There is a temptation in most of the shows out there, to resolve a problem completely by the show's end, perhaps with just enough of remaining thread to assure that the same problem breaks out again. However, if a situation leaves itself to be resolved, it adds elements of surprise to the stories (or episodes). For example, consider the possibility of the rescue of the Time Lords, but not Gallifrey. Now you have a race in need of a new home, possibly without access to all the tools they originally had. Perhaps now they might even be forced to interfere in other societies, just to survive. There's a lesser-known method of problem-solving in mathematics called "solution by relaxation," in which the goal of the proof is examined, and then one or more of the conditions get dropped, so that the hero (and solving a math problem is heroic in its context) can come up with a partial solution and then figure out how to get the rest. When taken into a story-writing context, it leaves much more story to be told and gives the audience enough suspense that they can discuss and speculate endlessly. Fans love that. After all, that's why so many of these articles get written.
Michael Marcus is a game designer, author, and mad scientist living in Hamtramck, Michigan; his current project list include a series of comic short-stories collectively called "One-Punch," a book on hypnosis and language called "The Prometheus Codex," a collaborative game project called "Art War," and a fun spy story called "The Adventures of Jack Uzi" at http://tinyurl.com/JackUziChannel (for those interested).
