As a longtime observer of the ever-evolving landscape of television, it’s fascinating to delve into the lesser-known ventures of some of our most cherished stars. One such journey leads us to Ed Asner, a man whose career has spanned decades and genres, from dramatic roles in “Lou Grant” to comedic ones like “Thunder Alley.
From the ‘90s, when hits like Seinfeld and Friends ruled, there’s no denying that comedy on TV was thriving. But not every show from that era had a long run or made a lasting impact. In fact, some hilarious sitcoms ended prematurely while others ran too long before fading into obscurity for various reasons. Here is a list of ’90s sitcoms that have been largely forgotten but might still ring a bell.
Arsenio (1997)
Arsenio Hall was a highly acclaimed late-night TV host in the 1990s, but his venture into sitcom acting didn’t quite succeed. The sitcom he co-starred with the cast of Coming to America, titled simply ABC Sitcom and featuring Vivica A. Fox as his onscreen spouse, was abruptly ended after airing only seven episodes.
The Critic (1994-1995)
Originating from the minds of The Simpsons writers Al Jean and Mike Reiss, The Critic featured Jon Lovitz as the voice of New York film critic Jay Sherman, infamous for his opinion that every major release “reeks.” Although widely recognized as one of the best animated TV shows of all time, it’s challenging to find many who are still familiar with its humor following its two-season stint on ABC.
Smart Guy (1997-1999)
After the triumph of “Sister, Sister,” Tia and Tamara Mowry’s younger brother, Tahj Mowry, seized the limelight as the lead in his own WB sitcom titled “Smart Guy.” This series revolves around 10-year-old T.J. Henderson, whose intelligence quotient of 180 grants him the opportunity to study at high school alongside his elder siblings. However, even with his impressive academic accomplishments, he frequently finds himself in need of wise counsel from a sitcom father, Floyd (John Marshall Jones), whom I’d be honored to call my own.
Stark Raving Mad (1999-2000)
Regardless of positive feedback, the television series “Stark Raving Mad,” starring Neil Patrick Harris as a neurotic book editor and Tony Shalhoub as a carefree horror author struggling with writer’s block, unfortunately only ran for one season on NBC. Noteworthy is that both actors later achieved significant success in roles contrasting their performances on the show; Shalhoub became famous for portraying an obsessive-compulsive detective in “Monk,” while Harris joined the cast of “How I Met Your Mother” as the self-assured Barney Stinson.
Get A Life (1990-1992)
Prior to joining the cast of Saturday Night Live with a brief stint, Chris Elliott was the co-creator and lead actor in a less well-known sitcom named Get a Life. Airing for two seasons on Fox, this quirky yet intelligent comedy featured the underestimated comedian as an adult paperboy residing in an apartment above his parents’ garage.
Damon (1998)
Back in the 2000s, you might recall Damon Wayans’ popular sitcom “My Wife and Kids” on ABC, but that wasn’t his first venture into sitcom production following his departure from the “In Living Color” cast. Instead, he tried his hand at a show called “Damon,” which ran for 13 episodes on Fox. In this series, Damon Wayans and fellow “ILC” alum David Alan Grier played brothers – one portraying a Chicago detective while the other took on the role of a security guard in a rent-a-cop service. They were reunited in Chicago, providing a unique dynamic for the show.
Jenny (1997-1998)
Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg’s most notable accomplishments have mainly been in reality competition shows like hosting MTV’s “Singled Out” and judging “The Masked Singer”. She also attempted to lead her own sitcom on NBC, where she portrayed a convenience store clerk who unexpectedly inherits a vast fortune from the movie star father she had never met. However, this show ran for only 17 episodes.
Delta (1992-1993)
After leaving the popular TV show “Designing Women” on CBS, Delta Burke starred in her own sitcom that ran for one season on ABC. In this series called “Delta“, we follow the story of a middle-aged woman who has recently been divorced and decides to chase her dream of becoming a country music singer in Nashville.
Monty (1994)
Henry Winkler, renowned for his iconic role as “The Fonz” in the beloved sitcom “Happy Days“, established himself as a leading actor of his era. However, his subsequent return to sitcom acting, portraying an uninformed conservative radio host in “Monty“, was abruptly ended when Fox decided to terminate the series after only 13 episodes.
