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March 28, 2024, 09:07:47 PM

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Comedy series that were scripted but never filmed

Started by ajsmith2, July 29, 2022, 04:50:12 PM

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ajsmith2

.. in particular ones you'd liked to have been.

Got thinking about this with the mention in the recent thread of the unmade additional Se1 style 'Look Around You' episodes that were scripted but rejected by the BBC. I reckon that even now they should film these, as it's not like the fact everyone's aged matters much as they weren't seen properly onscreen for most of it (nor were they playing distinct characters). If they don't do it now some fan will using AI technology eventually, probably, maybe.

Other ones: Bottom series 4, again rejected by the BBC circa 1997. Was likely not as good as the earlier series, continuing the perceived downward trajectory (that I don't necessarily agree with, but for the purposes of this thread will allow) from Se 1-3 and into the live shows but come on, 25 years later, who wouldn't want to have 3 more hours of Rik and Ade in their element to pore over? Unsalvageable now sadly of course, although I'd love to see the scripts. I bet you'd be able to 'hear' how each line would have been delivered even reading from the page.

Also: The High Life series 2: written but canned when Alan Cumming went Hollywood. So wish this existed, the fact that's there's a Fawlty Towers undercutting poverty of just 6 episodes is so frustrating. Obviously everyone will have aged, but I entertain the crazy dream that Big Finish will somehow get interested in this property and then corral the 4 still very much with us leads including big star Alan into a studio to do an audio version at least.

Yours?


Alberon

I've heard a rumour, here I think, that a third series of 15 Storeys High had been written.

Bennett Brauer

Quote from: ajsmith2 on July 29, 2022, 04:50:12 PMAlso: The High Life series 2: written but canned when Alan Cumming went Hollywood. So wish this existed, the fact that's there's a Fawlty Towers undercutting poverty of just 6 episodes is so frustrating. Obviously everyone will have aged, but I entertain the crazy dream that Big Finish will somehow get interested in this property and then corral the 4 still very much with us leads including big star Alan into a studio to do an audio version at least.

They were said to be reviving their Victor & Barry act during lockdown, though probably just for a book, so an audio project isn't totally out of the question.


neveragain

According to the book that came with the DVD, lots of material was written by Idle, Chapman and Gilliam for the fourth Monty Python series but was rejected by Jones and Palin as they took the role of curating episodes. Interesting to think what we missed out on but Rutland Weekend Television (along with Radio 5) and Chapman's Out of the Trees sketch show pilot give us an idea.

There was also another series of The Adventures of Lano and Woodley written apparently, which would have been great to see.

Rizla

Am I right in thinking Limmy's Falconhoof sitcom got at as least as far as a pilot script?

Can't think of anyother  TV ones, but the great lost unmade comedy classic has to be Andy Kaufman and Bob Zmuda's The Tony Clifton Story, the "best" draft of which is available to read online here. Supposedly it went through a series of rewrites that further and further diluted the meta conceptuality before being shelved after Andy's big-screen debut (the supposedly unwatchable "Heartbeeps", I've never got more that ten minutes into it) was a disaster. Read the script, it would have been absolutely brilliant.

Oh, and not forgetting the incredible, legendary Seinfeld 9/11 spec script

mrClaypole

Not a series but the original script of the comic strip presents..
Eddie Monsoon episode went unfilmed.

madhair60


Ron Superior

Am I right in thinking that Rich and Stew had written the scripts for their intended sitcom about hostages?

Also, depending on what stage it got to there's whatever Adam Buxton had been working on with our Graham.

JamesTC

Had they gotten as far as writing a script for a Brian Butterfield sitcom that was mooted at one point?

Captain Z

Quote from: Rizla on July 29, 2022, 06:08:06 PMAm I right in thinking Limmy's Falconhoof sitcom got at as least as far as a pilot script?

It sounds like it, he talks through a rough outline of one episode here:


The Bumlord

They tried for another series of Bottom a couple of years before Rik died didn't they? I think the BBC commissioned it but Ade gave up on it for unspecified reasons.

markburgle

Quote from: The Bumlord on July 30, 2022, 11:55:42 AMThey tried for another series of Bottom a couple of years before Rik died didn't they? I think the BBC commissioned it but Ade gave up on it for unspecified reasons.

Yeah I think they wrote about 3 episodes.

Ade was quite clear though, he agreed to it partly to shut Rik up. He thought "we'll write a script, it'll get rejected and then he'll stop hassling me to get back together". But it got commissioned which spoilt his plan.

I wouldn't be surprised if some of the s4 stuff ended up in the live shows

thr0b

Radio Spiritworld. Piloted as a podcast. Announced as a Radio 4 commission. Presumably at least partially scripted, but never turned up.

Brundle-Fly

Not a comedy series but all these Laurel & Hardy scripts that Stan wrote after Ollie died that were never going to be made.

JamesTC

There is the two Red Dwarf scripts that have had story board animation with Chris Barrie narration on the DVD/Blu-ray.

Plus there are many Red Dwarf movie scripts, apparently. Sections of some of them have been used in Series X/XI/XII.

BeardFaceMan

Quote from: JamesTC on July 30, 2022, 07:36:03 PMPlus there are many Red Dwarf movie scripts, apparently. Sections of some of them have been used in Series X/XI/XII.

No wonder it never got made.

Tokyo van Ramming

Quote from: Brundle-Fly on July 30, 2022, 07:04:44 PMNot a comedy series but all these Laurel & Hardy scripts that Stan wrote after Ollie died that were never going to be made.

Bloody hell, that's heart breaking.

Small Man Big Horse

Quote from: Ron Superior on July 29, 2022, 10:20:43 PMAm I right in thinking that Rich and Stew had written the scripts for their intended sitcom about hostages?

Also, depending on what stage it got to there's whatever Adam Buxton had been working on with our Graham.

That reminds me of Stewart Lee and Tony Law's Thor sitcom, which the BBC rejected by claiming that no one would be interested in seeing a character like Thor on our screens. I did ask Tony Law back in 2018 if there was any chance they might be published the scripts in a book but Law gave a short "Stew won't hear of it. Yet." response.

Petey Pate

Quote from: Alberon on July 29, 2022, 05:10:30 PMI've heard a rumour, here I think, that a third series of 15 Storeys High had been written.

Think Mark LaMarr denied that this was the case on Twitter recently. Perhaps they had planned out the series but never fully scripted it.

I believe that Graham Duff had another series of Ideal planned before it was cancelled but not sure if any episodes were scripted.

Not sure if it counts but the third season of Moral Orel was originally planned to be longer before Adult Swim cut the number of episodes and some of the unproduced scripts were posted online.

Oh, Nobody

Quote from: JamesTC on July 29, 2022, 10:34:12 PMHad they gotten as far as writing a script for a Brian Butterfield sitcom that was mooted at one point?

Am I misremembering that they filmed a pilot?