What's your favorite failed sitcom (0.5yr/1yr/1.5yr/2yr)

Like the subject says, what was your favorite failed sitcom (failed being a TV series that only last no more than 2 years tops!)?

For me, I have many (many, many, many, many, many, many). My mind is a virtual steel trap for failed TV series. No matter HOW LITTLE an impact it may have made on the TV landscape, I can't seem to forget it.

___________

'Home Free' starring Marian Mercer, Diana Canova, Matthew Perry, Anndi McAfee and Scott McAfee

A newly divorced woman in her 30's move back home to her mother's and younger brother's house with her precocious kids in toe. For one, I just (((LOVE))) the graceful Marian Mercer (is she still alive today?!)! Diana Canova always with her acting chops was a suitable TV mom. Matthew Perry was good as the smart aleck younger brother and the kids (real-life siblings, BTW) were fine. Perry is among _many_ 'Friends' cast members who wouldn't have been available if their sitcoms had failed. So, uh... yeah. I guess it's good the show failed because of what happened, but I still wonder "what-would-have..." if 'Home Free' had made it on the ABC schedule in 1993 (???).

___________

'Jennifer Slept Here' starring Ann Jillian, John P. Navin Jr., Georgia Engel, Brandon Maggart and M. Stark

Okay............... well, it's JUST a 'Topper' rip off. Yeah, but it was 1983 and that era of cheesy sitcom was just America needed to go w/ the rest of it ('Facts Of Life'). Legendary silver screen star Ann Jillian dies (I think in the house, which set WAS the original Dave's World/Everybody Loves Raymond blueprint) and comes back as a ghost. A suburban L.A. family moves in (though I sincerely DON'T remember Maggart as the dad and thought the mom was single) and only mid-teen son Navin can see or hear Jillian, who lives in the mansion's attic. Snoopy little sister Stark thought big brother was crazy. VERY NICE touch w/ the attic set, because when Jennifer was there (or Joey... or both, or something like that), it was this very elegant boudoir, but when other people other than the two went there, it was just a dusty, old attic. Hey, a show that dared to give Glenn Scarpelli ('One Day At A Time') another shot of employment couldn't have been all that bad, right?! Well, apparently so; it lasted one whole season on NBC.

--- theme songs: SoundAmerica.com SitcomsOnline.com

Taylor wrote:

MAGGIE, with Ann Cusack, John Getz, and John Slattery. Aired for a single 22-episode season on Lifetime back in the late 90s.

-- jayembee

I loved Square Pegs and Bakersfield PD.

--Jen

JennyB wrote:

Hello, Larry (1979)... the failed spin-off of Diff'rent Strokes starring McLean Stevenson was just an early incarnation of Frasier. Wasn't THAT bad! Gave recognized, but pretty unknown actor Joanna Gleason work and it fit it to her a "T". But, Meadowlark Lemon???!!!

Dead Like Me.

Rebecca

I was a Bakersfield PD fan as well.

My most lamented was Grosse Pointe, a Darren Star sitcom set on the set of a 90210-type show which took place in the affluent Michigan suburb of Grosse Pointe. Very funny, and I never really watched 90210.

"jayembee" wrote in message news:[email]...

Being "old" I have a few:

MYOB with Lauren Graham, Katherine Towne, and Amanda Detmer Listen Up Undeclared Kitchen Confidential Grosse Pointe

I'm sure there's more, but these come immediately to mind.

"When Things Were Rotten," Mel Brooks' (pre-"Men in Tights") spoof of Robin Hood, starring Dick Gautier.

"Wizards and Warriors"

"Square Pegs"

Cybil and Blanski's Beauties

In alt.tv.friends on Sat, 28 Jan 2006, Buttercup wrote :

I enjoyed that too, but it doesn't really qualify under the definition, as it lasted 4 seasons.

In alt.tv.friends on Sat, 28 Jan 2006, Taylor wrote :

I quite liked 'Jesse' which only lasted 2 seasons.

"The Powers That Be" (1992-93)!!

There were LOADS of famous people that were part of this show. It was directed by Norman Lear, and it starred John Forsythe, Holland Taylor, Peter MacNicol, David Hyde Pierce, Elizabeth Berridge, and Valerie Mahaffey.

Show Synopsis: Forsythe played a clueless senator whose career is run by his manipulative wife (Taylor), his chief of staff/mistress, and his political aide (MacNicol). Along for the ride are the senator's shrill daughter (Mahaffey) and her suicidal husband (Pierce) who happens to be in love with the Powers' bumbling maid (Berridge).

That was my choice also. I LOVED it. Didn't it come back briefly as something like "Arresting Developments?" I'll never know why it didn't take off - it was hilarious.

Kathy

In no particular order:

Action http://www.tv.com/action/show/739/summary.html

Kitchen Confidential http://www.tv.com/kitchen-confidential/show/33728/summary.html?q=kitchen+confidential

Greg the Bunny http://www.tv.com/greg-the-bunny/show/4402/summary.html?q=greg%20the%20bunny

No, "Arresting Behavior" came first, and it was the brilliant show. "Bakersfield P.D." was the unfunny attempt to reformulate it.

"Tony Calguire" wrote in message news:[email]...

MY,

I must say "Ned and Stacey." I loved that it was revamped as "Will and Grace" though.

