Not Necessarily the News

30min

News

Comedy

Not Necessarily the News is a satirical sketch comedy series that first aired on HBO in September 1982 as a comedy special, and then ran as a series from 1983 to 1990. It featured sketches, parody news items, commercial parodies, and humorous bits made from overdubbing or editing actual news footage. It was based on the British series, Not the Nine O'Clock News. Not Necessarily the News was also the birthplace of Rich Hall's sniglets.

Production Companies

HBO

Not the Network Company, Inc

Moffitt-Lee Productions

Episodes

Cast

Pilot {1}

1. Pilot {1}

30min

8th Aug 1983

The Newsroom is shut down and our newscasters must go elsewhere. However they do not do well and they become homeless. They are saved by a friendly man named Chester, who brings them into his home.

Pilot {2}

2. Pilot {2}

30min

15th Aug 1983

Living in the house of Chester, our team discovers he is an infamous murdere and call the police, but discover that they themselves are being arrested for being accomplices. They get a lawyer, and after 3 mistrials, they are set free, but are still homeless, and unemployed.

Pilot {3}

3. Pilot {3}

30min

22nd Aug 1983

Are team, desperate for money, start a chalk selling buisness, after it fails, they try several other things before getting hired at a new station, WBBCC

The Regan of Doom

4. The Regan of Doom

30min

2nd Oct 1983

The newsroom is visited by a Ronald Regan impersonater, he begins to wreak havoc and begin turning the staff against each other. They proceed to throw the Regan out, but they discover this fake Regan is the real thing.

Theo

5. Theo

30min

9th Oct 1983

Annabelle has a new love intrest, a quirky fellow named Theo. Meanwhile, A mystery guest has been called to the show, who is he? what will he do? The answer is: Its the Regan impersonator, and he has come to wreak havoc and break up Theo and Annabelle.

Road Trip

6. Road Trip

30min

16th Oct 1983

Rich and Michael go on a road trip to mexico where Rich is kidnapped and traded for beer. Meanwhile the crew is visited by a gay man. Also, Annabelle divises a plot to humiliate the Regan because of the loss of her boyfriend, Theo.

Machine

7. Machine

30min

23rd Oct 1983

Staurt gets a new car, and so does Rich. They decide to have a deathrace. After Stuart wins, Rich gets depressed and checks himself into mental institution, leaving Stuart to get him out.

Halloween {unedited version}

8. Halloween {unedited version}

30min

In this uncut original episode that HBO refused to air becuase of male nudity and slams at the U.N. {The ONLY time HBO has ever pulled an episode} Rich picks up up a hooker that turns out to be his long lost daughter

Halloween {Edited Version}

9. Halloween {Edited Version}

30min

7th Nov 1983

In this newly edited version, the comments {or slurs} against the United Nations and the male nudity scene are cut out. HBO also wanted the scene where a woman is penetrated by a mans fingers {i could be more specific, but this is a G-Rated site} edited down so you see only a bit of nudity.

Audrie in Love

10. Audrie in Love

30min

14th Nov 1983

Audrie gets two love intrests, Rob and Bob, who turn out to be brothers. Meanwhile, Rich has a try at boxing, and of course, fails miserably.

The Funeral

11. The Funeral

30min

21st Nov 1983

After Rich's father dies, he makes an ass of himself at the funeral. Eating candles and making love to a dog.

Action Star

12. Action Star

30min

28th Nov 1983

The Stuido is visted by an Arnold Swartzenger type character. Audire and Annabelle both fall in love with him, so does Rich, who questions his sexuality.

KKK and Rich

13. KKK and Rich

30min

5th Dec 1983

Rich joins a group club. Little does he know this club is the dreaded Klu Kulx Klan. Meanwhile Micheal tries to call a bet made by Stuart that he can make love to 3 women at once.

Human Face

14. Human Face

30min

12th Dec 1983

Rich gets plastic surgeary, but his doctors fear he has gotten cancer from the plastic. Meanwhile, Stuart and Melanie have a flashback of there mystery past.

First air date

8th Aug 1983

Last air date

7th Nov 1987

Status

Ended

Type

Scripted

Original language

en

Networks