Of all the sitcoms ever created, there are a few that are universally thought of as the best. Regardless of age or taste in comedy, audiences can generally acknowledge that sitcoms such asI Love LucyorThe Simpsonsare considered top-tier, classic comedies. And as much as viewers celebrate the best, most can also agree on what are consideredthe worst sitcoms of all time.
Sitcoms have a colorful selection of terrible entries because shows with oddball premises likeGilligan’s IslandorMr. Edhad successful runs, encouraging equally far-flung concepts to follow. So, whether it was satire that crossed the line of good taste or ideas so ridiculous it’s amazing they made it on air, these are the sitcoms that will be remembered only for their failures.
10’Cavemen' (2007)
Developed by Joe Lawson, Josh Gordon & Will Speck
Based on the ad campaign by Geico Insurance,Cavemenfollowed the lives of three young cavemen living in San Diego. Joel (Bill English) is a responsible, goal-oriented caveman who lives with his heartbroken cousin Andy (Sam Huntington) and his obnoxious friend Nick (NickKroll). Much like the commercials from which they were inspired, the three friends repeatedly face resistance from the people in their community who think poorly of cavemen.
The creative team faced an impossible situation whereCavemenneeded to make a 30-second gag work for 22 minutes and repeatedly do it week after week.The show was maligned before the first episode debuted, and viewers did not tune in to see what they perceived to be a half-hour commercial. Critics ravagedCavemen, and any chance the show would have to establish an identity for itself outside of the ads was cut short, and the series was pulled from ABC before airing the full 13 episodes produced.
Three cavemen attempt to integrate into the complexities of modern life while holding onto their ancient customs. Their interactions with the contemporary world, from office politics to dating, result in comedic situations that highlight their distinct cultural differences. The show cleverly addresses issues of identity and belonging, using the cavemen’s unique point of view to provide a satirical look at the absurdities of modern society and the struggle to stay true to one’s roots amidst change.
Cavemen is currently unavailable to stream or purchase in the U.S.
9’Baby Talk’ (1991-1992)
Created by Amy Heckerling & Ed Weinberger
Based on the comedy trilogy ofLook Who’s Talking,Baby Talkfollows a young single mother raising her baby, with the audience able to hear the child’s thoughts.Tony Danzastepped in forBruce Willisas the voice of the baby, and a revolving door of actresses would play mom Maggie, with first choiceConnie Selleccasuing the Executive Producer Edward Weinbergeron her way out.Julia Duffyperformed as Maggie for one season before actressMary Page Kellerfinished out Baby Talk’s run.
The premise of a talking baby is fine for a movie because the story is complete in under two hours (hopefully), butthere is no long-term capability for baby thoughts in a sitcom.Infants, on average, start talking within 18 months, so the gimmick of hearing what the baby thinks can’t last long unless a new baby is being introduced each season or they never age the child. Either way, a soundstage full of children or a baby cursed to live forever with a Brooklyn accent are funnier options than the sitcom people got.
Baby Talk is currently unavailable to stream or purchase in the U.S.
8’She’s the Sheriff' (1987-1989)
Created by Mark Rothman, Dan Guntzelman & Steve Marshall
Hildy Granger (Suzanne Somers) is offered her dead husband’s job on the syndicated sitcomShe’s the Sheriff.When Hildy’s sheriff husband unexpectedly dies, she is inexplicably offered his seat without any formal training in law enforcement. Hildy takes the job and tries to balance her life as a widowed mom with a stressful career as a senior criminal justice figurehead. While her co-workers don’t initially respect her, Hildy shows with a little can-do spirit that anyone can do whatever they set their mind to, even being a sheriff with absolutely zero experience.
“…Hildy shows with a little can-do spirit that anyone can do whatever they set their mind to, even being a sheriff with absolutely zero experience.”
AlthoughShe’s the Sheriffran for two seasons, it was still considered a low point for television comedy, with evenone of its creators skepticalabout the unrealistic tone of the sitcom. While Somers would experience great success with her run onThree’s Companyand the family sitcomStep by Step, audiences weren’t buying into the perky actress as a sheriff.