Lava

NorskyGal wrote:

God, yeah! What could have been THE next successful comedy-soap opera never was. Did you mention Joseph Gordon-Levitt ('3rd Rock From The Sun')? :-)

NorskyGal wrote:

I thought 'Grand' (Sara Rue) was just like TPTB as a comedy-soap opera as a show before its time. Grand: About the haves and have-nots.

Ronnie wrote:

'Free Spirit' (1989) wasn't THAT bad as your typical '80s TGIF sitcom that crosses 'Bewitched' and 'Charles In Charge' together. Poor Corinne Bohrer never really found success as an actress, other than being just one of dozens of recognizable character actresses/actors. She's another David Graf.

'The Powers That Be' - for all of the reasons others have said

'Andy Richter Controls the Universe' - lasted about half a season on FOX, they kept moving it around. It was creative and brilliant and I loved the mix of real life and Andy's fantasy life.

'The Popcorn Kid' - centered around a group of teenagers who worked at a theatre, one cast member was a young Faith Ford (later on 'Murphy Brown'). I had to watch this show because of the Newhart commerical promoting it. In the commercial, Bob Newhart and Larry, Darryl and Darryl are eating popcorn in Newhart's inn. Newhart talks about 'The Popcorn Kid' and asks Larry and the Darryl's if they will watch it. Larry says yes, "We'll watch anything named after a whole- some snack. Why, we just loved 'The Partridge Family'." The Darryl's nod in agreement.

Sorry, but "Bakersfield P.D." was the unfunny reformulated version of a much better, much funnier show called "Arresting Behavior".

THAT's it!!! I wrote about that earlier but thought Bakersfield PD was the first version. "Arresting Behavior" is my all time favorite sit-com. I think there were only 6 episodes or so. One scene burned into my mind was of a crook running away from the cops carrying a huge TV. The cops are carrying nothing but are falling further and further behind. A very funny sight gag. Another funny theme was the cop who was divorced and had a restraining order against him to stay 50,000 feet away from his family.

Kathy

That was always my favorite part... they'd show him trying to have visitation with his sons, playing a game of catch, all the while maintaing the court-ordered 500-feet away.

The all-time champ:

POLICE SQUAD!

Joe Gillis wrote:

I'm kind of serious when I say this: 'The Paul Lynde Show' :-p

Lynde lives a typical life as a husband (hehe) and father two daughters UNTIL the oldest daughter gets married and her do-nothing husband moves into the household. Chaos ensues!

Just amusing probably because Lynde was soooooooooooooooo clearly gay and playing a husband to a female!!! It'd be like Richard Simmons doing it.

Yes!!! Police Squad! was cool. 'The War Next Door' was very cool, too. It was about these two secret agents, they really were at war with each other and every week one of them would die, but both would be back the next week. It was usually Mitchell Kreigmann who would die, but not always. I don't think it lasted even one season.

'My Living Doll' starring Julie Newmar, Bob Cummings, Greg Mullaney

A scientist (Cummings) builds a perfect robot (Newmar) which escapes his lab and follows him to his home, where he has to explain to his next door neighbor (Mullaney) that Rhoda is his 'maid'. The scene in the pilot where she crosses thru traffic wearing only a towel is quite memorable.

Cummings dropped out after a half season, leaving Mullaney and Newmar to sludge on. Lasted less than a year on CBS in early '60's.

Wayno wrote:

'Fudge' based on the Judy Blume children's book giving EVE PLUMB ('The Brady Bunch') gainful employment again!!! Not TOO bad for a Saturday morning ABC sitcom.

Dead Like Me. It aired on Showtime. I really loved that show.

I don't know if these can technically be considered failures because they actually did air for a few seasons before they were cancelled, but "Boston Public" and "Suddenly Susan" w/ Brooke Shields.

There was another show that I can't recall the name of. It was a "Married With Children" rip-off about an unhappily married guy who used to escape reality by going down into the basement and talking to a foul-mouthed stuffed animal that he's had since childhood, named Mr. Floppy.

purrffecttbliss wrote:

That's Unhappily Ever After, and it lasted too long to be "failed", something like 4 years.

I remember the following sitcoms as worth watching and better than the crap that gets renewed every year. These sitcoms probably all quit while ahead and would have sucked if they had continued.

Nikki Cox of Unhappily Ever After was in "Nikki" which lasted only about 1.5 seasons. That was somewhat funny.

David Alan Greer was in a somewhat amusing 1990s sitcom that didn't last long, called The [Something] Chronicles. Not the one where he and Damon Wayans worked at a police station.

Men, Women, and Dogs had some funny moments even though the plots were often cliche. The best was when a guy pretended to be gay to get girls, then a girl introduced him to another "gay" guy who was actually another straight guy doing the same trick.

There was a short-lasting WB sitcom like Seinfeld, with much younger characters. A Jewish guy from American Pie had a British roommate in a Manhattan loft with an eccentric rap star neighbor. The plots were often lifted from Seinfeld, but edgier. In one episode, the British guy pretended to be American and vice versa.

Grosse Pointe, which made fun of 90210 type shows, was surprisingly entertaining. Funny dialogue, for example one guy said, "I want to have sex with her, if you know what I mean", then the other guy said, "I do know what you mean. You want to have sex with her". Another time a guy spoke about how he wanted his girlfriend to enjoy sex. The other guy said, "Dude, that is so GAY!"

