High Concept/Alan Partridge

Idea for a television show, possibly an "ER" spinoff. ER: The Finance Department. Would revolve around a debt collector working for an American hospital, who has a limited amount of discretion to waive bills in circumstances of true hardship. Every week, he investigages the circumstances of a poor or middle-class American family with a crippling medical expense, deciding to what extent they're truly morally responsible for their own misfortune, or what luxury items in their house he believes they could do without; he could have a catchy thumbs-up/thumbs-down plus catchphrase to form the denouement of every episode. Would sell brilliantly in America, where everyone would enjoy vicariously judging distinctions between the deserving and feckless poor (and would make for good water-cooler discussions later, as people debated whether the Collector was right or not, plus any time ratings began to sag you could chuck in The Abortion Episode). Would also sell well internationally, as everyone around the world would like to gawk at the amazingly dysfunctional American health insurance system (this concept proven by Michael Moore's "Sicko"). Only drawback would be that it kind of times out if USA has meaningful healthcare reform, but I hardly think that's an obstacle to a long and successful run.

Update: For some reason I see Craig Ferguson in the title role.

It's horrifyingly likely I'll be doing more of these during 2009. Happy New Year to my dwindling band of readers.