I Was a Sixth Grade Alien!
A purple alien navigates sixth grade on Earth.
I Was a Sixth Grade Alien! (known as My Best Friend is an Alien! in the UK and Australia) is a children's science fiction comedy television series that follows Pleskit, a purple-skinned, blue-haired extraterrestrial with an antenna on his head, as he tries to fit in and make friends in sixth grade. The show premiered on September 6, 1999, ended on March 30, 2001, and was based on Bruce Coville's book series of the same name.
- country_of_origin
- Canada (with UK co-production involvement)
- number_of_episodes
- 26
- premiere_date
- September 6, 1999
- end_date
- March 30, 2001
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Science fiction comedy
- Creator
- Daphne Ballon / Sheri Elwood
- Developer
- Ellis Iddon / Phil Meagher
- Starring
- Daniel Clark / Panou / Shadia Simmons / Ryan Cooley / Lauren Collins / Michael Cera / Kyle Schmid / Julian Richings / C. David Johnson / Ali Mukaddam
- Country
- Canada / United Kingdom
- Language
- English
- Num Seasons
- 2
- Num Episodes
- 44
- Company
- Winklemania Productions / AAC Kids
- Channel
- YTV
- First Aired
- 1999-07-13
- Last Aired
- 2001-01-10
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The series centers on Pleskit, a purple-skinned, blue-haired extraterrestrial with an antenna on his head, who tries to fit in and make friends but struggles due to his strange appearance. He does make one friend, Tim, who is interested in space and aliens, and together they go through the sixth grade. During the series, they solve many unusual problems, from a trans-universal portal game to a blue-coloured, wailing pig creature from Pleskit's home planet.
Reader's Guide
I Was a Sixth Grade Alien! is significant as a children's science fiction comedy that aired on Fox Family (now Freeform) in the U.S. and was produced by UK-based Winklemania Productions and Canadian-based Alliance Atlantis Communications' children's unit, AAC Kids, with participation from the Canadian Television Fund, the Canadian Film Or Video Production Tax Credit, and the Shaw Television Broadcast Fund. The show's 45 episodes across two seasons (1999–2000 and 2000–2001) adapted Bruce Coville's book series, offering a lighthearted look at alien integration and friendship. Its legacy lies in its cross-cultural production and its portrayal of an alien protagonist dealing with everyday school challenges, resonating with young audiences interested in science fiction and diversity.
Did You Know?
- The series is known as My Best Friend is an Alien! in the UK and Australia.
- Pleskit has purple skin, blue hair, and an antenna on his head.
- The show was produced by UK-based Winklemania Productions and Canadian-based Alliance Atlantis Communications.
- It aired on Fox Family in the U.S., now known as Freeform.
More in Television series about extraterrestrial life 1-24
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