Cut into a feature-length narrative instead of 15 grueling weeks of must-avoid TV, the resulting movie took advantage of that medium’s uncensored format. Although “Cancun” didn’t achieve any artistic milestones, it did set a record for turnaround time. Shot over 10 days in March 2003, “Cancun” was in theaters just five weeks later, on April 25.

As an extra bonus — and here was the real payoff — it required no pesky writers (unless you count the savvy editors who fashioned a geek-triumphant narrative out of all the tawdry off-the-cuff footage). With TV and film writers now in their sixth week of striking, this type of material would suddenly seem much more viable again as a cheap and quick way to fill in a hole or two on a studio slate.