Thread: QUESTION- 1980's, sex, drugs, violence. Would you watch?

For the past few weeks, I have been in the process of writing a show, or "series." I haven't actually written an episode yet, but I have summarized a few seasons up, and have most of the main characters described. I'm wondering if this idea were to make it big, if anybody would actually watch it or take any interest in it.

I've been calling it "Big City Living." Two guys, who grew up together in San Diego, California, move to Las Vegas a few years after graduating high school. This all takes place in the 1980's. (Roughly 1985-1989). The point of their big move was their attempt to make it "big" in the world. They both start off working small time jobs, like in coffee shops, and fast food joints. However, the main character, Tyler, begins holding and moving illegal drugs for his friend at work. Owen, the other main character, starts to help, and to make an extremely long story short, the two hook up with a Russian drug lord, and become "unofficial" members of the Russian mob in Las Vegas.

The show is all about 1980's culture, violence, sex, and even though it sounds bad, drugs. I've been asking around a lot lately, and I was wondering who would possibly take interest in this series. Now I'm only 17-years old. I wasn't even alive during the 80's, but since I was a little kid, I've taken great interest in that decade, (mostly due to both of my parents growing up in that era). So it's obvious that A LOT of research will need to be done...

Most people I've talked to said that it sounded really cool, but would take a lot of work. Like I said, I have a few seasons summarized, and the character descriptions of the first two seasons, but I haven't actually written an episode yet... So I would greatly appreciate if you guys would give me an HONEST opinion of what you thought. Feel free to give any advice, or tips.

Thank you!

I'm sorry. It dosen't fly unless you have tons of back story to explain how the Russians displaced the spiritual heirs of Bugsy Siegel and Meyer Lansky. (Portrayed as Moe Greene and Hyman Roth in Godfather and Godfather II.)

Originally Posted by garza

I'm sorry. It dosen't fly unless you have tons of back story to explain how the Russians displaced the spiritual heirs of Bugsy Siegel and Meyer Lansky. (Portrayed as Moe Greene and Hyman Roth in Godfather and Godfather II.)

Please explain. I mean I know all about the mafia, and Bugsy Siegel and his crew, but what does this have to do with my story? Las Vegas is a big city, many drug operations take place, plus Siegel was killed in 1947, almost 40 years prior to my story taking place. And this is (roughly) 100% fiction. Not to forget that Lansky himself was born in the Russian Empire.

Well, so be it, but you are writing in an area in which I have done considerable research over the past 50 years, research that has continued to this day. So far as I know, the old gang, headed by people connected with families in Chicago and New Orleans, ran Las Vegas right through the '70s and '80s. I'm thinking of people like Antonio Spilotro, very much a 'spiritual descendant' of Siegel and Lansky. They even elected a mayor, but I would have to go back to my notes to find his name.

Originally Posted by garza

Well, so be it, but you are writing in an area in which I have done considerable research over the past 50 years, research that has continued to this day. So far as I know, the old gang, headed by people connected with families in Chicago and New Orleans, ran Las Vegas right through the '70s and '80s. I'm thinking of people like Antonio Spilotro, very much a 'spiritual descendant' of Siegel and Lansky. They even elected a mayor, but I would have to go back to my notes to find his name.

Once again, this story is totally fiction. You could be saying the exact same thing about the GodFather, which I think we can all agree is one of the best films ever produced.

Nothing in 'The Godfather' deviated from the basic history of the era. All of the principle characters in the book and movie are based on real people. Frank Sinatra threatened to sue because the Johnny Fontaine character was clearly based on him. You say you know all about the mafia. If so you know that the caporegimes Tessio and Clemensa in the book were based on real people who were ordered killed by the heads of their own families, just as Tessio and Clemensa were ordered killed by Michael. Frank Pentangeli is another caporegime in the Corleone Family and is a composite of about three people who later divulged many of the secrets of the mafia, especially of the Five Families of New York and New Jersey. Mario Puzo did not invent any foreign culture, but built his entire fictionalised version on reality. He rewrote specific events for dramatic effect, but he did not create a new world. He used the one that was there.

