Geico "Cavemen" to become Sitcom
 

Winner for most unusual piece of development this pilot season goes to ABC, which has turned a series of quirky Geico commercials into an actual half-hour comedy project.

"Cavemen" will revolve around three pre-historic men who must battle prejudice as they attempt to live as normal thirtysomethings in modern Atlanta.

Project, from ABC TV Studio, is penned by Joe Lawson, an advertising copywriter who was behind the "Caveman" ads -- as well as other Geico commercials (think the cockney-speaking Geico gecko, and the reality TV spoof "Tiny House").

Daniel Rappaport, Guymon Cassady, Will Speck and Josh Gordon are exec producers. Speck and Gordon, commercial directors who recently helmed the Will Farrell feature "Blades of Glory," are on board to also direct.

The single-camera laffer pilot is based on the Geico ads that promote the insurance company's Web site as so user-friendly that even "a caveman could do it." The spots follow cavemen in modern settings, reacting with offense to the derogatory slogan. In one, a Geico spokesman apologizes and takes the Neanderthals out to dinner.

Other blurbs include the sensitive, modern cavemen peeved at the offending slogan while encountering Geico ads in everyday life, including the airport.

The caveman commercials were created through the Richmond, Va.-based Martin Agency. Jeff Daniel Phillips and Ben Weber play the cavemen in the Geico spots; no word if they'll make the transformation to the TV project.

Few TV shows have come out of the commercial sphere; more frequently, TV characters live on in 30-second spots long after their shows are canceled (think "ALF").

But it's not without precedence: The 2002 CBS comedy "Baby Bob" revolved around a talking baby character that was first seen in a series of dot.com ads. After the Eye canceled "Baby Bob," the character returned to its commercial roots, spending time as a pitchman (pitchbaby?) for Quizno's Subs.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR111...=1300&cs=1&p=0

This will either be really really good or really really bad.

I'm going to lean towards really really bad, but I'll reserve judgment.

Sounds bad to me.

On a side note, the song used in the Geico commercial where the caveman is at the airport is awesome. :love:

Royksopp - Remind Me

Yeah, just found it like 15 mins ago.

This is pretty ridiculous. Hopefully in a good way though. I'm not too sure about that though.

could be good, tbh

i dont see how this will work but, after seeing all vince has tried in wwe that failed, ill give anything a fair chance at first.

This could be good. It could also suck a big one. I can't see the show going on for long, but with some interesting character development (not something sitcoms are known for), this could become one of those cult classic shows.

Really, to be a good sitcom these days, you need character development, and you need something to say besides one-liners which can be lifted out of any sitcom, and placed in another.

The cavemen adapting to commercial society is the easy path to follow, and seeing them go to McDonald's, and get pissed off when their favourite TV show is interrupted by ads every five minutes, could be funny. It will really come down to the acting and the writing of the scene in that one.

I think it would be a hilarious development if the cavement adapted so well to commercial society, that they were able to speak flawlessly and with more mastery of the English language than your regular Joe. Maybe as we evolve, we also get stupider? I don't know, but the show needs to offer some kind of idea beyond "cavemen offended by insurance ads" if it is going to be successful.

Maybe have the easily offended cavemen offer us a "Final Thought" (similar to Jerry Springer, which runs off with the commercialism idea, and it subtley implies viewers and participants of that show are savages, even if it is just for the period they are watching? Have him evolve over time from indistinguishable mumbles with subtitles, to articulate English.

Oh yeah, Alienoid's fantasy booking television in general, now. God help the world. :cool:

Doug Basham in THE CAVEMEN

With Val Venis as their wacky former pornstar, currently race car driving neighbor!

Tina Fey plays Doug Basham's love interest.

In all seriousness, Doug Basham, Val Venis, Gail Kim and Tina Fey in a wacky sitcom would be ratings. :shifty:

OK, not in all seriousness.

The Odd Couple - Starring Great Khali and Doug Basham!