Aliens in the Family
A sitcom about a mixed alien-human family on Earth.
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Aliens in the Family is an American science fantasy sitcom that aired on ABC from March 15 to August 31, 1996, conceived as part of its TGIF lineup. The story follows single father Doug Brody, played by John Bedford Lloyd, who gets taken by a single alien mother named Cookie, portrayed by Margaret Trigg. They fall in love, marry, and attempt to live a normal life on Earth as a blended family. The cast includes Paige Tiffany as Heather Brody, Chris Marquette as Adam Brody, and Julie Dretzin as Sally Hagen.
Puppeteers brought several alien characters to life: Alice Dinnean handled Snizzy’s face and voice, John Kennedy performed Snizzy’s body; John Kennedy performed Bobut’s body and voice, while David Rudman performed Bobut’s face; Bruce Lanoil as Spit (face) Michelan Sisti as Spit (body), while Joey Mazzarino performed Spit’s face; Peter Linz played Red Yukkle (in "The Yukkles"); Joey Mazzarino performed Green and Yellow Yukkles (in "The Yukkles"); David Rudman performed Orange and Purple Yukkles (in "The Yukkles"). The series was created, written, and executive produced by Andy and Susan Borowitz. Brian Henson, son of Jim Henson, served as co-executive producer.
Todd Rundgren wrote and performed the theme song. The series was shot in its entirety at Lifetime Studios in New York City. The show premiered on March 15, 1996, but ABC removed it from the Friday night lineup after just two weeks, replacing its third scheduled airing with reruns of other programs. It did not return for over four months, and the remaining episodes aired on Saturday mornings during the summer of 1996.
Lore & Background
The show centered on single dad Doug Brody, played by John Bedford Lloyd, who is abducted by single alien mom Cookie, played by Margaret Trigg. The two fall in love, get married, and try to live a normal life on Earth as a mixed family. The cast also included Paige Tiffany as Heather Brody, Chris Marquette as Adam Brody, and Julie Dretzin as Sally Hagen.
Reader's Guide
The series featured puppeteers for various alien characters, including Alice Dinnean as Snizzy (face and voice), Michael Gilden as Snizzy (body), John Kennedy as Bobut (face), Bruce Lanoil as Spit (face), Peter Linz as Varch, Elder of the Nertron Galactic Federation (in 'Respect Your Elders') and Red Yukkle (in 'Dissected and Neglected'), Joey Mazzarino as Spit (voice) and Green and Yellow Yukkles (in 'Dissected and Neglected'), David Rudman as Bobut (body and voice) and Orange and Purple Yukkles (in 'Dissected and Neglected'), and Michelan Sisti as Spit (body). The show premiered on March 15, 1996; ABC pulled the series from its TGIF lineup after two weeks, replacing the show's scheduled third airing with re-runs of other TGIF programs. The show did not return for over four months and aired the rest of its episodes on Saturday mornings in the summer of 1996.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who created Aliens in the Family?
The show was created by the writing duo Andy and Susan Borowitz. They pitched the concept to ABC as a family-oriented sci-fi comedy for its TGIF block.
Who plays Cookie, the alien mother, in Aliens in the Family?
Margaret Trigg portrays Cookie, the single extraterrestrial woman who bonds with Doug Brody and ultimately becomes his wife. She anchors the series as the alien half of the blended family unit.
How long did Aliens in the Family run on TV?
The series premiered on March 15, 1996, and concluded on August 31, 1996, completing a single season on ABC. It was built around the TGIF schedule and did not return for a second year.
More in American children's fantasy television series
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Aliens in the Family (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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