#nostalgia #nostalgic #outofthisworld #80s
Ah, "Out of This World," that gem of late '80s television that is best described as a delightful cocktail of sitcom cheesiness, sci-fi absurdity, and teenage angst. For those who missed this slice of extraterrestrial pie, "Out of This World" follows Evie Garland, a regular teenage girl who finds out she's half-alien. Her dad is from the planet Antareus and communicates with her via a glowing cube. Yes, a glowing cube. And her powers? She can freeze time by touching her fingers together. Because, obviously, that’s the most practical superpower for dealing with high school drama.
So, what do you get when you cross the wholesomeness of "Full House" with the magical mishaps of "Bewitched" and sprinkle in some alien weirdness? You get "Out of This World," a show that is as bizarre as it is endearing. It's like someone decided that teenage life wasn’t complicated enough and thought, "Let’s add some alien powers to the mix!"
Let’s talk characters. Evie, played by Maureen Flannigan, is your typical ‘80s teen: big hair, bigger scrunchies, and the biggest secret ever-she’s half-alien. Her mother, Donna (Donna Pescow), is the quintessential sitcom mom: always ready with a hug, a lesson, or a comic misunderstanding. Then there’s Troy, the alien dad, voiced by none other than Burt Reynolds. Yes, Smokey himself. You can almost hear him thinking, "What am I doing here?" as he lends his iconic voice to a glowing cube.
"Out of This World" is a visual and auditory time capsule of the ‘80s. The fashion? Oh, the fashion! Think oversized sweaters, acid-washed jeans, and enough neon to light up a small city. The theme song is pure synth-heavy nostalgia, the kind that makes you want to grab your Walkman and boogie down the street.
But let's not kid ourselves: the special effects are hilariously dated. Evie’s time-freezing power, achieved with the magic of primitive camera tricks, looks charmingly low-budget today. And the glowing cube? It's like something you’d find in a Spencer’s Gifts, circa 1985. But therein lies the charm. The effects are so bad they’re good, a reminder of a simpler time when audiences were more forgiving-or maybe just less discerning.
Now, let’s go behind the scenes. "Out of This World" was the brainchild of Bob Booker and produced by MCA TV. Despite its niche appeal, it found a loyal fan base and even managed to woo international audiences. Yes, somewhere in Italy, people were tuning in to watch Evie freeze time and deal with teenage drama. Burt Reynolds’ involvement was kept hush-hush, presumably so he could maintain some shred of dignity. His participation added an odd layer of star power to the show, even if it was just his voice.
The cast, by all accounts, got along famously. Maureen Flannigan has reminisced fondly about her time on the show, highlighting the camaraderie and mentorship she received. This off-screen harmony likely contributed to the on-screen chemistry that made the show endearing despite-or perhaps because of-its inherent silliness.
In the grand pantheon of '80s sitcoms, "Out of This World" occupies a special, if somewhat dusty, pedestal. It's not quite "Cheers" or "The Golden Girls," but it has its own quirky charm. The show’s mix of sci-fi shenanigans and coming-of-age themes continues to resonate with those who remember it from their childhoods and those who stumble upon it today, probably wondering how such a show ever existed.
In conclusion, "Out of This World" is a delightful relic, a testament to the ‘80s penchant for blending the mundane with the fantastical. It may not have been groundbreaking, but it was certainly memorable. So, here’s to you, Evie Garland, and your wonderfully weird world. You may not have changed the television landscape, but you sure made it a bit more fun.
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Well, that’s all for this trip down memory lane. "Out of This World" may be a quirky footnote in TV history, but it’s a footnote worth remembering. Stay tuned for more nostalgia-drenched critiques, because if we don’t look back and laugh at our past, what’s the point?