Terry Lomax wrote:

Speaking of 'Seinfeld'... Seinfeld's real-life ex-girlfriend and writer for the show Carol Carol Leifer in 1997's 'Alright Already' (The WB) as an early-40-something an optometrist who moved into her parents Miami retirement condo community and the situations she had to deal with because of this. Stacy Galina as Leifer's younger sister who acted their PARENT'S age! Not too bad and maybe pulled too soon.

purrffecttbliss wrote:

'Unhappily Ever After' was a WB sitcom that actually lasted 4 years and wasn't THAT bad (by WB standards) for the first 2 years.

theme song lyrics:

We married young, Because of Cupid. And had three kids, Because we were stupid.

She kicked me out, She's not my honey. But she still wants me, When she needs money.

Now I'm alone, Come rain or sunny. But who needs love, I've got my bunny.

Where did you get those lyrics? In all the time I saw Unhappily, the theme song was always "Hit the Road, Jack"

Jude Cormier wrote:

I have no idea WHY they switched to "Hit The Road Jack", but the first season did in fact have the other lyrics. Maybe they wanted a better appealing theme song to keep viewers and thought Bob (voice of "Mr. Floppy") singing wouldn't do it.

Perhaps the UEA message board on the IMDB.com listing has the reason.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112206/

P.S. David, would you know the answer why?

Jude Cormier wrote:

P.S. I believe in one episode, they actually sing the original lyrics in one scene. Not sure if it was the last episode.

"purrffecttbliss" wrote in message news:[email]...

"Unhappily Ever After"- doesn't qualify for the thread as it lasted four years.

Personally, I would have to add "Off Centre".

Arnold Kim

Keen Eddie, hands down.

JAH

------There was another show that I can't recall the name of. It was a

"Married With Children" rip-off about an unhappily married guy who used to escape reality by going down into the basement and talking to a foul-mouthed stuffed animal that he's had since childhood, named Mr. Floppy. -----

I don´t know the name either but that´s my choice too.

I really liked Titus...I miss that show every now and then. I really made me laugh hard.

"Mrs.Blackadder" wrote in message news:[email]... ------There was another show that I can't recall the name of. It was a

"Married With Children" rip-off about an unhappily married guy who used to escape reality by going down into the basement and talking to a foul-mouthed stuffed animal that he's had since childhood, named Mr. Floppy. -----

I don�t know the name either but that�s my choice too.

I think it was "Happily Ever After" or something like that...

"JW" wrote in message news:GYrKf.203$[email]...

Close Unhapply ever after

In Mrs.

That's the one that had Nikki Cox as the sexy daughter. An in a very un- Bundy sense, she was the bright one in the family, not the stereotype dumb bunny daughter. Nice twist.

I liked the one where she interviewed to go to Harvard...

in article [email], Robert Love at [email] wrote on 2/20/06 5:26 PM:

Especially when she married the puppet.

"He & She" (1967): "Dick and Paula Hollister are a witty, sophisticated couple living in New York City. Dick is a comic-book artist who has become well-known for creating a superhero called Jetman, which has been turned into a TV show starring egocentric actor Oscar North."

A truly funny sitcom, well-acted, nominated for 3 Emmys--but only lasted one season.

Steven L. wrote:

===================================
a Stephanie Faracy 1990 double shot
===================================

:-p How about 'His & Hers' (1990) CBS sitcom with Martin Mull and Stephanie Faracy (the poor thing who had to take a minor role as a flight attendant in the failed Jodie Foster movie 'Flight Plan' to get work) as newly married marriage counselors who were better at giving advice to their clients than taking it themselves for their own marriage. "Larry Dallas" gets a job again!

====
and:
====

'True Colors' (1990-1992) Fox sitcom (yet, I remember very serious tones and not a laugh track to be found) was billed by the network with on-air promotions as "It ain't 'The Brady Bunch'". It was an inter-racial step family with the White Faracy marrying the Black Frankie Faison (later re-casted w/ Cleavon Little) and featuring Nancy Walker ('Rhoda') as the meddling grandma.

Cleavon Little was the dad - I remember it well. Good show -- took place in Baltimore they said.

"Taylor" wrote in message news:CyDCf.17156$[email]...

Okay, I'm going way back, here:

The New People with Zooey Hall and Tiffany Bolling;

Coronet Blue, with Frank Converse;

Then came Bronson, with Michael Parks.

These were back when I was very, very young, and I'm sure that I liked the shows mainly for the leading men!

I remember my brother and I loved watching this one. We were pretty young then, too.

Mikki wrote:

These were not sitcoms.

"Steven L." wrote in message news:5fPCf.7947$[email]...

Right, they were just sits.

Taylor wrote in message ...

FIREFLY. Fantastic series that just never had a chance to find an audience. Josh Wedon was the man pulling all the strings...the man responsible for other great shows like Buffy and Angel. Luckily, 'Firefly' got a followup movie in the theaters this year called: 'Serenity'. I'd suggest to everyone to go out and watch the TV series on DVD (sometimes you can catch it on SciFi channel) and then watch the DVD movie 'Serenity'.

Taylor wrote in message ...

Bosom Buddies Angie

Obveeus wrote:

Was Firefly a sitcom???

In article , "Steven L." wrote:

Only when Jayne was talking.

More than just when Jayne was talking...the show had more humor in it than anything currently on TV.

"Obveeus" wrote in message news:[email]...

