I like searching YouTube for unusual films and forgotten television shows. Among my favorite searches are 'failed television pilots'....and you can see dozens of different TV shows that for one reason or another are new accepted by the networks. With some, it's strange because the shows were very good ("Lookwell" was genius...but the networks refused to green light it) but most, well, you can easily see why they were never made into a series. "Veronica's Video" clearly is one of these obvious ones.
The story makes no sense. A young man who wants to be a filmmaker arrives at Veronica's Video...one of the worst video rental stores in the world. The owner (Corbin Bernson) is abusive and uses a wheelchair...sometimes. I am sure disabled folks might be a bit miffed when they see that he probably is using it because he's lazy!! What is more obviously offensive is Mr. Chonda, a ridiculous stereotype by writers who know little about Indian immigrants. While he is dressed like a Sikh, the man is more like Apu from "The Simpsons" and the name 'Chonda' is not a name a Sikh would use (they adopt the surname 'Singh'). Sloppy...but also an unfunny and offensive character.
When the young man is given a job, it's on the condition that it's probational...and the owner will keep either the young filmmaker OR Chonda. This begs you to question WHY either guy would try this hard to get a job at a horrible store, run by a horrible man, and for LESS than minimum wage (which is illegal). It just doesn't make sense. And, given that the show isn't funny....well, it's pretty obvious why the series was never made. I'm just amazed they even made the pilot.