Unhappily Ever After (1995-1999)
The show that was the WB’s counterpart to “Married… with Children” followed a quirky family of five. The head of this household, portrayed by Geoff Pierson, had a unique friendship with a talking rabbit named Mr. Floppy, who lived in his basement and was voiced by Bobcat Goldthwait. Other cast members included Stephanie Hodge, Kevin Connolly from “Entourage”, Nikki Cox, and Justin Berfield from “Malcolm in the Middle”. Running for 100 episodes, “Unhappily Ever After” has since slipped into relative anonymity.
The George Wendt Show (1995)
Most actors from the Cheers cast achieved more fame with their own successful sitcoms, but George Wendt is an unusual exception to this trend. Despite being a highly acclaimed multi-Emmy nominee, Wendt’s self-titled comedy series, based on the popular radio show Car Talk, was unexpectedly canceled by CBS after airing only six out of the eight episodes that were produced.
Malcolm & Eddie (1996-2000)
Initially, during UPN’s early period, one of its most thriving sitcoms was “Malcolm & Eddie”. This show centered around the unlikely pair, Malcolm and Eddie, who shared a living space and had a business partnership. Yet, while the show may not be as remembered today, Malcolm-Jamal Warner remains largely recognized for his role as Theo in “The Cosby Show”, and Eddie Griffin has expanded his career with stand-up comedy and films like “Undercover Brother”.
Two Of A Kind (1998-1999)
Following eight seasons of portraying Michelle Tanner on “Full House,” the Olsen Twins went on to co-star in their own ABC sitcom, “Two of a Kind.” This time, they took on roles based on themselves as twin sisters named Mary-Kate and Ashley. However, despite their fame, the show only lasted for one season.
The Good Life (1994)
Prior to Drew Carey’s success with his ABC sitcom, he appeared in a supporting role in the brief NBC comedy, “The Good Life”. Running for just one 13-episode season, the show focused on the personal and professional life of a middle manager at a lock distribution warehouse, portrayed by John Caponera.
A League of Their Own (1993)
As a gamer, I’d say: “Back in the day, there was this overlooked TV show on CBS called ‘A League of Their Own,’ spun off from a movie. It managed to reunite some familiar faces from timeless sports films, but unfortunately, it missed out on bringing back stars like Tom Hanks and Geena Davis. That might have been the reason it didn’t go beyond five episodes. Interestingly, the tale of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League during World War II later served as inspiration for a critically acclaimed, yet brief-lived Amazon Prime series in 2022.
A Family For Joe (1990)
In the early 1990s, NBC broadcasted a TV film titled “A Family for Joe“. The movie featured Robert Mitchum in the role of a homeless man who was asked by a group of orphaned kids to pretend to be their grandfather to prevent them from being separated and placed into different foster homes. Shortly after, NBC developed this storyline into a sitcom, but it ran for just nine episodes. Interestingly, this series featured future Academy Award nominee Juliette Lewis and Ben Savage, who later became famous as the lead character in “Boy Meets World”.
The Parent ‘Hood (1995-1999)
The comedy series “The Parent ‘Hood” featured co-creator Robert Townsend playing an ex-English professor who took over the household duties while his wife (Suzzanne Douglas) resumed her career outside the home. Comedian Faizon Love was also part of the cast. The show, which resembled the concept of “Mr. Mom,” held viewers’ attention for four seasons. However, it eventually became one of The WB’s lesser-known comedies, even though it was accessible with a Max subscription for a while.
Good & Evil (1991)
In the 70s, the television network ABC broadcasted a sitcom titled “Soap,” which humorously satirized daytime soap opera tropes. This show was an unprecedented success. However, when the network attempted another concept with “Good & Evil,” starring Teri Garr and Margaret Whitton as a selfish heiress and her altruistic sister respectively, it ran for just 11 episodes.
High Society (1995-1996)
Jean Smart, with numerous Emmy victories under her belt, is widely recognized as a television legend, yet not every project she’s involved in has been an undeniable success. For instance, “High Society,” which shares a resemblance to the U.K.’s “Absolutely Fabulous” (with Smart and Mary McDonnell portraying two extravagant socialites), didn’t quite achieve the same level of success, airing for only one 13-episode season on CBS.
Dharma & Greg (1997-2002)
As a dedicated fan, I’d say that Dharma & Greg, with the brilliant performances of Jenna Elfman as Dharma and Thomas Gibson as Greg, was about an unlikely couple who found love despite their differences. This engaging and heartwarming sitcom graced our screens for five seasons on ABC, but when you compare it to Chuck Lorre’s later hits like Two and a Half Men and The Big Bang Theory, its legacy is perhaps less well-known among the masses.
