Can We Save the Cat?

Rabbit Rabbit! It's time to gather all ye gamers and those who wander, because this episode is for you! On this week's episode, Bryan, Dani, and Justin discuss tea-nuts, the joys of reality tv, and a pitch about a gamer who just can't help but try and min-max their life. Also, Dani draws kawaii pictures! Because that's a thing now, right? 

Hosts IG: @bredacted, @justineugene, @officialdanihanks, @canwesavepod

Originally Recorded: 02-21-2022

When a virtual reality headset shows up on his doorstep, a man dissatisfied with life discovers h...

It's new episode day! On this week's episode, Andrew, Bryan, and Justin discuss Justin's quick-witted pitches, getting Witcher-blasted, and a pitch about a guy just trying to fit in with his new roommates.

Hosts IG: @bredacted, @justineugene, @writerbrandt, @canwesavepod

Originally Recorded: 02-14-2022

When a twenty-something finds himself in a new city and needing a place to stay, he ends up the new roommate of two LGBTQ individuals. Optimistic and eager, he tries everything he can to fit in, even if it's going too far. As the...

Happy Valentine's Day, dear listeners! For this year, we wanted to do something VERY special for our listeners. So, we gave you a murder-bride episode! Trust me, it will all make sense when you listen. Join Dani, Gracie, and Tiffany as they discuss scary potatoes, how much they hate Bryan, and a tale as old as time...scorned brides seek revenge against the horrible men they were set to marry.

Happy Valentine's Day! :)

A runaway bride and her maid of honor go on a quest to save fellow brides-to-be...

On this week's (nice) episode, it's all about the demons, baby! We talk succubi, gollums, girls in houses across streets from women in windows, and actual demons in this tale about a student who makes a deal with a devil...literally.

Hosts IG: @bredacted, @therealgracegiffune, @justineugene, @canwesavepod

Originally Recorded on 02-02-2022

Failing classes and out of options, a young college student finds themselves desperate to succeed. So, they do what any person would do...bind themselves to a demon and force them into their mundane tasks...

Settle in with your favorite dinosaur-themed mug and wipe that murder board clean because today's episode is all about a wholesome friendship! Sure, we might talk about murder boards and impersonation/identity theft but that's just because we have an amazingly talented guest joining the group today as author of Hello, Transcriber, Hannah Morrissey brings Andrew and Dani a pitch about a best friend who just can't seem to catch that lucky break.

Hosts IG: @hannahmorrisseywriter, @officialdanihanks, @writerbrandt, @canwesavepod

Originally Recorded: 01-24-2022

When a down-on-her-luck hot...

I think we could have some more of the things. Okay, I can explain. On this week's episode, we go from toes to nose and craft interesting sentences with our predictive text pitches! Things get weird!

Hosts IG: @bredacted, @officialdanihanks, @writerbrandt, @canwesavepod

Originally Recorded: 01-17-2022

When a Cat-tholic kitten, Cleocatra, living in the alley of a church learns about Ancient Egypt, she starts to preach to her friends about this promised land where cats aren’t discarded or ignored, but revered.

#Po...

Get ready folks, because on this week's episode we are going to steal the Alien Baby of Independence. Okay, not really. We actually just get really into Gracie's positivity on Instagram, struggle with movies about animal liberation, and discuss what would happen if Nicolas Cage is asked to take an alien baby across the country. It's a normal Tuesday on Can We Save the Cat?

Hosts IG: @bredacted, @officialdanihanks, @therealgracegiffune, @canwesavepod

Originally Recorded: 01-12-2022

When long haul truck driver Nicolas Cage discovers he’s transporting powerful alien cargo, he must make a ch...

On this Award-Winning episode of the Award-Winning podcast, three Award-Winning hosts discuss Award-Winning ideas such as their awkward accomplishment moments, their obsession with Award-Winning Actor Ethan Hawke, and discuss a pitch about roommates in a railroad-style apartment who just want to be left alone and commit murders. What an Award-Winning Concept!

