Was AMC series The Pitch the worst advertising-related program ever? Finding potential contenders for the dubious honor requires quite a stroll down memory lane.
In 1972, The Don Rickles Show polluted the airwaves for only 13 episodes, featuring the insulting comic as account executive Don Robinson, an adman struggling to deal with modern society. Alas, even pre-Happy Days Erin Moran co-starring as his daughter Janie couldn’t help the CBS series win ratings against ABC’s popular Love, American Style.
In 1977, ABC shat out On Our Own, starring Maria Bonino and Julia Peters as an art director-copywriter team working in a New York advertising agency. Anybody remember this classic? Didn’t think so. It’s tough to hate a program that no one can recall.
The 2009 TNT series Trust Me is the closest legitimate rival for being the most awful. Eric McCormack and Tom Cavanaugh managed to accurately capture the modern Chicago ad scene—that is, the entire mess sucked. However, the cast was significantly more attractive than the goons who participated weekly on The Pitch.
Yet the AMC original series succeeded in embarrassing the industry like never before. Mediocre adpeople looked completely talentless. Contrived and clichéd campaigns were presented with pride. The creative process was thoroughly disrespected. In the end, The Pitch truly earned the title of worst advertising-related program ever.
5 comments:
You left out "Bosom Buddies," and to a lesser degree, "Melrose Place."
No, was only listing really awful advertising-related shows. Bosom Buddies at least lasted a few seasons. Melrose Place had an audience, despite its crappiness.
Gotcha. I'll admit to being a fan of both of them. And come to think of it, I believe Heather Locklear's agency boss committed suicide in his office, just like Lane Pryce on "Mad Men."
Yeah, a few other TV programs with advertising-related themes/characters were arguably decent: Bewitched, Full House, thirtysomething, Who’s The Boss?—plus, all the shows featuring TV commercials.
Even though we watched ever episode and did reviews at www.thenextwave.biz/tnw/the-pitch-on-amc we have to agree- the show sucked.
First problem is pitching sucks.
No other business does spec work like ours and you get what you pay for.
Second- good advertising doesn't happen in a week- ever. Although Paul Cappelli came up with the pretty brilliant "Trash Can" only to lose to a client who didn't get it.
Third- the editing was crap- trying to build drama instead of telling the story.
That being said- I can only think of two TV shows about advertising that I didn't hate:
Thirtysomething and MadMen.
Any others that were worth it?
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