Writing lessons from TV

Every time I watch an episode of the TV show Top Chef, I am grateful that I'm not the person who has to edit the footage and put together each episode. They obviously film for hours and hours, following anywhere from half a dozen to about twenty people (judges and contestants). Everyone has a story: a home life, dreams and ambitions, strengths and weaknesses. Everyone has a vision and assorted obstacles for each challenge, and there are two challenges per episode. Yet, amazingly, each episode...