Monday, May 05, 2008

The ALMOST PERFECT pilot

You've heard me talk about it for two and a half years. Now, finally, through the wonder of YouTube, here is the pilot of ALMOST PERFECT (created by Robin Schiff, David Isaacs, and me). Later in the week I'll fill in some background but now, for the first time in years, here's the pilot that led to two seasons of ALMOST PERFECT.

Some things to look for:

Do you understand who the characters are and what their relationships are to each other?

By the end of the show, do you know what the main characters want?

Can you follow the story?

Based on this pilot, do you get the sense of what the series will be about?







Tomorrow: AMERICAN IDOL recap

37 comments :

Anonymous said...

The maitre'd stole the show. Who was that fine-looking fella?

Doug Walsh said...

Couldn't get through it. The main actress's voice was like nails on a chalkboard. The writing seemed pretty funny though, I liked the scene in the restaurant and the writer who likes guns seemed interesting, but ugh, her voice. I couldn't make it to the second commercial break.

Do you have a closed-captioned version?

Anonymous said...

I'd like to suggest some new casting and make unnecessary wholesale changes to your script. Is Thursday ok? ;)

Anonymous said...

To doug walsh:

Her name is Nancy Travis.

konberg said...

Note: I'm not an aspiring nor actual writer.

I didn't expect to laugh at this, particularly because I have a preconception that pilots are not very funny. I was wrong: but mostly because the two main actors delivered the lines wonderfully. I could see the same script performed by different actors and being disappointed. But now I want to see more of the two of them. Odd that Doug Walsh couldn't stand her.

Also I see how this show effectively answers the questions you posed.

So who is the maitre'd?

By Ken Levine said...

On Thursday I will reveal secrets of the ALMOST PERFECT pilot including who the maitre'd is.

Joe W. said...

What do you have in store for the 7th season?

Will you have someone to deal with continuity by then? The tie nearly drove me mad.

Anonymous said...

Overall, great writing. Funny, fast-paced, and I got a strong sense of each character.

The two scenes where they meet and then run into each other again at the restaurant = pitch perfect.

Wow. Exceptional.

Anonymous said...

Good, but the last part was terribly disappointing. Although I think that's because the video is down, so I had to guess at what might have happened.... ;)

Anonymous said...

I liked it.

I quit watching TV years ago so have never seen the show. I would have watched it though, after that pilot.

I like Neil, a quirky character is a must for me. I liked the lines about the oasis. Touched me.

Thanks for sharing that.

p.s. There was a maitre'd? (teehee)

Anonymous said...

I watched the show the first time around and seeing the pilot again reminded me how much I liked it. When it was cancelled, I was disappointed.

Anonymous said...

I remember the maitre d'. As I recall, his talented son saluted him on his 80th birthday last September in an Almost Perfect way.

Anonymous said...

Two thoughts:

This was very good. On screen chemistry like that doesn't happen that often, and they really were good together. I'd like to see more episodes if and when the DVD's are available.

Talented people (obviously) are behind this show and a show like "Back to You". Maybe this show wasn't a ratings monsters, but for me, creatively it works, yet Back to You" just doesn't seem to have "it", whatever "it" is. I suppose if I had the answer, I'd be in the industry and probably wealthy.

Doug Walsh said...

Thanks jswn, I looked her up on IMDB -- I thought she looked a like like Harriet from So I Married an Axe Murdered -- same person! One of my favorite movies from when I was a tween. Didn't like her voice then either, but she was great in that role. Oh well...

Joel said...

"So who is the maitre'd?"

I guess, just like with Iron Man, people didn't stick around long enough to see the credits.

Anonymous said...

I know this! it's about a guy pushing a button that makes a loud laugh track go off every 11 seconds. He wants a real job.

Scott said...

I got about a minute and a half into the "first reel." If someone came up to me and started talking like that I'd dump my ginger ale on her head and walk out.

David J. Loehr said...

I enjoyed the series when it was originally on, but somehow never saw the pilot. Nice work, and nice introduction and exposition.

