After several weeks, filming was complete and while busy tech heads got to work editing the episodes, the cast were forced into filming promos and fronting up for interviews.
          The promotional adverts were a late night, drunken brainchild of Ryan, Colin, Greg and Tony. They started off very obscurely with just a black screen flashing up with "The Originals" on it. Later they went on to a Men in Black kind of sequence, with the four of them putting on dark suits and glasses. The final and most revealing advert went something like:
          Ryan in dark suit and glasses appears standing against a white background. Colin walks over and stands next to him.
          Colin: What you waiting for?
          Ryan: What's it to you?
          Colin: Haven't you heard about the new improvisation program on Channel 4?
          Ryan: (shocked) Who told you?
          Greg appears on the other side of Ryan.
          Greg: (coyly) I told him.
          Ryan: Great now everybody knows.
          Colin: AH HA! So that's what you're waiting for?
          Ryan: Yeah so what? Everybody is waiting for The Originals.
          Greg: It airs this Thursday at 9:30 doesn't it?
          Colin: I've heard it’s mix of Whose Line is it Anyway and a sketch comedy show.
          Greg: It's got all the most popular former members of Whose Line too.
          Tony strolls out in front of the other three causing them to hush.
          Tony: That's right gentlemen…The Originals, 9:30 this Thursday…the wait is over (cheeky grin)

          The obscurity of the first adverts caused a minor media frenzy and the cast took it upon themselves to lie about everything. Greg told a newspaper that it was a sitcom, Caroline informed a magazine it was a reality TV show, Tony gushed enthusiastically in a television interview that it was a mini-series and even Clive said it was a new soapie in a radio interview.
          By the time Thursday came the media was going mental with anticipation. They'd tried everything to get to the truth but they couldn't find a single leak.
          The entire cast had piled into the apartment to watch the first episode of their new show. The booze flowed freely and everyone was bubbling with excitement.
          "I hope we don't bomb," Brad sighed.
          "With the amount of media interest we've had…are you mad," Steve gushed.
          "Don't forget it can work both ways. The media might take an unflattering angle…like the yanks can't make it at home so they come here," Clive warned.
          "And be careful what they make of your sacking," Tony added.
          "Fuck the media," Greg announced.
          "I agree," Ryan nodded as he flumped into an armchair.
          "It’s starting…it’s starting," Josie announced, grabbed the remote and turned up the volume.
          Everyone got comfortable as the opening titles began, finished and then cut to Clive at his fancy new desk.
          "Hello and welcome to The Originals, a Whose Line style improvisation show with an added sketch style twist…tonight for your entertainment and minimal pay…my old sparring partner…Greg Proops." Greg, sporting his usual suit, gave a wave.
          "The sexiest man in Canada…or so I'm told…Colin Mochrie." Colin, in a plain shirt, smiled and shook his head.
          "The only man ever to successfully re-enact the birth of a foal…Ryan Stiles." Ryan, in a loose shirt and slacks that fit, blew a kiss to the camera.
          "And the man, the myth, the randy bugger himself…Tony Slattery." Tony, sporting jeans and a shirt, gave a wry smile.
          The show itself went from the usual bare studio format, to improvising in full-on sets. Which wasn't only new to most of them but had hilarious results. Especially in one set scene when they were supposed to be doing a Friends-like apartment scene. They were too busy acting to pay attention to the props and Colin tripped over the coffee table and landed in a chair, Tony smacked into a wall and Ryan copped a table corner in the groin. But they were troopers and kept acting and even they found it funny in the end.
          By the time the credits rolled and they were reading them in the style of a bunch of toddlers, everyone in the room was applauding.
          "I think we have a minor hit on our hands," Greg grinned.
          "I hope audiences respond just as well as we did," Niall nodded.
          Clive was about to speak when his phone rang; everyone hushed as he took the call.
          "Hello…speaking…yes, yes…you did…already…no, no that's fine…I'll let them know." Clive hung up and turned stunned to the others.
          "What's happened?" Josie gasped.
          "They want to run the show on cable…worldwide," Clive announced.
          A unanimous gasp filled the room.
          "What, simultaneously with the free to air version?" Ryan asked.
          "Yes," Clive nodded.
          There was an outbreak of whooping and congratulating.
          "I take it you don't mind," Clive smiled.
          "Hell no, it gets us one step closer to getting it free to air back in the States," Brad chirped.
          "And it’s a step closer to giving Whose Line something to worry about," Chip added.
          "There is one request though from both Channel 4 and cable," Clive stipulated.
          "We're not giving you up Mr A," Greg stated.
          "Oh nothing like that…they want you to film another series," Clive said enthusiastically.
          The others looked at each other.
          "Right away?" Steve piped up.
          "Well, yes…but we'll give it a few weeks so our American friends can see their families," Clive smiled. "So are you in?" Tony asked, looking at Ryan, Colin, Greg, Chip and Brad.
          "I've got no problem with it," Brad perked.
          "Shouldn't be a problem," Chip nodded.
          "I'll be there Mr A," Greg mused.
          "As long as we get rid of the coffee table I'll do it," Colin said seriously.
          All attention focused on Ryan. "My wife is gonna kill me but yeah, I'm in," Ryan breathed.
          Another set of cheers went up, Richard popped some champagne and they set to work plotting the next series.