Time to show your creative side, folks! :banana: Your turn to be "top Banana"!

Let your imagination run wild. Add personal information to our familiar, loved characters. Let them have fun, more kids (or kids where there wasn't any), have the kids have their own story lines, go wild! :grineyes:

Write an entire plot outline! Because now YOURE the Dick Van Dyke head writer! Or evenstep into Rob's shoes and become the Alan Brady head writer! :typing:


LET'S GO CRAZY! :woohoo:



~Pickles

This is a good question Pickles! I'm sure it'll generate some great discussion!

Mainly what I'd do is, I'd put myself into a story. I'd be a neighbor of the Petries' or perhaps one of the Helper's kids. I could be Richie's baby-sitter and get a crush on Rob (Just like that one episode, except the reverse! LOL).

Beyond that, I'd like to see Sally fall for some sort of Prince Charming kind of guy, because I always felt sorry for her, being stuck with Herman!

Kristen

Again, a great topic, Pickles! Actually, I've been doing this since I was a kid! Yeah, I've got it bad.
Remember episode #140, "Fifty-two, Fourty-five or Work?" It's where Rob is concerned about a summer lay-off and takes a job writing for an electronics company. At the end, he get's rehired to write for Alan Brady's summer nightclub act in Miami. Well, I've always liked that ending, and my story would expound on it.
OK, here goes!
You see, I've always wanted to get Rob and Laura out of NY and on vacation someplace different. As a lover of South Florida (hence, my pen name "Sawgrass," a well-known plant in the area) I think it's the perfect backdrop for an interesting Petrie vacation. I'd have Alan convince Buddy and Sally to be in his openning act, so they'd also be there. Millie and Jerry would be there too. Why? Because it just happens that Jerry's attending a Dentist's convention there, on the other side of town, that same week!

Now, this is a sitcom, so here's the comedic situation:
Jerry is asked at the last minute to step in for a speaker at the convention who just had an emergency root canal. He want's to
add a little humor to his speech, and asks Rob to insert some jokes. Rob promised Laura and Richie a trip to the beach, so he takes the script with him, along with the Brady monolog for that night's act. Exhausted, Rob falls asleep as Laura browses the shops, and he get's severe sunburn, which lands him at the doctor's office. He asks Laura to deliver the scripts, and Laura accedentally delivers them each to the wrong person! So while buddy and Sally stall the audience, Millie, Laura, and Rob (barely able to move), race around Miami to switch the scripts back in time for Alan's curtain and Jerry's presentation!
Obviously, this story would include something never before seen on a DVDS episode; real outdoor scenes.
Steve

Wow Steve!! I could actually see all that happening. It's a great use of Dick's natural physical comedy ability! It would make an excellent fanfiction, IMO!

Kristen

A new twist on the old "switch the wrong scipts" like when Alan accidentally got the script they didn't black out LOL only this one's better! I like the idea of Millie and Jerry being involved and the outdoor scene's! I had never eventhought about the lack of outdoor ep's before until you just mentioned it! :crazy:

Steven, you and Kristen should join that club I just found yesterday morning. I've already posted ("VionaSorrell"), but it seem's like it would be a real kick to have others over there. It's unique and where I got this idea from!


I love the fantasy thing! Kristen, I like your idea of being the next door baby-sitter! Cute! :bighug:



~Pickles :woohoo:

I'm glad someone liked that one. I know it wasn't 100% original, but not much in TV really is. I think the execs like it that way. Here's another:

"Keeping Up With The Jones'"
The house at 148 Bonnie Meadow Road is in need of repairs. A new roof, a leaky crack in the basement wall, and some tuck pointing. Rob explains to Laura that they should not take a vacation this year so they could better spend the money on the house.
Rob and Laura meet some new neighbors, the Jones'; a young, progressive couple. They are both highly educated and successful. The husband brags nonstop about his and his wife's (a beautiful former dancer-turned-scholar) accomplishments and contributions to the family. She's paid for trips, bought her own car, and is insisting on paying for the remodeling they're planning for their house. She also educates their son at home. At a welcoming dinner for the neighbors along with Millie and Jerry, the question comes up about Laura's educational background (now where did I get that from?). Her response is vague.
The whole thing makes Laura feel woefully inadequate, so she asks Rob if he'd like her to get a job to help out, which he decides he is strongly against.
She sees an ad for taking phone messages at home in the daytime for local businesses, and figures it's the perfect way to make money and still maintain a household. She decides not to tell her husband, but to surprise him with the money later.
The comedy? She gets all set up to start, and on the first day of business, Rob stays home with a bad cold, and tries to sleep!

Steve

Steve,

Funny you should mention Laura's getting a job. I was thinking about that last night. If I could write an episode, I think I'd also send her back out into the workforce. I don't know if it's my modern way of thinking or what, but the idea of having to be financially dependent on a husband just doesn't sit well with me.

Kristen

Originally posted by Kristen
The idea of having to be financially dependent on a husband just doesn't sit well with me.
Kristen,
A growing number of women felt in those days as you do now. That whole social dynamic was changing in the 60s, which is why it woukd make a great story line for our show.
Interestingly, Rob and Laura are in no way portayed as wealthy people, but a modern remake of the show would almost definately have to show them that way in order to justify Laura's staying home as a "housewife" with her own bank account, (episode #33, "Bank Book 6565696)," a maid (episode #73, "Turtles, Ties, and Toreadors"), and her own separate car (episode #108, "Stretch Petrie vs Kid Schenk"). Today, it's either that, or she gets a job!

