Hollywood Pitch: “The Halloween Episodes”
This is my second post, and I encourage you to read my introduction just to get a feel for what I intend to do.
I know this is a bad way to start — i.e., I should get right into my topic (please don’t leave yet, because for some reason, I think you will enjoy the pitch I am about to make) — but I just want to mention something real quick (and I will say, one of my goals here is to have something of a loose approach to this blogging format…it gives a nice, fun contrast to my more rigid freelance writing).
Advice was given to me to be consistent in writing posts (i.e., in terms of cadence). I absolutely agree with it; I just want to reiterate I will do my best on that count given some health issues I have. That is not me asking for sympathy, certainly, or arguing against such advice, because at the end of the day, consistency isn’t knowledgeable about my handicaps, nor caring…same thing as solid advice. I just wanted to acknowledge this, and emphasize that any issues with cadence is my fault, no matter what.
Okay, with that out of the way, I would like to begin my journey here with something I think you will find entertaining, and perhaps a great idea for a streaming series. I don’t think this concept would work on broadcast networks, or even linear cable- it’s called The Halloween Episodes. (I hope this hasn’t been done or thought of before, I always worry about that when I have what I consider is a cool idea! Let me know in the comments section if it has.)
Imagine a nameless situation comedy that has been on the air for ten years. Imagine further that each season had about 22 episodes (think of something like Modern Family). The example in the parenthetical section is of a single-camera comedy, but honestly, my idea might work better with a multi-cam look (even if it essentially is filmed single-cam style since it is supposed to be a fictional series; I hope you get what I mean).
Now, for the kicker — imagine that each season had a Halloween episode.
That’s my pitch, that would be the streaming series: it would be a series of ten episodes representing the Halloween episode of each of the ten seasons of the fictional multi-cam situational comedy.
Now, I mentioned a moment ago that the imaginary season would be nameless, but I suppose it could have a name, given the opening of each episode of The Halloween Episodes would most likely be the opening credits of the fictional series. But perhaps it would be better to just open the series not with credits but perhaps the credits of the makers of the actual series, pretending to be the makers of the fictional series (is your head meta-spinning as fast as mine right now?!); maybe that would create a sense of mystery. Maybe not…let me know what you think.
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Anyway…my thinking here is that, oftentimes, the Halloween episodes of any series is the most anticipated and perhaps most watched of all the episodes during the year. I have no basis to say this, although I think recently someone from The Simpsons said as much about that series’ annual “Treehouse of Horror” Halloween shows.
And…I want you to consider some of the interesting aspects here of what such a format would imply. For instance, we might see new actors being used for the children as time goes on — that might be neat and cool, right?
Also…although we will never see any other episodes other than these ten, from a series that hypothetically would have broadcast 200 of them over ten seasons, we could hint at what is going on in that fictional sitcom’s universe by mentioning stuff within the Halloween episodes. Someone moved out of the house at the end of season five? Great…the sixth episode of my series would mention it (e.g., “Hey! Mary’s coming back to help with trick-or-treating!”). Or, someone had a baby in season two? Then the third would mention it. Someone pass on in season eight? Season nine of mine uses that as a plot element in that Halloween episode (“I think Uncle Bob is upset with your costume!”). And so on.
If such a concept were successful, maybe there could be another season of it, but this time, The Christmas Episodes. Maybe The Thanksgiving Episodes. The Fourth of July Episodes. The Last (or First) Day of School Episodes. The Easter Episodes. The New Year’s Eve Episodes…
Okay, I’ll stop…but I should mention I would make each one a different imaginary situational comedy to keep costs down (i.e., wouldn’t have a big increase on above-the-line talent costs). Then again, if it was the same imaginary comedy, then more of that imaginary universe could be revealed. My preference (for now) is the former. If you have an opinion, please state it as strongly as you’d like.
Anyway…what do you think? I really like this particular pitch. I say seriously if anyone from Hollywood wants to contact me, please do…I have a debt and would love to pitch my way out of it! (Seriously, no joke!)
Of course, I do concede that maybe this idea has either been done before or is in the process of being done…I will repeat that I hope this is not the case. But maybe it is an obvious idea. Who knows.
I did have fun writing that out. I have not written any scripts pertaining to this yet, but I still say it would be a great idea for a streaming company such as Netflix to purchase.
All opinions welcome (even brutal ones that hate what I just wrote!).
Thanks for reading (more pitches to come…)…