Why doesn't someone provide the definition or description of a sitcom. Someone earlier mentioned Cupid which was one of my all time favorite shows but to me that was more of a dramedy than sitcom. I don't think of FF as a sitcom either. So what is a sitcom? Is anything that involves comedy and is not procedural, a sitcom? I usually think of sitcoms as the 1/2 comedy stuff.

I agree that the best way to define sitcom is simply: 1/2 hour show.

When I originally mentioned Firefly it was after reading other posts that mentioned non-sitcoms and before the usenet police stepped in in several places along the thread to whine about non-sitcoms being mentioned as cancelled favorites in this thread.

I stand by my reply, though...Firefly was funnier than anything currently on TV.

Of course, my idea of humor is different than most people's. Last night I rented Wedding Crashers. I expected to see a great comedy since the movie made a ton of money in the theaters. It had some good acting performances and a relatively compelling plot, but very, very little in the way of funny. It was a really long yawnfest in the humor category. You people (meaning everyone that thought Wedding Crashers was *really* funny) have a strange sense of humor.

Firefly was a masterpiece. I would NEVER call it a sitcom, though. It ranks among my other favorite failed shows My So-Called Life and Freaks and Geeks as being some of the very best television EVER.

"Obveeus" wrote in message news:[email]...

I agree that WC wasn't all that funny. I saw it in the theater and came out thinking that it wasn't very funny overall. Nearly everyone else thought it was. I rewatched again on DVD and except for a couple of gags early on, it didn't make me belly laugh much.

"Laddy" wrote in message news:[email]...

Me, neither. Like most comedies lately, all the decent bits were in the trailer.

But my husband thought it was great. It's a guy thing, I guess.

Kris

"Kris Baker" wrote in message news:3kUCf.4228$[email]...

Hey! I'm a guy, or was, last time I peeked down there. :)

"Laddy" wrote in message news:[email]...

Yeah, right, Laddy. Arrrrrgggghhhhh ;)

Kris

I'm a guy and I have to agree, WC didn't live up to the hype. The beginning was funny, but by the midpoint the jokes were gone and it was alll about the charisma-free Wilson brother moping about McAdams, who while very pretty seemed to have no discernible brains or personality.

Did anyone read the subject heading? A sitcom is a half-hour format show intended to make people laugh. Hour long dramedy's (like Moonlighting, Ally McBeal) or action shows with humor (Firefly) are not sitcoms.

Joe

"Taylor" wrote in message news:CyDCf.17156$[email]...

Cupid - hands down.

"Taylor" wrote in message news:CyDCf.17156$[email]...

"Hot L Baltimore"

"The Monkees" (the second and last season was almost a complete 180 from the dreadful 1st season, plus they wanted to turn season 3 into something that would eventually become "Laugh-In")

"Pryor's Place" ("Everybody Hates Chris" twenty years too soon)

"Grand"

"Just The Ten Of Us"

In article , "WIZARDGLIK" wrote:

Oh. My. God...

Jack Bauer's Spunky Sidekick, Ian J. Ball wrote:

Next you'll say when 'The Facts Of Life', 'Growing Pains' and 'Blossom' went to Paris were the best episodes of the series. :-p

Ah, I'd actually give it a spin in syndication again.

In article ,

Heather Langenkamp was only in the Growing Pains one, TYVM :)

In article , Taylor wrote:

There are many, including a number already mentioned in this thread.

But, leaving out "Doctor Doctor" (which actually ran 3 seasons), let me mention a couple that haven't been mentioned so far:

The Five Mrs. Buchanans (with a very young Charlotte Ross!) Good & Evil (Teri Garr, and a cast of thousands) Davis Rules (one of the few sitcoms that could get me to laugh so hard I was crying)

And a few 'guilty pleasures':

Charles in Charge  (the 1st CBS season - I ignore the syndie version)
Uncle Buck  (critics really knocked it at the time, but I suspect
             it was underappreciated)
Muscle   (one of The WB's first 4 shows, it was the only one
          actually worth watching)

I'm sure there are tons more I'm forgetting...

The Five Mrs. Buchanans (with a very young Charlotte Ross!) --would love to see that again Charles in Charge (the 1st CBS season - I ignore the syndie version)-- are you getting the DVD coming out, Ian?

In article , "Jude Cormier" wrote:

Tough question. I might consider it, but it would be way down my list..

"Mary" (1985) with Mary Tyler Moore, James Farentino, Carlene Watkins, and Katey Sagal (before she became Peg Bundy) as a cigar smoking reporter. Lasted only 13 episodes.

"The Duck Factory" (1984) with an early Jim Carrey. Takes place in a cartoon studio and Carrey did all kinds of different cartoon voices. Also in the cast was Teresa Ganzel, who later replaced Carole Wayne as the sexy dumb blond on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Unfortunately Duck Factory only lasted 13 episodes.

in article [email], [email] at [email] wrote on 1/28/06 11:49 AM:

That's the one right there. Was just starting in the business and loved it.

Undeclared We'll Get By

wrote in message news:[email]...

"Quark" (1978) I don't really remember if it was any good, but I like the concept of a sci-fi sitcom, and, with Buck Henry and Richard Benjamin involved, it couldn't have been too bad.

"Open All Night" (1981-82) About a guy who owned a convenience store, had the same kind of goofy charm that worked for "Night Court" all those years.

"Fast Times" (1986) Suffered in comparison to the movie it was based on (Fast Times at Ridgemont High), but, if you could get past the fact that it wasn't the movie and could never be the movie, it was pretty good on its own terms. Featured a young Courtney Thorne-Smith in the Jennifer Jason Leigh role.