She’s the Sheriff is currently unavailable to stream or purchase in the U.S.
7’Homeboys in Outer Space' (1996-1997)
Created by Ehrich Van Lowe
Two aspiring space adventurers want to make a name for themselves in the sitcomHomeboys in Outer Space.Ty (Flex Alexander) and Morris (Darryl M. Bell) dream of bigger adventures, but for the time being, they’re forced to scrape by with insulting delivery jobs from their gruff boss Vashti (Kevin Michael Richardson). Each episode ofHomeboys in Outer Spacewould see the two look for fame and fortune in their “Space Hoopty,” a rundown spaceship with a talking navigator program named Loquatia (Rhona Bennett).
Homeboys in Outer Spaceis obviously in on the joke and aware of what kind of sitcom it is, but the writing and performances aren’t strong enough to pull off the type of self-aware parody.Episodes ofHomeboys in Outer Spacehave a loose quality to them where actors often seem out of step with one another,and it feels like watching a rehearsal of a community theater production.Homeboys in Outer Spaceborders on the “so bad it’s good” territory, so fans of ironic entertainment should hunt down the 21 episodes of the short-lived sitcom.
Homeboys in Outer Space
In a futuristic galaxy, two best friends navigate the cosmos in their unique spaceship, embarking on a series of comedic and outlandish escapades. Their journey involves tackling unusual tasks and meeting a variety of strange extraterrestrial beings. The show combines sci-fi elements with a lighthearted approach, offering an entertaining mix of interstellar antics and the enduring bond between the two main characters as they face the unpredictability of outer space together.
Homeboys in Outer Space is currently unavailable to stream or purchase in the U.S.
6’Work It' (2012)
Created by Ted Cohen & Andrew Reich
In the ABC sitcomWork It, Lee (Benjamin Koldyke) and Angel (Amaury Nolasco) are struggling to find work in a recession when they get the ideato disguise themselves as women to work as sales reps for a pharmaceutical company.They successfully get the jobs, but they struggle to balance their work identities and personal lives when the two invariably cause friction for comedic effect.
“Work Itmanaged to do the impossible by creating a rare but deeply unified bond between critics and audience members in how much they hated the show.”
Work Ithas an aura about it like it was created exclusively to make headlines, because there’s no way the ABC executives who approved the show couldn’t forecast a strong negative reaction to the premise.Work Itmanaged to do the impossible by creating a rare but deeply unified bond between critics and audience members inhow much they hated the show.Unfortunately, the bond didn’t last long because Work It aired only two episodes in the U.S. before being pulled from the lineup.
Work It is currently unavailable to stream or purchase in the U.S.
5’The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer' (1998)
Created by Barry Fanaro & Mort Nathan
Known by many and watched by few,The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeifferis a notorious short-lived sitcom that briefly ran on UPN.The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeifferfollowed the titular Desmond Pfeiffer (Chi McBride), an English nobleman who was on the run in the U.S. after amassing steep gambling debts in the U.K. Now working as the valet for President Abraham Lincoln (Dann Florek), Desmond tries to keep the Commander in Chief content while adding to his personal wealth.
“The world never asked for a sex comedy starring Abe Lincoln as a hormonally out-of-control president, butThe Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeifferoffered it anyway.”
The world never asked for a sex comedy starring Abe Lincoln as a hormonally out-of-control president, butThe Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeifferoffered it anyway.The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer’s broad farcical tone set against the Civil War era time periodinvited criticism and protests about the appropriateness of its content, and the sitcom’s controversy did not lead to a ratings bump for the troubled show, leading to a cancelation after four episodes.
The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer is currently unavailable to stream or purchase in the U.S.
4’My Mother the Car' (1965-1966)
Created by Allan Burns & Chris Hayward
Considered one of the worst sitcoms of all time,My Mother the Carwas about a man named Dave Crabtree (Jerry Van Dyke)who discovers the spirit of his mother, Gladys (Ann Sothern), lives in the body of a 1920s-era Model T car. Rather than check himself into a hospital immediately, Dave buys the car and rides his mother home to a bewildered family.My Mother the Caroften plays like a cartoon, especially when series villain Captain Manzini (Avery Schreiber) schemes to swindle the car for his extensive collection.