Railroaded is a dark sitcom that follows a serial killer living in the middle room of a railroad apartment who has to keep his organ harvesting business a secret when a crime novelist moves into their third room.

Holy goodness, it's about to get dark on this week's episode as Andrew, Bryan, and Tiffany discuss existentialism, Spider-Man, and sentient teddy bears with a penchant for killing. NOTE: Light spoilers for Spider-Man: No Way Home. NOTE #2: No Teddy Bears were harmed in the making of this pitch.

Hosts IG: @bredacted, @tiffany.a.albright, @writerbrandt, @canwesavepod
Originally recorded on: 12-27-2021.

MURDERBEAR is an edge of your seat action-thriller. When a sentient teddy bear's entire family is murdered, the lonely bear sets out on a tale of revenge in the mean streets of Miami...

It's a new year and to celebrate, we are giving some old pitches a "glow up!" On this week's episode, the gang talks about voice jealousy, the art of the twerk, and a pitch about a dying father wishing to reconnect with his daughter via *checks notes* drugs? Okay, let's just see how this one turns out...

Hosts IG: @bredacted, @officialdanihanks, @writerbrandt, @canwesavepod
Originally recorded on: 12-13-2021.

When a recovering alcoholic gets a terminal liver cancer diagnosis, he convinces his estranged daughter to help him safely check a smorgasbord of drugs off his...

Ho! Ho! Ho! It's that special time of year to bust out the eggnog, diet coke, and BONE BROTH! That's right, it's Holiday Episode time! On this week's episode, Bryan, Dani, and Tiffany discuss (and spill) their favorite beverages, the well-known CowValley, and a pitch about a family trying to live with their friendly until their not spirits!

Hosts IG: @bredacted, @officialdanihanks, @tiffany.a.albright, @canwesavepod
Originally recorded on: 12-08-2021.

When an older brother invites his occultist roommate home for Christmas, all hell breaks loose as the family learns to communicate with spirits...

Ah yes, here lies the drug wrappers! On this week's episode, the group of Andrew, Bryan, and Gracie discuss what it truly means to be a gaffer, the unnecessary hate for Marvel's Eternals, and a pitch about a group of people blissfully happy in their life's patterns...until one of them starts to question it altogether.

Hosts IG: @bredacted, @therealgracegiffune, @writerbrandt, @canwesavepod
Originally recorded on: 12-01-2021.

In a utopian society where everything is perfect and everyone has a role to play, one person finds themselves convinced that the reality around them isn't quite...

This week on Can We Save the Cat, it's all about the egg, baby! Okay, well, not really. It's ashes and it's not the ENTIRE episode. This week, the writer's room of Bryan, Dani, and Justin discuss being home alone, an infamous Risky Business scene, and a story about a couple of schmucks who can't help but get in way over their heads.

Hosts IG: @bredacted, @justineugene, @officialdanihanks, @canwesavepod
Originally recorded on: 11-21-2021.

When a viral documentary brings light to an unsolved mystery, two nobodies discover they accidentally stole the president’s ashes an...

Happy Charlotte's Web week on Can We Save the Cat! Okay, it's not really but you would think it was based on the way Andrew, Bryan, and Dani talked this week. It's actually Thanksgiving week and the writers talk about the beloved children's book, what it means to be family, and an alien invasion that happens during a "friends"giving. It's...ThanksTAAAKIIING!!!

Hosts IG: @bredacted, @officialdanihanks, @writerbrandt, @canwesavepod
Originally recorded on: 11-15-2021.

Thankstaking is an irreverent comedy about a group of two-faced twentysomethings at Friendsgiving who must work together to escape a colonialist...

It's a new week for Can We Save the Cat and love is in the air with this rom-com pitch! Well, in the air for everyone except the producer aka Bryan (it's fine, I'm fine, everything's FINE) and Dani's friend from high school. Join Andrew, Dani, and Tiffany as they discuss a modern-day, transgender love story full of Disney, Dallas, and Doug the douchebag.

