Unnovations
Encyclopedia
"Unnovations" was a TV series that ran on the now defunct satellite/cable channel Play UK
in 2001. The series came from the makers of TVGoHome
, Zeppotron
. Since the demise of Play UK in 2002, the series has never been repeated.
It sharply parodied
the world of shopping TV in its ten episodes, including demonstrations of hilarious and off the wall products. An example is the Snooze-a-nator, a device which gave you 8 hours sleep in 15 seconds; the Mortgage Vest which was just a plain vest which would take as long as a real mortgage to pay off so that customers could have all the fun of owing a real mortgage, and the Alibizer which was a book the size of a telephone directory which included alibi
s for every possible situation
Regular features in each show were
There have been such characters as Frank, who watches Unnovations at home after being dismissed from a brewery
and Sheena who has started to watch Unnovations after being released at the end of her 8 year prison sentence for Malicious Wounding.
Play UK
Play UK was a television channel broadcasting in the United Kingdom as part of the UKTV network of channels. The channel was launched on 10 October 1998...
in 2001. The series came from the makers of TVGoHome
TVGoHome
TVGoHome was a website which parodied the television listings style of the British magazine Radio Times. It was produced fortnightly from 1999 to 2001, and sporadically until 2003, by Charlie Brooker. The site now exists only in archive form...
, Zeppotron
Zeppotron
Zeppotron is a television and online comedy production company. It was formed in 2000 from several of the writers of Channel 4's The 11 O'Clock Show: Charlie Brooker, Ben Caudell, Peter Holmes, Neil Webster...
. Since the demise of Play UK in 2002, the series has never been repeated.
It sharply parodied
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
the world of shopping TV in its ten episodes, including demonstrations of hilarious and off the wall products. An example is the Snooze-a-nator, a device which gave you 8 hours sleep in 15 seconds; the Mortgage Vest which was just a plain vest which would take as long as a real mortgage to pay off so that customers could have all the fun of owing a real mortgage, and the Alibizer which was a book the size of a telephone directory which included alibi
Alibi
Alibi is a 1929 American crime film directed by Roland West. The screenplay was written by West and C. Gardner Sullivan, who adapted the 1927 Broadway stage play, Nightstick, written by Elaine Sterne Carrington, J.C...
s for every possible situation
Regular features in each show were
- Buyer Beware - A dangerous item from a rival shopping channel was slandered as was the rival channel.
- Shopper Of The Month - A different dysfunctional viewer is awarded the shopper of the month trophy
- readers letter - in every episode the presenter reads letters.
- Satisfied Customer - testimonials from supposed happy customers of Unnovations who never actually mention the names of the products they've bought.
- The Celebrity Hour - A relatively unfamous celebrity announces a different useless or insignificant product that he will be hawking.
- The Telly People Council - An announcement from the regulator was read out on each show citing something Unnovations had done to break the broadcasting rules.
There have been such characters as Frank, who watches Unnovations at home after being dismissed from a brewery
Brewery
A brewery is a dedicated building for the making of beer, though beer can be made at home, and has been for much of beer's history. A company which makes beer is called either a brewery or a brewing company....
and Sheena who has started to watch Unnovations after being released at the end of her 8 year prison sentence for Malicious Wounding.