Remember the shocking scene in the pilot of Angel where the title character licks the blood off the corpse of his client? Remember the episode of the animated Star Trek written by Larry Niven and featuring a space pirate armed with a minature black hole? Remember the massive crossover between all of the Law and Order series, concerning a terrorist attack on New York? No you don't, because these things never happened. Angel's blood-licking was filmed but cut - the creators thought they hadn't "earned" it. Larry Niven's script was rejected as too complex for a Saturday morning cartoon and published outside the Trek universe as "The Borderland of Sol", although he wrote another episode that was aired. And as for Law and Order, outside events rendered the concept less than entertaining. Perhaps the oddest example of a TV might-have-been was the report in NewScientist magazine that a TV show revolving around research scientists was in production. They didn't specify what kind of science, and I've always wondered if CSI was the eventual outcome.
So what other interesting moments, episodes, or even entire series never saw the light of day?
TV Moments That Never Happened
Started by
Feckless
, Dec 03 2004 04:40 AM
242 replies to this topic
#1
Posted Dec 3, 2004 @ 4:40 AM
#2
Posted Dec 3, 2004 @ 6:09 AM
On CNN one morning, they ran a headline on the ticker about Showtime making a pilot for a TV series called Paradise, about the world of televangelism.
And had this gone through, I would have sacrificed fatted calfs at their altar. I did recently notice that they were running the pilot as a movie, but since I don't have Showtime, I couldn't catch it and see if my hopes had been fulfilled.
And had this gone through, I would have sacrificed fatted calfs at their altar. I did recently notice that they were running the pilot as a movie, but since I don't have Showtime, I couldn't catch it and see if my hopes had been fulfilled.
Edited by Justin Cognito, Dec 3, 2004 @ 6:09 AM.
#3
Posted Dec 3, 2004 @ 11:19 AM
There was a Law & Order crossover with Homicide: Life on the Streets that dealt with domestic terrorism. That may be what people are thinking about.
#4
Posted Dec 3, 2004 @ 11:20 AM
I've always wanted a look at the scripts the "General Hospital" team wrote that were replaced by the widely mocked 'Endgame'; there was a long-range plot in progress involving Helena Cassadine, her back-from-the-dead son Stavros, and a deadly biotoxin, and hints that the story would embrace Carly Corinthos and her estranged husband Sonny, as well as other characters that were on the periphery of what they were already doing. But after the 9/11 attacks ABC deemed the story 'too dark' and truncated it, firing Robert Kelker-Kelly [Stavros] and sending the writers scurrying to end things. The end of the story made almost no sense and was soon forgotten.
I've always wondered what they were going to do instead.
I've always wondered what they were going to do instead.
#5
Posted Dec 3, 2004 @ 12:09 PM
At the end of Angel Season 2, the writers had an arc where Darla, Lindsey, and Kate would return, but they couldn't get any of the respective actors at the time. So they chose to go to Pylea. And in Buffy Season 7, Joss wanted to bring back Tara, first as the First and then actually her, but Amber Benson didn't want to do it.
Also, there's that scene in Season 7 where Kennedy died a bloody death.
Also, there's that scene in Season 7 where Kennedy died a bloody death.
Edited by alliterator, Dec 3, 2004 @ 12:11 PM.
#6
Posted Dec 3, 2004 @ 1:28 PM
As we recently discussed in the Angel boards, I don't think it's true that they had a particular story planned or that they wanted all of those characters involved.the writers had an arc where Darla, Lindsey, and Kate would return, but they couldn't get any of the respective actors at the time.
#7
Posted Dec 3, 2004 @ 2:40 PM
On Buffy the Vampire Slayer at the end of Bad Girls, Buffy was supposed to walk into Faith's motel room and see that Faith hanged herself.
#8
Posted Dec 3, 2004 @ 4:27 PM
We could add Matthew Fox's death on Lost, since his character was originally supposed to be killed off in the pilot. But then again, the plan was also to have a big guest star (Michael Keaton?) play that part. Fox's casting essentially had them rewrite the character to live and love another day.
And on Melrose Place - they cut out the actual apartment building explosion because of the Oklahoma City bombing, if memory serves.
