Network Poaches Space-Comedy Web Series, But Changes Outfit Colors
The creators of ClipCritics are seeing something awfully familiar on SkyFy. The new show, “Outer Space Astronauts,” also looks so familiar to ClipCritics fans that they’ve written its creator, Chad Sahley, with congratulations.
Turns out Chad, who produced “When Standup Stood Out,” has no ties with the show. But, quite coincidentally, he and his team approached SkyFy with a show called “Webscapers, about a top-secret crew digitized into the internet to surf and protect the world wide web (think Star Trek in Cyber Space).”
“We pitched SkyFy a couple years back showing them our animation style along with our trailer,” said Chad. “They said they didn’t do comedies. Shortly after we decided to produce the show on Youtube and call it the Clip Critcs with the hopes of someday getting the money to produce the full idea of Webscapers.”
Of course, “Outer Space Astronauts” is a Star Trek spoof based on outer-space — not cyberspace. And although the animation style (see images) is unmistakably similar, SkyFy reduced its legal risk by changing the outfits from orange to blue.
This isn’t the first report that a network has poached an amateur, and a difficult thing to challenge. Remember when ABC featured promos with Lost action figures that were indisputably similar to the FineBrothers’ work?
In related news, ABC’s “Good Morning America” Host George Stephanopolous announced he’ll feature a 14-year-old sidekick who pretends to be a manic 5-year-old child that speaks in a squeaky-pitched voice. His name will be “Jed,”and he’ll have a crush on “Julie,” live with his drug-abusing mom, and scream about a bully named Levin.
I left a comment about this on the IMDB page for Outer Space Astronauts and they removed it!
Luckily most of my original post there is in a reply someone
made to my post, just with links to the proof that the Clip Critics were ripped off removed!
Yeah, I think they could probably still win a legal battle against that. That is literally the same thing.
I noticed that too. Seems awful convenient. Chad should be really pissed over this. Not even a nod what crap!
Funny thing that! I heard that Jim Lahrer was considering adding a new segment to the News Hour. Seems it has something to do with the exploits of a 42 year old man-child. Hmmmm.
I think it says a lot about you, when you imagine who rip off your stuff for TV use. I’d like to think it wouldn’t be Lahrer or PBS… maybe NickSr.
I don’t know what the deal is but I just can’t get into ClipCritics. I think it’s because I found them so obnoxious at a gathering in SF that I met them at when they were first starting out. Power to them, but they were just pushing too hard on the marketing side for my taste.
What are SkyFy and SyFy?
@6…lol, I assume it was intentional…or just Kevin being Kevin. Syfy is the new name for the Scifi channel on cable (pronounced the same). They wanted to reach out to a bigger audience! I have no idea what Skyfy is…
Mkay fixed typos you big boobies.
Nalts, I am really happy your wrote a post about this. Honestly, it makes me so furious. I find myself sub-consciously flipping off the television whenever I see a commercial for that half-baked crap show pop up, even if I am completely alone.
This also infuriates me, Reubs. It’s called hard work. If you make something good, people will steal it because they don’t want to do hard work.
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I hate flattery.
Thanks guys for all the support. There has been a lot of thought into the Worldwide Webscapers and I hope someday we’ll get to show how deep the rabbit hole goes. The best thing about the internet is you can’t get canceled. We’ll see you online.
just watched this skyfy thing
clip critics were ripped off
and they are much funnier
is it that some people are so desperate and bereft of ideas they have to steal? it’s not just little bits here or there either, this wasn’t inspired, this was lifted and no credit given.
I don’t know how people think they can get away with this stuff in the internet age – someone is always going to find you and the trail you leave is long and incriminating,
I don’t know who this Russell Barrett guy is, but dude no way, you’ve been busted, you ripped the clipcritics off, even i can see that and I’m all for changing the copyright laws. Fess up dude, your career is so over.