# Crappy TV sitcoms that only lasted a few episodes **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 27, 2002, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149 "2002-07-27T19:57:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2002, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149/1 "2002-07-27T19:57:35Z")
Here’s the thread to talk about horrendous sitcoms that miraculously made it the air after the pilot episode, which should have kept it from being broadcast if the network execs had any common sense. Anyone remember that sitcom with Pauly Shore? How long did that last? ---
**Author:** ![jimmmy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@jimmmy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimmmy)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2002, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149/2 "2002-07-27T20:10:28Z")
“Pauly” 5 espisdoes Summer '97 [http://us.imdb.com/Guests?0118423](http://us.imdb.com/Guests?0118423) My nomination would be Life with Lucy (yet another Lucy comeback vehicle) Horrible. 12 episodes Summer '86 but I saw them on Nick, maybe all 12. The review this page says it all. [http://us.imdb.com/Title?0090473](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0090473) ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2002, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149/3 "2002-07-27T21:37:35Z")
There was the triple-whammy from just a couple of years ago, when the networks decided to air **Bette** and **The Geena Davis Show** as vehicles for Bette Midler and Geena Davis. And, at the same time, a show called **Welcome to New York** started airing as well, with Christine Baranski. Pathetic, horrible, sad excuses for sitcoms. I don’t think any one of them made it past 10 shows. There was another from a few years ago involving a May-December romance between an older woman and a younger man; I caught the pilot and was awed at its awfulness. Unfortunately, I can’t remember the title; I only remember that the man worked in a hotel, delivering for room service as I recall (which is how they met). And a fond “neener neener” to all the **Seinfeld** supporting actors who tried and failed to have careers after **Seinfeld**. I believe that **The Michael Richards Show** , **Bob Patterson** , and **Watching Ellie** all failed within 6 episodes. ---
**Author:** ![LolaCocaCola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7cd45c/32.png) [@LolaCocaCola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaCocaCola)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2002, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149/4 "2002-07-27T21:40:25Z")
Small Wonder ---
**Author:** ![FisherQueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58f4c7/32.png) [@FisherQueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FisherQueen)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2002, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149/5 "2002-07-27T21:44:40Z")
I believe that, like the Holocaust, we must remember “Jennifer Slept Here,” so that we can make sure that it never happens again. Hey, I invoked the Nazis. Does that mean the discussion is over? ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2002, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149/6 "2002-07-27T21:49:41Z")
Just realized I shoulda named two recent “gimmick” shows that ended quickly: **Inside Schwartz** and **Baby Bob**. And the fact that they were billed as the Second Coming of Comedy or something makes it even sadder. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2002, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149/7 "2002-07-27T22:18:43Z")
**Watching Ellie** wasn’t cancelled was it? There were only a few episodes of it made and it’s supposed to come back next year I thought with a few more episodes along with the two left over from this season. **Ellie** was definitely better than **Bob Patterson** or **The Michael Richards Show** I can’t remember the title of Joan Cusack’s show, but it was pretty bad. And I so much wanted to like it. ---
**Author:** ![Big\_Kahuna\_Burger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Big\_Kahuna\_Burger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Big_Kahuna_Burger)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2002, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149/8 "2002-07-27T22:38:35Z")
Ellie’s coming back for NBC, and I agree it was good, but I watched Andy Richter’s show instead of it. **What About Joan** is the name of Cusack’s old show **Costello** was pretty bad. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2002, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149/9 "2002-07-27T22:45:13Z")
Does anyone remember that awful show _Kristen_? About the uptight Christian girl who comes to NYC to work for a slimey millionaire. Man, that was bad. ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2002, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149/10 "2002-07-27T23:00:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Max Torque \* > \*\* > > There was another from a few years ago involving a May-December romance between an older woman and a younger man; I caught the pilot and was awed at its awfulness. Unfortunately, I can’t remember the title; I only remember that the man worked in a hotel, delivering for room service as I recall (which is how they met). > > \*\* Wow, I DO remember that and am also totally blanking on the name of it. I don’t even remember who starred in it (if anyone.) I actually liked the Geena Davis show, but the son looked disturbingly like Joanie Cunningham. I’m going to be a total witch and say **The Andy Richter Show** because I thought it was horrible. I know everyone else here liked it though, hehe. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2002, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149/11 "2002-07-27T23:06:10Z")
Leslie Nielsen’s **Police Squad** might fall into this category, but I thought it was great! ---
