Big Beast Quintet (lost Nickelodeon animated pilot; 1990)

The original station ID.

Status: Lost

Big Beast Quintet was an unsold animated pilot that was pitched to Nickelodeon.

Origin

In 1989, the kid-oriented cable network Nickelodeon decided to launch their own original animated programming, which they dubbed "Nicktoons." They commissioned eight pilots, and planned to choose the four best pilots to make it to series (though in the end, only three were chosen), with a targeted premiere in August 1991.

Big Beast Quintet was created by Japhet Asher and George Evelyn of Colossal Pictures. The idea was not original to the pilot, as the characters first appeared in an animated Nickelodeon station ID: five animals walked down the street, singing nonsensical lyrics, wearing orange shirts with a few letters on each. They walked inside a television set, rearranged themselves, and their shirts spelled out "Nickelodeon," which they sang at the end. The idea to pitch a series based on the bumper came from the idea that a show about characters the audience was already familiar with would make for a more successful series. The pilot was made in 1990.

The Pilot

The characters were more fleshed out in the pilot. The Big Beast Quintet lived in the city of Animatropolis where they worked as news reporters for Channel Zero. Their boss, Nero Zero, who had a "nice-mean" switch on his head controlled by his assistant Bombat, sends them to Ice Cube Island to do a story on the Abominably Animated Man. They can't find him, however, and use a stage set to fake the broadcast, pretending to get lost. Big Beast, feeling guilty, goes out on his own to find the Abominably Animated Man. Nero Zero shows up to save the Big Beast Quintet but is upset to find only four of them on a fake set. But then, Big Beast shows up with the surprisingly friendly Abominably Animated Man and Nero Zero becomes nice again.

Results

The pilot has been described as having a silly Nickelodeon "feel," but it tested poorly. The concept of having a mean, angry boss was not something the kid audience could relate to, and the fake news story subplot went over their heads. Nickelodeon tried tweaking the concept with Colossal Pictures and a revised pilot, called Channel Zero, was pitched, but it was considered not funny enough to be picked up as a TV series.

The pilots eventually picked up were:

• Doug Can't Dance by Jim Jinkins for Jumbo Pictures; became the pilot for Doug.
• Tommy Pickles and the Great White Thing by Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó and Paul Germain for Klasky Csupo; became the pilot for Rugrats.
• Ren Hoek and Stimpy in "Big House Blues" by John Kricfalusi for Spümcø; became the pilot for The Ren & Stimpy Show.

Unlike the original station ID, which is easily found on the Internet, the Big Beast Quintet pilot was never shown to anyone outside those involved in its production and the test audiences, nor has it been shared by its creators since, save for a presentation given by Linda Simensky in 1995 at the Society for Animation Studies Conference in Greensboro, North Carolina, where she showed the five failed Nicktoon pilots, as well as four others, to an audience of animation professors and historians. The reworked version, Channel Zero, has also never been seen.

Status

On August 9th, 2018, when asked about the pilot on Twitter, Japhet Asher said he may have a VHS tape containing the pilot, and that George Evelyn probably had a higher-quality copy.

Credits

• Created by Japhet Asher and George Evelyn
• Written by Japhet Asher
• Directed by George Evelyn

Gallery

The Big Beast Quintet station ID.

See Also

Anthology and Short Series

• Astrology with Squidward (found series of "SpongeBob SquarePants" Nickelodeon animated shorts; early 2000s)
• Attack of the Giant Vulture (found Nickelodeon short film; 1998)
• Balinese Slapping Fish (found Nickelodeon Australia animated short series; 1998)
• Bobby the Lizard Boy (found Nickelodeon animated short; 2000)
• Eddie Retractorhead (partially lost Nickelodeon UK animated short series; 2008)
• Gordon Bleugh! (found Nickelodeon animated short series; early 2000s)
• The Hopkins (lost Nickelodeon Australia animated short series; 2005)
• ICarly at the 2008 Kids Choice Awards (found Nickelodeon promotional short web series; 2008)
• Leader Dog (partially lost Nickelodeon animated short series; 2004)
• Making Fiends (partially lost promotional shorts for Nickelodeon animated series based on web series; 2008)
• Meet The Moores (partially found Nickelodeon UK animated short series; 2002-2003)
• Nick Studio 10 (partially found Nickelodeon channel block; 2013)
• Nickelodeon Addicting Games Showdown (partially found interstitial TV event of online game website; 2009-2010)
• Nickelodeon Blimp (found Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards animated short; 2005-2007)
• Oh Yeah! Cartoons (found Nickelodeon animated anthology series; 1998-2001)
• Schoolyard Safari (found Nickelodeon animated short series; 2002-2003)
• SpongeBob: Re-Hydrated (partially lost "SpongeBob SquarePants" animated short; 2003)
• Tortellini Western (partially lost Nickelodeon animated short series; 2004)
• A Very Aggressive Vegetable (found Nickelodeon Australia animated short series; 1998)

