Question about Pilot Episode... - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Billy K. · 09-28-2008, 04:37 PM

Didn't Carter escape Stalig 13 at the end of the episode? Also what happened to Olsen - the guy that escaped and/traded with Carter?

That seems to me a loose end on why Carter stayed on at Stalig 13...

Because last I see him in line with the other Prisoners -- but before that scene doesn't Hogan tell the men on the Sub to pick up Carter earlier than expected???

treky · 09-30-2008, 02:55 AM

I haven't seen the pilot in YEARS, but now that I think about it, I think you're right about Carter, I don't know about your second question though.
But, producers and writers of a show will sometimes change little things after the pilot of a show. I saw recently, the opening of the "HH" pilot on you tube, and I noticed that the outside of Col. Klinks office is a little different-the "KOMMODANT" sign is on the left of the steps instead of the right.

Also, in the opening of the pilot of "GET SMART" the outside of Control is different, and Max has a different car.

And on the pilot of "THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW" (which was shown as an episode of "MAKE ROOM FOR DADDY") the interior of the courthouse is different, the cells are different, the "town drunk" is different, Andy has 2 desks, the phone is different, Andy doesn't have a deputy, and he's also the newspaper editor.

ncrdbl1 · 10-08-2008, 01:05 AM

It is not uncommon for the pilot to be entirely different character wise than the series. They change based on focus groups. More interesting things is in the pilot Burkhalter was a Col and not a general. A part of the description of Klink in the series is that he has been longer in grade than any Col in the german army. In another show he is described as a full Col. This would actually make Klink, Burkhalters superior. Of course we know this isn't true. Fact is that a lot of sitcoms do not follow storylines as closely as fans do. They tend to ignore certain items and pretend they never happen if they need to.

CAJeannieFan57 · 01-03-2010, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ncrdbl1

It is not uncommon for the pilot to be entirely different character wise than the series. They change based on focus groups. More interesting things is in the pilot Burkhalter was a Col and not a general. A part of the description of Klink in the series is that he has been longer in grade than any Col in the german army. In another show he is described as a full Col. This would actually make Klink, Burkhalters superior. Of course we know this isn't true. Fact is that a lot of sitcoms do not follow storylines as closely as fans do. They tend to ignore certain items and pretend they never happen if they need to.

The whole inconsistencies bit isn't only in HH. Many sitcoms have that problem. That's probably because many sitcoms in the 60s were such low-budget that they didn't keep a person on staff as a story consultant (or similar title), and since many scripts were purchased from freelance writers who only had brief outlines of the show, big goofs happened.

What you describe happened in I Dream of Jeannie as well. Major Healey was a walk-on the pilot; he gained status after the pilot sold. There was Major Nelson's fiance in the pilot; they got rid of her in episode 4, but no mention of her was made in episodes 2 or 3. Etc etc and so forth.

Wiseguy2 · 11-12-2013, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billy K.

Didn't Carter escape Stalig 13 at the end of the episode? Also what happened to Olsen - the guy that escaped and/traded with Carter?

That seems to me a loose end on why Carter stayed on at Stalig 13...

Because last I see him in line with the other Prisoners -- but before that scene doesn't Hogan tell the men on the Sub to pick up Carter earlier than expected???

After the pilot, two potential regulars Leonid Kinskey and Stewart Moss decided not to continue with the series although Moss made a couple of appearances as Olsen in later episodes. The producers decided to bring Hovis as Carter back to partially replace the two departing actors, although in the pilot Carter was a lieutenant and in the series he was a sergeant. How and why the character came back was never explained.

treky · 11-12-2013, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CAJeannieFan57

The whole inconsistencies bit isn't only in HH. Many sitcoms have that problem. That's probably because many sitcoms in the 60s were such low-budget that they didn't keep a person on staff as a story consultant (or similar title), and since many scripts were purchased from freelance writers who only had brief outlines of the show, big goofs happened.

What you describe happened in I Dream of Jeannie as well. Major Healey was a walk-on the pilot; he gained status after the pilot sold. There was Major Nelson's fiance in the pilot; they got rid of her in episode 4, but no mention of her was made in episodes 2 or 3. Etc etc and so forth.

it also happened in the 70s; for example THE ODD COUPLE had TONS of mistakes.

09-28-2008, 04:37 PM	#1
Billy K. Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jan 20, 2006 Posts: 342	Question about Pilot Episode... Didn't Carter escape Stalig 13 at the end of the episode? Also what happened to Olsen - the guy that escaped and/traded with Carter? That seems to me a loose end on why Carter stayed on at Stalig 13... Because last I see him in line with the other Prisoners -- but before that scene doesn't Hogan tell the men on the Sub to pick up Carter earlier than expected???

09-30-2008, 02:55 AM	#2
treky star trek fan Eternal Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Feb 25, 2002 Location: Conshohocken, pennsylvania Posts: 14,490	I haven't seen the pilot in YEARS, but now that I think about it, I think you're right about Carter, I don't know about your second question though. But, producers and writers of a show will sometimes change little things after the pilot of a show. I saw recently, the opening of the "HH" pilot on you tube, and I noticed that the outside of Col. Klinks office is a little different-the "KOMMODANT" sign is on the left of the steps instead of the right. Also, in the opening of the pilot of "GET SMART" the outside of Control is different, and Max has a different car. And on the pilot of "THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW" (which was shown as an episode of "MAKE ROOM FOR DADDY") the interior of the courthouse is different, the cells are different, the "town drunk" is different, Andy has 2 desks, the phone is different, Andy doesn't have a deputy, and he's also the newspaper editor.
	__________________ the Clampetts are in a fancy Beverly Hills jewelry store. Granny points to a tray of rubies. Granny: "How much fer one o' them red diamonds?" clerk: "Madam, those are rubies." Granny: "OK ask her kin we buy one offa her." clerk: " The ruby I am talking about is not a lady." Granny: "Lissen, how she got them diamonds is her business. I'm just sayin' ask her kin we buy one from her."

10-08-2008, 01:05 AM	#3
ncrdbl1 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: May 11, 2006 Posts: 11	It is not uncommon for the pilot to be entirely different character wise than the series. They change based on focus groups. More interesting things is in the pilot Burkhalter was a Col and not a general. A part of the description of Klink in the series is that he has been longer in grade than any Col in the german army. In another show he is described as a full Col. This would actually make Klink, Burkhalters superior. Of course we know this isn't true. Fact is that a lot of sitcoms do not follow storylines as closely as fans do. They tend to ignore certain items and pretend they never happen if they need to.