the script.�

Beth Lacke, Fox’s “Happy Hour:� “I think it’s so well-written. … It’s right there on the page.�

James Woods, CBS’s “Shark:� “…when Ian (Biederman, the show’s creator) gave me this remarkable script…�

Virginia Madsen, CBS’s “Smith:� “John (Wells, series creator) writes amazing stories for women on all his shows. There are really strong characters, much more so than on most of the features that I read.�

David Kronke, Los Angeles Daily News: "Writing sucks. At least mine does. But it pays the bills."