Lost Signals: Aliens in the Family (1996)



This Full House is full of illegal aliens.

Not to be confused with the BBC-produced TV series of the same name, Aliens in the Family is an easily forgotten, yet still entertaining, 1996 sitcom that first premiered on TGIF before being given the ax by ABC after only two weeks.

Sharing a similar premise to 3rd Rock from the Sun (which premiered only a few months prior on NBC), Aliens in the Family centered around a case of "love by abduction" (Stockholm Syndrome anyone?) an Earth man falls in love with a sexy, alien mom who is also apparently single and they get married. Aside from some alien "gills" on her temples, the mom is pretty ordinary. Her kids on the other hand are all giant egg-headed creatures (designed by Jim Henson Productions) that inexplicably assimilate themselves into society despite their freakishly bulbous heads and blue-tinted skin. Much like the more well known Dinosaurs sitcom (also courtesy of Jim Henson), Aliens in the Family relied on a rather tiresome comedic formula of "strangers in a strange world" for many of its laughs. Go figure.

As mentioned above, the show proved to tank on the TGIF line-up and was pulled after only two episodes, though it did make an equally short lived return a few months later. The only real highlight (and it's a stretch) was Bobut, the baby alien whose smart-mouth, self-aware demeanor was very similar to Dinosaurs Baby Sinclair. Definitely scores high on creativity, but takes a complete nosedive in originality and likability.









4 comments:

  1. TS Hendrik said...:

    Seems vaguely familiar, though it could just be making me think of Dinosaurs. Looks absolutely horrible. lol


    http://thenonreview.com

  1. Anonymous said...:

    I was quite surprised that Aaron Eckhart briefly appears in the first episode...as well as having appearances by James Van Der Beek, Kristianna Loken, and Hayden Panitierre.

    But I think the youngest son from that show was in "Race to Witch Mountain" as a government agent...

  1. Strange Kid said...:

    @TS Hendrick: I think it really tried to cling to the success of Dinosaurs, but the concept just wasn't fleshed out enough. Looking back it reminds me a little of the similarly short run of Greg the Bunny on FOX.

    @LaDracul: It's definitely a time capsule of 90s television talent. You've definitely got a good memory, I'll give you that.

  1. Paxton said...:

    Wow, that show looks terrible.

    Loved the first youtube clip with James Van Der beek.

Post a Comment

Related Posts with Thumbnails