"It's Like, You Know..." (1999-2000) Failed attempt to be an L.A. "Seinfeld." A lot of people hated it, but it worked for me. I could say the same thing about Jennifer Grey's new nose.

[email] wrote:

Oh, I didn't like "It's Like, You Know..." because it WAS a poor attempt at 'Seinfeld'. It wasn't very funny and the characters just didn't appeal to me. I like the basic idea of it, but not the characters and their personalities.

The characters were shallow and self-centered, but that was part of the "Seinfeld" formula. The male cast members may have been lacking in the charisma department, but I did like Jennifer Grey and A.J. Langer.

In article , Taylor wrote:

In fact, the much funnier "Seinfeld"-'rip off' was "Zoe, Duncan, Jack & Jane" over on The WB.

Ian (At least the first season of it, anyway...)

Jack Bauer's Spunky Sidekick, Ian J. Ball wrote:

Oh, god, I have such detest over that show (ZDJ&J).

Married To The Kellys (I liked the mean sister)

Women of The House (I like most of Terri Garr's shows but they never let her hang around for long)

Duet (Before they dicked around with it and made everyone weird)

Boston Common (Anthony Clark before Yes Dear)

Throb (Diana Canova was fun))

Good Morning Miami (especially the early eps with The Weather Nun)

Jesse (another show that came after Friends that I liked but wasn't allowed to hang around)

"theresa" wrote in message news:[email]...

YES! That was one of my all-time favorite shows! Thanks for mentioning this one.

Mikki wrote:

lol Which one? 'Boston Common' was dreadful. 'Married To The Kellys' wasn't _that_ bad and your typical TGIF sitcom that I look forward to watching. Just keep it there.

On Sat, 28 Jan 2006 00:46:13 -0500, Taylor wrote:

Police Squad - although the cancellation did lead to the Naked Gun movies.

The Five Mrs. Buchanans - one of the best casts ever - Eileen Heckart, Beth Broderick, Judith Ivey, Charlotte Ross, and Harriet Sansom Harris.

It's All Relative - anothe great cast - including Harriet Sansom Harris, Lenny Clarke, Christopher Sieber and John Benjamin Hickey.

Some Of My Best Friends - Jason Bateman, Danny Nucci and Alec Mapa in the sitcom version of the film "Kiss Me Guido."

The Charmings - Christopher Rich as Prince Charming, and Judy Parfitt as the wicked queen.

Hi Honey, I'm Home! - 50's sitcom family relocated to suburban reality, with Julie Benz (Darla on "Buffy") as the daughter.

-G7-

G7 wrote:

That WAS good. WHY do I keep thinking Portia de Rossi was in it, though???

That show WAS dreadful... "It's All Relative'... it's all bad!"

That wasn't bad. Now his 'Chicgao Sons' sitcom was.

A show before its time. Tsk. What a wicked cool show that was!!!

Same as 'The Charmings'. Sure beats the umpteenth "fat allegedly funny man, super hot-looking skinny wife" concepts.

Oh, I liked that one, too. I remember especially the episode when the mother called her friend, Lucy Ricardo, for advice on how to handle a situation. "Little Ricky, Little Ricky, please put Mommy on the phone. Yes, yes, you're very good on the conga drum. Now, please put Mommy on the phone."

I think it lasted only two seasons so it qualifies, "Get a Life" with Chris Elliott as a 30-year-old paperboy who lived in an apartment over his parents' garage. Loved having his real father as his tv father, and the added touch of Elinor Donahue as his tv mother.

[email] wrote:

I liked 'Going Places', a 1990 failed ABC sitcom (TGIF) about a group of young 20-something writers living together in a big house and working for a Candid Camera-typ. You had Heather Locklear, Alan Ruck, Hallie Todd as the show's writers and Holland Taylor playing the typical super bitch producer. *** The show had TWO incarnations. *** The second had that C.C.-type show canceled and they now worked for an Alan Brady-esque egomaniac talk show host. The girl from 'My Two Dads' was in it and they added in a little brat nextdoor neighbour.

[email] wrote:

I've seen a lot of great shows meantioned here, but this would be my favorite. Others include Action, Gross Pointe, Ned and Stacey, and others which I cannot think of at the moment.

Definitely not Sports Night. I tried to watch that show a few times based on the critical acclaim and it simply was not that funny (IMHO).

Joe

I forgot about Grosse Pointe. That was a favorite of mine, too.

wrote in message news:[email]...

I was watching season 1, and it was not funny (to me). I originally thought you may have been correct, but nope, I never liked it.

Also want to mention Lateline.

Joe

She TV

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108924/maindetails

The Steven Banks Show

Almost Perfect, which had a great first season, made a dumbass cast change at the beginning of season two, and subsequently sucked so bad it was off the air in something like three weeks.

bllbickel wrote:

Yes. The enjoyable Nancy Travis the only female writer for a crime drama series. Gritty like The John Larroquette Show and Becker.

In article , Taylor wrote:

Look, I liked the first season of AP as much as anyone, but "The Jackie Thomas Show" took a similar concept and did it even better...

Jack Bauer's Spunky Sidekick, Ian J. Ball wrote:

The Jackie Thomas Show should have gotten a fairer shake. You want an very UN-Alan Brady, Tom Arnold as JT was it!

"Taylor" wrote in message news:n0dDf.274$[email]...