And what about the Liza/David Gest reality show that never aired? (Shudder.)
And on Melrose Place - they cut out the actual apartment building explosion because of the Oklahoma City bombing, if memory serves.
And what about the Liza/David Gest reality show that never aired? (Shudder.)
#9
Posted Dec 3, 2004 @ 5:03 PM
The Dragonriders of Pern tv series. It was in production, and the weyr settings filmed in the Southwest were supposed to be visually stunning. But the network wanted the producers to turn the show into some sort of Xena-like joke fest, and the producers killed the project before filimg began rather than let that happen. Right call.
Nothing against Xena, but Pern just ain't that.
Nothing against Xena, but Pern just ain't that.
#10
Posted Dec 3, 2004 @ 5:12 PM
There was a Law & Order crossover with Homicide: Life on the Streets that dealt with domestic terrorism. That may be what people are thinking about.
No, there was supposed to be an actual crossover event among the L&O series lasting about five total episodes that season that dealt with terrorist attacks in New York City. (Think The Seige, which is what they were likely ripping off when they came up with the concept.) The entire thing was scrapped.
And on Melrose Place - they cut out the actual apartment building explosion because of the Oklahoma City bombing, if memory serves.
They didn't cut this. They delayed airing the episode until the following fall.
#11
Posted Dec 3, 2004 @ 5:47 PM
Sorry about that, Strega. I should have clarified that they wanted guest stars, but hadn't written the arc.
I had heard that at the end of Season 4, Cordelia was supposed to wake up from her coma and be the one that kills Jasmine. Unfortunately, Charisma Carpenter couldn't do it for some reason.
Also, the script for the very second episode of Angel wasn't approved by the WB because it was too dark. It was called "Corrupt" and many scenes were cannibalized for other episodes (including the opening, which was used for "Hero"). It involved a demon corrupted humans and making them kill. The cool part, though, was at the end where Angel finds the demon in a hidden storage room and the demon says that it won't matter if he kills him since "You are one, where I am a THOUSAND!" Angel chops his head in half and says, "Nine hundred and ninety-nine to go."
You can read the entire script here.
I had heard that at the end of Season 4, Cordelia was supposed to wake up from her coma and be the one that kills Jasmine. Unfortunately, Charisma Carpenter couldn't do it for some reason.
Also, the script for the very second episode of Angel wasn't approved by the WB because it was too dark. It was called "Corrupt" and many scenes were cannibalized for other episodes (including the opening, which was used for "Hero"). It involved a demon corrupted humans and making them kill. The cool part, though, was at the end where Angel finds the demon in a hidden storage room and the demon says that it won't matter if he kills him since "You are one, where I am a THOUSAND!" Angel chops his head in half and says, "Nine hundred and ninety-nine to go."
You can read the entire script here.
Edited by alliterator, Dec 3, 2004 @ 5:53 PM.
#12
Posted Dec 3, 2004 @ 7:40 PM
And had this gone through, I would have sacrificed fatted calfs at their altar. I did recently notice that they were running the pilot as a movie, but since I don't have Showtime, I couldn't catch it and see if my hopes had been fulfilled.
Oh, my. I TiVo'd that movie because Kirk Acevedo is in it but I haven't watched it yet.
I'll let you know if it's good.
ETA: I watched it this weekend. It was good. Kind of like "Arrested Development Meets Carnivale Meets Seventh Heaven Meets The Sopranos and everyone is screwed up."
I'm sad it won't be a series.
Edited by Eliot, Dec 5, 2004 @ 4:13 PM.
#13
Posted Dec 3, 2004 @ 7:54 PM
I had heard that at the end of Season 4, Cordelia was supposed to wake up from her coma and be the one that kills Jasmine. Unfortunately, Charisma Carpenter couldn't do it for some reason.
I heard that too. I also heard the reason she didn't do it was she had just given birth to her son around the time the episode was filmed.
Edited by The 2nd Evil, Dec 3, 2004 @ 7:57 PM.
#14
Posted Dec 3, 2004 @ 8:00 PM
In Buffy the Vampire Slayer wasn't Oz the one to be killed in Passion, thank god they didn't do that. 1) It wouldn't have as much impact 2) I love my Oz. Also in BTVS I heard a rumor that Glory was originally going to be The First's minion (replacing Caleb) but I don't believe this one.
