What is Unnovations? Posted Mon Nov 5 14:23:25 GMT 2001 by 'Cleb Judo'

I've heard of TV Go Home, but not Unnovations. Is it a website? I've heard it's going to be on the telly soon. Will is be funny? Is the website funny. I suppose I could just go and have a look. Dur. Is it worth watching?


Subject: Re: What is Unnovations? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'monkeon' on Mon Nov 5 14:37:03 GMT 2001:

it's on www.zeppotron.com
with tv go home.
It hasn't been updated for ages, though - presumably because TV go home's just replacing text each issue to update it - but that has to have the images taken and everythink.


Subject: Re: What is Unnovations? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Mogwai on Mon Nov 5 14:37:46 GMT 2001:

> I suppose I could just go and have a look. Dur.

http://www.zeppotron.com/unnovations/


Subject: Re: What is Unnovations? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Unruly Butler on Mon Nov 5 16:04:13 GMT 2001:

www.unnovations.com used to work just as well


Subject: Re: What is Unnovations? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'hemidemisemiderm' on Mon Nov 5 16:55:39 GMT 2001:

as for is it funny, well... ish. the exact same writing style as tvgohome (swearing, neologisms, anger and abuse), but lampooning the innovations catalogues, as opposed to RT. the website was not the best vehicle for brooker's humour, and the tv version probably won't be either.


Subject: Re: What is Unnovations? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'monkeon' on Mon Nov 5 17:00:30 GMT 2001:

is charlie brooker actually doing the tv version, then?
It seems odd that he'd take on two projects at once.


Subject: Re: What is Unnovations? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'bloke' on Mon Nov 5 17:09:42 GMT 2001:

Not as involved as he is in TVGH - I think he may have done some script editing, but it's mainly Peter, Ben and Neil (see TVGH thread) who've written it.


Subject: Re: What is Unnovations? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Hugo Myatt' on Mon Nov 5 17:37:27 GMT 2001:

Not as involved as he is in TVGH - I think he may have done some script editing, but it's mainly Peter, Ben and Neil (see TVGH thread) who've written it.
--------
And of course disappointment.com's Log, as well as me.


Subject: Re: What is Unnovations? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Ol' on Mon Nov 5 17:42:28 GMT 2001:

Unnovations is often funnier than TVGH, but unfortunately, like the Innovations catalogue, its inventory is rarely updated.

Gems include the Baker-infuriating hat and a pocket hand-expansion bee that helps you appease Chad Michaels, Woodland God.

It just has that 'silly' edge, and doesn't resort to swearing in every sentence.


Subject: Re: What is Unnovations? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Prep Gwarlek 3b on Tue Nov 6 00:05:56 GMT 2001:

>And of course disappointment.com's Log, as well as me.

Log's involved? Hurrah for that. Let's hope he can persuade E4 to make a pilot of The M'lud Life.


Subject: Re: What is Unnovations? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Charlie Brooker on Tue Nov 6 01:46:40 GMT 2001:

Re: Hugo's posting

That's largely correct, although I wasn't editing, just contributing -- I couldn't do as much on Unnovations as I'd have liked because its schedule clashed with the final preparations for the book.

All the Zeppotronites listed above have also written superb stuff for TVGH TV too (which benefits from a larger budget), and been involved at all levels of its production (ditto the book). In short, both shows are a *team effort*; not the impression you'd get from reading some of the press, in which I'm the most visible mug, largely on account of having a book out (available now! hidden! at the back! in bookshops!).

While I'm here in my capacity as random Zeppotron mouthpiece, can I reassure Unruly Butler that while both TVGH and Unnovations are adaptations, neither programme is a 'direct translation' of the website, for two reasons:

1) As you say, it just wouldn't work. Funnier (IMHO) to *read* about Mick Hucknall's Pink Pancakes than to see them.

2) It would be tedious to make. Why bore yourself dead adapting stuff you've already written when you can do something new?

Unnovations is indeed a QVC spoof of sorts; TVGH is a sketch show consisting of individual "programmes" linked by C4-style continuity. Both shows contain very little material directly adapted or derived from their online incarnations, with the exception of Daily Mail Island in TVGH.

There was also a mention of "branding" somewhere earlier... yes, both shows are "branded" in that both use the names of existing sites, but I don't see a problem with that: after all, the titles fit.

Anyway, hope that answers those questions.

Still: it would have been nice to call TV Go Home "Chuckle Castle" instead. We could have had a portcullis going up and down between each sketch, and a comedy gollum intermittently poking its head out of the moat and saying "bum" or "fuck" or something.

Actually, that's a really good idea.


Subject: Re: What is Unnovations? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Mogwai on Tue Nov 6 01:50:35 GMT 2001:

> Gems include the Baker-infuriating hat and a pocket hand-expansion bee that helps you appease Chad Michaels, Woodland God.

I always liked the tiny imaginary whores myself.


Subject: Re: What is Unnovations? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Unruly Butler on Tue Nov 6 10:56:03 GMT 2001:

Unnovations always made me laugh out loud (certainly at the beginning) because it was a missive from a world totally unrelated to the one in which we live.

There was no attempt to address real problems that might need a gadget to solve them. Which was astonishing.

The usual way of doing a "product joke" is to think of a real bugbear, then invent a surreal product to solve it (Fridge Gnomes - the intelligent critters that point to exactly what it is that smells of carrion!)

