Ben and Tom series thoughts (link to pdf).

Ben & Tom: The Final Fucking Tour

A random smattering of thoughts/ ideas for an episodic series based around Ben and Tom touring the US, performing their improv show. 

Ben & Tom

Improvising their way through life.

Tone/Influences

  • The Trip trilogy (playing characters based on themselves, but extremely exaggerated)

  • The Larry Sanders Show/ Extras (cameos where actors/celebrities play exaggerated versions of themselves)

  • Master of None

  • Parts Unknown (allow the place to dictate the style of each episode)


To Take a Look At

  • Bands with Drama 

      • Spinal Tap// Metallica doc// U2 doc//  

  • Road Trip movies 

      • Tommy Boy// Planes, Trains & Automobiles// Y Tu Mama Tambien//  

Character Arcs

The timeline of the series is one year. We see them when it is time for another show and learn how their lives have changed in that window of time. 

Ben lands a role in a prestige project with an “artistic” director (Gasper Noe, Lars von Trier, etc). Over the year he goes from excited and thankful to pretentious. His arc is a condensed arc of fame gone bad. 

  • He wants to bring more “artistic vision“ to their improv shows. One show is too dark (literally) to see, growing things here and there, difficult to find the entrance, etc. 

  • Later in the year the movie gets really good reaction/buzz and he gets a big head. Potentially gets more famous? Like how did Tom’s life change during Silicon Valley or having people yell “Jean-Ralphio” at Ben?

  • He is brought down to Earth when there is a social media “incident.” His embarrassment goes viral. 

Tom is in love. His girlfriend (who quickly becomes his fiancee) makes him feel more down to earth. “I think we’re going to leave this industry and live on a farm, making babies and butter.” 

Tom goes on a dark, downward spiral. We see him try different personalities throughout the year.

  • She breaks up with him via FaceTime right before Ben and Tom perform in  Episode 1. There is a penis in the background. His improv is angry that night. Violent. He breaks Ben’s nose on stage. 

  • Throughout the year we see Tom try on different personas. Tattoos, buddhism, clubs, drugs, sex, etc. 

Structure & Episode Ideas

Each episode is a Chapter/City where they perform. 

Los Angeles.

Ben gets invited to a big star or musician’s house, but Tom was not (or vice versa). The party is comically large and bizarre. In an effort to fit in he makes a fool of himself. His embarrassment goes viral on social media (recurring references to this ‘event’ throughout the series as he tries to live it down). 

Tom goes on his own journey and decides to spend the night “among the people.” To prove to himself that he is still “salt of the earth,” he agrees to _______.

San Fran to Portland.

At the prompting of a friend (cameo- Woody Harrelson?), the guys decide to road trip from their show in San Francisco to Portland (in an RV?). Road trip hell ensues. They take a scenic route and end up stranded in the woods during a storm. 

Boston.

An unfortunate scheduling snafu has the fellas performing in Boston during Game 7 of the NBA Championship, in which the Celtics are playing.

The place is empty. Literally. No crew is there to work the lights, no audience shows up to watch. The streets are eerily quiet, like a version of The Birds. Cheers and boos echo from distant bars.

— &/or — 

Dedicated comedy fans/ Anti-sports folks lightly smatter the audience. Ben & Tom lead the comedy nerds through the city and experience the light and dark side of sports.

Joshua Tree.

The guys perform at Pappy & Harriet’s. They join some hippies at their commune and, as is wont to happen in the desert, a psychedelic journey is kicked off. 

Chicago.

A journey to comedy mecca. This needs to be treated with proper respect. I don’t know what’s going to happen here, but Jake Johnson better be involved.


Questions/ Themes to Explore/ Story Requests

Questions

  • What happens before a show? After? Backstage?

  • Gone places after a show with fans? Women? Famous people?

  • How do they travel from show to show? Some flights, some driving? Do they have a driver? Different drivers?

Themes

  • Transitions. 

      • Transitions in life as fame expands and shrinks. Transitions from performing/working to regular day to day life. 

Stories

  • Stories of guest performers doing improv with them.

  • Gone places after a show with fans? Women? Famous people?