Hosts IG: @officialdanihanks, @tiffany.a.albright, @writerbrandt, @canwesavepod
Originally recorded on: 11-08-2021.

#TransMenAreMen #TransWomenAreWomen

When socially awkward music promoter Bryce meets the love of his life, Jake...

Well, talk about misleading episode titles! This pitch might actually be more terrifying than our Halloween episode! This is one for the creep-out books as Andrew, Dani, and Tiffany join the writer's room to talk the BFF After School Program (it's gonna be a thing, people), Dani's lack of 90s technology knowledge, and a genuinely creepy pitch about a girl who just wants to reconnect with her mother and the woman who pretends to be exactly that.

Hosts IG: @officialdanihanks, @tiffany.a.albright, @writerbrandt, @canwesavepod
Originally recorded on: 11-03-2021.

The Mommy is a...

Heeeeeello everybody to a NEW episode!...Okay, that was my radio voice. How did it sound? ANYWAYS, on this brand new episode, the writer's room gets unintentionally science-fiction on your butts with this pitch about tv series where your past will continue to shape your many, many futures.

Hosts IG: @bredacted, @justineugene, @therealgracegiffune, @canwesavepod
Originally recorded on: 10-27-2021

Born Again is an hour-long drama series taking place over multiple, interwoven timelines where a common worker is sentenced to do time for crimes committed in their past. Can our hero discover the truth in...

Månestein - Norwegian for "moon rock", CWSTC for "spooky pitch." On this special Halloween episode, the group discuss spoopy season, having a bones or no bones day, and have a very roundabout conversation on time-travel and having to kill your former self in this wild and terrifying pitch about a young boy who just won't die and the person tasked with trying to kill them.

Hosts IG: @bredacted, @crooklyncat, @officialdanihanks, @canwesavepod
Originally recorded on: 10-20-2021

When a ten year old boy gets struck by a tiny meteor that embeds into his brain, h...

It's officially Season Two time, y'all! Up first in the writer's room is Bryan, Gracie. and Justin as the trio discuss unique living room setups, Justin's pitch abilities, and eventually settle on the tale of a woman finding herself and love while dealing with a cancer diagnosis. 

Hosts IG: @bredacted, @therealgracegiffune, @justineugene, @canwesavepod
Originally recorded on: 10-13-2021

Recently divorced and ready for life's next chapter, a self-described 'realist's' life is put on hold when she receives a devastating diagnosis: cancer. Left in the care of a younger, fresh out of residency doctor, she f...

It's a celebration episode as Bryan, Dani, and Justin are joined by Gracie Giffune and Tiffany Albright in this very special, live episode. Join along as the group discuss the history of the podcast, have a trivia competition, and take part in a writer's panel discussing writing during the pandemic and in general!

The Birthday Party is almost here! In this mini-episode, Bryan takes a few minutes to discuss the upcoming birthday party and where you can watch it. The episode is happening Sunday, October 10th at 5pm EST. You can watch it at twitch.tv/canwesavepod. Be sure you are following us on Twitter or Instagram and are subscribed to the podcast to be eligible for giveaways! See you Sunday!

It's our second of two very special 'hiatus' episodes and this time things. get. WILD. On this week's episode, Andrew J. Brandt (@writerbrandt) joins Bryan (@bredacted42) and Dani (@dani_hanks) and the group has a REALLY hard time keeping it together when discussing a pitch about a rich billionaire CEO (let's call him...Shmeffrey Shmezos) and one warehouse worker (let's call her Claire) have to team up and work together in order to make it home from Ama...I mean, Shamazon's final frontier...space.

When their rocket crashes on the moon and they have to wait for...

Welcome back everybody! In our first episode back from hiatus, the writer's room of Bryan (@bredacted42), Dani (@dani_hanks), and Justin (@justineugene) discuss Hey Arnold! characters, on-the-run nuns (it's not Sister Act!), and a mid-thirties, stuck-in-a-rut shmuck who is forced to look after three kids all from different backgrounds when his friends are stuck overseas.

