I Surrender meme - Without Fear Or Favour

[dimity_blue]

In case you don't know it, the I Surrender meme is a creative writing challenge. You are given a premise and have to create a TV series around that idea.

lost_spook gave me:

A detective (Victorian, Golden Age or modern, as you please) is hired by a very strange client - which leads the detective into becoming the no. 1 consulting detective for all supernatural and mystical beings in the country. There seem to be a lot of them...




Without Fear or Favour
by Dimity Blue

Robert Grenville is a huge admirer of the detectives he reads about. But, no matter how hard he tries, his attempts at becoming a private detective never work out just as they should. Far from it. The one 'case' he had (The Case of the Missing Kippers), the culprit turned out to be the Vicar's cat. Robert has resigned himself to being a lawyer's clerk who reads about crime rather than a detective who investigates it.

Now, with America's Wall Street Crash only six months old and unemployment rising drastically in London, Robert has realised his day job is more important than his daydreams.


Robert Grenville - Oliver Jackson-Cohen
Bored with his job, Robert dreams of being a private detective. Who said 'be careful what you wish for'?



Gregory Grenville - Hugh Bonneville
Robert's father. A banker. A respected member of the community. Ghosts he can deal with - it's the others that have him worried.



Mary Grenville - Helen McCrory
Mary's always been a sensible, respectable person. She never expected her great-grandmother's gift to be inherited by her son.



Victoria Grenville - Yasmin Paige
Young, romantic, and idealistic, Victoria thinks Robert has a duty to the poor souls who ask for his help. She's quite sure they all mean well.



Ernest Abernathy - Nicholas Hoult
Part Zombie, part Vampire, Ernest just wants to help Robert with his cases. Is it his fault he's so conspicuous looking?



Mr. Samuel Kilverton - Iain Glen
The Kilvertons have been connected with the law for over one hundred years. Samuel Kilverton has pride in his practice and woe betide anyone bringing anything disreputable to his door.



Miss Jemima Kilverton - Kaya Scoledaro
Mr. Kilverton's daughter. Robert would do anything for her.



Francis Farquhar - Jack O’Connell
Mr. Kilverton's clerk and Robert's colleague. They have a mostly friendly rivalry for Jemima's affections.



Mr. Lucien Pinnock - Kevin Doyle
Next-door neighbour to the Grenvilles. And, if you ask him, there's always been something funny about that boy of theirs.



Mrs. Bertha Pinnock - Maria Doyle Kennedy
Mr. Pinnock's wife. She likes the Grenvilles, she really does. But, lately, she's started to think they're not quite respectable.



Sergeant Andrew Grayson - Emmett Scanlan
The youngest Sergeant in the constabulary, Grayson has his ambitions set on Scotland Yard. Proving Grenville is behind all these weird goings on may provide the boost he needs.


Episode 1: The Case of the Client Who Wasn't
When Mr. Cyril Meriwether turns up on Robert's doorstep demanding help, Robert is rather alarmed. He's aware of the case in question - his employer, Mr. Kilverton, is defending the accused. But Mr. Meriwether is the victim. The murder victim. The very dead murder victim. And he's claiming they'll be hanging the wrong man.

Episode 2: The Case of the Forgetful Uncle
With Mr. Meriwether resting in peace, Robert plans on pretending the events of the preceding week never happened. Unfortunately for him, Miss Isobel Treadwell was given his name and is begging for help. Her uncle is missing and dead. Now if only he could remember where he left his body.

Episode 3: The Case of the Vampire Hunter
London's Vampires are out of their coffins and threatening to take to the streets in protest. There's another dratted vampire hunter on the loose attempting to off them all. If he's not dealt with, they'll deal with him. Permanently.

Episode 4: The Case of the Maligned Werewolf
Werewolves have always had a rather dodgy reputation, perhaps deservedly, perhaps not. Mr. Thomas Bleddyn is Mr. Kilverton's newest client but it seems he requires Robert's help too.