“My Mother the Carseems like an absolutely unhinged concept, but in context,Mister Eddebuted four years earlier and was very popular.”
My Mother the Carseems like an absolutely unhinged concept, but in context,Mister Eddebuted four years earlier and was very popular. If a talking horse worked, why not a street-legal reincarnated relative?The creative team also felt this way, considering the idea of the possessed car as a satirization of the current crop of sitcoms likeBewitchedenjoying mainstream success. The satirical sensibilities were reduced in favor of broad laughs, turningMy Mother the Carinto the thing it meant to poke fun at.
My Mother the Car is currently unavailable to stream or purchase in the U.S.
3’Holmes and Yoyo' (1976-1977)
Created by Lee Hewitt & Jack Sher
In the sci-fi procedural sitcomHolmes and Yoyo, Detective Alex Holmes (Richard B. Schull) is assigned a new partner in the form of Gregory “Yoyo” Yoyonovich (John Schuck), a classified human-looking robotic prototype. Holmes quickly learns that Yoyo is a robot and decides to keep him as a partner while protecting his secret. Holmes and Yoyo would fight crime whileYoyo learned what it meant to be human by fighting the worst people in the city and locking them in jail cells.
“Holmes and Yoyowould be the ideal odd-duck candidate for an Adult Swim revival…”
IfHolmes and Yoyowere aimed exclusively at children, it might have had a chance at working, especially considering the animated seriesInspector Gadgetdebuted less than ten years after the sitcom to a strong reception.Holmes and Yoyowould be the ideal odd-duck candidate for anAdult Swimrevival, where the right voice could crack open the series and see if a cult classic is hiding in the concept.
Holmes and Yoyo is currently unavailable to stream or purchase in the U.S.
2’Me and the Chimp' (1972)
Created by Garry Marshall & Thomas L. Miller
InMe and the Chimp, Mike Reynolds (Ted Bessell) is living his best life with a beautiful wife and two children until a monkey named Buttons moves into his house.Mike does not like Buttons, but the family is deeply attached to the primate,so Mike sits miserably in a house that smells like the zoo after being outvoted by his children. America agreed with Mike, andMe and the Chimpwas canceled after 13 episodes.
“…the main draw was the chimp moving papers or equally benign levels of mischief that aren’t interesting or funny to watch.”
There are diminishing returns on each episode ofMe and the Chimpbecause the main draw was the chimp moving papers or equally benign levels of mischief that aren’t interesting or funny to watch. There doesn’t seem to be virtually any work to establish strong personalities for the human characters, and that would have been vital to keeping the paper-thin premise afloat.Me and the Chimpis an all-but-forgotten sitcomthat isn’t odd enough to be remarkably weird, but it was immortalized onTV Guide’s 50 Worst Shows of All Timeat number 46.
Me and the Chimp is currently unavailable to stream or purchase in the U.S.
1’Heil Honey, I’m Home' (1990)
Written by Geoff Atkinson
While many sitcoms have a despicable character or two,Heil Honey I’m Homeis the only one to star Adolf Hitler. Designed to evoke the classic style of sitcoms likeThe HoneymoonersorI Love Lucy, Heil Honey I’m Homefollowed a version of Adolf Hitler (Neil McCaul) and Ava Braun (Denica Fairman), who lived in a New York apartment building. Hitler speaks with a Brooklyn accent while he argues with Ava or complains about next-door neighbors, the Goldensteins.
“The performances inHeil Honey I’m Homeare over the top, with the kind of yell acting saved for dinner theater or a tired child who doesn’t want to go to bed.”
The performances inHeil Honey I’m Homeare over the top, with the kind of yell acting saved for dinner theater or a tired child who doesn’t want to go to bed. The acting and shocking subject manner are all purposeful, with the intent to mock Hitler while satirizing the sitcom formula, but many viewedHeil Honey I’m Homeas lacking taste. Only one episode ofHeil Honey I’m Homeaired before acorporate buyout halted further production.
Heil Honey I’m Home is currently unavailable to stream or purchase in the U.S.
