Get a Life

One of the funniest sitcom's ever! I don't know why this show didn't survive. I think the humor was ahead of it's time. My favorite episode was when the construction workers were doing some work in Chris' parent's kitchen, and they taught Chris how to yell out catcalls to women as they passed by. "Yeah, uh-huh. Pluck that banjo honey. Yeah, you have a very nice skirt on today." I hope Rhino comes out with more episodes on DVD.

I loved this program, one that always left me howling with laughter. There is nothing subltle about the gags, props or the humor in this program, it's all in your face, all the way.

I don't really know why I'm bothering to comment on this show but I do know that this was one of Fox's most underrated shows. To look at Chris and Bob Elliott you'd never know that the two were even related. I think that they made a pretty dynamic duo. Chris and Bob both had such great chemistry on the small screen. I really enjoyed Get A Life but it's just too bad that the show was canceled after only 2 seasons.

The people who were in Get A Life were funny and witty but there was just something about the chemistry between Bob and Chris that really appealed to me. A father/son duo who were out to prove that they could be just as funny as the rest of them could. :)

A lot of television humor is recycled from past shows, or just the same theme over and over again. I won't go into examples, but I think you understand what I'm saying. This show, however, was original and showed the world that Chris Elliot is a brilliant comedian. Does anyone remember that Elliot got his start on "David Letterman" on NBC as the "Conspiracy guy", who would stand up in the audience, interrupt the show, and accuse Letterman of some "cover-up" involving missing files and Connie Chung? Then he would run through a door and get run over (usually by a floor buffer). "Get a Life" was very funny and quite original. I guess my favorite episode was the one where the alien Chris found would ooze out some vile, and disgusting stuff out of his body, and Chris ate it. He got Brian Doyle-Murray to eat some, too. They said it tasted like pudding. The alien seemed disgusted that they were eating the stuff, too. I really liked this show and I wish Fox had kept it on longer.

It's been over a decade, and many of us still double-over with laughter just thinking about episodes of this insane sitcom, a Hellzapopin revue for the goofy, mannered talents of Chris Elliot. However, an equal number of folks see this show as nothing but stupid. Elliot, Resnick, and company probably see it that way too. There aren't many absolutes in life, but this is one of them: You'll either love or hate this show (and your feelings will be inextricably tied to how much you like Chris Elliot). There is NO middle ground. No one ever says that "Get a Life" is "just OK," "fair," or "I could take it or leave it." It inspires fervent reactions both pro and con. And in a plain vanilla world of network television, that's a good thing!

For me, my life is always a whole lot better when I think about "Spewey the Alien," "Zoo Animals on Wheels," and the "Toolbelt Wars." Those episodes are as fresh today as they were in the day. The trouble with Chris Elliot, I think, is that he has such a bizarre, almost off-putting sense of humor that a little of him goes a long way. (If you don't believe me, see "Cabin Boy.") Here's the perfect vehicle to enjoy his talents--in 22 minute chunks! Eat up!