The Psychotronic Film Society of Savannah shows obscure and/or underappreciated films from around the world every Wednesday at the Sentient Bean. Whether extremely well-made or “so bad they’re good,” their selections are always rare, unique and memorable.

PLEASE NOTE:

TONIGHT’S SCREENING OF “THE BEST TV SHOWS YOU NEVER SAW (THE UNAIRED COMEDY PILOTS OF MR. SHOW’S BOB ODENKIRK & DAVID CROSS)” HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED FROM LAST WEDNESDAY!

This is the first in a new feature of the PFS. We’ll be presenting special, rare public screenings of little-known TV pilots for series that were never picked up and shown by the networks that commissioned them in the first place.

These are underrated, “lost” programs that allow viewers to imagine what might have been, had the suits been able to appreciate edgy, intelligent fare – instead of greenlighting whatever flavor-of-the-month, lowbrow junk got pitched their way.

For the debut installment of this occasional series, we’re screening a triple-bill of three short episodes produced and created by BOB ODENKIRK of MR. SHOW WITH BOB & DAVID fame.

That legendary HBO sketch comedy series is regarded as one of the greatest shows of its type ever aired, ranking up there with MONTY PYTHON’S FLYING CIRCUS, SCTV and THE KIDS IN THE HALL.

Many of the writers and actors who appeared in both MR. SHOW and THE LARRY SANDERS SHOW (another groundbreaking HBO comedy series from the ‘90s) were involved in the creation and production of these rejected pilots.

First up is LIFE ON MARS, an original, scripted comedy show from 1994 starring both Odenkirk and JANEANE GARAFOLO. It’s a quirky sitcom centered around a small L.A. coffee shop – and is NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH THE LATER TV SERIES OF THE SAME NAME.

This pilot centers around a nasty and witheringly hilarious sendup of a rock & roll star clearly inspired by THE VELVET UNDERGROUND’s LOU REED.

This will be followed by the pilot and “first episode” of a clever and cheeky sketch comedy show Odenkirk developed for FOX-TV not long after MR. SHOW ended its run on HBO.

That unseen 2000 show was called NEXT! and features a veritable who’s who of underground and alternative comedy, including: MR. SHOW vets Odenkirk, Cross, JAY JOHNSON, JILL TALLEY, BRIAN POSEHN (also of JUST SHOOT ME) and JERRY MINOR (later of SNL).

Plus, there are also appearances by famed standup PATTON OSWALT, FRED ARMISEN (later of SNL) ZACH GALAFINAKIS (of THE HANGOVER) and, of all people, RAY ROMANO.

It’s a blast of wacky and irreverent parodies, sketches and fake commercials that have never seen the light of day.

Even though we’re showing three different features, their combined length (without commercials) comes in at barely over an hour.

We hope to see you there – and thanks for supporting alternative and independent cinema here in Savannah.