Steve

"Mel's Revenge"

What a day Mel has been having. Alan is at his most abrasive and demanding and insulting. The script needs work. He goes into the writers office and is met by the usual insults by Buddy. This time he haas had enough. "I get no respect around here!"
Buddy retorts: "I respect you as the man with the shiniest head in New York". After one final "yuck" Mel storms out and resigns. Alan accepts the resignation and reminds Mel that he is quitting and not being fired so his wife can't blame him.

Rob, Sally, and Buddy are invited to Alan's office to meet the new executive producer a real hard nosed put in charge by the network. Mr. Hardnosed puts it on the line: "too often members of the writing staff have left early or gotten away with murder. This is a business--this is not fun--You will work each day until you have finished a full days work. I will be watching you." Buddy tries some of his trademark humor on him but is rebuffed not with a "yuck" but by a stony stare.

The new producer is as good as his word and relentlessly pushes the staff. He tears up there material without even taking it to Alan. "I'm running this show--and don't you forget it."

Meanwhile Mel becomes one of the producers of a local kiddies show--where he is forced to suck up to a clown--a chain smoking clown off the set (also played by Carl Reiner in clown makeup).

Rob invites Mel to his house for dinner with he and Laura and Mel confesses that he is miserable and wants nothing more than to be back on the Alan Brady Show. Rob confesses that he would like nothing more either and so would Sally and yes even Buddy.

The gang concocts a plan to write the worst possible show they can to convince Alan that the new producer is not up to the job. But how to get the rotten material to Alan? since the new producer has complete access and gets the material first and would not accept bad material. So they write two shows--one acceptable to the new producer and the one that will be given to Alan--which stinks. The new producer puts the material in a folder which through an elaborate (and hopefully funny) way Rob somehow switches.

Cut to the producer proudly presenting Alan with the rotten script Rob has switched. "Alan this is the best show I've seen--I oversaw the entire effort and this one will win you an emmy." Alan reads the first few pages with the producer proudly looking on--Alan goes into a rage " are you trying to destroy my career--a monkey could have written a better show--no Mel could have. And you supervised it." The producer also gets mad and begins to challenge Alan's authority!! This is too much for Alan--who calls the network and tells them that the producer goes or he goes. The producer goes, of course. Alan calls the writers back. "Ok, I wasn't born yesterday. You guys have never presented anything like this to me before--what gives" They confess that they want Mel back. Alan also confesses, "yeah, me too. I guess I've gotten acustomed to his head." Rob presents Alan with the "real" script

In the tag, Mel comes into the writers office complaining about a newly written sketch. The usual Mel-Buddy word play ensues and the phone rings and it is Laura--she asks, "hows your day going darling?" Rob looking at Buddy and Mel going at it smiles and says, "couldn't be better."

THE END

Buddy,
Sound's like a good story line! I've always liked Mel Cooley, and your idea showcases him well.
Steve

Originally posted by SawgrassSteve
I'm glad someone liked that one. I know it wasn't 100% original, but not much in TV really is. I think the execs like it that way. Here's another:

"Keeping Up With The Jones'"
<<snip>>
The whole thing makes Laura feel woefully inadequate, so she asks Rob if he'd like her to get a job to help out, which he decides he is strongly against.
She sees an ad for taking phone messages at home in the daytime for local businesses, and figures it's the perfect way to make money and still maintain a household. She decides not to tell her husband, but to surprise him with the money later.
The comedy? She gets all set up to start, and on the first day of business, Rob stays home with a bad cold, and tries to sleep!

Steve


Oh, this one could be a riot! And I love the idea about Laura getting a job to help out! What I would want to know is Rob's reaction to it when he found out. The men of the 60s didnt quite approve of their women working (well men, in general). And there weren't that many job opportunities for us, either and the pay was less than a man would get for the same job.

And Steve, I totally agree with you! To live today like Rob and Laura did then, you would HAVE to making a very good amount of money. But, Rob was a television writer. That gave him celebrity status, basically. So, of course they would have money. It's just weird...to think of "then" in relation to today...such as, today, I wonder of Rob would have a stalker? Could he get away, with security issues, out in the 'burbs? Or would he and Laura have to move to a security building in the city and have private security tend to Richie so he could get back and forth to school without some weirdo nabbing him? So many other issues to consider other than means... *sigh*




Love the idea, though!






~Pickles

How would this one fly?:


"Maybe Baby"
(Talking of 'familiar storylines'...)
Laura wakes up one morning feeling ill. She find's out she can't stand the smell of food. Millie comes over later in the day and Laura tell's her that she hasn't been feeling well and, after some prodding, Millie gets out all the details and dramatically announces that Lauras going to have a baby. Laura says she's being silly, but after Millie leaves and Laura has time to think about it, she starts to give the idea some serious thought. Then she wonders how to tell Rob. Comedic misadventures follow just with her trying to tell him what she thinks is happening. But, when she finally does tell Rob (he's just stepped into the shower when she finally get's it out), the real laughs begin. He keeps her up all night popping in and out of her bed, coming up with more and more new concerns about an addition to the family. The next day, Rob admits his concerns to Buddy, Sally and Mel and then it gets to Alan Brady and he starts sending over gifts - along wih the request to name the new baby "Alan" or "Alaina". But Laura hasn't got back word from the doctor yet (it took doc's forever in those days to run a pregnancy test), so the entire week is full of "maybe's" an scary "what-if's" and assumptions.

Finally, Laura finds out it wasn't a baby after all, only a hormonal imbalance.

But, now, telling everyone isn't going to be so bad...except when they have to tell Alan!





I know this all worked when I saw it before on a newer show, but would it/could it work for a couple in the atomic era?







~Pickles