Alf, Out of this World, Small Wonder, Harry and the Hendersons, '90s sitcoms with a sci-fi tinge.

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Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!

― rems (x Jeremy), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 05:23 (eighteen years ago)

Hahahah.

WHAT PROMPTED THIS THREAD, I WONDER.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 05:25 (eighteen years ago)

http://home.snafu.de/keks/credits.jpg

― rems (x Jeremy), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 05:25 (eighteen years ago)

i usta have a major thing for her!

― rems (x Jeremy), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 05:26 (eighteen years ago)

http://www.cinefantastico.com/terroruniversal/imagen/bigfoot03.jpg

― rems (x Jeremy), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 05:28 (eighteen years ago)

Aren't these all 80's shows?

I'll suggest Down To Earth -

The series revolved around Ethel MacDoogan, a free-spirited gal from the roarin' 1920s. Unfortunately (according to the lyrics in the show's theme song), it would all come to an end in 1925, "...when she was struck down by a trolley (golly)."

Ethel waits in Heaven to earn her wings for 60 years when finally she is sent to earth and we fast forward to the 1980s to work for a family named the Prestons. The Prestons are a typical modern-day family with modern-day situations: Father Richard was a realtor; older son Duane was very class-conscious; daughter Lissy was always very opiniated; J.J. just wanted someone who can fill their late mother's void.

It was horrible :).

― svend (svend), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 05:29 (eighteen years ago)

Third Rock! Wait, does it count? Did it start in the 90s?

― Trayce (trayce), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 05:30 (eighteen years ago)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v208/jcoombs/de_otro_mundo.jpg

― rems (x Jeremy), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 05:33 (eighteen years ago)

http://edsdailyrant.blogspot.com/melmac.jpg

― rems (x Jeremy), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 05:33 (eighteen years ago)

lest we ferget

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Spirit_(TV_series)

― Mr Jones (Mr Jones), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 05:34 (eighteen years ago)

christ - you must add the end of thatt url or face misguidance

― Mr Jones (Mr Jones), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 05:36 (eighteen years ago)

Oh another one, My Secret Identity.

http://www.galacticfed.com/msi/images/photo7.jpg
http://jerryoconnellfansite.com/interviews/tvtimes_msi_150.jpg

― svend (svend), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 05:37 (eighteen years ago)

third rock was kind of great

― the starbucks in the forbidden city (Jody Beth Rosen), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 05:38 (eighteen years ago)

small wonder on youtube

― rems (x Jeremy), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 05:43 (eighteen years ago)

oh MANNN i was in love with small wonder when i was little. it wasn't a "crush" really, but i just thought the idea of a teen girl robot was so cool

― joseph (joseph), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 05:48 (eighteen years ago)

Wow, I forgot about Out of this World. It was like The Fermata for 10 year old me. The rest are pretty much ranked by order of greatness in the thread title.

― walter kranz (walterkranz), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 05:54 (eighteen years ago)

remember the episode where a romulan comes to town to kill evie?

― rems (x Jeremy), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 05:58 (eighteen years ago)

evie's duet with dad (burt reynolds)

― rems (x Jeremy), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 06:24 (eighteen years ago)

don't forget Maniac Mansion, with JOE FLAHERTY!

― kingfish prætor (kingfish 2.0), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 07:11 (eighteen years ago)

I was just recently talking about these shows with someone, but to me the common thread is not so much sci-fi but the fact that they all involve a family hiding something.

― A-ron Hubbard (Hurting), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 07:28 (eighteen years ago)

ladies and gentlemen:
The Charmings
http://www.charmings.org/charmpic1/14.JPG

― tremendoid (tremendoid), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 07:30 (eighteen years ago)

I think there was an ALF-wannabe called "Scorch", with a dragon? A classmate at the time (around 1991) said it was "awesome".

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 07:36 (eighteen years ago)

Wow, huh, The Charmings. I've never seen it, but from this clip I would have thought it was produced by a community college television station

http://youtube.com/watch?v=sQfKbVm1kFs&mode=related&search=

― A-ron Hubbard (Hurting), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 07:41 (eighteen years ago)

fucking weird, this morning, coming off the subway, i was thinking about when NBC pushed prime time into 7:30pm, creating several of these abominations in the process

― manute lol (sanskrit), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 16:41 (eighteen years ago)

I vaguely recall a show where Eric Idle was a ghost in a house a family had just moved into, it lasted all of maybe 5 episodes?

― polar bear flashback episode (nickalicious), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 16:49 (eighteen years ago)

ahhh Small Wonder, so much wisdom in that girlish monotone ("if-he-is-your-friend-why-don't-you-say-that-you-are-sorry?")

