30 Years Ago, ABC Debuted A Rare TGIF Sitcom Flop
ABC's TGIF block was the average sitcom fan's dream back in the '90s, but not every series could be a hit like Family Matters. The proof? This sci-fi flop.
30 years ago, ABC premiered a TGIF sitcom that proved to be a brief and disappointing flop. With over 20 million viewers tuning in each week, Friday night programming on ABC during the 90s was a highlight of weekend television. Shows like Boy Meets World and Family Matters were among the network's top family-friendly sitcoms. However, Aliens in the Family, a series about an alien/human blended family, was added briefly and then quickly removed from the lineup.
The show was similar to other alien-themed shows of the time, such as ALF, Mork & Mindy, and My Favorite Martian. The family dynamic featured human parents and alien children, with puppet designs created by Jim Henson's Creature Shop. Despite having a decent premiere with 8 million viewers, the show failed to resonate with audiences, receiving negative reviews from critics and being dropped after just two weeks.
The remaining episodes eventually aired later on non-Friday nights, including appearances by young actress Hayden Panettiere in her acting debut and actor James Van Der Beek, who had a memorable scene with Brad Pitt and Harrison Ford.
Written by urgent.news from TVLine's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
