What sitcom would you write?

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There's an old phrase along the lines of "everyone has a novel inside them." Watching the seemingly-endless Best British Sitcom poll thing on telly last night, I started to wonder if, nowadays, everyone has a sitcom (or sitcom plot) inside them instead.

So, describe the sitcom that you've always wanted to write, and will get around to creating eventually.

caitlin (caitlin), Sunday, 11 January 2004 12:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Mine would be set in (a pub strangely similar to) my local pub. So, basically, it would be Cheers but with goths.

caitlin (caitlin), Sunday, 11 January 2004 12:33 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, where was World of Pub last night?

Hmmm, Sunday, 11 January 2004 12:35 (twenty-two years ago)

It was a grievous omission, I thought.

caitlin (caitlin), Sunday, 11 January 2004 12:38 (twenty-two years ago)

i would do an animated one, no laugh track - so er, maybe not a proper sitcom but i suppose it would be most similar to Spaced.

stevem (blueski), Sunday, 11 January 2004 13:57 (twenty-two years ago)

I would have a family of idiots living on a rubbish dump, who walk around naked all year round, covered in their own shit, terrorising visitors to the dump who come looking for old washing machine parts etc.

Eyeball Kicks (Eyeball Kicks), Sunday, 11 January 2004 14:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Sounds like 'Friends.'

NA (Nick A.), Sunday, 11 January 2004 14:46 (twenty-two years ago)

A really bad one.

Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Sunday, 11 January 2004 14:49 (twenty-two years ago)

mine would involve Ruth Madoc somehow - she's been away far too long

stevem (blueski), Sunday, 11 January 2004 14:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Mine would have a bunch of people who never met but sat posting irreverent thoughts on the internet to each other.

(It'll never work.)

Nick H (Nick H), Sunday, 11 January 2004 15:23 (twenty-two years ago)

mine would involve Ruth Madoc somehow - she's been away far too long

Good news for stevem

ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 11 January 2004 17:20 (twenty-two years ago)

extraordinary coincidence

stevem (blueski), Sunday, 11 January 2004 17:25 (twenty-two years ago)

One about a group of hipsters who live inside the head of a minor celebrity.

jel -- (jel), Sunday, 11 January 2004 17:28 (twenty-two years ago)

record store clerks trying to pick up members of the opposite sex.

Ian Johnson (orion), Sunday, 11 January 2004 17:30 (twenty-two years ago)

Re. the odious BBC Best Sitcoms thing: how convenient to have an all-BBC top ten and Father Ted at number 11 so that the BBC don't have to make an hour-long documentary about a Channel 4 programme, eh?

Phoebe Dinsmore, Monday, 12 January 2004 09:31 (twenty-two years ago)

The Vicar Of Dibley ahead of Father Ted is hilarious in itself.

Nick H (Nick H), Monday, 12 January 2004 09:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Or indeed My Family at 24 and Citizen Smith not in the list at all (and no Nightingales either if we're talking Robert Lindsay sitcoms).

Phoebe Dinsmore, Monday, 12 January 2004 09:46 (twenty-two years ago)

perhaps the BBC are just following Channel 4's example in using the 'greatest ever' format to plug their own wares, which you have to admit when it comes to sitcoms is far more reasonable than C4's TV Hell or end of year rundowns (Wife Swap was in the latter but not the former, bizarrely). I however am appalled that So Haunt Me didn't make the cut.

stevem (blueski), Monday, 12 January 2004 11:14 (twenty-two years ago)

No Black Books either.

Phoebe Dinsmore, Monday, 12 January 2004 11:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Rising Damp - "the greatest ITV sitcom", therefore only #27. Jesus Christ.

My sitcom: a heavily made-up Peter Serafinowicz takes the title role in Dad's Barmy, as a bitter, cynical scouse Dad who has taken to reading The Daily Express at an advanced age and spends most episodes swapping oft-repeated, now barely comprehensible anecdotes with his ruddy-faced compadres in the betting shop (played by James Ellis, John Henshaw, Sam Kelly).

