My Mother the Car

I was 12, and know I liked the show, but don't really remember much of the detail... however, it's one of the few television theme songs that I still remember the lyrics too (go figure)...

"Everybody knows, in the the second life we all come back sooner or later.."

This hilarious, slapsticky show was probably expected to be a hit by the TV execs, based on the recent success of such movies as "The Great Race", "Those Magnificent Men And Their Flying Machines", and others. Somehow, viewers never caught on, and the show died quietly, becoming an instant industry joke. I'll never understand why, though. Everyone in it was funny, esp. Avery Schreiber as a Mack Sennett-like, mustache-twiddling, posing, crazy villain, always trying to steal the car, but never even getting close. This is one show I'd like to see in reruns.

I was about 10 when this show was on, and I watched as many episodes as I could.

That said, I ROTFL in a "Get Smart" rerun I saw a while back. The bad guy is dying and:

Max (reassuringly): "Help is on the way."

Bad guy (in great pain): "I'll never make it, but do one thing for me."

Max (compassionately): "What?"

Bad guy: "Tell me 'My Mother the Car' is coming back on TV."

Max (with a puzzled look): "Why?"

Bad guy: "Then I won't mind going so much."

That pretty much summed up the opinions from the rest of my family when I tried to watch this show.

I have not seen this show since it was first aired on T.V. back in the mid sixties. I was around seven years old at the time and I don't recall it being all that bad. Then again I was only seven, but most people I have spoken to who remember it and who are older than me don't recall it being that bad either. I can still can hum the shows theme song and I remember vividly Jerry Van Dyke talking to the car and his "mother" talking back through the radio. I remember the show didn't last long and afterwards hearing all kinds of bad things about. The shows name became a buzz word for bad T.V. Jokes about this show sometimes popped up in some sixties sitcoms including "The Munsters".

I think it would be interesting to see this show again after all these years. Perhaps seen through todays eyes it might not look as bad as it did to critics back in the sixties. While I don't think it would turn out to an unsung TV classic, perhaps todays viewers might find things to like about this TV show that viewers and critics back in the sixties did not appreciate. However, its unlikely this show will ever turn up on T.V. again, if only because there were not enough episodes shot to make it worthwhile for syndication. As far as I know, it is not available on video, legally or illegally. Maybe this show is not as bad as it looked to people when it was first on. On the other hand maybe "My Mother The Car" is as bad as critics said it was. Until this show turns up again somewhere, only then can an objective reevaluation be made.

I admittedly was VERY young when My Mother the Car was on (about 5), but I remember EVERY episode I watched. It's the only show from that era aside from Star Trek that I can remember watching with my dad. I think this show may be the reason I turned out to be a real 'gearhead' in later life! It took me YEARS to realize that there was no such car company as PORTER, and I actually spent years trying to find one! (I only found out it was a Barris Custom when I was 16.) I think if given the chance today, the concept would work (look how long Knight Rider lasted!) Jerry Van Dyke always gets a bad rap when this show is brought up...if I were shown a script for This show and Gilligan's Island, I would have chosen My Mother the Car also--it was more believable!