When trying to write for the TV industry there are those inside the tent and those outside the tent. But there is also a third little known category. Those that don't know where the tent is. As a TV writer, Karl belonged to that third category.

Still he persevered and in 2000 RTE Two produced a six-part original comedy drama series he penned called Straight To Video. RTE loved the idea because (plus ca change) it was extremely cheap to produce.

Six video diaries. Six different stories. Including the cream of Irish acting talent of the time. Anna Manahan (see above) played a mother who enters a mother-carrying competition with her son Mikel Murfi. Des Keogh and Milo O'Shea played two old hitmen, and in another episode Pat Shortt played a Pat Shortt-type character straight from central casting, planning a dodgy scheme in darkest Munster.

Given a fluid scheduling slot due to the Sydney Olympics, Straight To Video attracted a modest to non-existent audience but was praised by The Sunday Independent which claimed it had 'a little bit of surrealist magic'.