Thursday 25 September 2008

Casualty - 27 September 2008

This weekend there's an episode of Casualty broadcast on the Beeb. It's the episode that I spent so long trying to get right.

I'm not sure I really want to watch it. It will have my name on it (I think), together with someone else's (I think). But, to be brutally honest, the someone else did most of the hard work (OK, I worked pretty hard on it too, but to very little effect!).

I think I might just watch it and play "spot the Campbell dialogue". I might have to watch very closely. I might even be on a hiding to nothing!

The episode title's mine, though. So that's at least two words of my script that made the cut!

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I can understand how you must feel, Paul. If I were you, I probably wouldn't be able to watch either but I'd make sure I'd interrogate anyone who did.

Not a fan of Casualty but I do watch EastEnders and will definitely be watching your episode on October 27.

Unknown said...

Gosh, you're very hard on yourself. It's got your name and Paul Logue's listed as writers in the Radio Times.

Shame you won't be watching it with a glass of champagne in hand - but you should. It's an hour of prime time telly with your name on it - and there's more to come. So well done.

David Lemon said...

Congratulations on staying the course. On the plus side if the episode is better than the one you originally wrote all the credit will go to you, and there's no shame in being re-written for a long running series (RTD is quite open about re-writing everyone's 'Who' eps-except Steven Moffat's).
Will be sure to tune in...

Janice Okoh said...

You've got to watch it! It's never as bad as you think it is. I'll be watching it - for the first time in years.

Anonymous said...

If you can get hold of a copy of the script, it's quite a useful exercise to compare yours with the final version, just to see how it resolves similar issues in different ways.

As for watching it, fuck 'em. It's crap anyway!

JB

Paul Campbell said...

Thanks guys.

Just in case anyone was worried, I'm quite cool about this - no suicidal funk or anything.

And of course I'll be watching it. Paul Logue (the unlucky chap given about a week to rewrite me) is a fine writer - so I'm sure it'll be good.

Anonymous said...

Hi Paul,

You've got nothing to be ashamed about there - don't know how much was originally yours, don't really care. It was a good episode and your name's on it!

I wouldn't put money on it, but there were two things that stood out from the Casualty norm, and I couldn't help wondering if they had survived from your original script ideas.

One was Abs's brilliant line to Charlie - "You're like a bully who cares" - and the other was the whole Godfather routine, with the terrific payoff, "He's saying he's Michael, right?"

Looking forward to EastEnders on October 27!

A fellow up-and-comer

Shakespeare's Housekeeper said...

Hi Paul,
i watched Casualty last night- thought it was fab!
My hubby wrote for Casualty a few moons ago now. One of his episodes contained a rather naughty storyline.I think it might have been the last one he did for the show...
I'm suprised the beeb went ahead with it actually.
Keep up the good work- It's a tough job but someones gotta do it.

Shakespeare's Housekeeper xx

Paul Campbell said...

Thanks, Michael.

I'm afraid neither of those lines came from me, but I enjoyed them nonetheless!

And hello to Shakespeare's Housekeeper. You can't just tease about details like that - what was the naughtiness?

Shakespeare's Housekeeper said...

Hello again!

A man and woman went into casualty (no this isn't a joke),him with severe injuries to his,erm, genitalia, she with a nasty head injury.
Turns out she had been giving the guy oral sex and had an epileptic fit while 'on the job'- lock jaw and lots of pain ensued. With no release forthcoming, the guy hit the woman over the head with a either a vase or a table lamp (not sure which and Sy's not here to ask)......so there you have it.

I've made a pact with myself to never ask him where he got this storyline from....

Really enjoying reading your blogs Paul.

SH xx