Beggars and Choosers 

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

Creators:

Brandon Tartikoff, Peter Lefcourt

Stars:

Brian Kerwin, Charlotte Ross, Tuc Watkins

Nominated for 1 Primetime Emmy. Another 4 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Brian Kerwin	...	Rob Malone 42 episodes, 1999-2001
Charlotte Ross	...	Lori Volpone 42 episodes, 1999-2001
Tuc Watkins	...	Malcolm Laffley 39 episodes, 1999-2001
Sherri Saum	...	Casey Lenox / ... 29 episodes, 1999-2001
Ben Bass	...	Brian Peske 29 episodes, 1999-2001
Colin Cunningham	...	Herb Kolodny 24 episodes, 1999-2001
Rudolf Martin	...	Nicky Krasnakov 23 episodes, 1999-2001
Klodyne Rodney	...	Latitia Martinez 22 episodes, 1999-2000
Kaj-Erik Eriksen	...	Carey Malone / ... 22 episodes, 1999-2001
Justin Carroll	...	Nigel Gibney 20 episodes, 2000-2001
Christina Hendricks	...	Kelly Kramer 19 episodes, 2000-2001
Isabella Hofmann	...	Cecile Malone 18 episodes, 1999-2000
William McNamara	...	Brad Advail 17 episodes, 1999-2000
Keegan Connor Tracy	...	Audrey Malone 17 episodes, 1999-2000
Jerry Wasserman	...	Irwin 17 episodes, 1999-2001

Storyline

A look behind the scenes of network television. Rob Malone is the president of LGT, a television network fighting for ratings, and usually losing. Taking up the battle with Malone are Lori Volpone and casting executive, Malcolm Laffley. Each episode takes a look into how a network runs - how the executives deal with the stars, how they make big budget deals while trying to keep the network financially stable. Malone has too much on his hands, the owner of the company drifts in and out of a coma, the casting exec. is being accused of sexual harassment, and the VP in charge of development is doing everything she can, no matter how evil, to move up in the ranks.

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Plot Keywords:

television | television network | female nudity | workplace | television industry | 

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Taglines:

Side by side. Neck and neck. And always behind your back.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

TV-MA

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 June 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

Asta-i televiziunea!

Filming Locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company Credits

Production Co:

Granada Entertainment,H. Beale Company,Showtime Networks

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

User Reviews

Satire of the Broadcast TV industry

I watched one of these shows on a VHS cassette that I found at a thrift store. I liked the energy of the cast, and thought that the idea of a behind the scenes look at a TV network had potential, but found that the attempt to parody the network TV selection process itself came across as insensitive at times. As with many Showtime and HBO releases, I noticed that the percentage of swear words was significantly higher than one hears in real life. I can't help wondering if this might be a reason for the show's demise. Still, two years is not a bad run for a TV show these days, and I'm sure the percentage of swear words used in Hollywood and the TV industry is in fact greater than the use of such words in the general population, so in this sense the show may be said to mirror reality.

I couldn't help thinking that there were many inside jokes being presented on the screen. The episode I watched, "White Woman's Burden" presents some openly racist dialogue thinly disguised as satire. Is it possible that the underlying themes of racism and sexual orientation were found to be too controversial even for Showtime? If so, then maybe this show has potential to make a comeback as a full length feature film.

If anything prevents this show from reaching a wide audience, it's the extremely upscale lifestyles of the cast. Everyone seems to be living in an artificial reality dominated by big money, the struggle for power, and gangsters. Yet it looks enough like the reality in the Television industry that maybe it offended some of the same people whose support it needed to continue in production. Overall, I think this show has great potential and I liked the honest attempt to present a behind the scenes look at network television. Possibly this show may illustrate some of the reasons for network television's shrinking audience.