High Concept

I sent this to my pal Gary:

"I’m working on an idea for a TV series with which I want to approach Showtime.  This will be in the vein of that Resurrection show, and also HBO’s “Leftovers,” with hints of ABC’s “FlashForward” and “Lost.”  The overall plot framework:  A secret army research facility in Lexington, KY suffers a mysterious alert and goes on “lockdown.”  Suddenly, everyone in a 40 mile radius suffers from continuous, uninterrupted flatulence: everyone sounds a little different, but it’s non-stop, like droning whistles and clapping.  When more than 5 people are in the same room it’s hard to hear conversations.  An investigative reporter who was checking out the secret facility when this occurred will try to expose the cause, but government agents will try to shut him down.  The lead government agent was actually out of town during “The Occurrence,” and he comes back to Lexington to kill the reporter. However, he is also conflicted, because his wife and teenaged daughters are now passing gas continuously, and he wants to help them, and part of him also wants to help the reporter.  It turns out even house pets are affected, but animals that can’t pass gas, like hamsters, just detonate.  I’m planning on a J. J. Abrams-like ending in which the cause is revealed to be time-traveling ghosts with forbidden lusts, or you know, whatever.  I might need a little help with the script for the pilot. You in?"