At night, Scouse Dad dreams of a life in 1960s Australia (Serafinowicz sans make-up) as a bewilderingly successful club singer and comic, with palatial Melbourne home complete with Brian Labone-shaped swimming pool. He wakes up screaming each night as his strangely disaffected Oz-born kids, Dean and Lawton, vanish in a puff of blue smoke each time he tries to talk to them.

In the confusing and pretentious sixth and last episode Scouse Dad is joined by his bronzed fantasy alter-ego, Henshaw, Ellis and Kelly, and together they steal a JCB and accidentally demolish Goodison Park. Bleak.

Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Monday, 12 January 2004 12:26 (twenty-two years ago)

As I said a few months back on the Last of the Summer Wine thread:

I am going to write a sitcom about a comically mismatched yet loving couple living above a pub in Clerkenwell while assorted flatmates, visitors of varying nationalities and motorbike couriers come and go... features a "hilarious" climactic scene involving a naked Momus careening down a hill on a pushbike.

Matt DC (Matt DC), Monday, 12 January 2004 12:28 (twenty-two years ago)

In retrospect - worst idea ever.

Matt DC (Matt DC), Monday, 12 January 2004 12:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Momus to be played by Neil Morrisey. Actually fuck it just put him in Men Behaving Badly.

Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 12 January 2004 12:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Haha - which means Ethan to be played by Martin Clunes. Possibly with a fake American accent.

Matt DC (Matt DC), Monday, 12 January 2004 12:36 (twenty-two years ago)

two years pass...
That's Just Heinrich!

A suburban Illinois family is forced to take in a great uncle with a Nazi war criminal background. They hope to keep a lid on the past, but things get complicated when Yoram, an over-friendly and slightly clueless ex-Mossad agent moves in next door! Wackiness ensues as Heinrich, still recovering from a stroke, involuntarily sig heils and mutters Nazi slogans at unexpected moments.

A-ron Hubbard (Hurting), Thursday, 28 September 2006 02:28 (nineteen years ago)

(written in the spirit of ALF, Small Wonder, Harry and the Hendersons)

A-ron Hubbard (Hurting), Thursday, 28 September 2006 02:29 (nineteen years ago)

You Are What You Eat last night had a veggie hating fatso who worked in a vegetarian cafe. seems like a good start. throw in a robot dog and yr larfing

Britain's Obtusest Shepherd (Alan), Thursday, 28 September 2006 11:00 (nineteen years ago)

dunno, probly something akin to the genius that is "Bottle Boys"

Ste (Fuzzy), Thursday, 28 September 2006 11:18 (nineteen years ago)

erm, 'was'

Ste (Fuzzy), Thursday, 28 September 2006 11:19 (nineteen years ago)

Been spending a quarter of a century trying to forget that comedic feast...

Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Thursday, 28 September 2006 11:21 (nineteen years ago)

Did Richard Davies ever play anything other than comedy Welshmen?

Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Thursday, 28 September 2006 11:22 (nineteen years ago)

> That's Just Heinrich!

isn't there something from the uk in the 70s about hitler living next door, like love your neighbour taken to the logical extreme? sure i've seen one on one of those 'the 70s, what were we thinking?' shows.

Koogy Yonderboy (koogs), Thursday, 28 September 2006 11:33 (nineteen years ago)

Hush, Puppy!

Children's show. The hilarious animated antics of a Beagle with a pair of shoes crammed down its gullet.

teh_kit (g-kit), Thursday, 28 September 2006 11:38 (nineteen years ago)

That is awful, you awful man.

Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 28 September 2006 11:40 (nineteen years ago)

b-b-but, it's for kids. happy endings every week.

teh_kit (g-kit), Thursday, 28 September 2006 11:42 (nineteen years ago)

That is awful, you awful man.

I don't think the time's right just yet for a Dick Emery revival.

Mind you there is Little Britain.

Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Thursday, 28 September 2006 11:55 (nineteen years ago)

i'll take Emery over LB any day.

Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 28 September 2006 12:00 (nineteen years ago)

i'll take a shit over LB any day.

teh_kit (g-kit), Thursday, 28 September 2006 12:01 (nineteen years ago)

Sitcom Pilot: By Mark Grout

Situation: A cabaret dance troupe in a foreign night club, in a foreign land.

mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 28 September 2006 12:51 (nineteen years ago)


Gary: Dancer
Liz: Dancer
Bryan: Acting stage manager/showgroup Manager
Philip: Dancer
Judy: Dancer.
Hector: Master of Ceremonies.


