There was the Corey Haim sitcom Roomies that I remember liking at the time, and was disappointed to see canceled.
Does anyone remember an early Fox or UPN sitcom about some women in prison? It was on about the same time period as Herman’s Head?
Doh :smack: It is, of course, the arcanely named Fox sitcom Women in Prison with Wendy Joe Sperber.
(missed Annies-Xmas swatting me with the cluebat).
I thought I saw a thread not too long ago mentioning that Quark was out on DVD. Or did I dream it?
Mine would be a show called “Johnny Bago”, which was only on for one summer about 20 years ago. It was about a guy who was on the run from the mob and his parole officer / ex-wife. He hitched a ride with an old guy in a Winnebago who subsequently croaked. I recall that every episode they introduced a new mob hit man who was sent out after Johnny and who always wound up dead by the end of the episode.
I have no idea why Joe Bash continues to occupy space in my brain. I was 13 when its six episodes graced the airwaves, and I don’t remember any of them. I just remember, at the conclusion of the first episode, my father saying “I don’t think that’s going to last too long.” He was right, as it turns out.
I do remember liking American Dreamer somewhat. As it made it to episode 18, though, maybe it doesn’t count in this thread.
Hot L Baltimore - 1975, ran for 13 episodes. Had James Cromwell and Charlotte Rae, and also featured an early gay couple, and characters that were prostitutes and illegal immigrants. A little ahead of its time, to say the least. Memorable quote - from Charlotte Rae, as Mrs. Bellotti, referring to her son (who was one of those ‘never seen, but often referred to’ characters): “Moose is upstairs, buttering the hallway.”
We Got It Made - Two New York single guys hire a hot blonde babe to be their live-in maid, much to the chagrin of their girlfriends.
The Jackie Thomas Show - a showcase series for Tom Arnold back when he was married to Roseanne Barr. Arnold played the self-centered star (Jackie Thomas) of a TV sitcom. It was surprisingly well done.
No, it’s defintiely out. I have a copy although I haven’t watched it yet.
There was also a French version of this show that was made a year later (both were based on a Broadway play).
I remember it well, but your description doesn’t really capture the surreal humor of the show. At a trailer park in the northwest, Johnny hangs out with a guy who is, in all likelihood, Elvis. That sort of thing.
There was also this screwy comedy back in 1982, only ran for 6 episodes. But I think a few of us might remember Police Squad.
Does two seasons and 32 episodes count as “short lived”?
I loooooved Boston Common. It was one of the most well written comedy series that got the proverbial network axe.
That reminded me of Eerie, Indiana another good but short-lived series.
Police Squad! has to be the ultimate - there were only 6 episodes made, but it spawned an enormously successful move franchise.
Also considering that is way WAY better than that Men In Tights dreck that Mel tried to pass off on us two decades later.
The two most successful short-lived sitcoms are Fawlty Towers and The Office, both only twelve episodes. The least successful short-lived sitcom had 130 awful episodes packed into one season: The Trouble with Tracy.
Another short-lived sitcom I particularly lked was CBC’s The Newsroom. The original 13 episodes were great. It went off the air for a few seasons and then straggled back, but it was really the first season that was great.
I’d like to add “Zorro and Son” to the mix. My wife and I liked all five episodes. I think we were alone.
If it makes you feel better, I didn’t remember the title either. But I did remember Wendy Jo. She is always unforgetable.
ETA: There was Princesses, starring a pre-Nanny Fran Drescher and Twiggy. Drescher and her husband Peter Marc Jacobson based The Nanny on Twiggy and her family.