The Weekenders (UK TV series)

Infobox Television
show_name = The Weekenders


genre = Surreal sitcom
creator = Vic Reeves
Bob Mortimer
director = Sandy Johnson
starring = Vic Reeves
Bob Mortimer
John Thomson
Simon Day
Paul Whitehouse
Phil Oakey
country = flagicon|UK United Kingdom
num_seasons = 1
num_episodes = 1
runtime = 30 minutes
network = Channel 4
first_run = 17 June 1992
related = "The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer"
"Catterick"
imdb_id = 0286293

"The Weekenders" is a television pilot made for Channel 4 starring Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer broadcast on 17 June 1992. It was a surreal sitcom pilot in which two friends, Jim and Bob visit a meat festival taking place in an open field. They are then chased by aliens who want some meat that they have brought to feed their queen. [cite book|last=Lewisohn|first=Mark|authorlink=Mark Lewisohn|title=Radio Times Guide to TV Comedy (2nd Edition)|publisher=BBC|location=London|date=2003-10-02|pages=645-646|isbn=9905634875509]

Plot

Bob visits his friend Jim, who has been going through some hard times. For example, his father has be practing with his ouija board, and brought back his uncle and aunt as a pair of birds. They go down to the local pub and discover in the newspaper that there is a meat festival taking place. They decide to visit the festival, which consists of two tables in an open field. Jim buys a "Specialty meat product". However, some other people try to buy the meat off him. Jim and Bob refuse, but the men keep trying to take the meat away from him.

When Jim goes to the pub toilets, he and Bob discover that the men are in fact alien beings with Geordie accents, who claim they need the meat to feed their queen and keep their race alive. Jim and Bob decide to give them the meat, but the police come and attempt to arrest the aliens for stealing other specialty meat products. Jim, Bob and the aliens fight of the police, run away and are lead to a garden shed which is in fact the aliens space ship. Jim and Bob realise that they have forgotten the meat. The police then arrive, but instead of arresting the aliens, give the meat that Jim and Bob left behind. The aliens take the meat and give Jim a special wish. He asks for his uncle and aunt to return to their normal forms. The aliens leave the meat and leave the Earth. When Jim and Bob arrive home, Jim discovers the aliens made his wish come true. His uncle and aunt have returned to their normal forms - as foxes. [cite episode|title=The Meat Festival|series=The Weekenders|season=1|episode=1|airdate=1992-06-17]

Production

"The Weekenders"' was the first television programme created by Reeves and Mortimer after "Vic Reeves Big Night Out" had finished. Reeves co-wrote the show with Mortimer under his real name, Jim Moir, which is also the name given to his character. The show was produced as a pilot for Channel 4's "Bunch of Five" season. The season was the channel's version of the BBC's "Comedy Playhouse", in which new sitcom ideas where tried out. Out of the five pilots that where boradcast, only one, "Blue Heaven" was made into a full series. [cite book|last=Lewisohn|first=Mark|authorlink=Mark Lewisohn|title=Radio Times Guide to TV Comedy (2nd Edition)|publisher=BBC|location=London|date=2003-10-02|pages=128|isbn=9905634875509]

The show co-starred several comedians and actors who were unknown at the time, but had worked with Reeves and Mortimer previously and would go on to become famous. These include John Thomson (credited as "John Patrick-Thompson"), Simon Day (credited as "Tommy Cockles") and Paul Whitehouse. The show also featured a guest appearance from Phil Oakey, the frontman for The Human League (credited as "Philip Oakey").cite web|url=http://www.btinternet.com/~jp1885/reeves-mortimer/page12.html|title=Any Other Business|publisher=Reeves & Mortimer - The Ulitmate Site|date=2008-02-27]

Reception

Channel 4 have claimed to have liked "The Weekenders" and said they would have been willing to let Reeves and Mortimer do a full series, in exchange for a third series of "Vic Reeves Big Night Out". However, Reeves and Mortimer were not willing to another series, having performed the show on stage and on television for five years. As neither side was willing to compromise, a series was never given. This rejection is considered to be one of the main factors for Reeves and Mortimer moving to the BBC, where they created their new show, "The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer" in 1993.cite web|url=http://vicandbob.madpage.com/index.php?pid=14|title=The Weekenders|publisher=It's Reeves and Mortimer|accessdate=2008-02-27]

The pilot is seen by fans of the show as an experimental move for Reeves and Mortimer, as it allowed them to perform in a new format. However, Reeves and Mortimer would not do another sitcom until 2004, with their series "Catterick".

References