Aliens in the Family

Infobox Television
show_name = Aliens in the Family


caption =
genre = Sci-fi/Fantasy Sitcom
creator = Andy Borowitz
Susan Borowitz
writer = Andy Borowitz
Susan Borowitz
Patricia Marx
Charlie Rubin
director = Tom Trbovich
starring = John Bedford Lloyd
Margaret Trigg
theme_music_composer = Todd Rundgren
composer = Joe Carroll
Peter Thom
country = USA
language = English
num_seasons = 1
num_episodes = 8
executive_producer = Andy Borowitz
Susan Borowitz
Brian Henson
producer = Ritamarie Peruggi
asst_producer = Pat Nugent
runtime = 22 mins. (approx)
channel = ABC
audio_format = Stereo
first_aired = March 15, 1996
last_aired = August 31, 1996

"Aliens in the Family" is a short-lived American sci-fi/fantasy sitcom that aired on ABC, conceived as part of its then popular TGIF lineup.

Premise

The show was a re-working of "The Brady Bunch" with elements from the popular sitcoms "Third Rock from the Sun" and "Dinosaurs", about single dad Doug Brody (John Bedford Lloyd), who is abducted by single alien mom Cookie (Margaret Trigg). The two fall in love, get married, and try to live a normal life on Earth as a mixed family. Much of the series humor was derived from gags involving the assimilation of the alien family into everyday life--despite being pink and having massive heads (all of the aliens were puppets designed by Jim Henson Productions), everyone on Earth seems to accept their presence, and in spite of possessing technology far superior to that of Earth, the aliens all go about their everyday lives in the same fashion as all the humans.

Although not the focus of the show, the character to receive the most attention in episodes was Bobut, Cookie's infant son. Baby Bobut could talk, had a genius-level IQ, and was perpetually plotting a gristly fate for those around him (though the series position as a family show meant that Bobut's plans were always family friendly: for example, wreaking havoc on the city by causing a frog to grow ten times its size).

Cancellation

The show premiered on March 15, 1996; the ratings were so low that ABC pulled the series from its TGIF lineup after only two weeks, replacing the show's scheduled third airing with re-runs of other TGIF programs. The show did not return to the airwaves for over four months, re-premiering on July 27, 1996, with the third episode, "Cookie Makes Some Dough." Ratings remained so poor that ABC cancelled the series before a full season aired; it continued to run as part of the TGIF Lineup and as part of ABC's Saturday morning programming block until August 31, 1996.

Cast

* John Bedford Lloyd.....Doug Brody
* Margaret Trigg......Cookie Brody
* Paige Tiffany.....Heather Brody
* Chris Marquette.....Adam Brody
* Julie Dretzin.....Sally Hagen

Production notes

The series was created, written by and executive produced by Andy and Susan Borowitz. Brian Henson, son of Jim Henson, also served as executive producer. The series theme song was written and performed by Todd Rundgren. [cite web|url=http://tv.yahoo.com/aliens-in-the-family/show/28639/castcrew|title="Aliens in the Family": Cast and crew|publisher=tv.yahoo.com|accessdate=2008-10-05]

Episodes

External links

*imdb title|id=0115090
*Tv.com show|id=2259|title=Aliens in the Family
*epguides|id=AliensintheFamily_US|title=Aliens in the Family