― Shakey Mo Collier (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 16:49 (eighteen years ago)

I liked the Charmings, for no other reason that it introduced me to Paul Winfield(who i didn't recognize from the 2nd Star Trek movie)

― kingfish prætor (kingfish 2.0), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 16:53 (eighteen years ago)

I vaguely recall a show where Eric Idle was a ghost in a house a family had just moved into, it lasted all of maybe 5 episodes?

OMG NICK I TALK ABOUT THIS SHOW ALL THE TIME AND NOBODY REMEMBERS IT!!!

I think it was inspired by Beetlejuice, maybe, because most people couldn't see Eric Idle, except for, like, kids, dogs, and old people. There was an episode where he was helping the lovable-but-going-blind grandpa ace his eye exam at the DMV by acting out the letters with huge YMCA-style gestures, which obv. nobody else was able to see.

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 16:54 (eighteen years ago)

not quite a sitcom, but an 80s sci-fi family show no one ever seems to remember (probably rightly so): OTHERWORLD!
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088587/

― Shakey Mo Collier (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 16:55 (eighteen years ago)

I think it was called Nearly Departed or something like that. Another example of how Eric Idle has spent most of his career flailing.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 16:55 (eighteen years ago)

http://www.mrskin.com/data/tv/00/21/82/castpic_1178.jpg

TEEN ANGEL

― Slumpman (Slump Man), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 16:55 (eighteen years ago)

Which was the one with Ann Jillian? Because I totally remember that too. Or was that "Down to Earth"?

― The Milkmaid (82375538-A) (The Milkmaid), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 16:56 (eighteen years ago)

You're right, Ned.

From IMDB:

Plot Summary for
"Nearly Departed" (1989)

Grant and Claire Pritchard are a deceased couple who still inhabit their home and make trouble for the Dooleys, the new owners. But Grandpa is the only one who can hear and see the ghosts in this short-lived comedy.

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 16:56 (eighteen years ago)

Jennifer Slept Here, same genre

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085038/

― Mr. Que (Mr.Que), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 16:57 (eighteen years ago)

jaymc - I don't know why I've never thought to look on imdb til now - Nearly Departed

I remember that one you mentioned an also one where Eric Idle came running into the house with the newspaper and put it in alive human guy's hand and he was like "that paperboy's got a helluva arm!".

― polar bear flashback episode (nickalicious), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 17:01 (eighteen years ago)

haha damnit, I should really READ that stuff in the x-post screen

― polar bear flashback episode (nickalicious), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 17:02 (eighteen years ago)

OMG that is Shephard Book from Firefly's disembodied head, isn't it?

― polar bear flashback episode (nickalicious), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 17:02 (eighteen years ago)

YES! he was an excellent head.

― Slumpman (Slump Man), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 17:06 (eighteen years ago)

does this count as sci-fi:

http://www.williamsmith.org/angel%20mike.jpg

― scott seward (scott seward), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 18:04 (eighteen years ago)

you know the one i remember that nobody remembers is the one starring matthew perry where his older dead self comes down to earth to tell him how to live so that he can go to heaven AND THEN in the middle of the season it turned into a sitcom about a dead greaser like fonzie who becomes friends with matthew perry. very confusing.

― scott seward (scott seward), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 18:06 (eighteen years ago)

i heart out of this world. comedy, thy name is donna pescow. i have lotz of episodes on vhs. years and years ago i worked third shift at a supermarket and i would come home in the morning and get stoned and watch out of this world and the late lamented american xuxa show. i'm glad i taped some of those.

― scott seward (scott seward), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 18:09 (eighteen years ago)

i dunno but the greaser part sounds like a version of The Heavenly Kid (good movie!)

― tremendoid (tremendoid), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 18:11 (eighteen years ago)

god, the american version of xuxa was a nightmare. complete anarchy!

this will give you an idea:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0oxuM_xMB4&mode=related&search=

(sorry, not sci-fi related.)

― scott seward (scott seward), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 18:17 (eighteen years ago)

I'm also noticing that The Charmings had a lot of blatant references to TEH SEX. Did sitcoms become more prude in the years that followed?

― A-ron Hubbard (Hurting), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 18:24 (eighteen years ago)

Major Dad In Space

(are we allowed non-real shows?)

― 2 american 4 u (blueski), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 18:25 (eighteen years ago)

I thought that was a movie called The Heavenly Kid.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 18:31 (eighteen years ago)

it was called second chance:

"Charles Russell dies, but since he is too good for hell and too bad for heaven, he is given the opportunity to go back to 1987 to assist his younger self, Chazz, in making better decisions at critical junctures in his life in order to (hopefully) get into heaven."

and then it inexplicably changed to Boys Will Be Boys and started to be about the heavenly fonz.