ABC expected too much of it to hold onto the huge Roseanne audience.

theresa wrote:

I will state NOT a sitcom and NOT on network primetime, but...... 'The Newz' was a half hour Weeknights (late night) made-for-syndication sketch-comedy show that was funnier than SNL and Mad TV. :-p

Tommy Blaze? How porn actor name is THAT! lol

Does anyone remember "Hype!" or "The Downer Channel"? Two failed sketch comedy shows. (I'm surprised 'Downer' didn't last - Steve Martin produced it.)

"Blue Collar TV" doesn't count as a 'failed show' yet, because apparently it's coming back. I hope that there's an improvement this time around - I think those guys are hilarious, but that show just blew.

In article , "Steve Worek" wrote:

IMO, the best of the short-lived 'sketch' comedies was "On the Spot". Of course, I also liked "Drew Carey's Green Screen Show".

I think they're still making Green Screen; it just got moved to Comedy Central.

"Jack Bauer's Spunky Sidekick, Ian J. Ball" wrote in message news:ijball***SPAM-No***[email]...

'All-American Girl'

American just wasn't ready for a primetime sitcom about an Asian-American (actually Korean-American) and that's a shame because this Margaret Cho sitcom wasn't bad at all and could be coupled with today's (ick!) 'Freddie'.

"Taylor" wrote in message news:9VBDf.3116$[email]...

Personally I thought it was pretty bad, plus most of the actors stuck out to me as obviously not being Korean. It just seemed like a Korean family made for white audiences, but poorly so. Though I do like Margaret Cho's act.

Arnold Kim

On Tue, 31 Jan 2006 11:28:12 -0500, "arnold kim" wrote:

I like her act when she's actually tellings jokes, rather than just ranting about her opinions on politics for easy applause because obviously the audience is going to agree with her.

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http://m-allan.home.mchsi.com/wsb/index.html

To respond via email, remove the "54".

then: "It's Your Move" with Jason Bateman now: "Quintuplets" with Andy Richter (I know, I knooooooow...) and I may have been the only one in America to watch "Reunion" this year. Does "Arrested Development" also with Mr. Bateman count as failed yet? He's sure had his share of failed shows.

I never saw the Margaret Cho sitcom but her standup is hi-LAR-ee-yus. Is it out on DVD?

oh! I just thought of another one...I love love LOVED "Strip Mall".

"scatologizer" wrote in message news:[email]...

Margaret Cho's sitcom, *All-American Girl*, was, like her stand-up, a little too mean.

"Taylor" wrote in message news:9VBDf.3116$[email]...

Margaret Cho herself says the show stunk and suffered from too much network input. Incidentally it is now out on DVD.

"Jack Bauer's Spunky Sidekick, Ian J. Ball" wrote in message news:ijball***SPAM-No***[email]...

Anyone else remember "The Edge"?

"What Alf is doing right this minute" (picture of the puppet in a trash can)

Jude Cormier wrote:

Ah... Jennifer Aniston in a edgy post-'In Living Color' sketch-comedy series. Yes.

I actually didn't mind the Canadian sitcom 'Dog House' (YTV/USA Network) about a cop who dies while on duty with his K-9 partner, a St. Bernard. The guy dies, but the dog lives and the guy comes back as the dog and can talk! He moves in with his widowed sister-in-law (his brother's wife) and her kids. CHAOS ensues!!!!!!! :-D

Shelley Peter, the wife of former Ontario Premier David Peterson, starred.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0122340/

P.S. Sad note that well-recognized stage and TV actress Kay Tremblay recently died. Tremblay played the nice, but forgetful elderly neighbour Iris Slack. RIP, Kay.

"Taylor" wrote in message news:NJCDf.3138$[email]...

I watched that one as well, but I remember Jaimz Woolvett the most. It seems his career should have taken off esp after "Unforgiven", but seems to end up in mostly direct to video stuff.

Jude Cormier wrote:

That's true. His brother Gordon does stuff like that, too. I don't think they ever credited the voice of Body, the dog. Not that I remember.

On Mon, 30 Jan 2006 22:01:35 -0600, "Jude Cormier" wrote:

Yep. I followed this cute, funny little-known actress named Jennifer Aniston from that short-lived (but funny) sketch comedy show onto this generic-looking GenX show with the nondescript title of Friends. I wonder whatever happened to her.

  -- Rob

"Rob Jensen" wrote in message news:[email]...

In all honesty--I don't recall her on that show. Yes, I know she was on it, I just personally don't remember her on it.

Jude Cormier wrote:

I remember her very well and the show had a rather distant cold space (cheap Red Dwarf) feel to it. 'Molloy' was an absolutely dreadful TV series (starring the annoying Mayim Bialik). If 'Muddling Through' (w/ Stephanie Hodge) had made it, she wouldn't have been on 'Friends'. Kind of an early 'My Name Is Earl'.

"Taylor" wrote in message news:VRRDf.5971$[email]...

HA! if Muddling Through had made it, odds are Stephanie Hodge would have quit after two seasons LOL

I remember that fondly.

What Joe Piscopo is doing right...this...minute. (Piscopo standing outside Eddie Murphy's house) "Hey Eddie...Eddie Murphy...remember me?"

Yes! I remember that! :-)

It wasn't very funny, but it was pleasant and stylish. I actually saw James Remar in that first, and then only later in his better-known action roles.

