NBC
Approximately four decades ago, HBO, the then leading subscribed pay cable network in the United States, made a strategic decision to broaden its original programming. This consisted mainly of stand-up comedy specials and boxing. The network ventured into new territory with the inspiring, true-story film “The Terry Fox Story.” Although it didn’t create a major buzz, the film got favorable reviews, triggering other premium cable channels to consider creating their own movies.
In 1984, Showtime made its first foray into film production with an offbeat comedy titled “The Ratings Game.” Initially, the film gained notoriety as the channel’s first original movie. However, its significance today lies in it being Danny DeVito’s first directorial project. “The Ratings Game” is a quirky comedy centered around an outdated Nielsen ratings scam, essentially a TV version of Mel Brooks’ “The Producers.” The film stars DeVito as a New Jersey trucking tycoon who relocates to Hollywood with dreams of becoming a writer-producer for sitcoms. Miraculously, he manages to get a terrible series named “Sittin’ Pretty” on air and, with the help of a ratings company employee (Rhea Perlman), devises a plan to make it appear as one of the most popular shows.
The film’s highlights are the clips from the fake shows, which incite the most laughter. DeVito, however, receives support from two individuals who would later become stars of a highly popular sitcom.
The Ratings Game: The precursor to the show about nothing
Showtime
At the beginning of “The Ratings Game,” Jerry Seinfeld makes an appearance as a CBS executive, informing DeVito that his ideas are not in sync with Hollywood’s current trends. He tells DeVito, “The networks aren’t buying Italians, Jews, Puerto Ricans this season. They’re buying gays, alcoholics, child molesters.”
When “The Ratings Game” premiered in 1984, Seinfeld was not completely unknown. He had made his debut on “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” three years prior and had become a regular on that show as well as on “Late Night with David Letterman.” However, he was not as famous as his future “Seinfeld” co-star Michael Richards, who was involved in a staged altercation with Andy Kaufman on ABC’s short-lived sketch comedy series “Fridays.” Richards also has a slightly more significant role in “The Ratings Game” as one of the individuals DeVito hires to break into a Nielsen house and watch “Sittin’ Pretty.”
If you’re interested in “The Ratings Game,” it’s currently available to stream on Prime Video. While it may seem outdated in the era of streaming, it has enough humor to possibly warrant an hour and forty-two minutes of your attention. It may also have been the film that made Hollywood see DeVito as more than just the irate dispatcher from “Taxi.”
Credit: www.slashfilm.com