― scott seward (scott seward), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 18:34 (eighteen years ago)

does herman's head count here?

This FOX comedy show starred Herman, a young fact checker. Whenever Herman had a thought, various conflicting aspects of his psyche were personified and interacted in a cluttered, attic-like room, meant to represent his mind. Predictably, the sophomoric humor was not subtle.

― the 48 states competition (1939) (Jody Beth Rosen), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 18:36 (eighteen years ago)

i liked herman's head. lisa simpson was on that show, wasn't she?

― scott seward (scott seward), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 18:42 (eighteen years ago)

herman's head was GREAT. yeardley smith in the flesh!

haha x-post

― joseph (joseph), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 18:43 (eighteen years ago)

I have a distinct memory of a sci-fi show from the late-80s, kind of in the X-Files vein (pre-X-Files), where the credits flashed from color to high-contrast black and white at certain moments (like a lightning strike). I remember nothing else about this show, but I've been trying to remember it for years.

― milo z (mlp), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 18:47 (eighteen years ago)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_fiction_sitcom

Mike Reiss: "He's right, we've been wasting our lives."
Al Jean: "I'm gonna write a sitcom about a sassy robot!"

http://img356.imageshack.us/img356/9272/benderbq1.gif

― a.b. (alanbanana), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 18:49 (eighteen years ago)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfFKwylOsLU

― a.b. (alanbanana), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 18:53 (eighteen years ago)

He looked like some sort of overgrown orangutan, and I really really dislike orangutans. I blame Clint Eastwood.

― Beth S. (Ex Leon), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 18:55 (eighteen years ago)

"I have a distinct memory of a sci-fi show from the late-80s, kind of in the X-Files vein"

friday the 13th? actually, i can't remember if the credits do that though. i loved that show. robey rules. x-files totally ripped it off. i have a zillion episodes on vhs but i would buy the DVDs if i saw them.

― scott seward (scott seward), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 18:55 (eighteen years ago)

x-post

I meant Harry from Harry and the Hendersons. The other sitcoms I actually liked! You all know they were way better than Studio 60, at any reate.

― Beth S. (Ex Leon), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 18:56 (eighteen years ago)

xxpost: Eerie, Indiana?

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 18:57 (eighteen years ago)

here is the friday the 13th intro:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZMc_kZcDUE

there IS lightning.

― scott seward (scott seward), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 18:58 (eighteen years ago)

Eerie Indiana was great

― tremendoid (tremendoid), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 19:01 (eighteen years ago)

Eerie Indiana -- Twin Peaks for kids! best idea ever!

― a.b. (alanbanana), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 19:08 (eighteen years ago)

Eerie Indiana was super. I still vividly remember the Tupperware episode where all the ladies who lunch sealed themselves up at night. Creepy.

― molly d (mollyd), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 19:45 (eighteen years ago)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=iAqSw9zSrf4

written by vance degeneres
directed by bob balaban
starring nikki cox & the principal from porkys

― and what (ooo), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 20:57 (eighteen years ago)

does anyone remember the small wonder ep where they stayed at a hotel or a cabin and they got attacked by ninjas?!?!?! BEST EVAH!!!

― researching ur life (grady), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 20:58 (eighteen years ago)

Anyone else out there watch Misfits Of Science?

― Elvis Telecom (Chris Barrus), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 21:01 (eighteen years ago)

Definitely not Eerie, Indiana - my parents watched this one. Friday the 13th, maybe, but I don't think so.

It didn't last long, definitely paranormal investigation type stuff - maybe a bit of a Ghostbusters rip?

― milo z (mlp), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 21:07 (eighteen years ago)

I'm not sure why I thought Eerie, Indiana was a Nickelodeon show. It was really good though.

― diebold with a vengeance (nickalicious), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 21:12 (eighteen years ago)

What was ABC's Third Rock knock-off called? Aliens In The Family? It was about a guy that married an Alien humanoid and started a family.

― The Dusty Baker Selection (Charles McCain), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 21:22 (eighteen years ago)

Going back a bit, there's space garbage collector Richard Benjamin in Quark. See http://quark.name/

― Elvis Telecom (Chris Barrus), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 21:26 (eighteen years ago)

nine years pass...

What I learned from checking in with this beloved genre from my childhood during the past week or so: Eerie, Indiana totally holds up; Out of This World soooo does not.

― pitchforkian at best (cryptosicko), Monday, 22 February 2016 01:19 (nine years ago)

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