Not My Kids is a comedy for the whole family. Eugene, a software engineer and kid at heart, is nervous about taking care of his godchildren for the weekend while his “adult friends” go on vacation overseas. But when the three sets of p...

Aaaand we're back! Well, almost. Get an update on what we have been up to, what we have in store over the next few weeks, and what is coming up in the future in this exciting sneak peek at Season Two with host, Bryan Hays.

After 49 episode, it's finally here! The season finale of Can We Save the Cat? is upon us and in this very special episode, the group of Bryan, Dani, and Justin take it upon themselves to whittle their previously pitched episodes from 36 down to 1. Listen along as the group torments, laments, and whines their way to an eventually winner! 

Thanks for listening, enjoy, and catch us in a few weeks for the start of Season Two!

Originally Recorded on 07-11-2021

It's our last true episode of the season and the gang has taken it upon themselves to do something they have never done before! Okay, they've done it 48 other times but this time they are ACTUALLY saving the cat with a special episode all about cat-themed pitches. Join along as the group discuss which food's texture turns them off, Justin has a full circle moment, and we wrap up Season One of Can We Save the Cat? with a definitive YES.

Fluffy: Mayor of Dogtown is a hiss-terical animated children’s TV show. Every episode, the pawsome ci...

Where in the world is...our con artist on the run? In this week's episode, the group discuss big changes on the horizon, the POG world championships, and a con artist who eludes the "love" of her life in favor of the next big score.

CONditional Love is a one hour mystery dramedy series where a lovestruck man goes on an international search for his ex-wife, a con-artist who stole his money and broke his heart. Every episode, with the help of his quirky best friend, he meets a victim she’s conned before. Will learning her pa...

Get ready for a wild ride filled with twists, turns, and tons of running around in circles! On this week's episode, special guest Sydney Clara Brafman joins the podcast to discuss her pitch about a serial killer who "falls in love" with the girl next door. Don't worry, on the way there is plenty of talk about ranch dressing taste tests, who has the WORST pitch this week, and video game storytelling. Enjoy!

Sydney Clara Brafman is a filmmaker whose films have screened around the world. She is considered one of 110 filmmakers who represent the future of...

Weird title, great episode. The group welcomes writer & director Tiffany Albright to the podcast and discuss Justin's uncanny ability to pull pitches out of nowhere, one-armed massage therapist Aaron Soertaert, and a woman who is found in the woods with no recollection of how she got there. Buckle up because this one gets VERY wild!

Tahquamenon Falls is a limited series psychological thriller. After a heartbreaking miscarriage, a wannabe mother takes a weekend in the woods with her partner and friends and is found weeks later stranded in the ashes of what was once a cabin, badly...

In this episode, the group try really hard to guess Justin's pitch, discuss fashion and the modern-day worker, and a pitch where a woman on the run from the law cozies up with a suburban family.

When an escaped convict gets mistaken as a suburban mom’s long-lost sister, she decides to embrace this new identity as “Miss Martha,” a first grade teacher from ancestry.com, with the help of the family’s rebellious teenage daughter. But, when an opportunity arises to steal some expensive heirlooms, will our con choose to stay with the family she’s always wan...

In this week's episode, we are joined by very special guest Aline C Weiller, comedian and author of the upcoming book, Fun: Essays on a Life Embraced. Also, things get weird as the four discuss their confusion on Venmo, the original Lost episode (it was Michael Keaton, Bryan! Duh!), and a stay-at-home mom who decides to put herself back out there in an unexpected way.

Laugh Track is a half-hour episodic comedy series. A suburban mom hits her mid-life crisis – but instead of buying a sports car or doing Zumba like everyone else, she pursues a double li...

On this week's fun-filled episode of Can We Save the Cat?, Bryan and Justin bond over their shared Michael experiences, Dani absolutely doesn't whine whatsoever about her chronic illness, and the gang as a whole discuss a fantasy epic that sees a young girl finding out who she is and where she comes from.