Bumpers and Promos

• 101% Whizbang! with Henry & June (partially found Nickelodeon channel block; 1999)
• Blood and Guts (partially found Nickelodeon bumpers; 2000s)
• HaHa Nick (lost Chinese block of Nickelodeon shows; 2005-2007)
• Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (partially lost TV promos for Nickelodeon animated film and TV series; 2001–2002)
• Nickelodeon (partially found idents and bumpers from TV channel; 1979-present)
• Nickelodeon's Historical Firsts (found animated promos from TV channel; 1997)
• SpongeBob's Nicktoon Summer Splash (partially lost bumpers from Nickelodeon channel block; 2000-2001)

Films

• Aaahh!!! Real Monsters (non-existent Nickelodeon TV film; 1998)
• Cry Baby Lane (found Nickelodeon TV horror film; 2000)
• A Day With SpongeBob SquarePants: The Movie (unproduced unauthorized direct-to-DVD mockumentary film; 2011)
• The Electric Piper (found Nickelodeon animated TV film; 2003)
• Hey Arnold! The Jungle Movie (partially found production material of cancelled original adaptation of Nickelodeon animated series film; 2002)
• Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus (lost/unreleased deleted Tak scenes of film based on Nickelodeon animated series; 2018-2019)
• Prometheus and Bob (lost production material of cancelled film adaptation of "KaBlam!" Nickelodeon stop-motion animated series; late 1990s)
• Rugrats Go Wild (partially found original 90 minute cut of Nickelodeon animated crossover film; 2003)

Game Shows

• BrainSurge (partially lost Nickelodeon game show; 2009-2014)
• Double Dare (partially found Australian adaptation of Nickelodeon game show; 1989-1992)
• Double Dare (partially lost Nickelodeon game show; 1986-1993)
• Family Double Dare (partially found spin-off of Australian adaptation of Nickelodeon game show; 1989)
• Figure It Out (partially found episode of Nickelodeon game show; 1998)
• Friday Night Slimetime (partially found Nickelodeon game show; 2005-2006)
• Gamefarm (partially lost Nickelodeon GAS game show; 2003)
• Legends of the Hidden Temple (lost Pit of Despair incident footage from unaired final round/episode of Nickelodeon game show; 1994)
• Legends of the Hidden Temple (partially found original consolation plugs from Nickelodeon game show; 1993-1995)
• Nick Arcade (found Nickelodeon game show; 1992)
• Nick Arcade (partially found original consolation prize plugs from Nickelodeon game show; 1992)
• Nickelodeon Splat! (partially found Nickelodeon game show; 2004)
• Slime Time Live (partially found Nickelodeon game show; 2000-2004)
• SuperNick (partially found Nickelodeon Netherlands game show; 2007-2011)
• SuperNick op De Stoep Bij... (partially found Nickelodeon Netherlands sports show; 2007-2008)
• Webheads (partially lost Nickelodeon game show; 2014–2015)

Inaugural Series

• America Goes Bananaz (partially found Nickelodeon variety series; 1977-1980)
• By The Way (partially found inaugural Nickelodeon series; 1979-1980)
• Nickel Flicks (lost inaugural Nickelodeon series; 1979)
• Pinwheel (partially found Nickelodeon educational puppet series; 1977-1990)
• Pocket Money (non-existent inaugural Nickelodeon series; 1979)
• Video Comics (partially found inaugural Nickelodeon series; 1979-1981)

