Channel 4's Comedy Showcase pilot "The Increasingly Poor Decisions Of Todd Margaret" has been picked up by affiliate More4. This will be More4's first original comedy series, and they're currently negotiating a co-production deal with a US partner to produce six half-hour episodes for later this summer...
I didn't think the pilot was all that great, and I'm surprised the logistics are being worked out to enable US stars David Cross and Will Arnett to reprise their roles. Co-stars Sharon Horgan and Russell Tovey are also expected to return.
"Todd Margaret" joins Comedy Showcase's "Campus" in becoming a full series, which has been extended to 45-minute long episodes (a la Green Wing); "Pete Vs Life" was picked up before its pilot even aired[*]; and "PhoneShop" secured a run on E4 the day the pilot was shown. That means four of the seven Comedy Showcase pilots have been successful in finding sustained life. Unsurprisingly, "The Amazing Dermot" and "Guantanamo Phil" look likely to remain one-off curiosities, but I'm surprised nobody wants to give "Girl Friday" a go. It wasn't very good, but it's a rare sign of taste that no digital channel wants a sketch show.
[*] "Pete Vs Life" was actually removed from the Comedy Showcase season, as a result. I still think that defeats the perceived idea behind the Comedy Showcase season, where audience response helps select which pilots deserve a full series. But, okay, I think we're being naïve about exactly how much attention Channel 4 bosses give to critics, people posting their thoughts online, or ratings.
