The Years Before My Death by David McPhail

Author:David McPhail [David McPhail]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781877460463
Publisher: Penguin Random House New Zealand
Published: 2012-05-05T04:00:00+00:00

I started plans for a new comedy series based on current events. There were two reasons for this. First, it had never been done before and second, sketches relating to incidents that happened only a day ago might be saved by their topicality if the humour fell flat. My superiors’ response to the idea was unanimously negative.

As is obvious by today’s television, many executives are wary of comedy. In 1977 they were terrified of it. The show was rejected on numerous occasions for a variety of reasons: I had little experience in this field (this seemed to ignore the work I’d done with Derek); previous attempts had created only a lukewarm response (certainly, Something To Look Forward To had not been a high-rating show but that said more about the time it was screened than what it was doing); and perhaps the most remarkable rebuff used the peculiar argument that New Zealanders didn’t like laughing at themselves.

I persisted and was eventually told I could produce a pilot show. I was given a tiny budget to make the show and promptly made a serious mistake. Since the demise of Something To Look Forward To I had always assumed that Derek and I would continue working together. But, he was in Auckland and the pilot would be made in Christchurch. My budget did not allow for any travel or accommodation so I resolved to make the pilot without him and then reassess everything in the now increasingly unlikely event the show would proceed. This resulted in misunderstandings that eventually escalated into a perceived sense of betrayal. I take full responsibility for not keeping Derek informed and for instigating a rift that wrecked our friendship and ensured we would never collaborate again. It was one of the bitter disappointments of my life and I am deeply grateful that, in recent years, we have again become friends.

The lack of funds created another set of circumstances I never imagined. My role in Something To Look Forward To had always been ambiguous. I was a salaried television producer working full-time for a network. Yet, for about ten weeks I was employed solely as a script writer and actor. It seemed a little odd but I always believed that if you had any talent you should use it and, while I considered myself a competent and efficient producer, I sensed I was a better writer and performer. With the same incomprehensible logic I applied to my relationship with Derek, I decided this anomaly could be ‘sorted out’ at a later date.

While preparing for the pilot I became increasingly aware the limited budget was imposing serious constraints on the project. My main concerns were the amount of money I could pay writers and the number of actors I could employ. In the end I decided to play some roles myself and asked a fellow producer, Bill Mackie, to direct those sketches. By this time a loose team of writers and performers was assembled.

When I first started planning the show I had looked to Wellington as a likely source of contributors.

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