Live Action

• The Adventures of Pete & Pete (partially found original versions of episodes of Nickelodeon live-action comedy series; 1991-1993)
• All That (partially lost Nickelodeon sketch comedy series; 1994-2005)
• Bing! The Sound of Something New (partially found Nickelodeon magazine TV series; 1995)
• Cousin Skeeter (partially lost Nickelodeon live-action/puppet series; 1998-2001)
• Drake & Josh (partially found widescreen version of episodes of Nickelodeon sitcom; 2004-2007)
• Innie & Outie (found live-action Nickelodeon short film; 1996)
• Just For Kicks (found Nickelodeon live-action comedy-drama series; 2006)
• Kids' Court (partially found Nickelodeon non-traditional court series and other media; 1988-1994)
• Mcjuniorclub TV (partially found Nickelodeon Netherlands/McDonald's live-action short series; 2008)
• The Nick Cannon Show (partially lost spin-off of "All That" Nickelodeon sketch comedy series; 2002-2003)
• Nick News with Linda Ellerbee (partially found Nickelodeon educational news series; 1992-2015)
• Noah Knows Best (partially found English audio of Nickelodeon sitcom; 2000-2001)
• Reggie Jackson's World of Sports (partially found Nickelodeon sports series; 1981-1982)
• U to U (partially found Nickelodeon interactive series; 1994-1996)
• Vic's Vacant Lot (partially found ESPN/Nickelodeon sports series; 1982-1985)

Pilots

• Aaahh!!! Real Monsters (partially found pitch pilot of Nickelodeon animated series; early 1990s)
• The Adventures of Johnny Quasar (found prototype "Jimmy Neutron" animated shorts; 1995-1997)
• The Angry Beavers "Cuffed Together" (non-existent second pilot of Nickelodeon animated series; early-mid 1990s)
• Back at the Barnyard (partially found original test pitch of Nickelodeon CGI animated series; 2000)
• Bad Seeds (found pitch pilot of "Harvey Beaks" Nickelodeon animated series; 2013)
• Camp Nick (partially found Nickelodeon game show pilot; mid-1990s)
• Catscratch (found animated pitch of Nickelodeon animated series; 2004)
• The Crowville Chronicles (partially found Nickelodeon animated pilot; 1990)
• Curbside (found Nickelodeon animated pilot; 1999)
• Drake & Josh (partially found pitch pilot of Nickelodeon sitcom; 2002)
• Figure it Out (partially found pitch pilot of Nickelodeon game show; 1990s)
• Fresh Beat Band of Spies (found pitch pilot of Nickelodeon animated spin-off of "The Fresh Beat Band" musical series; 2013)
• Generation Gap (partially found Nickelodeon game show pilot; early 1990s)
• Gibby! (found pitch pilot of cancelled spin-off of "iCarly" Nickelodeon teen sitcom; 2012)
• Go For It (lost Nickelodeon game show pilot; early 1990s)
• Hey Arnold! (found pitch pilot of Nickelodeon animated series; 1994)
• Humongous (lost pilot of Nickelodeon game show; early 1990s)
• I Don't Think So (partially found Nickelodeon game show pilot; 1994)
• Invader Zim (lost 3D animation test sequence from Nickelodeon animated series pilot; 1999)
• KaBlam! "The Henry and June Show" (found spin-off pilot of Nickelodeon animated series; 2000)
• Kappa Mikey (found pitch pilots of Nickelodeon animated series; 2004)
• Morph Sports (partially found Nickelodeon game show pilot; 1995-1996)
• Mr. Meaty "In Parker's Sight" (partially lost pitch pilot of Nickelodeon puppet series; 2005)
• Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide (partially found original version of Nickelodeon sitcom pilots; 2003)
• Ned's Declassified High School Survival Guide (lost pitch pilot of rejected spin-off of Nickelodeon sitcom; 2008)
• The Penguins of Madagascar (partially found pitch pilot versions for Nickelodeon CGI animated series; mid-2000s)
• Pudding Toast (lost Nickelodeon animated pitch pilots; 2012)
• Rocket Beach (found pitch pilot of "Rocket Power" Nickelodeon animated series; 1998)
• Roundhouse (partially found pitch pilot of Nickelodeon comedy series; 1991)
• Slime Survivor (partially found Nickelodeon game show pilot; 2000)
• The Thundermans (partially lost pitch pilot of Nickelodeon live-action comedy series; 2012)
• Tooned In! (partially found Nickelodeon game show pilot; 1998)
• Trash (lost Nickelodeon stop-motion animated pilot; 1990)
• The Weasel Patrol (lost Nickelodeon animated pilot; 1990)
• Video Dream Theater (lost Nickelodeon animated pilots; 1979)
• Who Knew? (partially found Nickelodeon game show pilot; 1998)
• The Wild Thornberrys (found pilot of Nickelodeon animated series; 1998)

