# Geico caveman to be comedy on ABC **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 15, 2007, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geico-caveman-to-be-comedy-on-abc/404220 "2007-05-15T18:52:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2007, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geico-caveman-to-be-comedy-on-abc/404220/1 "2007-05-15T18:52:37Z")
Or more likely, “comedy.” [Photo and everything.](http://tv.msn.com/tv/article.aspx?news=262163>1=7703) I’ll admit that as commercials go, they aren’t the worst. However, how much mileage can really be squeezed from such a stupid premise? Ugh. ---
**Author:** ![lowbrass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dc4da7/32.png) [@lowbrass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lowbrass)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2007, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geico-caveman-to-be-comedy-on-abc/404220/2 "2007-05-15T19:04:09Z")
Well I love the commercials, but it does seem like a rather limiting premise. On the other hand, I think almost any premise can fly if the writers are good. And it’s not the _worst_ premise ever; that honor would have to go to an entire sitcom about a talking horse. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2007, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geico-caveman-to-be-comedy-on-abc/404220/3 "2007-05-15T19:07:45Z")
I love the commercials, but I’m a little skeptical about this. Like **lowbrass** says, if the writers are good, it’ll probably be hilarious, but that’s not always a given. It seems to me in the same vein as SNL movies: take a premise that’s developed enough for a few skits and try to stretch it into a movie. That only ever really worked for Wayne’s World. I can see the same thing happening here; what was funny as a few 30-second commercials will just completely lose the humor as 30-minute shows. Question is, will they run Geico commercials during the show? ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2007, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geico-caveman-to-be-comedy-on-abc/404220/4 "2007-05-15T19:41:03Z")
“[astoundingly awful](http://www.aintitcool.com/node/32521)” ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2007, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geico-caveman-to-be-comedy-on-abc/404220/5 "2007-05-15T19:46:36Z")
Is this the first commercial to get a show? I remember some years back that there was talk about turning some Tasters Choice commercials into a series, but nothing ever came of it. ---
**Author:** ![Lisa-go-Blind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Lisa-go-Blind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa-go-Blind)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2007, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geico-caveman-to-be-comedy-on-abc/404220/6 "2007-05-15T19:50:58Z")
Fortunately, someone erased your memory of [Baby Bob](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby_Bob). ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2007, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geico-caveman-to-be-comedy-on-abc/404220/7 "2007-05-15T20:26:06Z")
I think I hear a fish out of water. Yes that’s what I hear. flop…flop…flop…flop…flop…flop…flop. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2007, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geico-caveman-to-be-comedy-on-abc/404220/8 "2007-05-15T20:27:58Z")
[QUOTE=Beadalin] However, how much mileage can really be squeezed from such a stupid premise? [/QUOTE] I dunno. _The Odd Couple_ ran for years and years. ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2007, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geico-caveman-to-be-comedy-on-abc/404220/9 "2007-05-15T20:29:54Z")
[QUOTE=Harmonious Discord] I think I hear a fish out of water. Yes that’s what I hear. flop…flop…flop…flop…flop…flop..flop. [/QUOTE] Did it jump out of the cement pond? ---
**Author:** ![lowbrass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dc4da7/32.png) [@lowbrass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lowbrass)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2007, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geico-caveman-to-be-comedy-on-abc/404220/10 "2007-05-15T21:21:13Z")
_Home Improvement_ was based on a stand-up routine that was probably 5 minutes max, and it ran for years. Of course, it was a stinking pile of feces the entire time. What’s really sad is that the original stand-up bit was hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2007, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geico-caveman-to-be-comedy-on-abc/404220/11 "2007-05-15T22:19:54Z")
[QUOTE=Cervaise] “[astoundingly awful](http://www.aintitcool.com/node/32521)” [/QUOTE] It doesn’t even have the cast from the commercials! Ya know just went I think the suits in Follywood can’t get any dumber, they go and do something like this. ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2007, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geico-caveman-to-be-comedy-on-abc/404220/12 "2007-05-15T22:24:54Z")