**Author:** ![Torgo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@Torgo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Torgo)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2002, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149/12 "2002-07-27T23:11:14Z")
**"Payne"** , an awful “Fawlty Towers” ripoff starring John Larroquette and Jobeth Williams, softened up for our more politically correct times; the “Manuel” character’s ethnicity was never specified so he spoke in some sort of bizarre, made-up accent. Oof. ---
**Author:** ![Alphagene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Alphagene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alphagene)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2002, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149/13 "2002-07-27T23:16:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by voguevixen \* > \*\*Wow, I DO remember that and am also totally blanking on the name of it. I don’t even remember who starred in it (if anyone.) > \*\* [Then Came You](http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/ShowMainServlet/showid-3680/) > [@](#): > > First Aired March 2000 > Last Aired April 2000 and There It Went… The phenomenon in general happened with a lot of prime time cartoons hoping to cash in on the _Simpsons_ craze. For some reason, _Fish Police_ stands out in that regard. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2002, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149/14 "2002-07-27T23:54:23Z")
> [@](#): > > **The phenomenon in general happened with a lot of prime time cartoons hoping to cash in on the Simpsons craze.** Which reminds me: **Stressed Eric**. A cartoon about a guy whose life is hideous and stressful. I can get that from my _own_ life, thankyaverymuch. They say it aired for three episodes, but I only saw one, and I don’t remember even seeing it on the schedule after that. Hideously unfunny. Not to mention **God, the Devil, and Bob** … ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2002, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149/15 "2002-07-28T00:46:48Z")
“Turn On”. ABC’s feeble attempt to replicate “Laugh-In”. Two shows were shot, but only one was aired. It was hosted by Tim Conway. I have never seen it. In fact, there’s some debate on whether or not the second show was actually made. This is the kind of thing I wished Rhino would get a hold of and sell. I can imagine a whole series of one-shot shows and failed pilots. They DID release a collection of really bad TV shows called “TV Turkeys”. The highlight? DeForest “Bones” Kelly in a show about suicide attempts! In it, he’s a down-on-his-luck guy who loses his job and is about to be evected from his boarding house. He decides to end it all by turning on his gas hot plate. While waiting for Mr. Death to come, his landlady shoves a letter under his door. It’s from the gas company telling him his gas has been cut off due to non-payment! ---
**Author:** ![roadrunner70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@roadrunner70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roadrunner70)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2002, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149/16 "2002-07-28T00:53:24Z")
I’m too lazy to do a google, but whatever that show with “The Diceman”…and Cathy Moriarty? That was a doozy… ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2002, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149/17 "2002-07-28T01:08:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by superbee \* > \*\*I’m too lazy to do a google, but whatever that show with “The Diceman”…and Cathy Moriarty? > > That was a doozy… \*\* “Bless This House” - 16 episodes. Dice’s attempt to prove he could do “clean” comedy. Worked out real good! ---
**Author:** ![Creaky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e68b1a/32.png) [@Creaky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Creaky)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2002, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149/18 "2002-07-28T02:44:32Z")
There was a really short-lived show I remember as a kid (1970’s) about a blue collar couple, both fat, I think. The premise was supposed to be, “Look how down-to-earth and poor these folks are, yet happy.” Which I guess has since been done to death since with “Roseanne”, “King of Queens”, and the like. I remember little about the show except that the opening song began, “Arms and legs / Ham and eggs / Good things come in pairs…” Yikes. No wonder it didn’t last. Does anybody else remember this show and what it was called, when it aired, etc.? ---
**Author:** ![RexDart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b77776/32.png) [@RexDart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RexDart)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2002, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149/19 "2002-07-28T03:20:33Z")
Worst I can remember, for gimick status especially, was the short-lived early 90’s Fox show “Whoops!” A man survived a nuclear holocaust because he was in his Volvo at the time (!) and everyone remaining on earth (about 6 people) eventually came to live together in this same little house for no apparent reason. The show lasted long enough to have a Thanksgiving episode and a Christmas episode. It was a completely formulaic mix of one-dimensional personalities designed to get an occasional cheap joke out of the rich guy’s arrogance or the smart girl’s proud feminism. Mercifully, Fox cancelled the show after the Christmas episode with still 3 produced episodes they never aired (thanks [TvTome.com](http://TvTome.com)!) And I’m with **Creaky** about the “happy, down-to-earth struggling poor family” genre. It’s been ok in a few of its incarnations, but when it gets too sappy it turns into the subgenre “I’m proud of my values and just because we’re poor doesn’t mean we aren’t valuable people so shut up you wealthy snots with your _name brand_ Mac n Cheese and your daughter that _doesn’t_ have to work as a cheap hooker to support the family!” Prime 90’s example of the sappiest version of this is easily “The Torkelsons.” ---
**Author:** ![Daniel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Daniel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daniel)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2002, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149/20 "2002-07-28T03:41:49Z")
1. **Aliens In The Family**. A Henson production, that came out the same week as the short-lived and underrated Muppets Tonight. Aliens In The Family was the Dinosaurs formula on a much smaller budget with talentless writers. It sucked. Two episodes aired altogether. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149.md?page=2)