Derek & Simon: The Pity Card

It first surfaced in 2005, when a pilot show called Derek & Simon was produced for HBO. For reasons known only to a handful of sorry fools, the show was never picked up and landed on top of the pile of rejects.

Most shows die right there on that pile—their tape shrivels up and their spools pop free. But not this one—something was special about this show. If you’re anything like me, you believe deep down that great work cannot be suppressed. Executives may try to sink it, but sooner or later, it’ll resurface.

A few months later, some crazy fool had the nerve to submit the show to some film festivals, and—lo and behold!—soon the biggest festivals in the country, SXSW and Sundance, were screening Derek & Simon: The Pity Card in front of large audiences all asking themselves, “Why did HBO pass on that? That’s hilarious!” Derek & Simon quickly went from obscurity to the limelight.

In 2006, Wholphin, a quarterly DVD subscription from McSweeney, featured the “unaired TV pilot” on their second issue. This is when I first met Derek & Simon. Their natural and unobtrusive humor grows from their realistic responses to the strange situations that director, Bob Odenkirk, throws them in. Much of that “natural” humor is due, no doubt, to the fact that characters Derek and Simon are two actual friends (Derek Waters and Simon Helberg) who’s real-life dynamic inspired Odenkirk to develop the show.

By 2007, the world’s most successful rejected TV show was riding out its last wave. And it should have ended there. Let’s face it, with no TV networks banging on the door, and the festival circuit running dry, what more could be done? In walks Super Deluxe. What? Super Deluxe—a host and producer of some of the best original comedy series on the web. Dan Pasternick (content VP), himself a big fan of Bob Odenkirk, saw great potential in developing Derek & Simon as a web series. “Bob has always been an innovator in short form comedy and his work is characterized by a kind of integrity that is second to none. And he’s just really funny.” (Full interview with Dan to come later this week).

Nine months and 13 episodes later, Derek & Simon are still going. This time as short 5-minute “webisodes” to live on for years to come. The Regimen episode in particular is hilarious, but you’re likely to find a different favorite, so I recommend watching them all.

Oddly enough, actor Simon Helberg can now be seen struggling in his much less funny role in the painfully bland sitcom The Big Bang Theory on CBS. Does this mark the end of the road for Derek & Simon? Hmm. Somehow I don’t believe it is.