Hi

I've recently written five episodes of a sitcom. I sent my third episode to the BBC, but three months later received a rejection letter. My question is I have heard that some sitcoms that were originally rejected by the BBC were then commissioned by the BBC, how can this be? I thought once a piece of treatment was rejected that was the end of it?

All help and feedback will be gratefully appreciated

Samantha

For example, read about how long it took to get Red Dwarf commissioned. Rejected many times by the Beeb yet eventually taken up by the Beeb. Don't forget tastes and opinions change, what was hot is not etc.

Keep plugging away. Reexamine why it was rejected. Amend. Try another episode but give it a different working title. Try other regional Beebs. Write another project in the meantime to give tastes time to reformulate or new staff to circulate at the beeb department you tried.

I would have to admit, not to writing that many episodes for one project. I write pilots only and plan the rest of the episode plots. That way, if a series fails, I've only lost one episode not 5. In that time I may have written 2-3 more pilots to punt out.

Thanks for the info, it's difficult to know what they will accept. I have found that some Beeb commissioned stuff wouldn't have been what I would have found funny. I couldn't understand why Jam and Jerusalem was made, or did I miss the point?
Anyway I appreciate the advice, i'm looking to send another episode next, thinking of Channel 4. I loved Peep Show and Father Ted, hmmm wonder if the Beeb ever rejected them?

Really you're supposed to write 1 episode and then outline the rest of series, it saves wasting time on something that may or may not work if you understand.

But keep plugging away on good luck.

Moving thread to the correct forum.