# Exactly how bad WAS "Fish Police"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 1, 2003, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exactly-how-bad-was-fish-police/204834 "2003-10-01T02:59:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exactly-how-bad-was-fish-police/204834/1 "2003-10-01T02:59:23Z")
…It’s often called one of the worst animated series’ ever aired. And I even watched it when it first came on. However, I was also 8 years old at the time, and I’m damned if I can remember any details. In fact, aside from a general sense of mediocrity, all I can remember is a plotline dealing with some very poorly-named whistles, and a trampy fish-woman who was complaining about her “shells sagging.” :dubious: :eek: Can anyone else refresh my memory on the matter? Or has everyone else in the free western world decided to leave “Fish Police” in it’s rightful place in the dustbin of history? ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exactly-how-bad-was-fish-police/204834/2 "2003-10-01T03:26:16Z")
Imagine all the worst fish jokes ever written, with one included in every second line, and some of the crappiest animation ever seen on television, with John Ritter attempting to be wisecrackingly funny. Best left alone. ---
**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:** [October 1, 2003, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exactly-how-bad-was-fish-police/204834/3 "2003-10-01T03:36:41Z")
Can’t be. The worst animated prime-time series ever was [“Stressed Eric”](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0149525/). Basically, the show was about an average guy who experiences so much pressure in each episode that the veins in his neck come to life and strangle him. Gee, just what I want to watch when I’m home from the salt mines and want some light entertainment… ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exactly-how-bad-was-fish-police/204834/4 "2003-10-01T04:13:56Z")
“Family Dog” was pretty bad too. Basically, each episode amounted to saying, “Gee, what can the writers do to torment the poor dog today?” ---
**Author:** ![ResIpsaLoquitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b3f665/32.png) [@ResIpsaLoquitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ResIpsaLoquitor)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exactly-how-bad-was-fish-police/204834/5 "2003-10-01T04:41:48Z")
…and for months and months, they trumpted “Family Dog” as surpassing the Simpsons…didn’t Spielberg produce it? ---
**Author:** ![capacitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@capacitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capacitor)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exactly-how-bad-was-fish-police/204834/6 "2003-10-01T04:53:28Z")
Fish Police wasn’t so bad; it was too much ‘human in funny suits’ to be viable. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exactly-how-bad-was-fish-police/204834/7 "2003-10-01T05:32:32Z")
“Sheep in the City” was one of the worst shows I have ever seen. ---
**Author:** ![Santos\_L\_Halper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/santos_l_halper/32/1_2.png) [@Santos\_L\_Halper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santos_L_Halper)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exactly-how-bad-was-fish-police/204834/8 "2003-10-01T07:26:17Z")
**Family Dog** first appeared as an episode of the Spielberg-produced show **Amazing Stories**. The animation was well done and the voice work was first rate (Annie Potts and Stan Freberg played the parents). The characterization of the dog and family was absolutely hilarious. It was directed by Brad Bird, who later directed two classic Simpsons episodes - _Krusty Gets Busted_ and _Like Father, Like Clown_. He also wrote and directed the animated masterpiece _the Iron Giant_. After several years and much difficulty they brought a lackluster Family Dog series to TV in an effort to cash in on the succes of the Simpsons. The voice actors had all been replaced and the animation was run-of-the-mill. It was canceled after five episodes. I’d highly recommend any animation fan that hasn’t seen the original Amazing Stories episode track down a copy (it was released on the video _Amazing Stories: Book Two_ with another episode). It’s an excellent piece of work. Yes, **Fish Police** was pretty bad, so was **Capital Critters** which was on the same year. Eric ---
**Author:** ![kingpengvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9dc877/32.png) [@kingpengvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kingpengvin)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exactly-how-bad-was-fish-police/204834/9 "2003-10-01T12:21:59Z")
When I hear Fish police I picture a sketch on SCTV where The Police were cops in hip waders going after fish who’ve “gone bad” One police officer is runing by a stream and screams out “Halt or I’ll cast!” Then whips out a Pocket fisherman TM The sketch ends with two cops holding up a fish on a line “You’ll fry for this!” Ahhh good times… sorry no I never saw the show you are talking about. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exactly-how-bad-was-fish-police/204834/10 "2003-10-01T12:23:39Z")
I understand the comic was pretty good, but it was dumbed down for TV. I saw one episode; it was gloriously unfunny and uninteresting. ---
**Author:** ![Gundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Gundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gundy)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exactly-how-bad-was-fish-police/204834/11 "2003-10-01T13:51:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by astro \* > \*\*“Sheep in the City” was one of the worst shows I have ever seen. \*\* Whaaa? The series that named characters like General Specific and Private Public? ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exactly-how-bad-was-fish-police/204834/12 "2003-10-01T14:39:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gundy \* > \*\*Whaaa? The series that named characters like General Specific and Private Public? \*\* Not to mention the Ranting Swede and Oxymoron™ brand products (“With the power of an ox!”) ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exactly-how-bad-was-fish-police/204834/13 "2003-10-01T15:20:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mobo85 \* > **Not to mention the Ranting Swede** Oh yeah, my wife and stepdaughter _loved_ that guy. “Oh look, it’s your cousin! Ha ha ha ha!” :rolleyes: ---
**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:** [October 1, 2003, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exactly-how-bad-was-fish-police/204834/14 "2003-10-01T15:21:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gundy \* > \*\*Whaaa? The series that named characters like General Specific and Private Public? \*\* The show was also visited once by the Private’s father, General Public. And there was another visit by an officer with an oxymoronic name: Corporal Ethereal. ---
**Author:** ![fotosbyfrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/54ee81/32.png) [@fotosbyfrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fotosbyfrank)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exactly-how-bad-was-fish-police/204834/15 "2003-10-01T15:24:55Z")
Yes, “Fish Police” was bad!! But, what do you expect from writers who were working for scale? ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exactly-how-bad-was-fish-police/204834/16 "2003-10-01T15:47:19Z")
The problem with “Fish Police” was that it strayed way too far from the source material. The comic book was this wondrous and strange _thing_ and the series was, well, police who are fish. Yawn.