Top 5 TV Episodes I'll Never Watch
The Sarah Jane Adventures only has three completed episodes in series 5. After Elisabeth Sladen died from cancer in 2011 the series permanently suspended production. The very last moments of The Sarah Jane Adventures are a beautiful tribute to both the show and the starring actress. After a short clip montage with narration by Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen) the last thing seen on screen are the words, "And the story goes on... ...forever.".
Yes, there's also listening to BBC and Big Finish audio series but no new official stories have been produced since the TV series ended. Unfortunately our "forever" as far as the TV series is concerned is restricted to what we know is unproduced for series 5 according to the TARDIS wikia:
Three stories, however, were left unproduced: Meet Mr Smith, The Thirteenth Floor, The Battle for Bannerman Road. Also planned, but unproduced, were four Halloween specials: Full Moon, The Station, an unnamed story and Night of the Spectre.
There are plenty of episodes for one reason or another I will never be able to see no matter how much I'd like to see them. Below is a list of my top 5 episodes I've given up hope in ever seeing.
1. Reason: Lost Media
Series: Doctor Who (1963)
Episode: The Feast of Steven
This is one of the "lost episodes" of classic Doctor Who. From the fourth serial of season 3 this episode can stand alone as its own story during a Dalek attempt to conquer the solar system. The first Doctor (William Hartnell) and his companions (Peter Purves, Jean Marsh) wind up dealing with the police and hilarious misunderstandings at a movie studio. At the end of this episode the Doctor breaks the fourth wall to wish all the viewers a merry Christmas.
The audio from the original broadcast still exists and fans have made animations of the episode but it just isn't the same.
2. Reason: Never Made
Series: Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures (1992)
Episode: Unaired Pilot, part 2
Who sets up a two part unaired pilot but skips making the second part? Wyld Stallyns! Screencrush has an article about the series that pretty much sums up what you need to know about this show. The first part of the unaired pilot starts with Rufus (Rick Overton) in the year 2692 preaching at the Church of Bill and Ted for some reason. I guess Rufus has saved those idiots from themselves so many times he developed some sort of messiah complex. I don't know what that's all about. Later in the episode somehow a broken antenna propped up with shoestring and a comic book allows the phone booth time machine to travel into the world of the comic book. The slackers rescue a femme fatale named Roxanne (Jamie Luner) whom they bring back to the real world. Roxanne eventually runs off with a suitcase of money. The episode ends with a "To Be Continued" but it never was.
I don't think the second part of the unaired pilot would in any way help the first part. I just want to see how far down this live-action series could possibly drag the Bill & Ted franchise. Maybe then this show would have been canceled before it got to making the episode about bringing Elvis (Todd McDurmont) to the present. Yes, that episode actually happened.
3. Reason: Canceled (But Still Referred)
Series: Caprica
Episode: Season 2, Episode 1
What do you do when you cancel a TV series half way through its first season? If you are SyFy you put an epilogue at the end of the last episode of the series with clips that are perfect for a season 2. Sure. Why not? "The Shape of Things to Come".
Photo Source: YouTube
4. Reason: Scientology
Series: The Simpsons
Episode: Lisa the Scientopteran
It has never been officially confirmed but by most accounts the consensus is that Scientology plays at least a large role in why this episode only exists as a pitched idea for the eighth season. In my opinion "The Joy of Sect" episode is the Scientology-like version that was watered down enough for Fox Network and a few of the series' voice actors to feel comfortable airing anything close to the original idea.
According to whatculture.com:
Lisa, the most enlightened of the Simpson family, could become fed up of what Reverend Lovejoy and the church are preaching and she decides to find a new religion. She meets a young girl and her family, who are part of the Scientopteran movement, and decides to try this one. When the family notice she has become brainwashed and is spending the family's money on literature to move up to the next level, they try to intervene and stop the obsession. Lisa eventually breaks the hold the group have on her and realises that the religion is a profit making business and that alien intervention in Earthly matters doesn't make sense. She returns to The First Church Of Springfield for now but is still searching for something more.
5. Reason: Tried Using a Funny Adolf Hitler
Series: Heil Honey I'm Home!
Episode: Any episode after the broadcasted pilot
Would this show have lasted if "Springtime for Hitler" was its theme song? Probably not. Somehow this British show got to broadcast the pilot episode. Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun living in Berlin but speaking with New York accents. Let's add to that a Jewish couple lives right next door.
If I were invited to see one of the unaired episodes I wouldn't say no. You have to watch more than the pilot episode to really judge the merits of a show. I am not quite sure any other episode from this series could be less controversial than the pilot.
Yeah. Real British comedy gold. I guess that's why in the intro caption card for the pilot it tried to pass off the series as being created in America. Thanks a lot.
Comments