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March 29, 2024, 10:54:07 AM

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Do you daydream about sitcom universes?

Started by Fambo Number Mive, May 29, 2022, 07:03:45 PM

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Fambo Number Mive

I doubt any of us go to the lengths of writing comedy fan fiction (not that there's anything wrong with doing that), but I do like to wonder about sitcom universes and what happens outside of the episodes. Or what it would be like to be in one of these universes for a week.

I do wonder, for example, if James and Erin ever did get together. I imagine that it would be difficult for them to do so while Michelle was still around so maybe if the five went off to different universities James and Erin could have a long distance relationship.

Another thing I wonder is if Alan or the Hamilton's Waterbreaks production team did actually put a pound of mashed up Dundee cake down the toilet as they stated in the video, or was this just advertising bullshit? I can imagine Alan actually demanding they follow through with the Dundee cake toilet test.

The sitcom universe I'd most like to live in for a week is Last of the Summer Wine. I'd spend most of it walking around 1980s Holmfirth and keeping an eye out for the three men, standing across the bar from Foggy, Clegg and Compo and listen to them talk bollocks. Or pass the time of day with Nora Batty.

There are many that I would not want to visit for even a week, Fawlty Towers would be one of them. Every part of Fawlty Towers seems grim, I'd spend most of the time on the 1970s beach and would barely be in the hotel. And what would be the point of that?

neveragain

Oh, all the time. I think the best measure of a sitcom is whether you can imagine their lives carrying on when you're not watching.

Best to visit: Craggy Island looks fun and picturesque. I also wouldn't mind living next door to Martin Bryce and teasing him into a grudging friendship.
Worst: Probably Paddy's Pub or Royston Vasey (just for personal safety), but both of which I would be tempted to visit.


chip

Quote from: Fambo Number Mive on May 29, 2022, 07:03:45 PMI do wonder, for example, if James and Erin ever did get together. I imagine that it would be difficult for them to do so while Michelle was still around so maybe if the five went off to different universities James and Erin could have a long distance relationship.

Who are these characters? Their names aren't instantly recognisable.

Fambo Number Mive


Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth

Quote from: Fambo Number Mive on May 29, 2022, 07:03:45 PMThe sitcom universe I'd most like to live in for a week is Last of the Summer Wine. I'd spend most of it walking around 1980s Holmfirth and keeping an eye out for the three men, standing across the bar from Foggy, Clegg and Compo and listen to them talk bollocks. Or pass the time of day with Nora Batty.
I think I'd rather die.

danwho9

I mean I was reminded of Victor Meldrew when an old guy was complaining to my fellow passengers at my local bus stop the other day. Does that count?

bigfatheart

Slightly beyond daydreaming, but this does remind me of the sadly now-deleted Frasierverse Wiki, which detailed one fan's insane but admirable extension of Frasier into seven spin-offs, two of which starred the still-unseen Maris.

Gurke and Hare

I want to know what happened next in The Thick of It. Did Dan Miller win? Did they do a Brexit? Did Malcolm go to prison?

Icehaven

Quote from: bigfatheart on May 30, 2022, 12:42:23 PMSlightly beyond daydreaming, but this does remind me of the sadly now-deleted Frasierverse Wiki, which detailed one fan's insane but admirable extension of Frasier into seven spin-offs, two of which starred the still-unseen Maris.

I love the idea of a sitcom where you never actually see the main character. Trapdoor is the only thing that comes close and that's not really the same.

wrec

Quote from: Fambo Number Mive on May 29, 2022, 07:03:45 PMAnother thing I wonder is if Alan or the Hamilton's Waterbreaks production team did actually put a pound of mashed up Dundee cake down the toilet as they stated in the video, or was this just advertising bullshit? I can imagine Alan actually demanding they follow through with the Dundee cake toilet test.

Absolutely no question that he did this. It's the kind of thing he'd do out of his obsession with mechanical performance and power even if he wasn't making a video and would have a sense of integrity about that kind of thing that he lacks when it comes to professional ambition, his big plate etc.

The Ombudsman

I think the only sitcom world I wonder or think about is Curb. Why doesn't Leon ever mention the family he arrived with? How are Richard Lewis and Larry David coping after the kidney donation?. What is Susi really like to live with?. What was the last show Larry really liked? Many, many questions.

Fambo Number Mive

Quote from: wrec on May 30, 2022, 04:49:33 PMAbsolutely no question that he did this. It's the kind of thing he'd do out of his obsession with mechanical performance and power even if he wasn't making a video and would have a sense of integrity about that kind of thing that he lacks when it comes to professional ambition, his big plate etc.

In that case I reckon he got Lynn to source and mash up the Dundee cake and take it with her to where Alan was filming, Lynn would hand the mashed up cake over to Alan so he could test the toilet.

Elderly Sumo Prophecy

I'd want to see what's in Alan's drawer.

wrec

Quote from: Fambo Number Mive on May 30, 2022, 05:21:05 PMIn that case I reckon he got Lynn to source and mash up the Dundee cake and take it with her to where Alan was filming, Lynn would hand the mashed up cake over to Alan so he could test the toilet.

Definitely. This is the kind of detail that you'd get if I'm Alan Partridge was a realist novel or slow-paced drama series.

willbo

My brother and I came up with our own Frasier episode on holiday

So basically in the morning Frasier has a new young work experience assistant who keeps forgetting his coffee and stuff. After one slip up too many, Frasier loses his temper on air and shouts something he doesn't really mean into the microphone - "the young people of Seattle deserve to lose their jobs/wages!" or something.

