"Beggars and Choosers" (1999) TV series 1999-2001

User Rating:

8.6/10   

Seasons:

1 | 2

Release Date:

19 June 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

The amusing trials of the executive staff of a television network.

Plot Keywords:

Television | Television Network | Workplace | Female Nudity | Television Broadcasting

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy. Another 3 nominations

Cast

Tuc Watkins	...	Malcolm Laffley (37 episodes, 1999-2001)
Sherri Saum	...	Casey Lenox / ... (28 episodes, 1999-2001)
Ben Bass	...	Brian Peske (22 episodes, 1999-2001)
Colin Cunningham	...	Herb Kolodny (22 episodes, 1999-2001)
Kaj-Erik Eriksen	...	Carey Malone / ... (22 episodes, 1999-2001)
Rudolf Martin	...	Nicky Krasnakov (22 episodes, 1999-2001)
Klodyne Rodney	...	Latitia Martinez (21 episodes, 1999-2000)
Justin Carroll	...	Nigel Gibney (20 episodes, 2000-2001)
Christina Hendricks	...	Kelly Kramer (19 episodes, 2000-2001)

Runtime:

60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Filming Locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Granada Entertainment

Horribly realistic in its day to day high anxiety

Mixed up sperm and Russian gangsters aside (and every satire from Jonathan Swift to Arrested Development needs its exaggerations) B&C is pretty accurate about the angst- ridden life of TV execs in LA- believe me, I know, I have been there.

The swearing, if anything, is underdone - there are many places in America where cuss words are reserved for special occasions, but not in the Marines, the police or TV network head offices. The back-stabbing and social competition, too, is more prevalent than on, say, a Kentucky farm or at a Sunday morning bake sale, even on a Sunday morning.

Which, as one commentator wisely said, is maybe why this (and, lets be honest, HBO"s brilliant Larry Sanders) did not travel far beyond its natural constituency - LA and its media buddies in New York and London, and a few college grads, freaks and geeks aware enough to appreciate that all offices share the touch of evil. The same people who can watch either the BBC original of the NBC remake of The Office and recognize it as a kind of everyday life.

But TV-land is a degree nastier than working for a paper products firm because it's driven by the fear of 99% unemployment and the final one percent skilled/lucky.insane enough to have a job, being paid $250,000 a year plus, will do everything short of murder to hold onto that. Few would do that for a job paying minimum wage.

Anyway, hey, we got two fun-filled seasons out of this, which I suspect actually made no economic sense. I would guess B&C getting picked up for a second series was all about Showtime execs enjoying the in-jokes and critical kudos rather than the audience numbers. maybe it has a protector on a higher board which kept it alive longer than it would have survived on basic cable or mainstream TV.

PS The Showtime premium cable channel is almost HBO, but, somehow, routinely manages to lose its grip on some great novel programming- Dead Like Me, like B&C RIP after two series, Kistie Alley's Fat Actress (opened big and brave, shrinking faster than she is), etc.

Showtime, right now, is the almost brilliant channel, that may one day be a lesson taught in business schools.

PPS - Also Beggars and Choosers was and remains funny. And that is tough to get right.