Of course, I'd buy a DVD set just for David Clennon. (If they can put out all the seasons of the Doris Day Show, surely they can put out something that was good...)

Anonymous said...

I am a Nancy Travis fan from way back.

I thought the writing was great and holds up after a decade. I’m also almost perfectly certain that whatever seemed a little unconvincing or unnatural in any of the reads was everybody (not just the actors) getting to know (and creating partially on the fly) their characters and relationships.

Also a broader character than at least I normally associated with Nancy Travis, sort of Sally Rogers becoming Bette Midler. I now think of her first as the Becker character. Is that one closer to the actual Ms. Travis?

The writer dynamics were great fun. Not that it had to be any one of you — but who was Gary most like, or modeled after, on the writing staff (apart for every other Jewish writer in Hollywood:)? Writers writing good about writers – go figure. And did you get any royalties from the subsequent Danny Masterson character on That 70’s Show? I think the newby writer was just glad to be in something where his last name wasn’t “Stone?”

BTW, had you planned at this point to continue the Mike Ryan character? I thought the physical comedy when his pager went off was the show’s greatest moment. Was the crew surprised how high he tossed her? It was like a femeral spit take. The delivery of the “You can have it,” line about the award also had me.

Did the opening credits on this one establish a police show being shot, so that you didn't need to work that in early for everything to be perceived a little more easily in context? And please, we need more big bands in sitcom.

Anonymous said...

You have an unhealthy obsession with Nancy Travis. She's not all that.

I find the idea that one of the writers would even think he would be up for Executive Producer is far fetched. Show runner maybe. But aren't Executive Producers usually celebrity figure heads that aren't involved in the day to day running of the show?

I liked part one, but two and three got taken down before I could see them.

By Ken Levine said...

Part 2 and 3 are both still up and functioning.

Anonymous said...

I truly don't watch TV, I work in the biz... :-)

That said, this is great!

Favorite line..."Same thing I always think...What are all these people guilty of that they haven't been caught at yet?"

Anonymous said...

This is one great pilot.

FJ

Anonymous said...

Beepers and enormous cordless phones. Classic.

Part three is great stuff.

Anonymous said...

Couldn't get past Nancy Travis. Clobbers all her lines.

Anonymous said...

What do you have in store for the 7th season?

Will you have someone to deal with continuity by then? The tie nearly drove me mad.


Silly viewer. The most important concern of the 7th season is always the clip show. ;)

Anonymous said...

The maitre'd is Ken's dad (Cliff), also probably ken's damn friend.

Cap'n Bob said...

What the show was about? The Dick Van Dyke Show but they write for a drama instead of a comedy. I enjoyed it.

Lev said...

I greatly enjoyed that. Thanks Ken!

Warren Fleece said...

I thought Travis was strong.

A fine script. I'd watch.

Anonymous said...

I WISH I was Ken's dad. I'd have a TV credit on my resume' if I was.

Anonymous said...

Favorite line..."Same thing I always think...What are all these people guilty of that they haven't been caught at yet?"

I think I have my ticket out of jury duty!

Anonymous said...

Pt. 3 told me it was no longer available, but when I clicked again it came up, so for those who didn't get to watch the entire pilot, try again.

I liked him a lot, not as crazy for her. Liked the hipster writer character. Like the concept - but then I almost always like showbiz shows: Action, Grosse Point....

When the guy poured his beer out behind the bar - so she'd buy him a drink - and if there'd been time, I'd have had the bartender say: "Umm, sir, there's no sink there." Me so funny.

Anonymous said...

I think Nancy Travis is adorable, but I'm with those who say her voice and delivery just ruined it.

Anonymous said...

I've always wondered why Kevin Kilner wasn't a big star. He's obviously talented, and he looks like a movie star.

When he got dropped from Almost Perfect, I wondered if perhaps he was one of those people who was impossible to work with, a real horses' butt?

Amy said...

I'm late to the game here, but I love this show. Wish more episodes were available online or on DVD.

erica laszlo said...

I would love to buy the whole show on dvd, why don't they digitalize it? I was really good, very funny, well written, well acted,allround good show.