The next morning there's a load of right wing fans cheering "Frasier for Mayor!" "Frasier tells it like it is!" Him and Niles try to avoid them by going down a tunnel but it's full of Seattle antifa who kidnap them.

The boss of the Antifa gang is a young person who Frasier knows as the child of one of his richest friends and they secretly let Frasier and Niles go in return for their silence, making it look like they escaped

Cafe Nervosa is trashed...thats as far as we got

grainger

Quote from: neveragain on May 30, 2022, 10:54:13 AMThe sitcom universe I'd most like to live in for a week is Last of the Summer Wine. I'd spend most of it walking around 1980s Holmfirth and keeping an eye out for the three men, standing across the bar from Foggy, Clegg and Compo and listen to them talk bollocks. Or pass the time of day with Nora Batty.

It would be a weird experience, becasue that universe seems to have its own slighly altered physics. So a 70-year old man can regularly do things such as fall off the roof of a house and be fine. And the theme song exists as a song (with lyrics including the phrase "The Last of the Summer Wine") within the show's universe.

Rolf Lundgren

Quote from: bigfatheart on May 30, 2022, 12:42:23 PMSlightly beyond daydreaming, but this does remind me of the sadly now-deleted Frasierverse Wiki, which detailed one fan's insane but admirable extension of Frasier into seven spin-offs, two of which starred the still-unseen Maris.

That's incredible. The Maris spin-off lasts for 29 seasons and then has it's own spin-off for a further 6 seasons and Maris doesn't appear in any of them. Some of the synopsis of the 30 season 698 episode(!) run of Roz are surprisingly good too.

Does anyone know if the record of these are still online? The guy who wrote them all seems to have taken them down and is mildly embarrassed about it but they sound fascinating.


bigfatheart

Quote from: Rolf Lundgren on May 31, 2022, 11:31:51 PMThat's incredible. The Maris spin-off lasts for 29 seasons and then has it's own spin-off for a further 6 seasons and Maris doesn't appear in any of them. Some of the synopsis of the 30 season 698 episode(!) run of Roz are surprisingly good too.

Does anyone know if the record of these are still online? The guy who wrote them all seems to have taken them down and is mildly embarrassed about it but they sound fascinating.

It appears that a lot (but not all) is archived through the Wayback Machine. It really is fascinating stuff - it's quite dizzying to pick, say, the list of Roz episodes, scroll through until you're about fourteen seasons in, and read something like this:

Quote"The Airplane Show"   8   318
Roz and Bulldog are flying to Paris to visit Alice. Unable to afford first class due to a school trip Stuart is going on, Roz spends the entire first hour complaining. When Bulldog snaps and bluntly tells her to be quiet, Roz heads to the bathroom for some peace and is caught smoking by a flight attendant. Roz hands over the cigarettes and feels embarrassed when Bulldog tells her to behave. Unfortunately the embarrassment continues when Roz and Bulldog get stuck in the bathroom together, after Bulldog mistakenly thought Roz was going for another smoke. Meanwhile, Gil, Noel and Bebe take turns in being "acting boss" during Roz's absence, and enter into a contest to determine which approach to management the employees prefer.

which is so very much the work of him not just building on the original show, but the thirteen seasons of continuity he created himself.

Rolf Lundgren

Quote from: bigfatheart on June 01, 2022, 12:21:30 AMIt appears that a lot (but not all) is archived through the Wayback Machine. It really is fascinating stuff - it's quite dizzying to pick, say, the list of Roz episodes, scroll through until you're about fourteen seasons in, and read something like this:

which is so very much the work of him not just building on the original show, but the thirteen seasons of continuity he created himself.

Thanks for that. Love the idea that the world hasn't had enough of Roz after 30 seasons that Vintage Roz is commissioned for a further 330 episodes!

The depth of ideas is incredible, here we are in season 27 of Roz when: Gil hires a monkey assistant to help him while his wrist sprain heals. Fiona thinks this is an animal rights violation while Carl hopes to train the monkey to do his tedious paperwork.

samadriel

I dream about one sitcom universe -- one containing all sitcoms and comedy movies and books, like a comedy-only version of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. I like to imagine that any of my preferred sitcoms could have the autopilot and its wife from Airplane! soaring overhead in their ghost plane, which hasn't stopped since 1980. Or, while Wernham Hogg and Dunder Mifflin were selling paper, a bouncing elephantiasis women destroyed central Portsmouth.

Luornu

Oh! Oh! Oh! I had one (and this is the only time that I can remember)

I dreamed about the Dad's Army universe in the present day, it was Warmington on sea in 2016 or whenever it was and it was about Pike's grandson being haunted by the ghost of his grandfather. His grandfather was dead (unsurprisingly). The entire original cast of characters were dead. (again unsurprisingly)

The only connection with the original was the fact that one of the original characters' ghost was there. I think he appeared in old man form not as he appeared in the series too.

Ian Lavender is still alive. He could totally play the part.

Screenwriters! You can have this one for free! (nah maybe not)

Mr Vegetables

I always imagine Abed is continually telling everyone in Community that what they're doing right now isn't part of the show, but we have no idea he does this, because it isn't part of the show

Jumblegraws

In "The Gang Squashes Their Beefs" episode of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Rickety-Cricket alludes to a grapevine connecting him and the gang, which makes me think about the fringe social circle they seem to be a part of, and what non-Paddy's related hijinks they get up to.