# 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:** 6
**Author:** ![owlofcreamcheese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@owlofcreamcheese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlofcreamcheese)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2004, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149/101 "2004-03-31T06:44:57Z")
I have heard rumors there was a show canceled half way… that it was interupted by a news story or some such thing, and they never showed a second episode, makeing it the shortest run ever made. what was it called? who knows! way before my time, and this is from the ultra reputible source of “some triva list I read once” ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2004, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149/102 "2004-03-31T07:21:04Z")
Not a sitcom…but a tasteless programme called Australia’s Funniest Home Adult Videos (or something like that) was cancelled mid-way through its first episode when the television station owner (Kerry Packer) happened to tune in and see it. He thought it was terrible and ordered that it be immediately taken off air. I think the remainder of the time slot was filled with advertisements, promotions and news. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2004, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149/103 "2004-03-31T07:29:27Z")
I remember seeing ads for “Kristin” and thinking Kristin Chenoweth was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. I never watched it, but then the show disappeared like a week later. I had completely forgotten about it until just now. And I always thought Stark Raving Mad lasted a whole season. I thought it was really funny. And I don’t think I’m alone, because it’s the **award winning** Stark Raving Mad. It took home a People’s Choice Award for “Best New Comedy.” F’in NBC! ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149/104 "2004-04-02T16:48:49Z")
Three pages and no one mentioned Sheldon Leonard’s prize 1975 turkey **Big Eddie**??? Man, you don’t know bad TV until you’ve seen that one! ---
**Author:** ![haardvark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5ac83/32.png) [@haardvark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/haardvark)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149/105 "2004-04-02T18:08:19Z")
A few sci-fi shows that I was desperate to watch as a kiddo, which didn’t seem to last long: V: the series The Phoenix Automan There was a spin-off of Family Ties (?) wherein the father of a large family was the coach at the Keaton kids school. The family had many kids, so the"full house" jokes were in abundance. I can’t think of the actor’s name who played the dad, but he was a standup at the time and his sole gimmick seemed to be mimicking a manual typewriter by slapping his bald forehead with his own outstretched hands as he moved his head from left to right. (AFAIK this show did not last beyond one ep.) There was a show in the 70’s with the Brit comic actor Peter Cook as a down on his luck butler forced to slum for an American single mom and her snide daughter. **Doctor, Doctor** didn’t last long but man, oh MAN did I LOOOOOOVE that show. I can still picture the scenes that had me in such stitches, so many years later. **AfterM_A_S\*H** only lasted a few eps, right? And it was pretty stinky-poo. (I wanted it to be good…I was a slobbering M_A_S\*H fan) Oh, and I really liked both **Best of the West** and **Jennifer Slept Here** when I was but a wee 'vark. ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149/106 "2004-04-02T18:27:52Z")
> [@Fenris](#): > > BAM! > > So I wuz readin’ dis thre’d an’ I sez to myself: SELF! Dis thre’d ain’t rahaket sciencz! I shood join in again! > > Iv I recahul k’recktly id waz aboud dat paragahn o’ bad cook’n Em’rul, who played Em’rul an said “BAM!” ahlot, which meant th’t his range o’ aktin’ skillz surpassed ‘is kookin’ skillz! > > Fenris Right before this show came on My wife ate at Emeril’s in the MGM in Vegas. Great food BTW. And they were giving out buttons to promote the show on the way out. After turning it down I told my wife "I should go get one of those. Since the show will die an unnatural death within 6 months that will be worth money on Ebay some day. Unfortunately I didn’t go back to get one. ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149/107 "2004-04-02T18:37:00Z")
> [@haardvark](#): > > A few sci-fi shows that I was desperate to watch as a kiddo, which didn’t seem to last long: > > V: the series > The Phoenix > Automan > > There was a spin-off of Family Ties (?) wherein the father of a large family was the coach at the Keaton kids school. The family had many kids, so the"full house" jokes were in abundance. I can’t think of the actor’s name who played the dad, but he was a standup at the time and his sole gimmick seemed to be mimicking a manual typewriter by slapping his bald forehead with his own outstretched hands as he moved his head from left to right. (AFAIK this show did not last beyond one ep.) Just the Ten of us. Which actually ran for 2 seasons. You are remembering the lead right though. Bill Kirchenbauer , he did a lot of physical gags on his stand up. Immitations of Macy’s parade baloons. Imitations of a bagpipe or chewing gum. He had a couple funny bits but a lot of it was just absurd impersonations that kinda went nowhere. Then again he did tour with Ghallager for a while so that ought to tell you something about his comedic genius (watch that sarcasm, you might step in it and track it through the thread). ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149/108 "2004-04-02T18:49:35Z")
