In 1988, renegade filmmaker Robert Altman and Pulitzer Prize–winning Doonesbury cartoonist Garry Trudeau created a presidential candidate, ran him alongside the other hopefuls during the primary season, and presented their media campaign as a cross between a soap opera and TV news. The result was the groundbreaking Tanner ’88, a piercing satire of media-age American politics.
The follow-up to 'Twenty Twelve' as Ian Fletcher takes up the position of 'Head of Values' at the BBC. His task is to clarify, define, or re-define the core purpose of the BBC across all its functions and to position it confidently for the future, in particular for Licence Fee Renegotiation and Charter Renewal in 2016 and 2017 respectively.
A review of a movie, or a restaurant, or a car—or whatever else that typically falls under a critic's domain—is all well and good, and can even be helpful at times. But how can one find out about myriad other experiences that are never tackled in reviews? Enter Forrest MacNeil, a critic who goes beyond overviews of life's more-common subjects—way beyond—to satisfy the curiosity of others: The adrenaline rush of stealing; the danger of drug addiction; the delight of sleeping with a celebrity. MacNeil tries anything suggested by viewers of his TV show, then presents a 1-to-5-star review. But his unwavering commitment to experiencing intense adventures means he must deal with the unintended consequences of such a goal.
Cast Offs is a BAFTA-nominated dramedy mockumentary that follows a group of six disabled people sent to a remote British Island for a fictional reality show. The series is made up of six episodes, with each episode concentrating on one of the six characters. It follows each character for the year leading up to them being dropped off on the island and also the happenings on the island when they are left to fend for themselves.
For Valerie Cherish, no price is too high to pay for clinging to the spotlight. Desperate to revive her career, she agrees to star in a reality TV series, allowing cameras to follow her every move as she lands a part on a new network sitcom.
A mockumentary following six down on their luck musicians who are hoping to find success in the music business.
Nobody's Watching is a television program that was never aired. It originated with and was written by Scrubs creator Bill Lawrence, as well as Neil Goldman and Garrett Donovan, writers for Scrubs and Family Guy.
L'Gros Show is a Canadian situation comedy/mockumentary television series which is broadcast on the Canadian French language music television station Musique Plus. The show stars Mike Ward as Chabot, a comedy character he had previously developed in 2000, and Martin Perizzolo as his friend Poudy. Chabot and Poudy are very much stuck in the 1980s, an obsession which is evidenced by their hairstyles and clothes. Both live in Poudy's mother's basement, where they spend their time playing air guitar and drinking. Part of the show is shot in black-and-white in a mock documentary style.
That Peter Kay Thing is a series of six spoof documentaries shown on Channel 4 in January 1999. Set in and around Bolton, these follows the lives of different characters and stars Peter Kay as the subject of each documentary. All of the episodes display Kay's penchant for nostalgic humour and unsympathetic lead characters. The series was narrated by Andrew Sachs. Many of the plot lines were based around actual events from Kay's life. At least six of the characters appear in the spin-off series Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights.
The Games was an Australian mockumentary television series about the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. The series was originally broadcast on the ABC and had two seasons of 13 episodes each, the first in 1998 and the second in 2000. 'The Games' starred satirists John Clarke and Bryan Dawe along with Australian comedian Gina Riley and actor Nicholas Bell. It was written by John Clarke and Ross Stevenson. The series centred on the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games and satirised corruption and cronyism in the Olympic movement, bureaucratic ineptness in the New South Wales public service, and unethical behaviour within politics and the media. An unusual feature of the show was that the characters shared the same name as the actors who played them, to enhance the illusion of a documentary on the Sydney Games.
Introducing "Barely Famous": a docu-style comedy series. This show explores the hypocrisy of reality TV by centering around two sisters who say they would never do a reality show, but are being filmed by a camera crew. Over the course of the season, we’ll follow Erin and Sara as they navigate the treacherous LA waters of building a career, dating, and simultaneously trying to prove that they’re “normal”. Each episode of Barely Famous will skewer Hollywood stereotypes and comment on the world of celebrity through the eyes of two D-Listers, desperately trying to insist they don’t care about “Lists” while also trying to get on the A-List. By breaking the 4th wall and occasionally telling both the crew and network to cut, no reality convention is too sacred, and our girls point out the absurdity of the medium itself.
The surreal misadventures of two best friends - a blue jay and a raccoon - as they seek to liven up their mundane jobs as groundskeepers at the local park.
Brian Pern is an ageing rock star and former front-man of ground breaking progressive rock group Thotch. Like many artists of his age, rather than make new music, he spends more time trying to save the planet (including his campaign to teach gorillas how to Skype). Now, the BBC have asked him to front a major new documentary where he presents his guide to The Life Of Rock from prehistoric man to the present day.
Three well-known adventurers want to make a travel program where they search for the origins of the Vespa in Italy. Unfortunately, everything that can go wrong, goes wrong.
Instafamous
It's the near future: You're dead. Your kids are probably dead. Your grandkids (if they're alive) are playing video games. Why? Because professional gaming is the biggest sport on earth. Around the world, millions of players duke it out in fighters, RTS’s, First Person Shooters and more. To the victors go the spoils: glory, clan contracts and million dollar endorsements. The best young gamers are recruited by elite boarding schools to sharpen their skills. The best of the best go to VGHS: VIDEO GAME HIGH SCHOOL.
Casting(s) was a French television shortcom created by Pierre Niney and Ali Marhyar, written by Ali Marhyar, Igor Gotesman and Pierre Niney, produced by Hugo Gélin for Zazi Films and broadcast on Canal+ from 2013 to 2015. The episodes revolved around actors rehearsing for different film projects for a casting director. The show also had famous guests such as Oscar winner Marion Cotillard and rappers Orelsan and Nekfeu.
Derek is a loyal nursing home caretaker who sees only the good in his quirky co-workers as they struggle against prejudice and shrinking budgets to care for their elderly residents.
When a documentary crew sets out to explore the lives of residents in a small American town – their dreams, their concerns – they stumble upon the midwestern town of Flatch, which is made up of many eccentric personalities. It’s a place you want to visit and maybe even stay. If there was a decent motel. Which there is not.
The Muppets return to primetime with a contemporary, documentary-style show. For the first time ever, a series will explore the Muppets’ personal lives and relationships, both at home and at work, as well as romances, breakups, achievements, disappointments, wants and desires. This is a more adult Muppet show, for “kids” of all ages.