1 of 1- RadioActive
- Moderator
Offline 
The 10 Worst Sitcom Ideas Of All Time
I've heard of all of these except one - "LAX 2194," which thankfully didn't appear to make it past the pilot (you should pardon the expression) stage. And it nearly cost a late Canadian actor his biggest shot at fame.
I also agree with the choice at #1. I've seen this horrible thing and it simply defies description. If you dare to sample it, the single episode ever made is on YouTube here.
And because this is an American list, "The Trouble With Tracy" is not included. But perhaps it should be.
The 10 Worst Sitcom Ideas To Ever Appear On TV
- Radiowiz
- Member
Offline
Re: The 10 Worst Sitcom Ideas Of All Time
From what I can see from this list,
IF Trouble with Tracy could be American, it would STILL be show number 11 on that top ten list.
Last edited by Radiowiz (January 11, 2026 10:29 am)
- jughead jones
- Member
Offline
Re: The 10 Worst Sitcom Ideas Of All Time
This single digit kid growing up in the 1970s thought The Trouble With Tracy was hilarious. My parents would cringe in the background at the stupidity, but I laughed out loud every time the set would shake, the camera would swivel or Tracy called the judge "my honour."
- RadioActive
- Moderator
Offline
Re: The 10 Worst Sitcom Ideas Of All Time
jughead jones wrote:
This single digit kid growing up in the 1970s thought The Trouble With Tracy was hilarious. My parents would cringe in the background at the stupidity, but I laughed out loud every time the set would shake, the camera would swivel or Tracy called the judge "my honour."
"Doesn't it to you?"
Only someone who watched the show will know what that means!
- •
Thread Starter- jughead jones
- Member
Offline
Re: The 10 Worst Sitcom Ideas Of All Time
I know exactly what it means. Fun fact - The mother on the show was played by Sylvia Lennick, whose son used to post on this board quite frequently. I don't remember his name, but he would post some interesting facts about old Canadian television.
- RadioActive
- Moderator
Offline
Re: The 10 Worst Sitcom Ideas Of All Time
That would be David Lennick, who I worked with when he was upstairs at CHFI and I was a floor below at CFTR. A very nice guy with the biggest record collection I've ever seen. He had stuff in his possession no one would ever believe.
Dale Patterson's Rock Radio Scrapbook has his incredible resume in Toronto radio here.
And as far as Sylvia Lennick is concerned, "If it makes you happy to be happy, you be happy."
- •
Thread Starter- Dale Patterson
- Member
Offline
Re: The 10 Worst Sitcom Ideas Of All Time
"Hogan's Heroes" was a ridiculous concept, on paper, but it worked. It was a very funny sitcom, thanks to a great cast headed by Bob Crane. Here's some interesting trivia about the show:
"Life without echo is really no life at all." - Dan Ingram
- Shorty Wave
- Member
Offline
Re: The 10 Worst Sitcom Ideas Of All Time
As a kid I remember watching “My Mother the Car” and wondering why it wasn’t as funny as the promo made it look, it was pretty bad! But I did like Hogan’s Heroes, probably because it was soldier related and G.I.Joe was my favourite toy!
- RadioActive
- Moderator
Offline
Re: The 10 Worst Sitcom Ideas Of All Time
I would have loved to be in the office at the pitch meeting for Hogan's Heroes. Imagine the folks at CBS saying "You want to do a sitcom based on WHAT?"
I'm still amazed it ever got the green light, let alone ran for several seasons. I guess it just proves that when it comes to having TV vision, "I see nothing, nothing!"
- •
Thread Starter- Paul Jeffries
- Member
Online! 
Re: The 10 Worst Sitcom Ideas Of All Time
Another show you could probably add to this list was a Randy Quaid-led sitcom from the fall of 2002 called The Grubbs, which was based on a British sitcom called The Grimleys. It was ranked the worst new fall series in a Daily Variety poll of television critics.
What's so unusual about that? Well, despite being well promoted by FOX (and Global here in Canada), the show never saw the light of day on the tube. It was cancelled two days before its premiere date.
Judging by this promo below, I don't think it's too hard to figure out why! Looks like the shitter was full! 
PJ
Last edited by Paul Jeffries (January 12, 2026 12:59 pm)
ClassicHitsOnline.com...The place where all the cool tunes hang out!
- RadioActive
- Moderator
Offline
Re: The 10 Worst Sitcom Ideas Of All Time
There was another show that was ready to go but never saw the light of day. But it may not have been because of its content or that it was bad. Stand-up comedian David Brenner was the star of a show called "Snip," an NBC sitcom about a hairdresser. This was supposed to air in the mid-70s, and featured an openly gay character.
That may be the reason it was cancelled before it ever ran, but we'll never know, because it was never shown in North America. There are stories that it did get aired in Australia, but nowhere else. 
Here's the only remnant of it left - the not-so-good theme song.
- •
Thread Starter