Episode 5: The Case of the Disturbed Mummy
Hetepheres was the wife of Snefru, first Pharoah of the Fourth Dynasty. Their union has lasted thousands of years. So, when Hetepheres discovers herself ensconced in the British Museum without her beloved husband at her side, what's a dead Egyptian Queen to do but insist London's only supernatural private detective lend a hand in getting her husband moved?

Episode 6: The Case of the Returned Skull
Obviously it belonged to someone but when it turns up on Robert's doorstep, he's rather surprised to have a number of people claiming it was theirs. And it seems they'll go to extreme lengths to get it.

Comments

[nerthus.livejournal.com]

That's so cool! I'd watch it!!

[dimity-blue.livejournal.com]

\o/ I'm so glad you like it!

[thisbluespirit]

Eee, I love it! This is a fabulous take on the prompt! I want the DVD box-set now, please. I love your episode summaries: "Mr Meriwether is the victim!" and the upset vampires, the annoyed Mummy. It's rather a fun twist on everything. :-)

[dimity-blue.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure that I'm not miffed with you. I've got all these thinky thoughts about it and now I want to start writing it.

But I am glad you like it so much. ♥

[thisbluespirit]

Hee, I'd say sorry, except I don't think writing it sounds like a bad thing! ;-D

[dimity-blue.livejournal.com]

I've got other things to be writing. *fiddles with the corner of her pretty plot* But I'm thinking so many thoughts about this. I think I know how they'd get that other mummy moved and I can just see the Vampires in his mother's sitting room, being all polite and weird and admiring the relatively new carpet.

[thisbluespirit]

Yes, true - we all need to know what's going to happen to Nic, but still... ;-p

I think I know how they'd get that other mummy moved and I can just see the Vampires in his mother's sitting room, being all polite and weird and admiring the relatively new carpet.

LOL! And also, I will get me over there and surrender then!

[thisbluespirit]

Also, you could have your revenge, if you like. Funnily enough, given that the hard bit of 'I surrender' is making the fake show, only 1 of my flist actually picked up the meme, so I only have 1 fake show to do - do you want to give me another and make me pay??

[dimity-blue.livejournal.com]

I'd say the hard bit might be coming up with the basic premises. But I've posted, so get your bum back to my LJ and surrender!

[thisbluespirit]

Well, it's up to you whether you chuck out more detailed ideas or just crime series/historical/whatever and leave it to people. To be honest, whichever it is seems to work all right!

[admiralandrea.livejournal.com]

I really admire how you are able to come up with these! This is intriguing again :-)

[dimity-blue.livejournal.com]

I was given the starting point. It's surprising what your brain comes up with. :oD

[swordznsorcery.livejournal.com]

This sounds like so much fun! Excellent stuff. I look forward to the series two episode that guest stars Rachel Weisz and John Hannah as Evie and Jonathan Carnahan. ;)

[dimity-blue.livejournal.com]

That would be so much fun! *is sorry it won't happen*

[debris_k.livejournal.com]

Wonderful cast and plots, I'd watch - or read - this with great joy. :)

[dimity-blue.livejournal.com]

I've got all these thinky thoughts about it. I really want to start writing it.

[leesa_perrie]

Whilst not my cup of tea, it does sound like a cool idea and I could see a lot of people watching this! :)

[dimity-blue.livejournal.com]

*hugs* Thanks, Leesa!

I posted the meme if you want to sign up!

[leesa_perrie]

I'm thinking of signing up, but I'm not feeling well atm so it might be a week or so before I got round to making the TV series post.

[dimity-blue.livejournal.com]

You do it on your schedule. It took me over 2 years to post my first. I'm pretty sure you'll be quicker than me.

I hope you feel better soon though. *gentle hugs*

[leesa_perrie]

Thanks! I've signed up! And lol, yes, let's hope it doesn't take that long!

Hubby had some mysterious not-obviously-ill-but-feeling-generally-rough thingy, and now it looks like it's my turn *sigh*

[dimity-blue.livejournal.com]

:o( There's been a lot of viruses going around lately.

Take care of you. *hugs*

[stargatesg1971.livejournal.com]

How cool and exiting sounding. I prefer this to your other entry just a smidge more. :D

[dimity-blue.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Beth! I'm so glad you like this so much!