#15
Posted Dec 3, 2004 @ 8:18 PM
Well, Spike was originally supposed to die at the end of "What's My Line pt. 2."
#16
Posted Dec 3, 2004 @ 9:59 PM
Can't believe nobody's brought up Al Capone's Vault yet. Though I personally didn't get to see it.
What I DID get to see was how the Month-Long Election turned into Wrapped Up By 3 AM: Al Capone 2004. All the news outlets, blogs, everybody was expecting a long night with a key state, maybe several, up for grabs long after the election that would collectively decide it, where nobody had 270 and then came all the lawyery goodness. You can tell that's what the networks wanted and needed, because by the wee hours it was clear they needed Ohio to be a toss-up for any sort of controversy to happen. It quickly became clear that wasn't going to happen. And even when they brought up all the scenarios concerning Wisconsin and Iowa and New Mexico and New Hampshire were flying, all of them needed Kerry to win Ohio. I think they'd all cleared their schedule for a long election, and even after Kerry condeded, you're still getting "Well, maybe it's not over" and even as far back as a few days ago, I was still seeing scattered coverage of Ohio recounts which clearly weren't going to change squat.
What I DID get to see was how the Month-Long Election turned into Wrapped Up By 3 AM: Al Capone 2004. All the news outlets, blogs, everybody was expecting a long night with a key state, maybe several, up for grabs long after the election that would collectively decide it, where nobody had 270 and then came all the lawyery goodness. You can tell that's what the networks wanted and needed, because by the wee hours it was clear they needed Ohio to be a toss-up for any sort of controversy to happen. It quickly became clear that wasn't going to happen. And even when they brought up all the scenarios concerning Wisconsin and Iowa and New Mexico and New Hampshire were flying, all of them needed Kerry to win Ohio. I think they'd all cleared their schedule for a long election, and even after Kerry condeded, you're still getting "Well, maybe it's not over" and even as far back as a few days ago, I was still seeing scattered coverage of Ohio recounts which clearly weren't going to change squat.
#17
Posted Dec 3, 2004 @ 10:40 PM
The bombing on Melrose Place reminded me of something that was cut from that show. Matt was supposed to kiss some random guy at a wedding (first same sex kiss, I believe) but they were pressured into hiding it behind blinds or something. I have never caught this ep in reruns so dont know if that is still the case.
#18
Posted Dec 3, 2004 @ 11:12 PM
Joscar writes:
That reminds me of a little-known fact: in 1998, NBC-in a typical display of overweening greed-were pushing hard to expand that year's planned crossover between Law & Order and Homicide into a hot hot three-way with-wait for it-ER.
Warner Brothers Television begged off, though, reportedly because they saw no need to engage in the logistical nightmare of synchronizing ER's shooting schedule with two lesser-rated shows shot on the East Coast (and thank Bob for that, because having cops from New York and Baltimore hook up on the same case was stretch enough; what sort of sickening contrivance could possibly have brought the folks at CCH into contact with two sets of detectives from several hundred miles away?).
There was a Law & Order crossover with Homicide: Life on the Streets that dealt with domestic terrorism.
That reminds me of a little-known fact: in 1998, NBC-in a typical display of overweening greed-were pushing hard to expand that year's planned crossover between Law & Order and Homicide into a hot hot three-way with-wait for it-ER.
Warner Brothers Television begged off, though, reportedly because they saw no need to engage in the logistical nightmare of synchronizing ER's shooting schedule with two lesser-rated shows shot on the East Coast (and thank Bob for that, because having cops from New York and Baltimore hook up on the same case was stretch enough; what sort of sickening contrivance could possibly have brought the folks at CCH into contact with two sets of detectives from several hundred miles away?).
#19
Posted Dec 3, 2004 @ 11:36 PM
Demian writes:
Not entirely, it seems. L&O's writers researched the storyline very carefully to help make it plausible, and the result was a series of very uncomfortable coincidences. As Dickwolf explained to the fanzine apocrypha:
No, there was supposed to be an actual crossover event among the L&O series lasting about five total episodes that season that dealt with terrorist attacks in New York City. (Think The Siege, which is what they were likely ripping off when they came up with the concept.)
