Those highly inventive commercials for Geico that feature the tagline “It’s so easy even a caveman can do it” have become a phenomenon. Even people who TiVo or DVR their shows will stop the FF button to watch those zany prehistoric guys living in a 21st Century world in places like the airport, cafe’, singles bar, news talk show and my favorite, the psychologist’s office.
The ABC Network announced yesterday that there are plans in the works to turn those Cavemen into a weekly 30 minute sitcom.
While I love seeing this kind of humor is small 30 sec to 1 minute doses, I’m not so sure it will fly for 30 minutes, but I suppose in the hands of the right kind of writers it could become something I find myself watching on a regular basis. I do have one stipulation — they better use the same actors because these guys in the commercials are terrific — who can forget the caveman visiting his shrink and his cell phone rings — “It’s my mother, I’ll put it on speaker” — priceless.
They’re good as short spots. I am wary of whether or not they will make a good TV show.
I keep having visions of Phil Hartman’s “Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer” sketches from Saturday Night Live….
The same problem that plagues SNL skits when transferred to movies is the same issue we have here. The joke won’t last long enough to cover the time needed. Espcially if it’s a season of tv. I can see it getting real old, real fast.
will Matthew John Armstrong from Heroes be making an appearance?
I’ve been reading a lot of comments like yours comparing the 30 seconds to the 30 minutes. You do realize that a concept isn’t trapped in 30 seconds, but only the execution, right?
The problems with the SNL crap was that they kept trying to do the same stuff they did in 3 minute sketches in 90 minutes or more without anything else going on. It’s why Wayne’s World had sequels, Mike Myers knows how to build out a character into more than just a short sketch. I’m not saying they were cinematic masterpieces, but they were a ton better than The Ladies’ Man, A Night at the Roxbury, etc.
Reports now are that it will be a drama….
I think I may go somewhere and sob silently…
Has ‘Baby Bob’ taught us nothing about commercials being transformed into tv shows?
I’m trying to picture the storyline and direction of the show. How long can they really base the show on Caveman Racism? Especially if it’s about 2 Gay & Successful cavemen working in LA?
oh wait… am I the only one that caught the part about them living in LA?
If this gets green lighted I predict maybe one season. Take a look at The Ropers, which was based on bit characters on 3’s Company. They did a run of 28 shows. *shrug* Who knows how the viewing public will respond to the caveman show.
This is one of those sad indications that the Powers That Be in TV still just *don’t* get it when it comes to commercials. Cave Man as commercial? Funny. Cave Man as half hour show? Lame.
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Furry cows moo and decompress.
I thought Matthew John Armstrong from Heroes was one of the cave men. Well I guess I’m wrong again. John Lehr is the main caveman from the commercials. If you want to see how they do the make up you can go here. http://www.johnlehr.com/caveman.html
If the show is written well it may just work, please don’t make it silly and/or stupid.
It reminds me of those silly shows they did in the 80s. You know, like the dinosaurs. They live in a realistic world yet look different than average humans. Its gotta be better than all the stupid shows they make now. I have to watch TV land just to see something I like!
Wow, that was interesting to see the make-up go on the actor. What is scary is the fact that he didn’t have to have anything done to his chest, arms, or legs, lol.
I WAS HOPING SOME ONE WOULD COME UP WITH A CAVEMAN MOVIE
OR TV SHOW AND NOW HERE IT IS, MY WISH CAME TRUE! I ENJOY THEM THAT MUCH. THE ONLY THING I DID NOT LIKE WAS THAT THE ORIGINAL CAVEMAN WILL NOT APPEAR ON THE SHOW. A SHAME
BECAUSE THOSE GUYS POUR OUT THEIR SOUL ON THOSE COMMERCIALS.
Cave Man TV, it’s gotta be as entertaining as those reality shows if not more. I’ll be tuned in. As far as the dinosaur show goes, I thought it was quite good, (not da momma, not da momma) that stuff just kills me !
Hmmmmm, sounds stupid. Waste of money. Good commercials though.