Far Out Space Nuts

OK, OK, OK clown. This is show is another one of those "must have been on drugs when making it" shows from the 70s. Bob Denver, from the show Gilligan's Island (who played Gilligan), is accidentally shot into space with a guy who happens to be a lot like the Skipper. Each week the bumbling duo try to make their way home.

They even meet a muppet who honks named Honk. Cute?

And then the pie. Oh, the pie folks. The intro itself has an amazing moment when a pie nails the Skipper-like character in the face... in zero gravity. Can you say "WHOA"? The camera tricks and special effects are so ridiculous and trippy... you just know this show was made for a certain audience.

In no way was "Far Out Space Nuts" a kid show, but a show for fans of programs like "Dennis Archer's Detroit Magic Hour" and "H.R. Puff'n'Stuff". A must see to see how trippy the 1970s really were.

Bob Denver, who was fresh from cancelation of Dusty's Trail and Gilligan's Island, teams up with Chuck McCann, recently graduated from Seattle's Mime Academy.

Once again, Bob Denver is selling his "little buddy" act to another big fat "skipper." Chuck McCann recognizes that formula for success, he does the "little buddy" with Gilligan.

Soon enough, the two NASA caterers are stocking sandwiches in the Space Shuttle fridge, when Gilligan hits the launch button (instead of Lunch) on the space ship, and away they go!

Lots of uncomfortable laughs for the sad sack crew. The big slob with the bowl hair cut and demented grin was the Skipper on this show, and Gilligan got the bottom bunk again. No coconut oil on this trip! Just low budget comedy writing the hard way.

There were 15 episodes of this show filmed. But most of them were never broadcast. It was up to ingenious fans to get the bootleg complete season sets in order to see all the wonderful fun.

Everyone knows the Sci-Fi Triad of Greatness, right? There's "Star Trek", "Star Wars", and "Far Out Space Nuts". Lately, though, "Far Out Space Nuts" seems to have fallen by the wayside. While "Trek" & "Wars" rack up the movie sequels, "Far Out Space Nuts" has yet to even be turned into a major motion picture! Come on, "Far Out Space Nuts Nuts" (as we fans like to call ourselves), get off the pot and get "Far Out Space Nuts: The Movie" made!

Oh, wait a minute. I forgot- I hate "Far Out Space Nuts"!

"Far Out Space Nuts" is an inept Sid and Marty Krofft show starring Bob Denver and Chuck McCann (an actor I like- see "The Projectionist"- making his part in this even more depressing). The Krofft brother's special effects- which include brightly colored sets, dwarves in costume, and felt puppets, all on a budget lower than that of a "Sesame Street" segment- don't really lend themselves to this "Lost in Space" meets "Gilligan's Island" mess. They really only work in thinly-veiled pro-drug rallies like "H.R. Pufenstuf", "Lidsville", and "The Bugaloos". This show just makes me feel dirty.

In 1973, Bob Denver was involved in the infamous "Gilligan's Island" copy "Dusty's Trail". Three years later he rips himself off again only this time instead of Alan Hale or Forrest Tucker we have Chuck McCann in the Skipper like role but without five other castaways. This show came out at the height of the Krofft Brothers era of success and it is perhaps the weakest of their creations, at least until their collaboration with the Bay City Rollers premiered. In fact, you hardly ever hear of this show. It also turned out to be a low point in Bob Denver's career as he plays another Gilligan-like character. Also, the character of Honk was nothing more than a taller version of Bleep from the equally infamous "Josie and the Pussycats in Outer Space". Thankfully, this is one Krofft brothers show that is no longer shown in reruns.

I remember this one too. It came on right before Ghostbusters and so I will always and forever associate the two. It was funny as hell, Bob Denver and Chuck McCann doing what they did naturally in the trad. slapsticky way, in the weird plastic orange/purple lime and yellow Krofft sets of the time. I remember alotta funny parts of the show-it was a satire of sorts on Trek and Sci-fi in general along with being fun period. John Carradine was a co-star for what it's worth(what Didn't he work on in his career??) too.

Fond memories from here...

*** outta ****, good fun.