Surprise

Pop Quiz:

1. What's the moment that everyone remembers from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid?

2. What happened to Dr Ramano in ER that had your eyes wide open, mouth agape in astonishment?

3. On The Wire who did you think was going to come out on top, Avon Barksdale or Stringer Bell?

4. What do all these things have in common?

Answers

1. The jump off the cliff (the kick in the balls a close second and the cute bit where Butch rides the bike and BJ Thomas sings third). But everyone remembers the jump off the cliff because no one saw it coming.

2. Ramano, an excellent surgeon and a bastard of a man, had his arm chopped off by a helicopter's tail rotor. Over in seconds. Didn't dwell on the moment. I couldn't breath for a full minute. They did what?

3. Stringer Bell, so when he got shot that came as a big surprise. I thought he'd smooth talk his way out of it - but no. Bam.

4. The greatest tool we have in our bag: SURPRISE.

Shocking an audience or frightening them isn't the same; surprise can pitch up anywhere. Drama, comedy, reality shows, quiz shows, sports, anywhere. And don't we just love it when writers and producers come up with the goods.

Great drama, great comedy relies on taking you one way and then flipping what you thought was going to happen for what actually happens. Bam! Surprise. Seriously, our greatest tool.

So when something comes along that surprises me I walk around with a stupid grin for an hour. Didn't see that coming.

Wit that in mind...try this.