TV's Weirdest Premises
 

"We've compiled our picks of 10 of the strangest ones to grace TV..."

http://nbci.gist.com/tv/article.jsp?adf=com040501

Making their list is:

Alf
The Charmings
Cop Rock
The Flying Nun
Herman's Head
Hogan's Heros
I Dream of Jeanie
Jennifer Slept Here
Mister Ed
My Mother The Car

Anyone think they missed some? Perhaps Bewitched, 3rd Rock From The Sun?

Maybe if they did a top 20.

<I>Space Ghost: Coast to Coast</I>
<I>TV Funhouse</I>
<I>Beavis and Butt-Head</I> (the original premise)

<I>Hogan's Heroes</I> is an odd choice, since it's really just a cross between <B>Stalag 17</B> and <B>The Great Escape</B>, the latter being highly successful. Coming off the heels of such programs like <I>The Phil Silvers Show</I>, this premise seems about as perfectly normal as could be imagined. And what a great show too!

The same thing could be said about <I>Mr. Ed</I>. After all the <B>Francis</B> films with Donald O'Connor, this was hardly a novel concept. And another great show!

das

I was surprised they put the Charmings on over some other choices. (Even though I am a huge Charmings fan).

Also, perhaps Buffy (even though there was the movie first).
Space Ghost is good, who would have thought a cartoon character with a talk show hehe.

Yeah, I thought about <I>Buffy</I>. I was also thinking maybe <I>Red Dwarf</I>.

das

I don't really think Alf is that weird. Different, yes, but weird?

Cop Rock and Herman's Head were the ones that immediately came to my mind.

The first two that popped into my head when I saw the title of this thread were My Mother the Car and Jennifer Slept Here, both of which made the list.

I'd also nominate:

My Favorite Martian
Manimal
Early Edition
Fantasy Island
Mork and Mindy
The Addams Family
The Munsters

etc.

I missed the show Jennifer Slept Here.

Who was in it? when was it on tv? what was the basic story of the show?

First Aired: October 1983
Last Aired: September 1984
Network: NBC

Show Stars
Mya Akerling - Marilyn Elliot
Georgia Engel - Susan Elliot
Ann Jillian - Jennifer Farrell
Brandon Maggart - George Elliot
John P. Navin, Jr. - Joey Elliot
Glenn Scarpelli - Marc

SYNOPSIS

When George Elliot, his wife Susan and their two children moved from New York to Beverly Hills, they had no idea that the palatial new home they had bought was haunted (sound like the movie, "Topper?")

The resident ghost was beautiful and sexy former owner and deceased movie star Jennifer Farrell. Jennifer decided to take 14-year-old Joey Elliot under her wing and help him adjust to the California lifestyle. She also thought he could use some help with girls, especially if he wanted to keep up with his more experienced next-door neighbor, Marc. Joey was the only one who could see Jennifer which meant that he was in the habit of talking to the furniture and this confused and worried his family and friends.

There was the traditional walking through walls and objects floating in midair, but the focus of the show was on Jennifer's relationship with Joey.

Only 13 episodes.

I just thought of another. It was short lived on NBC, "Nearly Departed" where this English dude and his wife die, go back to the house, and new people move in. Only Grandpa can see them.

No mention of "The Misfits of Science" or "The Man from Atlantis?"

How about 2 David Hasselhoff vehicles:

Baywatch
Knight Rider

How about Whiz Kids (1983-1984):

Richie, Ham, Jeremy and Alice are teenagers living outside Los Angeles.
They are also computer hackers who worked as amateur detectives in
their spare time. Llewellen Farley is a reporter who is a source for the
kids and sometimes asks them for help on stories he is writing. Farley's
brother-in-law is Lieutenant Quinn who also provides the kids with help.

Can you believe they did some dialing into computer systems using a Timex Sinclair?!?! :D

Or Mr. Merlin (also 1981-1982):

Merlin the Magician is alive and well and living as an auto mechanic in
San Francisco. Upon orders from his voluptuous boss Alexandra, Merlin
attempts to train his teenage employee at the garage, Zac, as his heir
apparent. Most of the show's comedy comes from Zac's inexperience
with his powers and the characters' attempts to keep Merlin's identity a
secret.

There were episodes directed by John Astin and Bill Bixby starring Barnard Hughes as Mr. Merlin.

Ahhhhhhhhh... good times.

I won't even START on any Kroft shows (e.g. Land of the Lost, HR Pufnstuf, The Bugaloos, etc.) ;)

The first thing that came to mind, and I'm suprised no one mentioned it yet, but wasn't there a show about Abraham Lincoln's butler? Now that's an odd premise. If anyone can remember the name of this short-lived UPN (or was it WB?) show I'd appreciate it. My brain's constipated.

"The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer". The show deserved to be cancelled just judging by the title.

My vote goes to "Whoops!", a late 80's/early 90's FOX comedy about a group of ethnically diverse people trying to make it after WW3. Nothing like a good post-apocalypse sitcom!

Automan.

Brothers in Outer Space

Out of this World.


D

Holmes and YoYo

Det. Alexander Holmes has no luck with his partners. They always end up at the hospital or the morgue. But this won't happen to his very new partner "Yoyo": a sophisticated indestructible android...

Richard B. Schull and John Schuck


Struck by Lightning

Science teacher Ted Stein inherits a spooky old New England inn inhabited by its caretaker Frank. Ted learns he is the descendant of the notorious Dr. Frankenstein, and that Frank is in actuality Frankenstein's Monster. Ted decides to hang around the inn to continue his ancestor's experiments, while keeping Frank's identity a secret.

Jack Elam and Jeffrey Kramer

Maybe Bosom Buddies?

Gilligan's Island (if you think about it)

Wow, someone else that actually remembers the show Automan.

I loved that show.

Alot of these shows I am saying "huh never heard of that one".

Oh well, just makes me go find webpages for 'em. :)

It was a cool sci-fi show done by the same guy that did Tron. Only lasted 13 episodes though.


Hey remember Max Headroom?

Now that one I remember.

Well, I more remember his "New Coke" ads hehe.

I liked the Charmings better. Both got canceled though :( I don't think I really liked his show. Coke ads were funny though "Don't say the P-P-P P word!"

Salvage 1?

Junk dealer Andy Griffith builds a rocket ship out of spare parts. Then flies it around the world (and to the moon) is search of rare refuse. It also had the dad from "Silver Spoons" as the pilot.

Where's the DVD, dammit?