(From the PA outside)
Hector: “And now, I bring you the Varlarian Show Group, and “Hawaii Holiday!!!”


(In the dressing room)
Gary: “He says that like it’s his show!”
Liz: “It is.”
Judy: “STOP! He’s introduced Hawaii!!! It’s the Rock and Roll show! (throws shoe) Bryan!! BRYAN!!!”
(Bryan enters the dressing room)
Bryan: “Right, we’ve got 30 seconds to change to the Hawaii Holiday. Gary, you’re dressed reasonably safe, just take your trousers off and look like you’re in Waikiki!”
Philip: “Hold up, I’m dressed as a chicken!”
Bryan: “We’ve got ten minutes until you’re on, I’ll think of something. Liz, grab those coconuts!”
Liz: “And do what with them?”
Bryan: “Improvise! I dunno! Go on Gary, you’re on! Hang on, you can’t go on commando!”
Gary: “I wasn’t going to! I’ve found the grass skirt. I’ll have to keep the long coat.”
Bryan: “OK, pretend it’s raining or something.”
Liz: “OK, I’ve got the other skirt, we can do this one together Gary. Me in my silk shirt, and you in a long coat. This is going to be beautiful.”
(They both leave.)
Judy: “Well, I don’t care. I’m doing Willie and the hand jive, whatever music is on when I am”
Philip: “Right, can I say something? (calmly)Tonight is a disaster, right? So there’s no point in getting overstressed, we aint dancing our way out of this one. So, let’s do as best we can, and laugh about it later. Sez Philip, dressed as a chicken, live at the Valarian show group.”
Bryan: “Right, give me those cigarettes! I don’t trust you anymore.”

(later)

From the PA outside:
Hector: “Ladies and gentlemen, give them a big hand! Hawaii at Easter!”
(Everyone re-enters the empty dressing room)
Bryan: “Oh, and Phil, you’re supposed to be a Robin. Rockin’ Robin, get it?”
Phil: “But robins don’t lay eggs.”
Bryan: “That’s got nothing to do with it. It’s the song in the Rock and Roll show.”
Liz: “Well, I’m glad he said it. Hawaii at Eastertime.”
Bryan: “Yeah, I guess so. At least, that’ll be the last time we do the Hawaii show. They’ll never have that one on again.”
Judy: “Oh, god, I am so sorry. Did I look really stupid?”
Bryan: “No, no, Willie and the hand jive just seemed to work on top of the Banana boat song. (amazed) I have no idea why, but there it is.”
Gary: “I need a drink.”
Philip: “So do I”
Bryan: “Hang on, what do you mean, robins don’t lay eggs! Course they do!”
Philip: “Not for easter they don’t”
Bryan: “What, they stop laying eggs for the whole of easter? Out of respect or something?”
Gary: “Ah whatever. You getting changed Phil?”
Philip: “No, I don’t want to be recognised”


(later, early morning, walking down the street outside)
Philip: “Well, it just meant I didn’t have to shell out for drinks”
Gary: “You mean, you did that on purpose?”
Philip: “I’m not totally dense you know!”
Gary: “Well, I’ve never seen as many people queuing up to buy raki for a chicken”
Philip: “Yeahhh. Ah, I’m back to get changed out of this. Were you proud of me?”
Gary: “Why, should I have been?”
Philip: “I never once did the cock joke”
Gary: “Hang up, there’s Bryan. WOY! What’s the result then?”
Bryan: “Don’t ask. I just got collared by Hector.”
Gary: “Ah, sorry. We should have stuck around, was he mad?”
Bryan: “No, not especially, No more than normal. He did say he’s not going to do the post mortem in the morning, so that’s a lie in for everyone anyway.”
Philip: “Right, I’m definitely getting out of this then.”
Bryan: “No, he thought it was wonderful, and wants to keep it exactly like that.”
Gary: “Oh, WHAT?”
Philip: “Right, I’m definitely getting out of this.”
Gary: “Why?”
Philip: “I definitely don’t want to be recognised.”

