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uofwi92 t1_iwnxan5 wrote

Can you imagine trying to get that show made today? The pitch meeting:

“Got an idea for a tv show set in WWII.”

“Love it! Tell me more…”

“It’s got a multi-ethnic cast, from a number of the different nations of Europe.”

“Great! Folks love diversity, and exotic locales. Where’s it take place?”

“The setting? It’s a concentration camp.”

“Um…”

“Several of the main characters are Nazis, and we’ve got swastikas everywhere.”

“…”

“Oh, I forgot - it’s a comedy!”

“Get the fuck out of my office.”

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Hollow_Rant t1_iwnzn9i wrote

> It’s a concentration camp.

POW camp but I catching what you're throwing.

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Latter_Feeling2656 t1_iwonpi6 wrote

It's a pretty interesting show: in most military sitcoms, the army is the enemy, and the protagonists are the operators who are trying to get around the army's rules and have a little fun. Hogan's different - there are no episodes where the group is trying to get around Klink because there's a party in Hamelburg. They're commandos with a mission every week, and the comedy has to arise from the mission. This is a long way around of saying that it's actually a distant James Bond clone, closer in concept to the Man from UNCLE than it is to McHale's Navy or the early years of MASH.

Co-created by Albert Ruddy, who went on to produce The Godfather.

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root_fifth_octave t1_iwoklim wrote

“Many years ago, before the concept of ‘too soon’ existed, there was a show about a bunch of goofy Nazis running a prison camp.”

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F0rScience t1_iwoludd wrote

We just got Jojo Rabbit a couple of years ago, I don’t see how this is any more absurd.

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uofwi92 t1_iwpp6nw wrote

You think JoJo Rabbit is on the same level as Hogans Heroes?

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mezonsen t1_iwpo0ii wrote

Shh, the “you couldn’t make this mostly tame work of art that my 60 year old parents love today” crowd is talking

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sadandshy t1_iwqsdnz wrote

Now add in the lead's ... proclivities. Back then it was kept under wraps until his brutal demise. That secrecy would not happen now.

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lawstandaloan t1_iwomdq6 wrote

I gotta think the whole pitch involved taking Sgt Schultz from Stalag 17 and surrounding him with some wisecracking Americans. They didn't even change the character's name

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OneGoodRib t1_iwrxjaa wrote

Mel Brooks at that pitch meeting: I love it!

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Rocky_Mountain_Way t1_iwprhid wrote

Well, if anyone could pull off a pitch meeting like that, it would be Ryan George.

"C'mon! Nobody could break out of a prison camp!"

"Actually, it'll be super easy, barely an inconvenience"

"Oh Really?"

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NairForceOne t1_iwr8qa3 wrote

I'm going to need you to get all the way off of my back about that.

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