Another similar sketch show from around the same time was *Remotely*, but I don't know if you'd have heard of it--it might have been here in Canada only.

That was hugely disappointing, but it did give Mary Scheer her start, and from there she went to Mad TV and finally Prime Time Glick.

SLEDGE HAMMER.

Wasn't that a music video by Peter Gabriel circa 1985/1986?? ~~~ Kathy

I agree with the Banks show but his special was far better IMO. So with that my picks are

UNDECLARED

THE DANA CARVEY SHOW

Clint

San Pedro Beach Bums (fall, 1977). Stuart Pankin amongst others. 'Football, you bet!' http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075575/ Most catchy theme ever (Michael des Barras) IMHO.

Mine was that FOX show "Ned and Stacy" starring thomas haden churh, debra messing and greg germaine. That show was hilarious, but evidently I must have been the only one watching that show.

in article [email], BonZieOilWells at [email] wrote on 1/29/06 7:53 PM:

I watched the one where she was nekkid. She's never looked better.

Oh well, never mind - at least she's in a successful show now. :)

Three others that I enjoyed that didn't last long:

1992's "Bob" with Bob Newhart, Calene Watkins, and Cynthia Stevenson. Cynthia Stevenson was so funny, I can still hear her voice. In this one Newhart played a comic book artist who had created Mad Dog and his sidekick Buddy. Hilarious, and they ruined it by making changes to it midway. Lasted two seasons.

Another one from 1992 "Room for Two." Patricia Heaton was so much better in this one with Linda Lavin as her mother, than she was later in ELR. But it was Linda Lavin who stole the show (as she did not too long in an episode of L&O.)

1995's "Hope and Gloria." Ok, so I'm a Cynthia Stevnson fan. Wasn't quite as good as the early "Bob" but at least she was back and she still made me laugh.

In article , wrote:

On The Rocks (75-76) sitcom about being in prison

Babes (90) If only for how funny the late Wendie Jo Sperber could be.

Hester Mofet

Hester Mofet wrote:

Remember the Women In Prison sitcom on Fox? :-D

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092485/

Ah, the early days of the then fledgling Fox Network.

In article , "[email]" wrote:

In a similar vein, "Dweebs" was surprisingly good.

[email] wrote:

While I never watched it, it seems like it would have worked in today's world ('How I Met Your Mother').

Patricia Heaton couldn't have gone on to do CBS's 'Everybody Loves Raymond' if this had succeeded. I remember it (the set, too).

It wasn't too bad at all and it's MUCH more bearable than stupid, stupid ABC's 'Hope & Faith'. Allan Thicke playing a jerk? Sounds about right! Enrico Colantoni couldn't have gone on to do NBC's 'Just Shoot Me' if this had succeeded.

In between this and ELR, PH was in "Women of the House" (with Terri Garr!)

wrote in message news:[email]...

Actually one full season and was canceled a few episodes into season 2.

Yes, I enjoyed that one as well. Was put into the wrong timeslot.

I remember the rumor Lifetime was going to revive it soon after NBC's cancellation but I guess it was too costly??

Scary to think how close 'WKRP' came to making it onto this list. I swear, as God as my witness, I thought turkeys could fly. ;)

AGW wrote:

I also remember the made-for-syndication 'The New WKRP In Cincinnati'. Ew, French Stewart: The Early Years.

Nancy, The Good Life, Love on a Rooftop, He and She, Occasional Wife, My Living Doll, The Tycoon, The Cara Williams Show, The Debbie Reynolds Show, Pistols and Petticoats, Run Buddy Run, The Good Guys, Governor and JJ, To Rome with Love, Hey Landlord, Gidget, Mickey, The Jean Arthur Show, Double Life of Henry Phyfe, Captain Nice, Adam's Rib, Many Happy Returns, Mona McClusky and of course Hank.

I loved Pistols and Petticoats. I think it would have had a longer run if Ann Sheridan hadn't become so ill and died early in the show.

Also remember watching Run, Buddy, Run. My brother and I would be in our parents' room watching a nasty old portable black-and-white because Dad had taken over the color to watch Gunsmoke.

in article 9b67a$43dd156f$407e4247$[email], Libbie at [email] wrote on 1/29/06 12:27 PM:

Good thing Buddy kept his day job with Merv's band. :-)

"Michael Alden" wrote in message news:[email]...

At least Gidget is coming to DVD in March! :))

On Sat, 28 Jan 2006 00:46:13 -0500, Taylor wrote:

"My Mother The Car"

Mid-1960's, as I recall, I don't believe it made a full season, making it perhaps one of the earliest possible failed series.

J.

First telecast: 9/14/65 Last telecast: 9/6/66

JXStern wrote:

You're right, 1965. Canceled after 13 weeks. My god, today's show creators, producers, writers and actors would KILL for a typical 13 week run.

"Taylor" wrote in message news:B5dDf.280$[email]...

No, it ran for a full season and produced 30 episodes

Jude Cormier wrote:

The IMDb truly sucks.

"Taylor" wrote in message news:8EhDf.390$[email]...

Proving that it isn't always the most reliable source of info. Same goes for Wikipedia too.

Does "The John Larroquette Show" count? As I recall, it only lasted one season before being replaced by a watered-down version of itself.

Buffalo Bill

Slap Maxwell

"explorer" wrote in message news:[email]...

In article , "sebastian_dangerfield" wrote:

Bosom Buddies Sports Night

WonderFalls.

piper "Taylor" wrote in message news:CyDCf.17156$[email]...