(back at the bar)
Liz: “You want to wait for them?”
Judy: “No, they both think they’re on a promise here.”
Liz: “Really? What, do you think they’ll pull in here?”
Judy: “Umm, well put it this way. Phillip stands more chance of success as a chicken”
Liz: “Who with?”
Judy: “I don’t know. Another chicken?”
Liz: “Lets go to the Sweater bar. There could be a chicken there”
Judy: “Probably, most of them aren’t drinking age yet!”
Liz: “Phil’s not so daft. He hasn’t had to pay for a drink all night!”
Judy: “Yeah, but how do you sup a pint in a chicken costume, and stay in character?”
Liz: “You didn’t see?”
Judy: “No, what?”
Liz: “He was sitting on them like they were eggs.”
Judy: “What, and picking them up inside the costume?”
Liz: “It’s one hell of a party trick.”
Judy: “I’ve seen him do that with Dos Equis bottles. Without the costume”
Liz: “Oh, god. Thank you for that mental image. I’m definitely not going to the Sweater bar now.”
Judy: “Come on. You know it’ll just be “hit on” time if we go anywhere else.”
Liz: “All right then. I wish the boys would come too”
Judy: “It’d just be “hit on” time for them instead.”
Liz: “Well, then they’d know what it was like then. Anyway, they’d be OK if they pretended to be together.”
Judy: “They’d have to snog before they were taken seriously.”
Liz: “Each other?”
Judy: “Exactly. They’re in the show! Everyone would just assume they were up for anything.”
Liz: “But they do snog each other in the Berlin show.”
Judy: “On-stage doesn’t count. Phil’s in drag anyway”
Liz: “It does, if you want it to. Two guys on stage, pretend to kiss, they’re gay.”
Judy: “And if they kiss the girls instead?”
Liz: “They’re compensating.”
Judy: “So, on-stage doesn’t count for anything.”
Liz: “Exactly. Hang on, what was I saying?”
Judy: “You were saying, Sweater Bar”
Liz: “OK. (gets up).”
(they walk out of the bar)
Liz: “OK, so what if we snogged on stage then. Would that count?”
Judy: “I don’t know, but we would get paid more”

mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 28 September 2006 12:52 (nineteen years ago)

You 'avin' a laff?

Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Thursday, 28 September 2006 13:26 (nineteen years ago)

You never know...

mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 28 September 2006 13:33 (nineteen years ago)

Looks more like a radio script than a TV one.

Probable cast:
Gary - Graham Norton
Liz - Caroline Quentin
Bryan - Paul Shane
Philip - Dara O'Bririaiaiairiaiaian
Judy - Su Pollard
Hector - Frank Thornton

Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Thursday, 28 September 2006 13:37 (nineteen years ago)

You're not the first person to say that, funnily enough.

mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 28 September 2006 13:37 (nineteen years ago)

That cast list is not half bad for 'character basis'. I saw Hector more as Roy Walker, but the rest are pretty close.

mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 28 September 2006 13:39 (nineteen years ago)

Yes but you'd have to write in a post-routine line about the couple being "good but not right."

Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Thursday, 28 September 2006 13:42 (nineteen years ago)

a sitcom starring 'Mr Chips' would be far better.

Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 28 September 2006 13:47 (nineteen years ago)

Might not be too much scope plotwise to differentiate it from Metal Mickey.

Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Thursday, 28 September 2006 13:50 (nineteen years ago)

even if that were true, ITV could do (and does do) a lot worse than reviving Metal Mickey.

Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 28 September 2006 13:51 (nineteen years ago)

'boogie boogie'

mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 28 September 2006 13:57 (nineteen years ago)

Well they could bring it back but starring Mr Chips and give it an ALTERNATE TITLE

Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Thursday, 28 September 2006 13:58 (nineteen years ago)

Chips With Everything

Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 28 September 2006 14:00 (nineteen years ago)

(Except ID Cards)

Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 28 September 2006 14:00 (nineteen years ago)

Featuring Davy Jones as hilariously accident prone Clive Dunn-Style Grandad!

Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Thursday, 28 September 2006 14:22 (nineteen years ago)


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