The Jackie Thomas Show (1992-1993)
Following his rise to prominence due to marrying sitcom icon Roseanne Barr, Tom Arnold collaborated with her on creating and producing a TV series titled “The Jackie Thomas Show“. For 18 episodes, Arnold took the lead in this ABC original show that poked fun at the entertainment industry, portraying an unpopular sitcom actor.
Brotherly Love (1995-1997)
As a gamer, I’ve gotta say, Joey Lawrence was the star on “Blossom”, but his next gig, “Brotherly Love”, didn’t quite hit the mark and ran for just two seasons – one on NBC and the second on The WB. Still, I bet he enjoyed every minute of it, acting alongside his brothers Matthew and Andy in that sitcom, where we find him reconnecting with his half-siblings after their father’s passing.
Life With Roger (1996-1997)
In the series titled “Life with Roger,” Mike O’Malley played the main character – a homeless individual on the brink of suicide, who was persuaded not to end his life by a doctor named Jason (portrayed by Maurice Godin). This series only ran for one season on The WB. However, O’Malley would go on to gain greater fame through a more successful sitcom on CBS called “Yes, Dear” and for his role in the cast of “Glee,” where he portrayed Kurt’s father, Burt Hummel.
Hudson Street (1995-1996)
Previously established as sitcom stars through hit shows like “Who’s the Boss?” and “Full House”, Tony Danza and Lori Loughlin joined forces for the series “Hudson Street”. The show centered around the romantic relationship between a divorced homicide detective (portrayed by Danza) and a crime reporter (Loughlin). Despite generally positive reviews, the sitcom struggled with decreasing viewership. After ABC shifted it to a Saturday evening slot, its first season unfortunately marked its end.
The Office (1995)
Although it shouldn’t be mistaken for “The Office” on NBC or its British counterpart, this short-lived CBS sitcom happened to be an American adaptation of the British series titled “Upstairs, Downstairs.” Airing only six episodes, it depicted a team of executives and their assistants at a packaging company, featuring a well-known cast including Valerie Harper from “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” Kevin Conroy known for voicing Batman, and Debra Jo Rupp who later starred in “That ’70s Show.
Kelly Kelly (1998)
Shelley Long, following her departure from “Cheers” in 1987, didn’t quite maintain the same degree of fame as she initially gained. One lesser-known role is that of Professor Kelly, where she portrays a character whose first name turns into her last after marrying a widowed fire chief, played by Robert Hays, in the movie “Kelly Kelly.
LateLine (1998-1999)
As a devoted admirer, I can’t help but mention that Al Franken, renowned for his stint as an SNL writer and performer and his subsequent political journey, also had the pleasure of starring in a sitcom called LateLine on NBC. This comedic series offered a peek behind the curtains of a late-night news program, much like Nightline, and graced our screens for two seasons on NBC. Later, some unbroadcasted episodes found a home on Showtime.
Men Behaving Badly (1996-1997)
After departing from Studio 8H, Rob Schneider’s debut sitcom was titled “Men Behaving Badly”. In this series, he and Ron Eldard portrayed college buddies exhibiting immature behavior, while Justine Bateman played the role of one of their girlfriends, often finding herself dealing with their mischief.
Love And Marriage (1996)
On her journey to gaining broad recognition through “Gilmore Girls” and “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” Amy Sherman-Palladino encountered a setback. Her very first series creation, titled “Love and Marriage,” featuring Tony Denison and Patricia Healy as a New York family-raising couple, only managed to air for three episodes on Fox before it was discontinued.
Man Of The People (1991-1992)
Following his hit shows such as “Maverick” and “The Rockford Files,” and prior to joining “8 Simple Rules,” James Garner starred in a comedy titled “Man of the People.” Running for 10 episodes on NBC, this series centered around a womanizing con artist who finds himself on the city council, where he clashes with the mayor portrayed by Kate Mulgrew.
Big Brother Jake (1990-1994)
The very first sitcom on The Family Channel (later known as Freeform) was titled “Big Brother Jake“. This show featured Jake Steinfeld, a character who used to be a stuntman in Hollywood, returning to his Brooklyn foster home after the recent passing of his foster mother to lend a hand.
Thunder Alley (1994-1995)
Ed Asner, famously known for playing Lou Grant on ‘The Mary Tyler Moore Show’ and later on the equally acclaimed spin-off ‘Lou Grant’, became a television legend. Yet, one of his lesser-known roles is in the ABC sitcom ‘Thunder Alley’, where he portrayed a retired racecar driver.
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2024-12-14 18:38