Justin Eugeneeee, OH, you know what I meaaaan...

Call Us Monsters is a young adult fantasy series. Before she is forced to choose her final wild shape on her 16th birthday, a teen girl embarks on a journey to find her...

On this week's episode, one of the hosts messes up the intro, one of the guests does a complete 180 on the pitch, and the other is a beautiful, beautiful ginger. We will let you decide who is who! Also, Justin gets WEIRDLY into killing everyone but the person they decide to kill...wut.

When a large pharmaceutical corporation publishes a study that claims their opioids are not dependence-forming, an injured tennis pro turned addict decides to infiltrate the founder’s seemingly-perfect family as their personal trainer in order to ruin their lives like the drugs ruined his.

What kind of items would you bring to a housewarming party? A white elephant party? A...funeral...party? In this episode, the group discuss a pitch of possessions and the value that they bring (oh, and Josh Hartnett).

Recycled Stories is a dramedy anthology series. Each episode, we learn the story behind a beloved object being sold at a yard sale. In the end, all the different objects come together to continue creating stories with their new family.

Originally Recorded on 05-16-2021.

On this brand new episode, the group stands on the edge of teen soap dramas with this spiritual successor to 'The O.C.' and discuss everything from overrated and underappreciated candies (Now and Laters are the actual worst) to T.V. shows that just didn't quite do it for us. Join along and enjoy the view on The Peninsula!

The Peninsula is a dramedy about a Southern family from Eureka Springs who moves to Silicon Valley when father, Mr. Delmont, sells a groundbreaking new piece of tech out of his garage. Every episode, mom, dad, and...

It's another beautiful dystopian day for our crew as they welcome producer Bianca Serafini into the writer's room for some SERIOUS Josh Schwartz love, Brighton love, and genetic manipulation love. Okay, maybe not so much the last one but they do discuss a pitch in which a bright young mind gets the opportunity of a lifetime to develop a new technology to hep create genetically perfect children. What could go wrong?!

The Neonate is a dystopian drama miniseries about a young woman in tech with unbridled ambition who gets a million dollar offer to work for a...

#MayTheFourthBeWithYou ! Happy Tuesday everybody! On this episode, Bryan gets braces, Justin forgets the order of the episodes, and Dani brings the heat with her pitch about an artist who fakes their death and becomes famous in the process. Join along as the group discuss the rise and fall of a social media megastar who is #CrushingIt while being #Dead

#Dead is a dark comedy series. A TikTok artist goes viral after being declared dead – but when he comes home alive from his off-the-grid retreat a few days later, his manager convinces him to lean into his own fa...

It's about to get vintage! On this week's episode, the group discuss a winner-take-all tournament for the episodes, the oddities of American football, and...speaking of sports...a pitch about a woman on a mission who winds up in the 90s, when life was simpler and technology more frustrating.

Retro is a one hour sci-fi dramedy series about a young quirky woman from 2021 who, upon realizing social media and technology have completely taken over our minds, travels back in time with one goal: destroy Google.

With friends like these, who needs lovers? That's how the saying goes, no? NO?! Okay, well, on this week's episode, the group is joined by playwright and poet Rachel Goddard who pitches her concept about four friends who decide to raise a child together. Join along for Friends, superheroes, and more!

It Takes a Village is a romantic comedy about four jaded friends who decide to have a baby together. They moved to New York City in their 20s, wide-eyed and hopeful… Now, everybody’s thirty, and nobody’s rich, married, or found true love. And their biolog...

We're back with yet ANOTHER concept episode! This time, the group is taking previously pitched titles and reworking them into new and improved pitches! We take a few detours along the way, like listening parents, height discrepancies in dating, and the magic that is...#BigDaveHanks.

When a group of aliens use mind control to brainwash parents in a small town and practically turn them into puritans, five kids on bikes must figure out how to save the f**king day.