From the Critically Acclaimed Fans of Scrubs and Arrested Development

December 1, 2006 2:24 PM

Make an independent sitcom? These guys did. On a shoestring budget, a collection of very funny folk have created a 22-minute-long pilot episode of Break a Leg. Heavily influenced by Arrested Development, I found it funnier than most sitcoms I see on TV. The next episode is apparently a few months away.
posted by Wataki (32 comments total)

Goddam it. HERE IS THE CORRECT LINK.
posted by Wataki at 2:28 PM on December 1, 2006

Got a few minutes into it and was very very impressed, then Stephen Merchant showed up and I thought "home-made, my ass!"

Will watch the thing you're actually posting about after I've tracked down all the episodes of Darkplace.
posted by damehex at 2:39 PM on December 1, 2006

wait, you've gone back and fixed your original post's link. how did you do that?
posted by damehex at 2:40 PM on December 1, 2006

One of the admins fixed it.
posted by bob sarabia at 2:53 PM on December 1, 2006

This is a really good show, although I doubt it has widespread appeal.
posted by spiderskull at 3:04 PM on December 1, 2006

Would it have killed you to use some tags?
posted by Rhomboid at 3:04 PM on December 1, 2006

I watched the first four or five minutes and I thought it was very funny.

However.

Is it just me or are the audio levels way, way too low? I'm afraid someone's going to send me an e-mail and my windows are going to blow out.
posted by kbanas at 3:08 PM on December 1, 2006

Great idea. The Secret did something similar, and they have a huge following selling their movie online and on DVD.
posted by PetBoogaloo at 3:20 PM on December 1, 2006

The Burg is very hipster and funny in parts. I feel as if it had some polishing up and better editing it could be television quality. It is like it is almost there but lacks that head writer who knows what works and what doesn't.
posted by geoff. at 3:26 PM on December 1, 2006

Not amazing but way better than a lot of the crap that's on TV. "Swamblers" made me laugh for some reason.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 3:36 PM on December 1, 2006

Would it have killed you to use some tags?

Let this be a lesson for the Web 2.0 homeboys.
posted by foot at 3:45 PM on December 1, 2006

not bad, so far. it's certainly funnier than "Scrubs," but then again so are 9/11 and the holocaust.
posted by drjimmy11 at 4:09 PM on December 1, 2006

not bad, so far. it's certainly funnier than "Scrubs," but then again so are 9/11 and the holocaust.

lol edgy jokes

I like Scrubs. Surely there are more of us out there.

"Lando!"
posted by secret about box at 4:59 PM on December 1, 2006

not bad, so far. it's certainly funnier than "Scrubs," but then again so are 9/11 and the holocaust.

You gotta come harder than that on MeFi if you're gonna shit-talk someone's funny.
posted by NationalKato at 5:08 PM on December 1, 2006

This kind of bad acting is the reason Hollywood production techniques were invented.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 5:23 PM on December 1, 2006

...also, is that theme song that song used in that crazy leek meme?

It is. What the hell is that song? And where do I get a copy to use for animated wierdness?
posted by IronLizard at 6:14 PM on December 1, 2006

*highfiving drjimmy11 all over the place*
In ya Face, scrubies!
posted by papakwanz at 6:15 PM on December 1, 2006

I like Scrubs!

I giggle to myself every time I think about gay chicken, which I can only find on YouTube in Spanish.

Huh.
posted by kbanas at 6:24 PM on December 1, 2006

Billy Dee!
posted by pantsrobot at 6:27 PM on December 1, 2006

Scrubs; good times, good times I tell you.
posted by winks007 at 6:54 PM on December 1, 2006

I watched 10 minutes, didn't laugh. Is it really better than what's on network tv? *shudder*
posted by dobbs at 7:21 PM on December 1, 2006

9/11 is actually kind of hilarious sometimes. You have to watch all the episodes though.
posted by damehex at 7:23 PM on December 1, 2006

The pilot of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia was shot with something like $700 and a camcorder, and they're through their second season. It is also (and actually) funnier than most things on TV.
posted by absalom at 7:31 PM on December 1, 2006

Now *this* is what they should use Current.TV for. Hey, there's enough cable bandwidth.. maybe we can get Comcast to ditch one of the home shopping channels and replace it with "User created sitcoms."

*gathers VC drones together*
posted by drstein at 7:54 PM on December 1, 2006

The part at the end with the boom mic was the best part.
posted by Colloquial Collision at 8:04 PM on December 1, 2006

Loituma? I guess that's one way to make your show memorable.

Just kidding. I thought it was a bit rough around the edges, but still pretty entertaining.
posted by O9scar at 9:27 PM on December 1, 2006

...and it all started with Green Acres, didn't it?

Scrubs: Very good show, may not approach Green Acres status

Arrested Development: One of the all-time greats (up there with Green Acres)

Break A Leg: definite promise. (But come on, another show about a TV show?) I can confidently say that I would watch Break A Leg before that sucky show FOX has been trying to cram into their Sunday night line-up.
posted by jaronson at 8:03 AM on December 2, 2006

It's great to see stuff like this.

Hollywood has been open to buying spec scripts and indie negatives for 20 years now, but TV is only now giving up its commitment to the old system, where every show had to mediated through a studio and every creator had to have paid his dues as a writer/producer for other studio shows for years.

Most shows will continue to emerge out of the old system, but we'll be getting a lot more good TV when there's an alternative means of access, too.
posted by MattD at 9:25 AM on December 2, 2006

Much funnier than Scrubs, but too derivative of Arrested Development. Fun, and better than most network TV, but needs its own voice.
posted by papakwanz at 10:36 AM on December 2, 2006

I love this. I want to make love, to LOVING THIS.
posted by Espoo2 at 11:27 AM on December 2, 2006

Not a bad attempt. The people behind this can probably create something funny, but they could of picked a more interesting premise for the show (about a show).

Some of the acting is really bad, though. The 'Jennifer' guy (it's Scandinavian!)... can't play ridiculous seriously enough. He was kind of painful to watch. The main character was probably the best, but he was definitely doing a Jason Bateman impersonation.

But it's a pilot, and they all have kinks. I salute them and will watch the next installment.
posted by defenestration at 12:46 PM on December 2, 2006

Damnit, now I'm picturing a Scrubs-like sitcom set in the Holocaust!

Then again, the Nazi salute is the perfect oppurtunity for a Todd highfive....
posted by haveanicesummer at 5:54 PM on December 2, 2006