I guess it technically was not a sitcom, but you have to be impressed with **girls club,** the Fox lawyer show about three San Francisco bimbos who claim to be lawyers, starring Gretchen Mol, Chyler Leigh, and some other idiot. It was HEAVILY marketed, big budget, produced by the guy behind Boston Public and Ally McBeal. They made them go to the World Series and everything (“Welcome to the World Series on Fox, and oh, look, it’s Gretchen Mol from the FOX series girls club, starting Thursday night, whaddya know!”) Two episodes. But I knew before it ever aired that it was doomed. Months before, my buddy and I were looking for a place to booze it up after a Giants game when we accidentally stumbled into the set. After gawking at the starlets (all very short, I noticed) for awhile we were asking one of the dudes on the set some questions. His job was unclear to me but he was wearing a very nice ID tag. At one point the conversation went like this: Me: So what show is this anyway? Guy: It’s a new lawyer show by David Kelley. Me: Another one? Guy: Yeah, this one’s about three chick lawyers. Me: Who’s in it? Guy: Gretchen Mol, Chyler Leigh, and (third chick) and (some guy) Me: Who are they? Guy: (laughs) Me: How is it? Guy: I think it sucks. ---
**Author:** ![BizarroRonJeremy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4da419/32.png) [@BizarroRonJeremy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BizarroRonJeremy)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149/109 "2004-04-02T19:20:11Z")
I’m going on record and predicting that the Stones won’t last the spring. As charming as Jay Baruchel was in Undeclared, he is unwatchable in the Stones. The only “bright” spot is Judith Light. The premise blows and watching poor Jay Baruchel’s lame attempt at physical humour in painful… ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149/110 "2004-04-02T20:30:03Z")
> [@vanilla](#): > > How long was The Girl With Something Extra on? > I think Patty Duke was the mother and the daughter’s “something extra” was she was psychic. I think that I rented this once. Neither Patty Duke nor Sally Field were in it, and the something extra wasn’t psychic powers, thats for sure :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2004, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149/111 "2004-04-03T03:18:20Z")
> [@Sagasumono](#): > > I remember a few… > > When Married With Children first came out,there was a show right after called Open House about Real Estate agents…go figure…I think the show had a SMALL fan base. You’re right. I actually went to a taping of Open House. FLOP. I was much more interested in the workings of the production than the show. I still remember one line: Wife at gaming table: “You don’t have to talk to her chest.”(Motioning to very large breasts of casino dealer) Husband: “It asked me a question.” It encapsulates for me the mind-boggling junk that passes for funny in so many sitcoms. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2004, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149/112 "2004-04-03T17:46:28Z")
Does anyone besides me remember _Nearly Departed_, with Eric Idle as a ghost that can only be seen by the people who now live in his house? It ran in 1989, though I don’t know how many episodes. The only memory I have of the actual show is a scene in which one of the other guys (I’m guessing it was Henderson Forsythe, who played Grampa) is taking his driver’s license test. He’s about to fail the vision test, so Eric Idle jumps up on the table behind the tester and starts contorting his body into the various letters on the chart so that Grampa can pass the test. It also featured Stuart Pankin and Wendy Schaal, if that helps. ---
**Author:** ![Fionn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Fionn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fionn)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2004, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149/113 "2004-04-03T18:01:34Z")
Rosie O’Donnell did a short-lived sitcom called _Stand by Your Man_ in 1992. She and her sister-in-law (or sister, I’m not sure) moved in together because their husbands had gone to prison. I only remeber one good joke, when they were talking about going back to work. Sister: When you were a tollbooth operator, you always came home smiling. Rosie: Yeah, ‘cause I was out of my mind from suckin’ fumes all day. ---
**Author:** ![Berserker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ba8739/32.png) [@Berserker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berserker)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2004, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149/114 "2004-04-03T19:04:42Z")
\*\*That 80’s Show \*\* was utterly horrible, though I believe it aired for a full season.“It’s not a pay phone, its a PORTABLE PHONE!” ::laughes ensue:: I saw that comercial every ten minutes for months. They even had that audio clip playing on the radio. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2004, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149/115 "2004-04-03T22:30:43Z")
