With Echo Beach now history, the production team from Moving Wallpaper are back to face a new challenge to come up with a hit show for ITV.
Egocentric producer Jonathan Pope’s frantic attempt to keep his job results in a new pilot which sees the writers switch from beach romance to zombie apocalypse. In an attempt to make the living dead ‘sexy’, the team have to bag the biggest stars and keep them happy, whilst covering Jonathan’s blazing trail of faux pas – as well as Nancy, the ITV Head of Drama, willing him to fail. Stunts, sex, cringes, and clashes with American execs follow as they attempt to create their zombie masterpiece: Renaissance.
After Echo Beach is canned Pope’s job is on the line and while he begs Nancy for another series, the welfare of his production team appear to be the last thing on his mind. However, as the team prepare to move on to new horizons a clause in Jonathan’s contract means ITV must now offer Jonathan a pilot to produce – much to Nancy’s annoyance.
Never one to soften, Nancy gives Jonathan a paltry minute to submit a treatment for a pilot or face the sack.
Ever the survivor and desperate for a great idea, Jonathan goes to extremes in order to find a great pilot and out of this Renaissance, an apocalyptic Zombie drama, is born. Nancy isn’t worried though; she is convinced that this abomination of film will never see the light of day as it’ll never pass the litmus test from the focus groups. Renaissance will never grace the home of Coronation Street and Ant and Dec.
Despite Nancy’s assurance Jonathan will fail catastrophically he manages to cast his leading lady almost instantly by poaching Kelly Brook from an ITV period drama that’s filming nearby.
ITV Friday, 27 February 2009, 9:00PM – 9:30PM