Topic: My PILOT Marathon

[richierich]

Are You Being Served?

Pilot - Are You Being Served?
After a reorganisation, the Ladies Intimate Apparel and the Men's Ready To Wear departments are forced to share the same floor.



Welcome to Grace Brothers, an ailing department store where the management are beginning to show signs of wear and the staff are clashing!
The complete first series including the pilot episode starring Mr "I'm Free" Humphries, outrageously bouffant Mrs Slocombe, naïve Miss Brahms, haughty Captain Peacock and the rest of the Grace Brothers' staff.

Classic British comedy, which I haven't seen for many years. This B&W pilot from 1972 introduces us to all of the characters from Grace Bros, and is full of the double entendres and gentle humour that saw this programme last 13 years. Even after so many years it is still extremely funny, in what would now be seen as a very innocent level of writing.
Excellent for reminiscing.
 

[richierich]

American Gothic - Season One

Pilot
Sheriff Lucas Buck rules his town with no conscience. After a young girl is murdered, Sheriff Buck seeks custody of the son of a murder suspect.



Finally, the complete cult hit series American Gothic, produced by Sam Raimi and created by Shaun Cassidy, comes to DVD for the first time ever! Visit Trinity, South Carolina, a small town with more chills than charm. Sheriff Lucas Black (Gary Cole) won't let anyone — including local doctor Matt Crower (Jake Weber) or the determined Gail Emory (Paige Turco) — stand in the way of his evil plans. Marking the 10th anniversary of its broadcast debut and packed with all 22 episodes, including four "lost" ones never broadcast on network television, American Gothic's eerie storylines of intrigue and suspense are sure to hold you captive!

A series bought for my daughters viewing way back when, and OMG what a complete load of drivel it appears after 1 watching. Despite sharing the same writer as the underrated Invasion, it bears no resemblence. I have no real idea what was going on, what the characters were about, and the point of the whole series? 
If I had of watched this pilot on TV, I'd never have returned to the show. My daughter says this got really good through the series, was quite spooky portraying the fight against good and evil, and is worth persevering with.
I won't be doing that in a hurry.
 

[Najemikon]

Are You Being Served?

...in what would now be seen as a very innocent level of writing.

I'd say it's more that modern writers don't know how to write innuendo for mainstream. A lot of classic comedies weren't afraid to go near the knuckle and still keep it innocent. Now, it's either filthy or family, not both...

[goodguy]

Commander In Chief - Series 1
... is so far-fetched and written for the masses that I think they missed a trick.
As the first episode it didn't create much impact, but I will come back to at least give the first series a go in due course.

One really should watch The West Wing instead of this drivel. But you have done that of course... 

[richierich]

Commander In Chief - Series 1
... is so far-fetched and written for the masses that I think they missed a trick.
As the first episode it didn't create much impact, but I will come back to at least give the first series a go in due course.

One really should watch The West Wing instead of this drivel. But you have done that of course... 

Can you believe - I don't own the west wing 

[richierich]

Are You Being Served?

...in what would now be seen as a very innocent level of writing.

I'd say it's more that modern writers don't know how to write innuendo for mainstream. A lot of classic comedies weren't afraid to go near the knuckle and still keep it innocent. Now, it's either filthy or family, not both...

I totally agree - Croft and Lloyd really were master writers for this TV comedy genre

[richierich]

A Touch of Frost - Series 1

Care and Protection
Nursing his terminally-ill wife, Det Insp "Jack" Frost's life becomes more stressed when, during a missing-child investigation, he unearths evidence on a 30-year-old case involving a skeleton chained to a locked strongbox that turns out to be empty.



Detective Inspector Jack Frost is a disorganised DI for the Denton Police Force and will do anything to see that justice is done, even if he has to break the rules.

A very popular UK series, but one like many I have never bothered with before. Having now watched the pilot, it does an extremely good job of introducing the main characters, why they are who they are, background to the lead, and setting the tone for a successful formula that stood the test of time. I feel more able to jump into an episode here or there and know better what is going on.
The dual investigations that ran parallel to this pilot introduction were cleverly crafted, and although hardly being too difficult to ascertain the ending it was underly done in a pleasing manner. Needless to say David Jason was a class act, perfect for a role that must have been written with him in mind.
Not a series I could watch back to back, but one that I shall reach for every now and then.
 

[Jimmy]

This B&W pilot from 1972

British TV was always in black and white in 72?

[richierich]

Cold Feet - Series 1

Pilot
Rachel Bradley is left by her boyfriend Simon, so she turns to Karen who is happy to provide a shoulder to cry. She is happy to spend some time with a friend, her baby and David, her husband.
Meanwhile Adam Williams ends his latest relationship, which ends a sharp slap round the face.
Pete is in trouble since his wife Jenny wishes herself a baby. His friend Adam can't help him in this situation.
Later on Rachel and Adam run into each other at the supermarket.



Cold Feet is the fast and funny ITV comedy drama about a group of friends which has gripped the nation!
Immersing us in the lives of 3 couples who are coping with life, love, careers, marriage, friendship, infidelity and, of course, sex, it gets to the heart of 30-something relationships like no other programme of its kind! It's sharp, funny, tender, touching and full of fantastic moments from a hilarious cast - it's British TV at its best!

A show designed for your missus to watch whilst you are down the pub? Thats what I always thought, these series I bought exactly for that reason, and you only ever heard the fairer sex talking about it.
However after watching the pilot, my first ever episode seen, I gotta say it was bloody funny, well scripted, great choice of actors in all the roles, and left you with a bloody great smile on your chops after viewing. James Nesbitt pinches the best lines and scenarios, but John Thompson is great value as his under the thumb mate trying for a baby.
I have had my mind changed on this series, it was tagged 'to be sold', but I have now removed that and will watch more of these when in need of some good laughs.
 

