The sitcom ‘On The Buses’ was an instant hit. It centred on the lives of bus driver Stan Butler, his family, and his workmates, attracting audiences of over 16 million and spawning three feature films. Despite the enduring warmth and chemistry of its unforgettable cast, one of the stars eventually took their own life; and another died in a house fire. In this video we look back and pay tribute to the cast of ‘On The Buses’.
Category: TV Comedy
The TV Pilot Graveyard: Five Quirky Workplace Pilots That Never Aired
In this video we’re looking at more tv sitcom pilots that were made but never broadcast.
We’re focusing on a unique collection of workplace comedies, including; Johnny Vegas as a fireman in a chaotic fire station, a tv version of a radio favourite from Scotland, a geek-centric orbiting data-hub for your cat videos and selfies, plus Kiell Smith-Bynoe and Jamali Maddix open a comic book store with a magical difference!
These are the shows that time forgot. Stick around as we explore and ponder what might have been!
The TV Pilot Graveyard: Codd Palace (Simply Ken)
In this video we look at a pilot that isn’t quite dead… but isn’t quite alive either. The pilot was originally known as ‘Simply Ken’, named after the main character Ken Codd, who is alone after his wife ran off with another man – not even a younger man, either! However, after the initial pilot was made, there was a re-think, and it was retitled ‘Codd Palace’ a parody of his name and the fact the revised version would be set in a fish and chip shop.
Do you think you could write, film and edit a tv sitcom pilot for the price of a second-hand hatchback? Well, this team tried so, let’s see how it’s going…
The TV Pilot Graveyard: Six Never-Seen Relationship TV Sitcom Pilots
In this episode of the ‘TV Pilot Graveyard,’ we’re delving into the messy, heart-warming, and often hilarious world of relationship sitcoms.
From the quirky dynamics of an extended family to the ever-present challenges of married life and the trials of raising children, these pilots aimed to mirror the everyday dramas and joys of human connection. But relationships can be complicated – and so too, it seems, are the sitcoms about them.
Join us as we unearth the families who never quite made it to our living rooms, the couples whose chemistry wasn’t quite right, and the relatives who stayed buried in the TV Pilot Graveyard.
The TV Pilot Graveyard: Five Never-Seen Offbeat TV Pilots
Prepare for the unexpected, because this episode of the ‘TV Pilot Graveyard’ is dedicated to the truly offbeat. We’re talking about the concepts that defy easy categorisation, the humour that dances on the edge of the surreal, and the pilots that perhaps only a genius (or a madman) could have conceived.
These shows aimed to push boundaries, challenge conventions, and leave audiences wondering, “What just happened?” While some might have been ahead of their time, others simply baffled their way into oblivion. Join me as we explore the delightfully strange, the brilliantly bizarre, and the wonderfully weird pilots that never quite found their footing.
A Tribute to the cast of “Hi-de-Hi!”
Between 1980 and 1988, ‘Hi-de-Hi’ transported audiences back to the 1960s, the twilight of the traditional British holiday camp. Through the gates of Maplin’s, the series celebrated a bygone era of sun-drenched summers, communal dining halls, and seaside entertainment.
In this video, we look back at the immensely talented, much-loved cast members who are no longer with us, honouring the wonderful characters they portrayed and their enduring contribution to the history of British television comedy.
Love It or Hate It – Gavin and Stacey
Gavin & Stacey is a British institution, but it’s a show defined by a very strange irony. It’s named after a couple who, let’s be honest, are often the blandest people on screen, serving as the ‘normal’ anchors while the supporting cast runs away with every scene.
And then there’s the elephant in the room: the polarising legacy of its co-creator, James Corden. Whether you love the genius of the writing or struggle to separate the art from the ‘diva’ headlines, there’s no denying the show’s grip on our culture. In this video, we’re going to look at what viewers and critics Loved or Hated about Gavin and Stacey.
Love It or Hate It: ‘Last of the Summer Wine’
To some, ‘Last of the Summer Wine’ is the ultimate television comfort watch, or a philosophical masterpiece. But to others, it was a Sunday night sentence of ‘boredom’ that lasted thirty-seven years.
So, we’re going to look at why the British public fell in love with Compo, Clegg, and Foggy, and why a vocal minority couldn’t wait for the bathtub to finally hit the bottom of the hill. Is it a timeless classic of British character writing, or was it a ‘zombie sitcom’ that stayed at the party far too long? Let’s look at the evidence.
Love it or Hate It: Citizen Khan
In this video we are looking at a tv sitcom about an ordinary family, they’re not quirky like ‘2point4 Children’ or have a 40-year old son still living at home like in ‘Sorry!’ but there is a twist. This is a British Muslim family living in Birmingham with a status seeking father, a long-suffering wife and daughters trying to cope with tradition and modernity. So, let’s see what people loved or hated about ‘Citizen Khan’.
Love It or Hate It: The Royle Family
It might be understandable that a sitcom where “nothing happens” would not be considered worth watching and would inevitably be disliked by people who expected the laugh-a-minute chaos of some tv sitcoms.
With that in mind, there seems little hope for this very niche sitcom, hidden away on Monday at 10:00pm on BBC Two. Except that the apparent simplicity of ‘The Royle Family’ belies the genius writing of Caroline Ahern and Craig Cash, and their relate-ably indolent tv watching family.