RNZ: The Worst Sitcom Ever Made

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Geoff Houtman was part of the team that created the worst sitcom ever made. It's haunted him for 25 years. Now he's on a quest to find out what went wrong and to see what lessons we can learn about failure in general.

RNZ


    • Apr 30, 2019 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 20m AVG DURATION
    • 9 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from RNZ: The Worst Sitcom Ever Made

    The Worst Sitcom Ever Made - Ep 8: 'I just want to go now'

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2019 20:51


    So how did the failure that was Melody Rules affect the people involved? In this final episode, Geoff's on the road to find out and to discover what he's learned about himself and his perceived failure.  

    media geoff sitcom melody rules
    The Worst Sitcom Ever Made- Ep 7: 'The Network would say, here's what we're going to do, blah blah blah'

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2019 22:38


    What were the Network people thinking when they made Melody Rules? Geoff gets their - surprisingly positive - take on the experience.

    The Worst Sitcom Ever Made - Ep 6: 'There was just ... vitriol in the air'

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2019 20:49


    Melody Rules is finally unleashed on a hyped-up New Zealand public and is greeted with virtual (and actual) hostility.

    The Worst Sitcom Ever Made - Ep 5: 'The one-eyed man in the kingdom of the blind'

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 9, 2019 24:05


    Geoff tracks down John Vorhaus, the sitcom guru. How did John get the job of training the young writers and what did he make of it all?

    The Worst Sitcom Ever Made - Ep 4: 'Just f#&%ing stand there and say your line!'

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 2, 2019 21:57


    Geoff tracks down the man who directed all 40 episodes of Melody Rules and hears about the challenges he faced: inexperience,arguments with the actors, news cameras on loan, making a sitcom in a broom closet.

    stand geoff sitcom melody rules
    The Worst Sitcom Ever Made - Ep 3: 'Even I thought I was a terrible choice!'

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2019 22:30


    Even a badly chosen idea and a micro-managed script needs someone to play it. And casting is crucial ... especially with inexperienced actors.

    The Worst Sitcom Ever Made - Ep 2: 'What? You want us to write a kids' show?'

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2019 24:57


    Geoff and some of the original writing group talk about the 'odd' way Melody Rules came to be chosen, and how micro-management from the outset set the course for sitcom-disaster.

    The Worst Sitcom Ever Made - 'I think of it like a cult'

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2019 24:41


    Kiwi TV show 'Melody Rules' came out in the 90s and is widely regarded as one of worst sitcoms ever made. But just how bad was it? Geoff Houtman – one of the show's original writers – embarks on a quest to find out what went wrong.

    The mess, the 25 year old monkey and me - Geoff Houtman explains

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2019 1:44


    It's been a monkey on his back for 25 years. It's time to try to understand what happened to bring about such a monstrous failure

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