So it’s sort of like ‘Third Rock from the Sun,’ only without the wit and charm of French Stewart. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2007, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geico-caveman-to-be-comedy-on-abc/404220/13 "2007-05-15T23:00:39Z")
[QUOTE=Cervaise] “[astoundingly awful](http://www.aintitcool.com/node/32521)” [/QUOTE] I love the fact that there’s a Geico ad on the page. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2007, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geico-caveman-to-be-comedy-on-abc/404220/14 "2007-05-15T23:51:12Z")
I’m surprised nobody’s mentioned [It’s About Time](http://imdb.com/title/tt0059997/), a very bad Sherwood Schwartz sitcom BUT, unlike most very bad Sherwood Schwartz sitcoms, it bombed. For the first few episodes, two astronauts wind up back in time and are befriended by caveman Gronk (played by Joe E. Ross, bka as Officer “Ooh! Ooh! Ooh!” Toody from _Car 54_) and his wife, Shadd (Imogene Coca, bk4 Sid Caesar or _Family Vacation_). When the show immediately had trouble the format was changed so that they fixed the spacecraft and returned to their own time but with Shadd and Gronk in tow. Usually ranks up there with _My Mother the Car_ and _Hee-Haw Honeys_ in worst sitcom of all time lists. Then of course Phil Hartman had a recurring “Caveman Lawyer” character on SNL who always ended every summation in John Edwards sleazy emotional manipulation style. “I am _just_ a caveman… a Neanderthal… I understand nothing of your world and society…” and always won. I’m surprised that never was made into a movie. ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geico-caveman-to-be-comedy-on-abc/404220/15 "2007-05-16T00:25:02Z")
[QUOTE=Tuckerfan] It doesn’t even have the cast from the commercials! Ya know just went I think the suits in Follywood can’t get any dumber, they go and do something like this. [/QUOTE] I agree. It’s the main actor’s delivery that makes the commercials so funny. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geico-caveman-to-be-comedy-on-abc/404220/16 "2007-05-16T01:19:50Z")
Hey, what fun! A full half hour commercial from one of the worst Insurance companies all around. Now we need the Cap1 barbarians to do a half hour show for one of the worst CC companies. Perfect! :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Intravenus\_De\_Milo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Intravenus\_De\_Milo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intravenus_De_Milo)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geico-caveman-to-be-comedy-on-abc/404220/17 "2007-05-16T04:30:07Z")
[QUOTE=BayleDomon] I love the commercials, but I’m a little skeptical about this. Like **lowbrass** says, if the writers are good, it’ll probably be hilarious, but that’s not always a given. It seems to me in the same vein as SNL movies: take a premise that’s developed enough for a few skits and try to stretch it into a movie. That only ever really worked for Wayne’s World. [/QUOTE] What about The Blues Brothers? ☹ The Belushi-less sequel, not so much, but the original film is a true classic. Anyway, while I think the commercials are clever (better than the Gecko ones, anyway), I don’t see this as sitcom material at all. Like someone mentioned above, remember Baby Bob. Oh, the horror. An entire series based on a one-note joke that may be okay in short doses, but generally doesn’t work over a whole half hour. Sitcoms based on gimmicks (like, say, space aliens on earth or magicians of some sort) have to have tight writing and good acting or else they fall flat rapidly. Shows like Third Rock From the Sun didn’t magically stay on the air because people love aliens. It worked because obviously some talent was involved somewhere in there. If you want to milk a concept, be prepared to do it right. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geico-caveman-to-be-comedy-on-abc/404220/18 "2007-05-16T04:34:26Z")
[QUOTE=Intravenus De Milo] What about The Blues Brothers? [/QUOTE] I don’t think that the Blues Brothers were ever a comedy sketch, but rather a musical guest. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geico-caveman-to-be-comedy-on-abc/404220/19 "2007-05-16T04:40:45Z")
I wonder if the Gecko will make a cameo appearance? ---
**Author:** ![Intravenus\_De\_Milo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Intravenus\_De\_Milo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intravenus_De_Milo)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geico-caveman-to-be-comedy-on-abc/404220/20 "2007-05-16T04:44:59Z")
[QUOTE=adam yax] I don’t think that the Blues Brothers were ever a comedy sketch, but rather a musical guest. [/QUOTE] Well, they WERE fictional characters that were wholly creations of the SNL staff…and, when you think about it, basing an entire movie on characters that weren’t even involved in skit-style sketches seems like an even weaker premise, because you have to start from scratch with their personalities, backgrounds, and details of their everyday lives, which could have been gleaned in part from skits if they existed. This seems like a task that would have been doomed to failure in the hands of the wrong people. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geico-caveman-to-be-comedy-on-abc/404220.md?page=2)