The escalating beats of your hero trying to accomplish something and whatever is in their way interfering with them in the second half of act two are very similar to those of the first half.
However, the midpoint complication has made matters more pressing and raised the stakes.
Luke Skywalker must save the Princess and escape the Death Star before the Empire can catch him. But “more urgent” and “higher stakes” are relative to the reality of your show if you’re writing a light comedy about a group of friends who hang out.
You can have greater stakes while still having little to lose.
Your protagonist experiences a low point in the second act as well as a further complication at the conclusion. Diane finds out in Cheers that Sumner has gone to Barbados with his ex-wife instead.
In Star Wars, Obi-Wan Kenobi dies, leaving Luke alone for the first time. Your character is at a point in the story where they can either quit or continue.
If they quit, the narrative is over, and it’s likely that they lie down and pass away somewhere.
The third act begins if they decide to go on.
Your character is at a point in the story where they can either quit or continue.
Your third act is also set up at this point. The second act of Haunted Bakery would end with her store in disarray and the ghosts running amok, and there are only two hours until the grand opening. The antagonist is at their highest point, as this is the protagonist’s lowest point. As a result, the ghosts believe they have triumphed and driven the baker out.
However, she decides to persevere, ensuring the story’s conclusion and a bizarre ghostly third act.