Not entirely, it seems. L&O's writers researched the storyline very carefully to help make it plausible, and the result was a series of very uncomfortable coincidences. As Dickwolf explained to the fanzine apocrypha:
We were supposed to start shooting September 24 [2001]. It was called "Terror," and it started in an Al Qaeda training camp in Afghanistan, then went to four guys coming across the border in New York state with United Arab Emirate passports, coming to New York and blowing up the shuttle under Times Square [...]it was five hours, and at the end of the second hour was the shuttle blowing up, the end of the third episode they released anthrax.
#20
Posted Dec 3, 2004 @ 11:39 PM
I do not remember exactly when, but sometime ago there was a strike by, I think it was the writers guild, and it threatened to spill into the new TV season.
There was talk that old unsold pilots and also short-lived series (shows that lasted only a few episodes) would be re-filmed to fill in the gaps that would occur since new TV shows could not go into production since there were no new scripts.
Using this method they could use all sorts of scripts that were never filmed and keep the new season going without the writers.
At some point there was also talk of re-filming old series like Gilligan's Island and the Beverly Hillbillies with all new actors.
Anyway the strike was settled before any of these shows could get into production. So this potentially disastrous, but wierd and interesting at the same time, experiment never happened!
Does anyone else remember this, or am I just insane?
There was talk that old unsold pilots and also short-lived series (shows that lasted only a few episodes) would be re-filmed to fill in the gaps that would occur since new TV shows could not go into production since there were no new scripts.
Using this method they could use all sorts of scripts that were never filmed and keep the new season going without the writers.
At some point there was also talk of re-filming old series like Gilligan's Island and the Beverly Hillbillies with all new actors.
Anyway the strike was settled before any of these shows could get into production. So this potentially disastrous, but wierd and interesting at the same time, experiment never happened!
Does anyone else remember this, or am I just insane?
Edited by whycantispeak, Dec 3, 2004 @ 11:42 PM.
#21
Posted Dec 3, 2004 @ 11:45 PM
Weren't Tara and Willow supposed to kiss in 'New Moon Rising' in series 4 of BtVS?
They had to wait until 'The Body' in series 5.
What ARE people so scared of?
They had to wait until 'The Body' in series 5.
What ARE people so scared of?
#22
Posted Dec 4, 2004 @ 2:18 AM
If Lois and Clark hadn't been cancelled, the baby that showed up on their doorstep in the last episode was going to be a descendant of theirs who'd been kidnapped by Tempus, the time-hopping villain. Tempus was going to steal the child again, raise him, and return him to Earth as a troubled teenager hellbent on killing Superman.
A few years later, the guy who'd come up with that arc got a job on Angel...
A few years later, the guy who'd come up with that arc got a job on Angel...
#23
Posted Dec 4, 2004 @ 2:54 AM
Really? Who? I looked Lois & Clark up at TVtome.com, but none of the crew went on to Angel. And I would have thought the Connor story arc would have come from Joss Whedon and David Greenwalt, the then executive producers of Angel.A few years later, the guy who'd come up with that arc got a job on Angel...
#24
Posted Dec 4, 2004 @ 3:05 AM
Tim Minear worked on Lois & Clark.
#25
Posted Dec 4, 2004 @ 3:44 AM
Back in the mid-90s, there was supposed to be a crossover between X-Files and Picket Fences. CBS is the balk-ee of record.
It was supposed to synch up with the episode "Red Museum", which took place in Washington state, where PF was set. The XF ep was about whether this group of vegitarians were doing evil things in this small, not-Picket Fences, community. The link was supposed to be a cattle thing, I believe. The medical angle was supposed to transition to Kathy Baker's character dropping the science, or something like that. I'll have to find my copy of SPECTRUM (a very nice magazine that looks at genre tv and movies.)