Why not have your main characters interact with the kinds of people who were actually in Las Vegas in the '80s? The truth is it's a great story - the whole history of Las Vegas is a great story. You can tie in trips to Chicago, Cleveland, and New Orleans as the characters negotiate their way into the mob's buisiness.

Originally Posted by garza

Nothing in 'The Godfather' deviated from the basic history of the era. All of the principle characters in the book and movie are based on real people. Frank Sinatra threatened to sue because the Johnny Fontaine character was clearly based on him. You say you know all about the mafia. If so you know that the caporegimes Tessio and Clemensa in the book were based on real people who were ordered killed by the heads of their own families, just as Tessio and Clemensa were ordered killed by Michael. Frank Pentangeli is another caporegime in the Corleone Family and is a composite of about three people who later divulged many of the secrets of the mafia, especially of the Five Families of New York and New Jersey. Mario Puzo did not invent any foreign culture, but built his entire fictionalised version on reality. He rewrote specific events for dramatic effect, but he did not create a new world. He used the one that was there.

Why not have your main characters interact with the kinds of people who were actually in Las Vegas in the '80s? The truth is it's a great story - the whole history of Las Vegas is a great story. You can tie in trips to Chicago, Cleveland, and New Orleans as the characters negotiate their way into the mob's buisiness.

I see.. Well like I said it will take a lot of work, and advice from others such as yourself will only help. Thank you.

If you need any specific details, I have about a thousand pages of notes.

Hi Croat32, HBO would be your obvious choice for this material, but they would insist on a pilot episode ready to go. As for the Russkies, I personally don't think it matters whose in charge of their own little street corner, in fact play on their constant battles with the mob. Not even the Irish could get much of a foothold in LV - see Casino. Right the first episode at 44-50 pages long just in case you didn't know - 44 pages equates to 1 hour TV - and this is the tough part - knowing when to put AD breaks in. Keep at it though.

I think what Garza is trying to say is that a Russian Mob operating in LV is not plausible. Vegas was run by the Chicago, NY, and St Louis (I think) mobs before big corporations took over. Even the mob can't fight Disney.

Fiction has to be based in fact or its not believable. For instance, imagine writing a love story between a black man and a white woman based in Alabama in 1830 but the same story didn't recognize the existence of slavery. It just wouldn't work. It's not believable.

People that read/watch mob and gangster stories know that the mafia ran LV, not the Russians.

I'm not sure on this, but I don't even think Russian gang activity came to the US until the collapse of the Soviet Union (1989).

sorry. i wouldnt watch it.

Haha- A+ for honesty ^

I think you have a great idea here. As you already know, a lot of research does have to go into this, regardless of it being fiction. IMO, there needs to be some sort of truth in the plot in order for people to want to follow it and take it seriously.

I do not have a strong knowledge of the Russian mob from that time, so I cannot assist you with that. As I said though, I think you have a good idea here and I definitely think it something worth pursuing.

Originally Posted by Croat32

Now I'm only 17-years old. I wasn't even alive during the 80's...

I'm weeping a little for my obviously advanced years. When I first read the title of your post, I figured your story would be centered on the selfish, money-oriented, cocaine-snorting, post-disco decadence of the 1980's and how 2 regular guys get sucked into a life of greed, money and madness in the Big City.

I would watch a story like this, because I don't think a lot of media portrays what that side of the 80's was like. I don't know anything about the mafia scene in the states, but I agree that it seems like a massive research project.

If it were me writing this, I would try to make it much more localised- focusing on the characters and the people they deal with directly in a strange new city, and especially on the relationship and the conflict between your 2 main characters. That's a story that anyone from anywhere can relate to, even with the sex, drugs and violence you will need to liberally sprinkle over your script to get the HBO stamp of approval

Bump/Update

Hey guys thanks for all of the opinions. I do still indeed have plans to write this series. It's been setback for a while because the laptop in which I had all of my information on went down a few months back. I've done some research and I think I'm going to stick with the Russians being the dominate drug gang. The fact of the matter is, the story is fiction, and there are drug gangs of various races and groups everywhere. Once again thank you for all of your help, it's been very beneficial for me.

If any of you have interest in sharing ideas, or reading some of my plots, (or even scripts when the time comes), you can message me on here and we will exchange e-mails.