As a group exercise in my speech classes, I divide the class into groups of three and have them come up with a name and premise for:
- 30 minute sitcom
- 60 minute drama
- 60 minute reality show.
They come up with some good stuff! Far better than is what currently is on television.
My favorite was one group who came up with an idea for a 30 minute sitcom called, “Under The Border” about a family of four from Minnesota who sneaks into Mexico and has to live and work illegally there. The father and son hang out near a lumber yard for day work, and the mother works cleaning house for a wealthy Mexican family and the younger daughter is the only kid in school who doesn’t speak Spanish.
One of the better dramas was “Getting By” about four friends who faked their college degrees, used each other as references and were working as a doctor, a lawyer, college teacher and Wall Street investor.
There were lots of good reality shows, but I liked “Stripping For College” about strippers and pole dancers in Vegas and their lives on stage vs. their real lives as students just working to pay for school.
So, got any pitches?