Second. Great show.

I found the show by accident.I was looking around NETFLIX for something new and found it. glas i did. piper "Matthew Kruk" wrote in message news:[email]...

Oh yeah! At least they had a chance to make a conclusion of the series for DVD!

I liked Bosom Buddies, The Greatest American Hero, and Valeries Family. Valeries Family actually became the Hogan Family after 1 or 2 seasons, and was on quite a while, but I liked the original with Valerie Harper the best.

"Taylor" wrote in message news:CyDCf.17156$[email]...

"Taylor" wrote in message news:CyDCf.17156$[email]...

I'm going to got for Committed which aired last year and was absolutly excelent but got canceled.

Also a show I dont know if it ever aired but it had Connie Britton and the tap dancing black guy who died a couple of years ago (Greg something or other)

was a funny show which I think made 4 episodes but dont know if they aired.

Also I loved Life On A Stick which made it to about 6 episodes...

finally Sports Night which lasted 2 years and was excelent,....

without question the best failed sitcome is My So Called Life.

"AmgregorM" wrote in message news:[email]...

My So-Called Life wasn't a sitcom or it would have been top of my list.

In article , "Major ChrisB" wrote:

Well, some of us viewed it as "laughable". ;p

"Major ChrisB" wrote in message news:krBDf.73331$[email]...

The Gregory Hines Show--on CBS, I think it ran a whole season, but alas had a rotten timeslot.

"Jude Cormier" wrote in message news:43df950b$0$74903$[email]...

nah it wasn't The Gregory Hines show. Deffinatly not as he wasn't in anything more than one or two scenes per episode. I looked it up on IMDB was called Lost At Home and had Connie Britton as the wife, her husband worked for Gregory Hines and they had two sons and a daughter.

was a good show

"Major ChrisB" wrote in message news:TMNDf.78282$[email]...

go check again--there was indeed a sitcom called The Gregory Hines Show. :)

"Major ChrisB" wrote in message news:TMNDf.78282$[email]...

Saw the entry at imdb.com but cannot ever recall seeing this.

Didn't watch it because I did not like it, but I believe it lasted three seasons.

Joe

On 1 Feb 2006 10:49:28 -0800, "[email]" wrote:

It lasted 2

Buffalo Bill Police Squad He and She

Taylor wrote:

Besides "He & She," two others I remembered I used to like were:

"Hank" (about a guy masquerading as various students in order to attend college without paying tuition); and

"Arnie" (mostly for Herschel Bernardi's acting performance)

"It's Your Move" with Jason Bateman (mid- 80's)

In addition to other shows that fit alll the criteria that I have mentioned in this list, I also want to mention two others, that may not count.

If you count shows that got picked up again by another network, then Grounded for Life is up there.

Also Titus only ran 2.5 seasons and I quite liked that.

In article , "[email]" wrote:

"Titus" really fell off, though. Season #1 was brilliant, season #2 was OK, and by the third season it was pretty crappy.

"Ian J. Ball" wrote in message news:ijball***NO-SPAM***[email]...

Christopher Titus discusses this on the DVD.

In article , "Jude Cormier" wrote:

Really? What's he say about it?...

"Ian J. Ball" wrote in message news:ijball***NO-SPAM***[email]...

Haven't seen it yet but caught an article about the DVD release where he states that Fox was interfering too much with the show and the constant time slot changes that were just the easy way to kill off the show (after he pissed off Fox programming chief at the time--Jill whats-her-name?) At that point, he just didn't care anymore and allowed the show to be whatever they felt like it. He himself admits, it is his fault the show died an early death.

"Jude Cormier" wrote in message news:43e12478$0$64337$[email]...

ok, I think her name was Gail Berman, correct?

Jude Cormier wrote:

Yes, and she was a scapegoat.

christopher titus rules.

It was either called "Life With Dora" or "I Married The Maid"

Despite that, after a few episodes, the cast and crew learned they were being cancelled, so went out with a final episode where (I think) the maid got deported...

"theresa" wrote in message news:[email]...

I Married Dora :) 13 episodes. The series finale (very wise on the producers' part) had the husband leaving to work for a shiek in Bahrain, but at the last minute, let's the plane leave without him stating he couldn't--because the show has been canceled. A wide shot of the cast and crew waving goodbye--fade out, the end.

That's it!

Thanks for the memories!

For me, it was the first time I recalled "the fourth wall" being so spectacularly breached (until Moonlighting appeaed...)

"Jude Cormier" wrote in message news:43e12550$0$64340$[email]...

I remember the show - not watching it. I never did. But the premise at the time was that of a felony.

theresa wrote:

They made light of their very own cancellation in the last scene of the last episode.

(from the book: "The Complete Directory To Prime Time Network And Cable TV Shows 1946-Present" by Tim Brooks and Earle Marsh)

I Married Dora had a short run, and one of TV history's most surprising final episodes. In the last original telecast Peter received a lucrative offer for a two-year job in Bahrein, packed his bags, and prepared to leave Dora and the family. Dora pleaded with him not to go and couldn't believe he'd actually get on the plane, but he did. Then, to everyone's surprise, he got off again.

Peter: "It's been cancelled." Dora: "The flight?" Peter: "No, our series!"

The camera pulls back revealing the stage and crew and everyone waved goodbye to the few remainig viewers. Now that's hot a faild sitcom SHOULD end!