[richierich]

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season One

01. Welcome To The Hellmouth
Buffy Summers is the Slayer, but after being expelled from her old high school for burning down the gym (it was full of vampires) she just wants to forget about her destiny and be a normal sixteen-year-old girl. She and her mother move from L.A. to Sunnydale, California. A new school, new friends, and a chance to start over.
But Sunnydale is on top of a Hellmouth -- a center of mystical convergence that draws evil and demonic forces -- and Buffy soon realizes that she will have to pick up her stakes and holy water in order to save her new friends.



Season One brings Buffy into contact with her Watcher, Giles (Head), as well as the support gang who will help her in her quest to combat evil Willow (Hannigan), Xander (Brendon), Cordelia (Carpenter) and the love of her life, Angel (Boreanaz).

Lets start by saying I consider this the first ever Buffy episode. I know and have seen the self-funded demo that was made to show the studios what they were getting in 1996, but it was never intended as a pilot episode.
I am not a Buffy/Angel type fan I'm afraid, I can see the appeal and the quality which attracts such a devoted following, and there is no escaping the sexual attraction that Gellar emits, in this episode basically wearing a mini-skirt and high leather boots the whole time 
But the fantasy/vampire/good vs evil background will never be the genre for me, so I will pass and just say this first episode was a good introduction to a series that entertains many.
 

[richierich]

American Dad! - Season One

1. American Dad (Pilot)
Stan Smith uses his CIA skills to help 13-year-old son Steve win class president and the heart of the hottest girl in class, Lisa Silver. But when being class president makes Steve mad with power, Stan must jump in to save the day. Meanwhile, Roger, the alien Stan saved from Area 51, helps 18-year-old Hayley with her school paper. In return, she hooks him up with boatloads of junk food to curb his sweet tooth. Unfortunately, some Chocodiles send him over the edge and a sugar crash prohibits him from finishing one of her papers, forcing Hayley to pick up the pieces. And Klaus, the goldfish with the brain of a German guy, pines after mother Francine. Unfortunately for Klaus, the closest he'll ever get to a date with her is the spin cycle with her sports bra.



From the delightfully twisted creative minds behind Family Guy comes American Dad, the animated tour de force featuring CIA operative Stan Smith, his outrageous family and Roger, the alcoholic extraterrestrial who lives with them! Follow the adventures of the Smiths from the California desert, where Stan's wife, Francine, relives her teenage years at the Burning Man festival, to Saudi Arabia, where the entire family is sentenced to death by the Vice and Virtue Police! Whether it's rigging elections, erasing memories, casing sleazy strip clubs, or staging "bum fights", it's all in a day's work for Stan, and it's all here in the side-splittingly hilarious first season of American Dad!

Clearly designed for a younger teenage audience, knowing how much my lad loves this programme.
Most of the 'jokes' passed me by, and I found it a bit childish and stupid.
Its a big fat raspberry in my book, and I expect I will be busy when he watches the 3 series we have again.
 

[richierich]

Farscape - Season 1

Premiere (48:05)
We start on Earth and meet John Crichton and his father. During John's experimental space flight, he is sucked into a wormhole and transported to the far reaches of the galaxy. After being dragged aboard a large and strange craft, he is injected with translator microbes giving him the ability to understand what the strange aliens he finds on board are saying to him. At first what he hears is probably not quite what he expected. Using the theory that he was working on back at Earth, he and the others escape their pursers and run to the uncharted territories.



An astronaut testing an experimental space craft is catapulted into another dimension in space. Chased by the maniacal leader, John Crichton battles against all the odds to get back to Earth.

Again a series purchased for my kids several years ago, I must admit to being pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this premiere. The characters are introduced well and were interesting, the budget looks and feels respectable in terms of production, sets and special effects, and there is a major 'must see next episode' ending to this which will force me to watch more.
There were little touches of comedy, a freshness in the writing, and enough differences to other sci-fi series to make it original.
Difficult to make a huge judgement on just a pilot, but based on this I am impressed.
 

[richierich]

Cracker

The Mad Woman In The Attic
Fitz gets drunk at a dinner party. When his wife discovers that he has raised £5,000 on their mortgage to meet his gambling debts, she leaves him. Fitz, awakening hung over and alone the next morning, is shocked to hear that a former student of his has been brutally murdered. Grief-stricken, he offers his services as a psychologist to the police, who accept when the prime suspect claims to be suffering from amnesia. Murder suspect Thomas Francis Kelly is released into Fitz's care. Fitz comes to believe that Kelly is innocent, and tries to persuade DS Penhaligon to help him find the real killer.



Fitz (Robbie Coltrane) is a brilliant Criminal Psychologist with a dark side - a side dependent on a cocktail of alcohol and gambling. He lectures at the local university and profiles suspects for the Manchester Police Force.

Gritty quality British drama/crime series, at 1.40 an extremely long premier episode but as with all good viewing the time flew by. Over 15 years old but this does not show its age, a lot of this pilot deals with Fitz's many personal vices and family issues, and the fight he has with the police trying to convince them he is on the right track whilst they are chasing a red herring.
Not overly complicated in terms of suspense or intrigue, and at times too slow, but this is solid TV production and a great introduction to a too-short running programme.
 

[Najemikon]

I like American Dad! It's gently insane and is frequently filthy. Do you like Family Guy?

[richierich]

I like American Dad! It's gently insane and is frequently filthy. Do you like Family Guy?

God no, I hate it!

The only animated series of this type that I really enjoy is King of the Hill, but sadly they have never released dvds past series 6.
Simpsons is ok, and I have watched a lot of them over the years as 2 teenage boys demanded regular viewings