Origin: "Mutant Enemy" was the nickname Joss Whedon gave to the typewriter upon which he started his writing career, and came from the Yes song "And You And I" (specifically, the third section of the song entitled "The Teacher and the Preacher"), a band Whedon is a big fan of. This song was inspired by Isaac Asimov's Foundation Series of books, and the "mutant enemy" of that series was a character called the Mule.
The famous 'Mutant Enemy' production screen (with its associated zombie) was, according to Whedon, the product of desperation: Whedon was told that he needed one, and the Big Meeting started in twenty minutes!
The term Lampshade Hanging was the one most used in the Mutant Enemy bullpen and it was for this reason that the trope was given the name here.
Writers from Mutant Enemy include:
- Tim Minear (aka The Tim Reaper) — Previously show-runner for Wonderfalls, The Inside, Standoff and Drive (2007). Served as consulting producer/writer for Dollhouse then Executive Producer on American Horror Story. Currently creator and showrunner of 9-1-1 and 9-1-1: Lone Star.
- Jane Espenson — Served as consulting producer/writer for Dollhouse. Also noted for her work as a writer and producer on Battlestar Galactica (2003), then on Caprica — for a while, as showrunner, now back to primarily focusing on writing. Wrote five episodes for Torchwood: Miracle Day. She also wrote some Buffy comics. Created Husbands, which guest-starred past collaborators Joss Whedon and Nathan Fillion. Currently on the writing staff of The Nevers.
- Dana Reston — ? last credit: 1997 Buffy the Vampire Slayer "The Witch"
- David Greenwalt — Left Angel to run Miracles, then Jake 2.0, returned to direct Angel 5.20: "The Girl in Question". As of early 2007, his producer credits (consulting and exec'ing) have extended to include Surface, Eureka, and Kidnapped. Also co-created the FOX series Profit, starring Adrian Pasdar. Also co-created Grimm and worked on The X-Files and short-lived series Moonlight (not Moonlighting).
- Rob Des Hotel — ? last credit: 1998 Fantasy Island
- Jeffrey Bell — Went to Alias, then Day Break (2006). Currently co-showrunner of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
- Drew Goddard — wrote for Lost. Wrote Cloverfield and The Martian. Directed The Cabin in the Woods, which he co-wrote with Joss Whedon, as well as Bad Times at the El Royale. Wrote for Buffy comics (including one season 8 arc). He created Daredevil (2015), before stepping down due to his involvement with Sony's Sinister Six film, which kind of went nowhere. Last seen working on an X-Force movie.
- Dean Batali — Last on That '70s Show
- Matt Kiene — Last on Andromeda
- Reinkemeyer — Last on Andromeda
- Ashley Gable — Last on The Division
- Thomas A. Swyden — ? last credit: 1997 series Soldier of Fortune
- David Tyron King — ? last credit: 1997 Buffy the Vampire Slayer
- Carl Ellsworth — ? last credit 2000 Cleopatra 2525
- Howard Gordon — Producer 24. Developped Homeland for Showtime and co-created Tyrant (2014) for FX.
- Marti Noxon — Executive producer for Private Practice, consulting producer for Mad Men and Glee. Co-created UnREAL (2015), ran Sharp Objects
- David Fury — Wrote for 24 and Fringe. Co-showrunner on The Tick (2016) season 1. Currently writing on 9-1-1
- Elin Hampton — ? last credit 1997 Buffy the Vampire Slayer
- Douglas Petrie — Worked on Pushing Daisies, American Horror Story. Showrunner for Daredevil (2015) season 2 and The Defenders (2017). Currently on the writing staff of The Nevers
- Dan Vebber — Went to Futurama and American Dad!. Now co-executive producer on The Simpsons
- Tracy Forbes — Now consulting producer for Flashpoint
- Rebecca Rand Kirshner — Last seen as writer for Gilmore Girls
- Spotted writing for The CW's 90210 (and possibly showrunning?)
- Steven S. DeKnight — Wrote for Smallville , post Angel, then Dollhouse, created Starz's Spartacus, Showrunner on season 1 Daredevil (2015), director of Pacific Rim: Uprising. Last seen getting fired from being showrunner on Jupiter's Legacy for Netflix.
- Tracey Stern — ? last credit: 2001 Leap Years
- Jeannine Renshaw — Last on Charmed
- Jim Kouf — films National Treasure and Taxi.
- Drew Z. Greenberg — went on to Smallville , Dexter, Warehouse 13, Arrow, and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D..
- Ben Edlund — Creator and writer of all of The Tick incarnations, wrote for The Venture Bros., Supernatural, Revolution and Gotham. Last seen as showrunner of The Tick (2016) at Amazon Studios.
- José Molina — Started on Dark Angel then joined Firefly then The Vampire Diaries then Sleepy Hollow and Agent Carter. Last seen on The Tick (2016).
- Cheryl Cain — Formerly on Threat Matrix, which was cancelled in 2003.
- Brett Matthews — Wrote for Supernatural and The Vampire Diaries. Presently Executive Producer on Legacies
- Elizabeth Craft & Sarah Fain — (writing team) Went to The Shield, then Dollhouse, then Lie to Me, last seen on The 100.
- Shawn Ryan — Creator of The Shield, Last Resort and Timeless, showrunner for Lie to Me. Currently Exec Producer on S.W.A.T. (2017)
- Mere Smith — (an online fan who got a gig as writer on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, writer-mommy of Gwen Raiden) moved on to Jonny Zero, then Rome and now Burn Notice.
Films and TV Shows produced by Mutant Enemy:
- Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope (Documentary)