Other

• Action League Now!: The Series "Monster Mashed" (found episode of "Kablam!" spin-off animated series; 2002)
• Action League Now!: The Series "Thunder Girl: Tracking The Storm" (found episode of "Kablam!" spin-off series; 2001-2002)
• Adventures in Wonder Park (partially found unaired Nickelodeon animated series based on film; 2019)
• Against the Odds (partially found Nickelodeon documentary series; 1982-1988)
• The Angry Beavers "A Tail of Two Rangers/Bye Bye Beavers" (partially found finale episode of Nickelodeon animated series; 2001)
• Back at the Barnyard (partially found widescreen versions of Nickelodeon CGI animated series episodes; 2007-2011)
• The Butcher (lost Nickelodeon puppet short film; existence unconfirmed; 2001)
• Danny Phantom (partially found original opening title sequence of Nickelodeon animated series; 2003)
• Got Chocolate Milk? (found "SpongeBob SquarePants" animated tie-in commercial; 2001)
• Gruff's Groove Box (lost Nickelodeon music series; 2001)
• Hocus Focus (partially found Nickelodeon variety series; 1979-1981)
• The Humpback Hop (found full version of "SpongeBob SquarePants" production music; 2002)
• ICarly "How To" (found bonus content DVD from Nickelodeon sitcom "Web Show Set"; 2011)
• Invader Zim (partially found production material of cancelled episodes of Nickelodeon animated series; 2001-2002)
• KaBlam! "Episode 29" (non-existent episode of Nickelodeon animated series; 1998)
• KaBlam! "Just Chillin" (found final episode of Nickelodeon animated series; 2000)
• KaBlam! "KaFun!" (found episode of Nickelodeon animated series; 1999)
• KaBlam! "An Off-Beats Valentine's" (found spin-off special of Nickelodeon animated series; 1998)
• The Lil' Sam & Cat Show (partially lost web series based on Nickelodeon sitcom; 2013-2014)
• The Loud House (partially lost deleted scenes of Nickelodeon animated series; 2016-present)
• Nickelodeon Japan (partially found various final sign-off footage of Japanese TV channel; 2009)
• Nickelodeon Launch Box (partially lost educational series; 1991-1994)
• Nickelodeon Magazine's Big 10 Birthday Bash (found Nickelodeon TV special; 2003)
• Nickelodeon Mega Music Fest 2010 (found Nickelodeon musical event broadcast; 2010)
• Nickelodeon Studios Opening Day Celebration (found live broadcast of Nickelodeon event; 1990)
• The Ren & Stimpy Show (non-existent unused Kurt Cobain song for Nickelodeon animated series; 1990)
• The Ren & Stimpy Show "Man's Best Friend" (found banned episode of Nickelodeon animated series; 1992)
• Robot and Monster (partially found unaired/unfinished episodes of Nickelodeon animated series; 2012-2013)
• Rugrats: A Live Adventure (partially found footage of musical adaptation of Nickelodeon animated series; 1998-2000)
• Rugrats "Incredible" (partially lost storyboard jam comic of Nickelodeon animated series; 1998)
• SpongeBob SquarePants (partially lost deleted scenes of Nickelodeon animated series; 1999-present)
• SpongeBob SquarePants "Sailor Mouth" (lost uncensored version of Nickelodeon animated series episode; 2001)
• SpongeBob SquarePants "Shanghaied/You Wish" (partially lost English audio from alternate "Patchy the Pirate" segments of Nickelodeon animated series episode; 2001)
• SpongeBob SquarePants "SpaceBob InvaderPants/Krabs' Army" (lost production material of cancelled Nickelodeon animated series episodes; 2015)
• War Blowers (found full version of "SpongeBob SquarePants" production music; 1999)
• Weinerville (partially lost Nickelodeon variety puppet series; 1993-1997)