_ **Babes** _ - early Fox. The premise was ‘all these women are overweight.’ _ **She’s the Sheriff** _ - primetime starts at 7:30! - with Suzanne Somers in the title role _ **The Art of Being Nick** _ - spinoff of Family Ties about Mallory’s boyfriend. ---
**Author:** ![Legolamb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4491bb/32.png) [@Legolamb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legolamb)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2004, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149/116 "2004-04-04T00:17:58Z")
NBC’s version of **Coupling** - a recipe. - Take one hilarious, highly respected hit show from another country/ little-watched cable channel about male and female attitudes to relationships and sex. - Strip out all jokes pertaining to sex. - Strip out all jokes that may be considered somewhat risque. - Strip out all the rest of the jokes. There may be some reference to sex in them that we missed first time, and American audiences can’t handle sex don’tchaknow. - Cast 6 actors with zero comic-timing ability, one of whom has the most shows deemed to have jumped the shark for any actress. - Ignore all those people clamouring for the BBC version instead. - Wonder why it’s doing so badly in the ratings despite being “the most talked about new show” then pull it after only 4 episodes. You’d think they’d have learned from the American versions of Fawlty Towers, Absolutely Fabulous and Red Dwarf by now. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Gr8Kat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gr8kat/32/18668_2.png) [@Gr8Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gr8Kat)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2004, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149/117 "2004-04-04T02:00:01Z")
> [@Cardinal](#): > > You’re right. I actually went to a taping of Open House. FLOP. I was much more interested in the workings of the production than the show. > > I still remember one line: > > Wife at gaming table: “You don’t have to talk to her chest.”(Motioning to very large breasts of casino dealer) > > Husband: “It asked me a question.” > > It encapsulates for me the mind-boggling junk that passes for funny in so many sitcoms. Wasn’t that a spin-off of another earlier better Fox comedy called Duet? Lemme think (and check IMDB). Yeah, it looks like it. Duet was a sophisticated adult comedy about two lonely thirtysomethings looking for love or some such. I liked it. Anyway, there was a brief period where we didn’t have Fox because it jumped from one affiliate to another that our local cable provider didn’t carry. When we finally got it, Duet was gone and instead we had half the original cast playing real estate agents. I admit, I was a junky for early Fox sitcoms. I loved Herman’s Head, the George Carlin Show, Flying Blind (yay, Tea Leone!) and Woops! And I watched the crap, too. (I mean, the crappier crap.) I get the dubious honor of saying: I can’t believe no one else has mentioned Babes, Drexler’s Class, or the one where Rosie O’Donnell and Melissa Gilbert played SISTERS who lived together while their husbands were both in prison. Ah, Stand By Your Man. Thanks, IMDB! ---
**Author:** ![Gr8Kat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gr8kat/32/18668_2.png) [@Gr8Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gr8Kat)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2004, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149/118 "2004-04-04T02:01:53Z")
Re: Babes and Stand By Your Man No, I’m not the first. If only I’d read two or three more posts down before posting myself. But Drexler’s Class is all mine, right? Yay! ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2004, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149/119 "2004-04-04T05:50:30Z")
> [@Gr8Kat](#): > > Re: Babes and Stand By Your Man > > No, I’m not the first. If only I’d read two or three more posts down before posting myself. But Drexler’s Class is all mine, right? Yay! Yes, **Drexel’s Class** is all yours. But let’s not forget that it gave the world [AJ Langer](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0486277/) and [Brittany Murphy](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005261/). And the pie-f\*cker himself, [Jason Biggs](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004755/). ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2004, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149/120 "2004-04-04T06:34:08Z")
Sure, there are plenty of formulaic plot devices and characters inherent in the world of television, but here’s the most derivative sitcom ever. The theme song, which you can hear [by clicking here](http://www.bobdenver.com/Bob_s_Other_Series/Dusty_s_Trail/dusty_s_trail.html), was the most entertaining and original aspect of _Dusty’s Trail_. Even the linked Bob Denver tribute page admits that Dusty was a latter-day (or would that be former-day, as the show was set in the Old West?) Gilligan, the schoolmarm (Lori Saunders of [/iPetticoat Junction\* fame) a Mary Ann figure, etc. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crappy-tv-sitcoms-that-only-lasted-a-few-episodes/121149.md?page=7)