Can a one-off character become a central character

Myself and my co-writer Dan Pearce have written and recorded a pilot episode for a possible series of six episodes. In the pilot there are two central characters. One character (Keith Aspin) has scope for a series in terms of comedy and drama. But the other character (Lance-Corporal Mark Rodgers) is one of those characters like The Cat in Red Dwarf (especially series one and two), Ace Rimmer and Lord Flashheart in Blackadder that work best when they're not in the episode much but when they are they steal the show. My character is that type of character, he's a very funny character that I would love to play again in a possible series but wouldn't want to wreck what makes him work so well. Any suggestions?

Edited by Aaron.

Depends if the character has 'legs' or not. Two of the biggest comedy shows in history - Cheers and Friends - both had individual character spin offs.

Frasier went on to become a legend, Joey died an embarrassing death.

Simple question to ask yourself about the character's spin off viability - could you write 10 series about him?

Quote: Renegade Carpark @ April 21 2009, 1:52 PM BST

Depends if the character has 'legs' or not. Two of the biggest comedy shows in history - Cheers and Friends - both had individual character spin offs.

Frasier went on to become a legend, Joey died an embarrassing death.

Simple question to ask yourself about the character's spin off viability - could you write 10 series about him?

View original

No I couldn't write 10 series about him and I wouldn't want to. I have looked briefly about doing his own spin-off but have dismissed the idea. What I'm asking is, is the character viable enough to appear regularly in a six episode series rather then a individual spin-off. I'll use Ace Rimmer and Lord Flashheart as a example, what makes them work so well? Is it you only seem them a bit but when you do it's solid gold or could there be enough genius at work there to have them appearing week in week out.

It never stopped the Fonz. Of course he did, quite literally, jump the shark.

There are a few comedy shows in which one-off characters do appear as part of the main cast. There is Kryten in Red Dwarf who first appeared in one episode in series two and then appeared from all the episodes from series three onwards.

In the radio sitcom Think the Unthinkable, the character of Owen, an IT consultant played by David Mitchell, made some appearances at the end of the first series, and then became a regular character for the rest of the show.

Quote: James Cotter @ April 21 2009, 2:03 PM BST

No I couldn't write 10 series about him and I wouldn't want to. I have looked briefly about doing his own spin-off but have dismissed the idea. What I'm asking is, is the character viable enough to appear regularly in a six episode series rather then a individual spin-off. I'll use Ace Rimmer and Lord Flashheart as a example, what makes them work so well? Is it you only seem them a bit but when you do it's solid gold or could there be enough genius at work there to have them appearing week in week out.

View original

Sorry, my mistake, I misread your post. Ace Rimmer and Lord Flashheart work so well because they are over the top and bring a fresh perspective to the format. If they featured in every episode, then the element of surprise is gone and the audience becomes too familiar with their antics, diminishing the shock factor and the humour derived thereof.

Having said all that, Trigger from OFAH began to appear regularly without an ill consequences, so who knows?

Two conflicting answers to your question - I am the bestest at advice.

Quote: Renegade Carpark @ April 21 2009, 2:23 PM BST

Sorry, my mistake, I misread your post. Ace Rimmer and Lord Flashheart work so well because they are over the top and bring a fresh perspective to the format. If they featured in every episode, then the element of surprise is gone and the audience becomes too familiar with their antics, diminishing the shock factor and the humour derived thereof.

Having said all that, Trigger from OFAH began to appear regularly without an ill consequences, so who knows?

Two conflicting answers to your question - I am the bestest at advice.

View original

I quite agree with what you said about Ace Rimmer and Lord Flashheart. Although I don't want to compare my character to comedy legends, my character is very over top Ace Rimmer and Lord Flashheart esc so I feel he shouldn't appear too often. Although I don't know if he should just appear in one episode but take over the entire episode pretty much or just pop up just for one scene in every episode what do you feel works best?

Moved to the writers' forum.

Sometimes the occasional character is a rare treat and steals the scene, but whether they can carry 30 minutes by themselves is something else entirely.

Could you imagine a 30 minute sitcom based on the Major in Fawlty Towers - or Neumann for Seinfeld?

I, personally, think it would be an enormous feat to pull off.

In fact I seem to remember reading about an idea that quite a big name writer (whose name escapes me now) had - they planned to write a sitcom based on the PE Teacher played by Brian Glover in 'Kes', and apparently Brian Glover was up for it - but history shows us it never happened, so I think that demonstrates just how hard it is to do.

There's plenty of room for an over the top bit-part which crops up in most/all episodes. But I think what you're getting at is - if you have a great OTT character, is he better as a one episode plot or a recurring bit part?

It entirely depends on the character but I tend to think an inspired character taking over the episode as a one-off works better, as in the examples of Flashheart and Ace Rimmer. I think Blackadder was excellent at such things - Captain Redbeard Rum is another good example.

Quote: James Cotter @ April 21 2009, 1:41 PM BST

Myself and my co-writer Dan Pearce have written and recorded a pilot episode for a possible series of six episodes. In the pilot there are two central characters. One character (Keith Aspin) has scope for a series in terms of comedy and drama. But the other character (Lance-Corporal Mark Rodgers) is one of those characters like The Cat in Red Dwarf (especially series one and two), Ace Rimmer and Lord Flashheart in Blackadder that work best when they're not in the episode much but when they are they steal the show. My character is that type of character, he's a very funny character that I would love to play again in a possible series but wouldn't want to wreck what makes him work so well. Any suggestions?

View original

James, you say he is "a very funny character" - but what makes him funny? If he is funny because of big catchphrases, maybe limit his number of appearances; if he is funny because of his one-liners, I would use him as often as you can.

Good luck

Keith in The Office was initially just a background character with the odd line; he proved to be so good they used him more and more - but no overkill.

Quote: don rushmore @ April 21 2009, 4:03 PM BST

James, you say he is "a very funny character" - but what makes him funny? If he is funny because of big catchphrases, maybe limit his number of appearances; if he is funny because of his one-liners, I would use him as often as you can.

Good luck

View original

He's funny because he is such a big character. He draws you into watching him. I know it's strange but he's like Jones from Dad Army meets Ross Kemp. He's got that ineptness and ability to turn marching or shouting out a order funny and he's got a dark side were he can flip. There's no catchphrases at all with him he's just a big personality.