Usually these jokes are rejigged versions of stand-up staples ("You know when something in the fridge smells, and you..."), but given vim and vigour by the surreal sting to the joke.

What Unnovations used to do brilliantly was take a left turn one stage earlier, and invent a modern dilemma that no-one really needed solving. They'd decide that everyone was really annoyed by bakers, or could see imaginary whores, or needed to appease Chad Michaels, woodland god, then invent a thoroughly sensible, credible way of dealing with it.

Putting the joke back-to-front meant the reader was always off balance, and people who are off balance usually laugh a lot.

It's been in a bit of a rut recently (probably under the influence of the more accessible, observational humour of E4) and keeps solving real problems.

Which is disappointing. It was just about to grow wings and fly, then it seemed satisfied to develop from lots of "isn't it really irritating when..." brainstorming sessions.

Never listen to people who don't like surreal humour. They're wrong.


Subject: Re: What is Unnovations? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Cleb Judo' on Tue Nov 6 11:40:48 GMT 2001:

Yeah, good. But when's the TV series actually on? I saw the website. S'alright, I suppose.


Subject: Re: What is Unnovations? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'hegarty' on Tue Nov 6 12:33:55 GMT 2001:

>There was no attempt to address real problems that might need a gadget to solve them. Which was astonishing.
>
>(probably under the influence of the more accessible, observational humour of E4)

Did you see Joycube on e4.com? - similarish principle to Unnov., but no attempt made to even make it very intelligible. Not there any more, anyway. Ah well.


Subject: Re: What is Unnovations? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'hegarty' on Tue Nov 6 12:42:02 GMT 2001:

>Yeah, good. But when's the TV series actually on?

Nov 16th.

>I saw the website. S'alright, I suppose.

So you'll be holding on to your hat come next Friday...?




Subject: Re: What is Unnovations? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'cleb judo' on Tue Nov 6 13:27:10 GMT 2001:

Its on next friday? I'll have to glue my hat to my fucking head in that case. I know what joycube is as well


Subject: Re: What is Unnovations? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'cleb judo' on Tue Nov 6 13:29:23 GMT 2001:

Also, i didn't know Log was doing it. He's gone right downhill now. Sellout...


Subject: Re: What is Unnovations? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Log' on Tue Nov 6 14:06:38 GMT 2001:

Downhill from where? Basil Brush?


Subject: Re: What is Unnovations? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'hegarty' on Tue Nov 6 14:18:11 GMT 2001:

>Also, i didn't know Log was doing it. He's gone right downhill now. Sellout...

He may be a sellout, but he's the only man I know who wears a crown in the bath.
Now that's classy.


Subject: Re: What is Unnovations? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Jessica' on Tue Nov 6 14:34:37 GMT 2001:

>>Also, i didn't know Log was doing it. He's gone right downhill now. Sellout...
>
>He may be a sellout, but he's the only man I know who wears a crown in the bath.
>Now that's classy.

I've got a crown in my bathroom, what do you think that's for? Crowns are excellent for keeping soapy shampoo foam out of your eyes.

Log is a sell-out - he's desperate to work for an advertising agency, selling worthless technology and joyless travel products to people who don't need them. He also leaves cat litter behind in his bed.


Subject: Re: What is Unnovations? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'hegarty' on Tue Nov 6 14:50:47 GMT 2001:

>I've got a crown in my bathroom, what do you think that's for?

For when you're pretending to knight Captain Matey?


Subject: Re: What is Unnovations? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Cleb judo' on Tue Nov 6 16:09:51 GMT 2001:

>Log is a sell-out - he's desperate to work for an advertising agency, selling worthless technology and joyless travel products to people who don't need them. He also leaves cat litter behind in his bed.

Hey, I was only joking. Log's no sell-out. Log ROCKS! Woo! Keep up the good work Log.


Subject: Re: What is Unnovations? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Jessica' on Tue Nov 6 16:38:21 GMT 2001:

>Hey, I was only joking. Log's no sell-out. Log ROCKS! Woo! Keep up the good work Log.

He's a monster. Don't ever go to the zoo with him.

He doesn't really want to do those things that I mentioned though.


Subject: Re: What is Unnovations? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Anonymous' on Thu Nov 8 15:40:50 GMT 2001:

Ah, Charlie. Still lurking and only popping up when you're names mentioned. Nice that some things have stayed the same here.


Subject: Re: What is Unnovations? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Mogwai on Thu Nov 8 17:16:29 GMT 2001:

> Ah, Charlie. Still lurking and only popping up when you're names mentioned. Nice that some things have stayed the same here.

And anonymous trolls only turning up to spit venom at certain occasional posters. Plus ca change, eh?


Subject: Re: What is Unnovations? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Brian The Troll' on Thu Nov 8 19:41:56 GMT 2001:

Speaking as a troll, I must say I resent the implication that we like to stay anonymous. I, for one,would be grateful for more people knowing about me. It gets fucking boring under this bridge, you know. At least the heroin keeps me occupied. Hey, Barbara Flynn WAS naked under that white jacket, wasn't she?


Subject: Re: What is Unnovations? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Mogwai on Thu Nov 8 20:56:42 GMT 2001:

> Barbara Flynn WAS naked under that white jacket, wasn't she?

Barbara Flynn is naked under everything.


Subject: Re: What is Unnovations? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Unruly Butler on Fri Nov 9 00:37:59 GMT 2001:

Sorry, am I late? Did you start without me?


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