NBC is developing a spin-off of The Office
11-02-07 | 02:18 AM
#51
DVD Talk Special Edition
Can you consider the Happy Days thing a "backdoor pilot", though?
As best I recall (I was young when the show aired), Love American Style had one (or more) completely different stories each week. The stories were completely unrelated, and the show featured dozens (if not hundreds) of different actors over its run. In other words, it was more like The Twilight Zone or Tales From The Crypt, except each story was a lighthearted romance instead of something bizarre or scary. There wasn't such a thing as a "regular cast" for the show, nor were any of the characters related in any way (except within the single story, of course).
As best I recall (I was young when the show aired), Love American Style had one (or more) completely different stories each week. The stories were completely unrelated, and the show featured dozens (if not hundreds) of different actors over its run. In other words, it was more like The Twilight Zone or Tales From The Crypt, except each story was a lighthearted romance instead of something bizarre or scary. There wasn't such a thing as a "regular cast" for the show, nor were any of the characters related in any way (except within the single story, of course).
11-02-07 | 10:41 PM
#52
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by Rex Fenestrarum
Can you consider the Happy Days thing a "backdoor pilot", though?
From Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_Days
The show began as an unsold pilot called New Family in Town. While Paramount passed on making it into a weekly series, the pilot was recycled with the title "Love and the Happy Days", for presentation on the television anthology series Love, American Style.
Garry Marshall likes to say that Love, American Style was where failed sitcom pilots went to die... he sold the pilot to Aaron Spelling, who aired the show in February 1972, as "Love and the Happy Days."
Shortly afterward, the movie American Graffiti and the Broadway musical Grease led to a wave of nostalgia for the Fifties, and ABC executives decided to buy Marshall's new series, which became a huge hit.
Shortly afterward, the movie American Graffiti and the Broadway musical Grease led to a wave of nostalgia for the Fifties, and ABC executives decided to buy Marshall's new series, which became a huge hit.
11-02-07 | 11:18 PM
#53
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by rfduncan
One time it work [Fraiser] and then nada for almost FIFTEEN YEARS. Yeah I still stand by my point.
A lot of spin-offs do fail, but then, so do a lot of new original shows too. I'd guess that the hit-to-cancelled ratio for spin-offs isn't any worse than it is for any other type of new show.
Would Laverne & Shirley's appearance on Happy Days be considered a backdoor pilot? (Episode 49: A Date With Fonzie S3, aired 11/11/75 - Lavern & Shirley premiered in January of '76)
11-02-07 | 11:30 PM
#54
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by Jay G.
Not only can it be considered a "backdoor pilot," it literally was a pilot that was repurposed for Love American Style.
From Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_Days
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love%2C_American_Style
And I don't see how the anthology format prohibits backdoor pilots. If anything, the anthology format shows are the perfect testing grounds for backdoor pilots, since the audiences for these shows are used to the wild shifts in focus and characters that backdoor pilots usually entail.
From Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_Days
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love%2C_American_Style
And I don't see how the anthology format prohibits backdoor pilots. If anything, the anthology format shows are the perfect testing grounds for backdoor pilots, since the audiences for these shows are used to the wild shifts in focus and characters that backdoor pilots usually entail.
11-03-07 | 05:40 AM
#55
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by DeputyDave
Is there anyway to see the pilot? Or was it actually aired as the first episode?
Love, American Style is getting a Season One DVD release this month, although the Happy Days pilot looks like it was part of the third season of that show.
I remember seeing a very early season one Happy Days (maybe the first) where Fonzie was wearing a cloth (or silk) jacket. It seemed a lot more edgy than it became (and Fonzie was definitely a "bad boy" hood, not the silly caricature he became).
"Among the changes [from the pilot] was to include the character of Arthur Fonzarelli. ABC wanted to toughen up the show by having a gang of thugs beat up Richie Cunningham. Marshall agreed, but the character became a benevolent companion to Richie and his pals.... The 1st season often saw Fonzie in a gray McGregor windbreaker with penny loafers and not his later trademark leather jacket and motorcycle boots."
11-03-07 | 10:38 PM
#57
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Originally Posted by TheMovieman
I can't see how this will be successful. Yeah, The Office gets OK ratings for NBC (especially the 18-49 demo), but I don't think this thing will get past one season (if it ever actually happens).
11-04-07 | 10:57 AM
#58
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by HE Pennypacker
I seem to recall people saying the same thing about The Office when it was announced.
http://forum.dvdtalk.com/showthread....26#post4844226
Originally Posted by MrBob
The us remake [of The Office] doesn't stand a chance.
11-04-07 | 03:56 PM
#59
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From: My Car
Originally Posted by Letterman
Michael Scott should get the tv show he's been writing picked up. The new show would be that show, entitled "When the Whistle Blows."
07-12-08 | 11:10 AM
#61
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From: Florida
I was randomly browsing Washingtonpost.com and I saw they were doing a TV-related chat so I asked a question and it was actually answered!
Jacksonville, Fla.: So is there really going to be an "Office" spinoff?
Lisa de Moraes: NBC says there will be ---- hahahaha! Ricky Gervais was at the tour yesterday. He said he had no details on it, but he'll get a piece of the action so he's thrilled and hopes it's a hit. NBC also had no details when it announced the spinoff at its "in-front" presentation in April. No details at its NBC Experience presentation in May either..NBC comes to the press tour next week and I'm sure they'll be asked alot of questions about it because this group adores "The Office."
Lisa de Moraes: NBC says there will be ---- hahahaha! Ricky Gervais was at the tour yesterday. He said he had no details on it, but he'll get a piece of the action so he's thrilled and hopes it's a hit. NBC also had no details when it announced the spinoff at its "in-front" presentation in April. No details at its NBC Experience presentation in May either..NBC comes to the press tour next week and I'm sure they'll be asked alot of questions about it because this group adores "The Office."
07-14-08 | 12:50 PM
#62
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Originally Posted by TruGator
I was randomly browsing Washingtonpost.com and I saw they were doing a TV-related chat so I asked a question and it was actually answered!
http://forum.dvdtalk.com/showthread.php?t=528785
