TMC
12-20-2023, 10:37 PM
https://www.vulture.com/2020/04/its-garry-shandlings-show-was-almost-a-terrible-nbc-sitcom.html
It’s Garry Shandling’s Show could have been a cheesy ’80s sitcom.
Alan Zweibel (https://www.vulture.com/2019/02/alan-zweibel-snl-gilda-radner-interview.html) helped create It’s Garry Shandling’s Show (https://www.vulture.com/2019/11/its-garry-shandlings-book-judd-apatow-highlights.html) and wrote many episodes of the innovative, postmodern Showtime sitcom about a comedian named Garry Shandling (starring comedian Garry Shandling (https://www.vulture.com/2019/02/best-quotes-from-garry-shandlings-journals.html)). Before he came onboard, Shandling pitched the show to NBC president Brandon Tartikoff. Usually heralded as a chance-taking programming genius — he left low-rated Cheers on the air to find its footing, and allowed Seinfeld on the air despite historically low test-audience scores — he completely whiffed it with Shandling’s show.
According to Zweibel, for NBC to buy the show, there’d have to be some changes. “He didn’t want Garry to use his real name. He said Garry should play a character with another name. He didn’t think the audience could relate to or care about the life of a comedian and, instead, suggested that Garry’s character be a baby photographer.” He also didn’t want Shandling to break the fourth wall and address the audience, but instead confide in his dog. In other words, Tartikoff wanted to eliminate everything that made It’s Garry Shandling’s Show so special.
It’s Garry Shandling’s Show could have been a cheesy ’80s sitcom.
Alan Zweibel (https://www.vulture.com/2019/02/alan-zweibel-snl-gilda-radner-interview.html) helped create It’s Garry Shandling’s Show (https://www.vulture.com/2019/11/its-garry-shandlings-book-judd-apatow-highlights.html) and wrote many episodes of the innovative, postmodern Showtime sitcom about a comedian named Garry Shandling (starring comedian Garry Shandling (https://www.vulture.com/2019/02/best-quotes-from-garry-shandlings-journals.html)). Before he came onboard, Shandling pitched the show to NBC president Brandon Tartikoff. Usually heralded as a chance-taking programming genius — he left low-rated Cheers on the air to find its footing, and allowed Seinfeld on the air despite historically low test-audience scores — he completely whiffed it with Shandling’s show.
According to Zweibel, for NBC to buy the show, there’d have to be some changes. “He didn’t want Garry to use his real name. He said Garry should play a character with another name. He didn’t think the audience could relate to or care about the life of a comedian and, instead, suggested that Garry’s character be a baby photographer.” He also didn’t want Shandling to break the fourth wall and address the audience, but instead confide in his dog. In other words, Tartikoff wanted to eliminate everything that made It’s Garry Shandling’s Show so special.