Oh, No! Not THEM! (1989) Unaired Pilot - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

jeff1990 · 10-25-2017, 12:12 AM

This is probably one of the rarest and most hard to find pilots out there. Oh, No Not Them was essentially an American Remake of the 1980's cult UK series "The Young Ones". If the Clerks 1995 pilot is able to surface then surely someone out there has this. Has anyone ever seen it?

Videoranger007 · 10-25-2017, 07:25 PM

Nobody has this as it has never been broadcast or leaked by an executive or someone involved with the show. Not even images exist online. Chances are it has been deleted

Spiny Norman · 03-08-2018, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Videoranger007

Nobody has this as it has never been broadcast or leaked by an executive or someone involved with the show. Not even images exist online. Chances are it has been deleted

That's not entirely true, the opening credits are on vimeo, and reportedly there had been a sort of teaser/screener.
Not that I have ever seen it - if only!
But I've seen some things turn up that were more unexpected than the Spanish inquisition. Beane's of Boston, the US Are You Being Served? for example, came to light on facebook.

Spiny Norman · 11-23-2025, 03:23 PM

Looks like it will finally become available in a few days: https://www.patreon.com/posts/143210147

jeff1990 · 11-23-2025, 03:24 PM

Hey, that's really awesome. Can't wait.

Spiny Norman · 11-23-2025, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeff1990

Hey, that's really awesome. Can't wait.

PS The script is online somewhere too now. But I prefer to watch it first. You can't really get the full feeling from reading the dialogue from a page, right?

jeff1990 · 11-23-2025, 05:10 PM

I mean I have yet to watch the original series. But I eventually want to see the pilot for how bad it is.

Spiny Norman · 11-23-2025, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeff1990

I mean I have yet to watch the original series.

It's only 12 episodes. What are you waiting for!

jeff1990 · 11-23-2025, 05:39 PM

I'm not one for binge watching. I tried it once years ago with Breaking Bad and couldn't. When it comes to TV shows, it's one episode a day for me. I like the suspense, lol.

Spiny Norman · 11-24-2025, 08:59 AM

Not sure it would even be that good for bingeing.

But even then, it's "BBC length", 6 episodes a season. Give it 2-3 weeks, and you've seen them all...!

jeff1990 · 11-24-2025, 09:50 AM

I'd probably be done in about two weeks depending on my work schedule.

jeff1990 · 11-30-2025, 12:25 AM

Finally found. Can't wait to check it out.

cloggedmind · 12-01-2025, 09:17 PM

The outing is not totally without merit. The sets and characters look, move and explode like The Young Ones. The problem was the lack of fine tuning and the constraints of Puritanical American television standards. And some other stuff..

Re-casting the two leads opposite Planer and a less Americanized sitcom structure written by anyone but Mirkin would have helped immensely.

For alternate universe Young Ones, though, Filthy, Rich and Catflap works just fine.

Worthy of note: Nigel Planer revisited the characterization of Neil briefly (as another character caught in a bit of a timey-wimey, machine-y thingy) in the PC CD-Rom adventure, Discworld II.

jeff1990 · 12-02-2025, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cloggedmind

The outing is not totally without merit. The sets and characters look, move and explode like The Young Ones. The problem was the lack of fine tuning and the constraints of Puritanical American television standards. And some other stuff..

Re-casting the two leads opposite Planer and a less Americanized sitcom structure written by anyone but Mirkin would have helped immensely.

For alternate universe Young Ones, though, Filthy, Rich and Catflap works just fine.

Worthy of note: Nigel Planer revisited the characterization of Neil briefly (as another character caught in a bit of a timey-wimey, machine-y thingy) in the PC CD-Rom adventure, Discworld II.

I love British comedy like Fawlty Towers and I do plan on checking out The Young Ones before watching the unaired pilot. Looks Iike I'm in for some bad tv.

cloggedmind · 12-02-2025, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeff1990

I love British comedy like Fawlty Towers and I do plan on checking out The Young Ones before watching the unaired pilot. Looks Iike I'm in for some bad tv.

Not sure I've ever heard anyone refer to The Young Ones as "bad tv"? You might be surprised!

Now, as for Oh No, Not Them!? For the uninitiated I can see how it would be excruciating. I don't think Mirkin understood the conceit of early-80's, British anarchic, counter-culture comedy (and the satire embedded within), nor did he get what made what were, essentially, non-sympathetic, unlikeable characters actually likeable!

10-25-2017, 12:12 AM	#1
jeff1990 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 17, 2011 Posts: 307	Oh, No! Not THEM! (1989) Unaired Pilot This is probably one of the rarest and most hard to find pilots out there. Oh, No Not Them was essentially an American Remake of the 1980's cult UK series "The Young Ones". If the Clerks 1995 pilot is able to surface then surely someone out there has this. Has anyone ever seen it?

10-25-2017, 07:25 PM	#2
Videoranger007 Member Forum Regular Join Date: May 02, 2016 Location: USA Posts: 606	Nobody has this as it has never been broadcast or leaked by an executive or someone involved with the show. Not even images exist online. Chances are it has been deleted
	__________________ King of Cartoons. Love Superhero and Sci-Fi live action series. Vintage Anime fan and collector of rare English dubbed anime!

11-23-2025, 03:23 PM	#4
Spiny Norman Imaginary Hedgehog Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 04, 2014 Posts: 253	Looks like it will finally become available in a few days: https://www.patreon.com/posts/143210147

11-23-2025, 03:24 PM	#5
jeff1990 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 17, 2011 Posts: 307	Hey, that's really awesome. Can't wait.

11-23-2025, 05:10 PM	#7
jeff1990 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 17, 2011 Posts: 307	I mean I have yet to watch the original series. But I eventually want to see the pilot for how bad it is.

11-23-2025, 05:39 PM	#9
jeff1990 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 17, 2011 Posts: 307	I'm not one for binge watching. I tried it once years ago with Breaking Bad and couldn't. When it comes to TV shows, it's one episode a day for me. I like the suspense, lol.

11-24-2025, 08:59 AM	#10
Spiny Norman Imaginary Hedgehog Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 04, 2014 Posts: 253	Not sure it would even be that good for bingeing. But even then, it's "BBC length", 6 episodes a season. Give it 2-3 weeks, and you've seen them all...!

11-24-2025, 09:50 AM	#11
jeff1990 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 17, 2011 Posts: 307	I'd probably be done in about two weeks depending on my work schedule.

11-30-2025, 12:25 AM	#12
jeff1990 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 17, 2011 Posts: 307	Finally found. Can't wait to check it out.

12-01-2025, 09:17 PM	#13
cloggedmind Inactive Member Forum Regular Join Date: Apr 30, 2007 Posts: 527	The outing is not totally without merit. The sets and characters look, move and explode like The Young Ones. The problem was the lack of fine tuning and the constraints of Puritanical American television standards. And some other stuff.. Re-casting the two leads opposite Planer and a less Americanized sitcom structure written by anyone but Mirkin would have helped immensely. For alternate universe Young Ones, though, Filthy, Rich and Catflap works just fine. Worthy of note: Nigel Planer revisited the characterization of Neil briefly (as another character caught in a bit of a timey-wimey, machine-y thingy) in the PC CD-Rom adventure, Discworld II.