---
name: "Patty Lin"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/patty-lin"
fi1m_id: "patty-lin"
imdb_id: "nm0510937"
tmdb_id: 1218856
wikidata_id: "Q7148714"
roles: ["Writer"]
reviewed_on_fi1m: 4
average_fi1m_score: 84
average_as: "writer"
average_over: 4
updated: "2026-09-23T11:09:47.176564+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Patty Lin

## Identity

Patty Lin

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/patty-lin
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** patty-lin
- **IMDb ID:** nm0510937
- **TMDB ID:** 1218856
- **Wikidata ID:** Q7148714
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patty_Lin, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7148714, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0510937/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1218856

Writer. Born in Chicago.

## Details

- **Work:** Writer
- **Active:** 1994–2008
- **Frequently works with:** [Arlene Sanford](https://film.one/person/arlene-sanford.md), [Jeff Greenstein](https://film.one/person/jeff-greenstein.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 84, as writer, over 4 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1990s 83 (2), 2000s 84 (2)
- **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 2 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Genres:** Comedy 3, Drama 3, Crime 1, Mystery 1
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patty_Lin, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7148714, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0510937/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1218856

## Streaming the US now

- **Netflix:** [*Breaking Bad*](https://film.one/tv/breaking-bad.md) (91)
- **Paramount+:** [*Freaks and Geeks*](https://film.one/tv/freaks-and-geeks.md) (88)
- **Disney+:** [*Desperate Housewives*](https://film.one/tv/desperate-housewives.md) (78)
- **HBO Max:** [*Friends*](https://film.one/tv/friends.md) (78)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Patty Lin is an American author and former television writer and producer. Born in Chicago, Illinois, she graduated from Cornell University and began her career with an internship at Late Night with David Letterman.

She wrote episodes for series including *Freaks and Geeks* (1999–2000), *Friends* (2000–2001, where she also served as executive story editor), *Martial Law* (1998–1999), *Desperate Housewives* (2004–2005), and *Breaking Bad* (2008). On the first season of *Breaking Bad* she also worked as a producer and wrote the episode "Gray Matter", which received a Writers Guild of America nomination for best episodic drama. The season's writing staff was nominated for best new series.

Lin retired from television writing after 2009. Her memoir *End Credits: How I Broke Up with Hollywood* was published in 2023. She lives in Los Angeles.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, pattylin.com.*

## On Fi1m (4)

- *Breaking Bad* (2008), Fi1m 91, Writer, Producer — [page](https://film.one/tv/breaking-bad.md)
- *Desperate Housewives* (2004), Fi1m 78, Writer — [page](https://film.one/tv/desperate-housewives.md)
- *Freaks and Geeks* (1999), Fi1m 88, Story Editor, Writer — [page](https://film.one/tv/freaks-and-geeks.md)
- *Friends* (1994), Fi1m 78, Executive Story Editor, Teleplay, Writer — [page](https://film.one/tv/friends.md)

## Complete filmography (7)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Breaking Bad* (2008), series, Producer, Writer — Fi1m 91, [page](https://film.one/tv/breaking-bad.md)
- *Desperate Housewives* (2004), series, Writer, Producer — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/desperate-housewives.md)
- *Leap of Faith* (2002), series, Writer
- *Citizen Baines* (2001), series, Producer, Writer
- *Freaks and Geeks* (1999), series, Writer, Story Editor — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/freaks-and-geeks.md)
- *Martial Law* (1998), series, Writer
- *Friends* (1994), series, Writer, Executive Story Editor, Teleplay — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/friends.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/patty-lin