It was supposed to synch up with the episode "Red Museum", which took place in Washington state, where PF was set. The XF ep was about whether this group of vegitarians were doing evil things in this small, not-Picket Fences, community. The link was supposed to be a cattle thing, I believe. The medical angle was supposed to transition to Kathy Baker's character dropping the science, or something like that. I'll have to find my copy of SPECTRUM (a very nice magazine that looks at genre tv and movies.)
#26
Posted Dec 4, 2004 @ 3:48 AM
Sorry to be nitpicky, but wasn't Picket Fences set in Wisconsin?
#27
Posted Dec 4, 2004 @ 7:02 AM
No need to apologize, watcha, especially when you're right! :)
I found this on poobala.com: (bold is mine)
*sigh* The coolness of an actual crossover? Off the chart, IMO.
I found this on poobala.com: (bold is mine)
No crossover right?
Wrong!...But a sharp eyed reader of this site proved me wrong. The X-File episode, "Red Museum", is a standalone story involving cows, teenagers and injected alien DNA in a small Wisconsin town... just not Rome. Instead it was the town of Delta Glen. But the Picket Fences episode is a different story...
The Picket Fences episode "Away In A Manger"...also clearly references the events of The X-Files episodes as having happened in the neighboring town of Delta Glen. Specific plot points and supporting characters are mentioned. Of course Mulder and Scully aren't mentioned by name. That would attract attention from the network. When the cow calamities begin in Rome, one character starts going on about stuff that went on over in Delta Glen. Weird stuff happened there involving alien DNA, cows, a plane crash, and a doctor named Larsen - all from The X-Files "Red Museum" episode. And the same character talks about how they heard the F.B.I. was investigating all of it. No agent names of course. Everyone figures the dude saying this is just kooky. I mean, what F.B.I. agents would investigate such crazy stuff?
*sigh* The coolness of an actual crossover? Off the chart, IMO.
#28
Posted Dec 4, 2004 @ 10:19 AM
Wasn't Willow supposed to join forces with Glory in S5 of BTVS? Also. wasn't Tara supposed to be killed by Glory?
#29
Posted Dec 4, 2004 @ 10:54 AM
I actually did see Al Capone's Vault.
There was all this buildup, and it was really exciting, 'cause God only knows what would be in there, and periodically, after some Capone bio, they'd cut back to the guy working away at the lock. Then, they open it up, and Geraldo walks in, and, very clearly, there was nothing but a little trash & debris inside. Geraldo aimlessly walked back out and off camera, with a disgusted and disappointed expression, and after a couple of seconds, the credits rolled.
It was really confusing at first, because I just couldn't believe it would end quite like that. Then, when I did realize what happened, it was both disappointing and hilarious.
It may be the first and only time I ever felt kinda bad for Geraldo. But wow, unprofessional the way he handled it. On the other hand, if he'd handled the big nothing with humor and grace, it certainly wouldn't have stuck in my head all these years.
The TV Moment That Never Happened here was twofold; either finding something damn cool and historically interesting in there, or Geraldo retaining some dignity. Heh.
There was all this buildup, and it was really exciting, 'cause God only knows what would be in there, and periodically, after some Capone bio, they'd cut back to the guy working away at the lock. Then, they open it up, and Geraldo walks in, and, very clearly, there was nothing but a little trash & debris inside. Geraldo aimlessly walked back out and off camera, with a disgusted and disappointed expression, and after a couple of seconds, the credits rolled.
It was really confusing at first, because I just couldn't believe it would end quite like that. Then, when I did realize what happened, it was both disappointing and hilarious.
It may be the first and only time I ever felt kinda bad for Geraldo. But wow, unprofessional the way he handled it. On the other hand, if he'd handled the big nothing with humor and grace, it certainly wouldn't have stuck in my head all these years.
The TV Moment That Never Happened here was twofold; either finding something damn cool and historically interesting in there, or Geraldo retaining some dignity. Heh.
#30
Posted Dec 4, 2004 @ 11:52 AM
Once again, I thank thee, Strega.Tim Minear worked on Lois & Clark.
TV Moments That Never Happened? Apparently, in the original pilot for Charmed, Lori Rohm played Phoebe and it was only because she left for some reason that Alyssa Milano was hired. Talk amongst yourselves about how it was thinkclose that la Milano would have faded away into obscurity.
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