Nickelodeon in the early 80's was very different from the sort of corporate, mainstream channel of today. It was, frankly, a weird channel in those early days.
They had all sorts of shows that no one seemed to know about, or talk about. Many were imported from Canada.
One of the strangest, and most popular for the channel, was another Canadian import called YOU CAN'T DO THAT ON TELEVISION.
Wildly popular with those who watched the channel (such as myself) the show was sort of a Benny Hill like sketch comedy show, with teen hosts and I think only one adult on the show.
I mainly watched the first few seasons (and it had been airing since the 70's in Canada).
Here is the opening credits sequence (a montage of all the openings, including the early Canadian series).
Today, the show is best known as the series that gave Alanis Morrisette her first shot at stardom, as she was a cast member in later seasons. I don't remember her from the show. When I watched, the star and host was Christine "Moose" McGlade.
Even as a kid, I knew the show was inappropriate. And not because my parents would often tell me I shouldn't be watching it. The humor was lowbrow, gross at times. That was part of the fun.
Here is a typical skit, featuring Barth (played by Les Lyle), the cook at the local diner.
And yes, that is Alanis in the clip.
The show ran until 1990. And then, was forgotten.
What is interesting though, the show's legacy still lives on, even though most younger audiences may not know of it.
On the show, whenever someone said "Water" they had water dumped on their head. Whenever they said "I don't know" they were slimed. This sliming still goes on during the Nickelodeon Awards. Audiences watching today weren't even alive when the show aired.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
FORGOTTEN TV: YOU CAN'T DO THAT ON TELEVISION
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8 comments:
I was born in the mid-late 80's, and I still remember that show. Sometimes you want to sit these kids down nowadays and tell them a Father Time story about where all that Sliming comes from....
What an incredibly odd show that was. You're right, back then, Nickelodeon was a lot different....
I never missed "You Can't Do That On Television," or "Don't Just Sit There" -- a forgotten after school kids talk show that was surprisingly good. Even the cartoons on Nickelodeon back then were strange, I think many were imported from France and Germany.
It makes me feel incredibly old to think that "You Can't Do That on Television" is considered forgotten TV. The name Lisa Ruddy means nothing to today's kids? Appalling.
Locker jokes. Moose. Don't encourage your mother. What a great show.
I remember You Can't Do That On Television vividly.
What makes it such an anachronism is that there was really nothing about the show that you could slap on a lunchbox or merchandise; its appeal was its style and off-color tone. The last time I looked at Nickelodeon everything about it seemed designed to sell something to a kid, instead of just entertaining them.
Now I feel like Father Time.
I watched this show religiously! My favorite was Kevin Kubucheski (sp?) - the dimwitted goofy guy. Kinda like Ashton Kutcher's character on That 70's Show.
Oh, and there were two adults to my recollection. Mostly Ross/Barth/etc, but there was a woman who played the mother, too.
OMG...talk about a blast from the past. I ust to love that show and the way they said the letter O. I used to think Allisdair (sp) was cute. LOL at myself.
I am Canadian, and the show wasn't that popular as it was in the States, it was more of a cult show, as it aired on Saturday mornings, and I was well into my teens at the time, but I enjoyed it. I remember when Christina got boobs!
I can honestly say that if weren't for "You Can't Do That On Television", "S.C.T.V." and the rock group Rush, I never would've known what a great country Canada really is.
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