and something called Taxi that got nominations for over 30 Emmys and 25 Golden Globes.
First bit of my sitcom... Page 2
While we're being wilfully obtuse:
"Faces of Jim"
The retired Wing Commander Frobisher (Jimmy Edwards) runs a mini-cab company who with his assistant (June Whitfield) try to guide back their driver (played by Richard Briers) who is lost in the fog in their one and only vehicle.
Surely when you sit down to write something you run it by google to make sure you are reinventing the wheel?
If not, you should do!
Surely, the "It's been done before in 'Taxi'" argument is refuted by the commissioning of 'Roger, Roger' and 'Orrible'.
Quote: JohnnyD @ July 24 2008, 4:05 PM BSTSurely, the "It's been done before in 'Taxi'" argument is refuted by the commissioning of 'Roger, Roger' and 'Orrible'.
Yes but Roger Roger was written by John Sullivan who obviously has a lot more power to get things taken seriously.
I've said it before - as a NEW writer you have to systematically remove as many reasons for objections that a producer or commissioner might throw at you. Don't forget, you have zero trust when you first start out. It's just common sense to not create walls.
Quote: Griff @ July 24 2008, 4:18 PM BSTSurely there's a statute of limitations on this though ? OK, it would be madness to write a sitcom about out-of-work actors straight after Extras. But to worry about a hit sitcom from 25 years ago ? WHERE DOES IT ALL END ??!!?!!
The voice of common sense as usual Griff
To answer your question, I think 10years is probably a decent cut off point.
Quote: Griff @ July 24 2008, 4:18 PM BSTSurely there's a statute of limitations on this though ? OK, it would be madness to write a sitcom about out-of-work actors straight after Extras. But to worry about a hit sitcom from 25 years ago ? WHERE DOES IT ALL END ??!!?!!
Forget 'Taxi'
'Roger, Roger' {1996-2003} 5 years ago
'Orrible' (2001) 7 years ago
Quote: Griff @ July 24 2008, 3:50 PM BSTTo be fair, Taxi finished 25 years ago, so depending how old Mikey is, it's not unreasonable he might not have heard of it.
Others the same (or similar) age to Mikey might not have heard of it - but Mikey wants to become a successful sitcom writer, so if he's REALLY interested, he WOULD have 'heard of' TAXI in the same way as I've 'heard of' 'I Love Lucy'.
Listen up people...i'm not saying DONT write about taxis...but i am saying that to write about them oblivious to the fact that one of the most well liked and critically successful sitcoms ever was about that very subject. And you don't need an encyclopedia in 2008 to find a show about taxis called Taxi!
As Perry says.....repetition of a previous topic is a hurdle, if you are going to jump over them fine...but be aware they are there!
Quote: Griff @ July 24 2008, 4:02 PM BSTPete - is your sitcom something that has never ever been written about before ?
No - but i am WELL aware of what has been written about it so that i can ensure i don't create problems for myself.
People keep on about Peep Show as though it's an example of how you can write about an office....its not, its an example of how if you want to write about an office you MUST watch The Office!
Quote: Griff @ July 24 2008, 4:49 PM BSTWell, I don't agree that you need an encyclopaedic knowledge of TV shows from before you were born to be a good comedy writer, but I'll leave it there.
No, you don't need an 'encyclopaedic knowledge' (I didn't say that!) In fact, you don't need ANY knowledge (encyclopaedic or otherwise) of TV shows from before you were born to be a good comedy writer - but it MAY help.
OOPS!
Looks like I started a bit of a debate here.
I used to be a cab driver so I was writing about what I knew.
Sorry, yes, I'd heard of Taxi.
Not the other two though, although I have googled them now.
Yeah, I know quarter of a century ago there was that U.S. comedy about taxis... A USA comedy.
There are ALWAYS similar shows here and over the pond.
The USA had Friends , a sitcom about peole sharing a flat...
...and what do we have?...
...LOADS of sitcoms about people sharing a flat.
I'd call people sharing a flat more tired that a show about taxis.
Or.... sitcoms about a family. LOADS. (2.4 Children, My Family, etc etc etc etc)
Of course, I'm not wishing to ruffle feathers here or cause any trouble.
Sorry if I did!
And I've taken on board all the critique, which I do appreciate.
yes....but all those shows would have been well aware of each. people were suggesting you don't need such knowledge.....you do.
also...i don't buy the "flat share" as that big a deal....millions of people live in flats. It's like saying you cant make a show about poeple with legs because it's all been done before.
If you say sitcom in a hotel, in a space ship, etc it's pretty obvious what you mean.....in a flat...you may as well say with people who have hair.
Quote: Mikey J @ July 24 2008, 5:18 PM BSTOf course, I'm not wishing to ruffle feathers here or cause any trouble.
Sorry if I did!
Please don't apologize for posting your own opinions (unless they are illegal) It makes me feel nauseous!
yes - but i don't think "flat share" has the same implications for potentially drawing comparison to others as "set in a hotel" would or "in a leisure centre"
I never said i don't accept flat share as a sitcom type, simple that it was one that doesn't generate automatic comparisons with others.
That's what i'm saying!
Set it in a flat and it will draw comparison to many shows, diluting the relevance.
Set it in a hotel and it will draw compassion to Fawlty Towers.
Neither means it won't work but both need to be borne in mind.
Quote: Griff @ July 24 2008, 5:44 PM BSTIf you're going to write about a house full of twentysomethings and their hectic social lives (which was the single most popular sitcom topic submitted to BBC College of Comedy)
That's because people hear "write what you know" and should really hear "write what you know unless you don't know anything interesting...in which case, make something up" (not as catchy)
Shit, I was going to write a sitcom about two families who live and work in a Cab office and do Bed & Breakfast – in Torquay!
I thought ‘What the Hell', I'll write it – then I realised they all had legs – FUCK!