Comedy Pilot "Bigg County Restorations" Perfectly Parodies DIY Reality TV

Bigg County Restorations is a zany new pilot from comedians Joe Bell and Mikaela Watkins. In a spot-on parody of History Channel shows like American Restoration and Pawn Stars, Paul Bigg (John Jezior) works to restore kitschy decor for celebrities while his good-for-nothing adult children, Britney (Mikaela Watkins) and Junior (Joe Bell) go on wacky adventures while slacking off on the menial tasks they’ve been assigned. In the pilot, Britney and Mikaela’s day goes off the rails pretty fast.

The pilot opens on a pitch-perfect intro sequence straight out of reality TV, complete with royalty free rock music, quick cutaways, and shaky B-roll. After this, Paul, aka Pops, introduces the framing device: his restoration of an antique claw machine owned by Chickenfoot guitarist Joe Satriani. But first, Britney and Junior need to clean the back room. As Britney tries to clean, she discovers an E.T.-sized alien egg Junior’s been keeping, and it hatches. Quickly enough, the mad scientists working in the mysterious compound down the street (all referred to very casually) show up to fetch the alien and a chase ensues as Junior takes off down the street on his motorcycle, shooting wildly at the alien ship following him down the highway. This whole chaotic episode is, of course, told through repetitive talking head footage that perfectly parodies the style of DIY and construction reality TV.

The magic of Bigg County Restorations really is in its editing, writing, and production. The labor of love it must have taken to replicate the aura of renovation television comes through clearly, and the writing of Britney and Junior perfectly captures the slightly dim cast of characters featured on any reality TV show. And of course, the jokes and gags come fast. From Britney distracting the scientists by asking them to count some marbles or the offhand remark from Pops that he’s restoring a hideous life-size sculpture for Reba McEntire, Bigg County Restorations captures the single camera comedy style popularized by beloved sitcoms like The Office and Parks and Rec.

Overall, Bigg County Restorations is a satisfying, quirky ride that delights in the nostalgia of mid-2000’s trash TV, pays homage to single camera sitcoms, and features characters you can imagine developing into beloved icons after a few seasons. Bigg County Restorations can be found for free on Youtube now.