BBC show Mammoth and its remarkable likeness to my comic character, 70s Man

[Silas Loom]

If its any consolation Mammoth the TV series is shite.

Main problem is the premise

 

[editor]

If its any consolation Mammoth the TV series is shite.

That's the worst bit! I had to turn it off as I thought it was so bad.

Maybe one day I'll get to make '70s man: The TV Series'!

 

[Winot]

I don't think it's the BBC that's committed any plagiarism, it's the writer.

It does seem one coincidence too many, and the fact that he's highly likely to have read the comic means it'd have very good chances if it went to court. Only asking for credit is pretty generous, really.

Unfortunately there's no copyright in ideas, only the expression of ideas (scripts, artwork etc.).

Very early copyright case - "Opportunity Knocks". No copyright in the concept of a game show.

 

[freshapple]

That's the worst bit! I had to turn it off as I thought it was so bad.

Maybe one day I'll get to make '70s man: The TV Series'!

You might get sued by the makers of Mammoth though?

 

[emanymton]

That's the worst bit! I had to turn it off as I thought it was so bad.

Maybe one day I'll get to make '70s man: The TV Series'!

Maybe better not to have an acknowledgement then.

And maybe next time someone asks, you could say that while you are aware of some similarities there are also some big differences, like mine wasn't a big bag of shite.

 

[editor]

You might get sued by the makers of Mammoth though?

How would that work out then?

 

[DaveCinzano]

How would that work out then?

INT. SOLICITOR'S OFFICE IN A SLEEPY PROVINCIAL BACKWATER - DAYTIME

BORED LOOKING STAFF IDLY CLICK AT COMPUTERS, STARE AT SCREENS AND LEAF THROUGH BUNDLES OF DOCUMENTS.

SUDDENLY THERE IS A FLASH OF LIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROOM. THOSE PRESENT ALL STARE AGHAST AT A FOGGY BUNDLE OF SMOKE LEFT IN ITS WAKE.

SLOWLY THE SMOKE DISSIPATES, REVEALING A MAN - A NAKED, PANTING MAN, WITH ALERT EYES AND AN EXPRESSION OF DETERMINATION ON HIS FACE. HE STANDS ERECT, AND ADDRESSES THE ROOM IN A CLEAR, BOOMING VOICE

MYSTERIOUS STRANGER

I AM AN I.P. LAWYER SENT FROM THE FUTURE! THERE IS NO TIME TO LOSE, WE HAVE C&DS TO WRITE!​

 

[chilango]

That's the worst bit! I had to turn it off as I thought it was so bad.

Maybe one day I'll get to make '70s man: The TV Series'!

I was about to ask if you'd seen it?

It's not as good as '70s Man tbh.

It's quite hackneyed stuff in the main, though some of the teacher-y bits raise a chuckle.

The character is also a lot more sympathetic than '70s Man, I've only watched the first two (dunno if I'll bother with any more) but tone and content bear no resemblance to the more pointed stuff that you did. Gentler humour I guess.

Did a long forgotten encounter with one of your 'zines linger in the recesses of his memory to emerge from the permafrost as Mammoth? It's certainly possible. Would I want a credit based on this? Probably not.