Herman's Head

When the Fox Network went on the air, it seemed like it was trying to attract viewers with "something different". The result was shows like "Herman's Head".

Although it featured a "Dobie Gillis" like situation--an ambitious bombshell who was "unattainable" and an "ordinary" girl who was sweet, but really loved him, this show added something way out of the ordinary: A "Greek chorus" that revealed his "true" thoughts, instead of Herman giving asides to the camera.

A nice touch was including in the chorus a female to give his "feminine" side.

This nice touch pulled this rather ordinary sitcom out of the muck and gave it a nice spin that worked most of the time.

Its too bad Fox did not keep up this phase, because I believe television would have been much the better for it.

Nice sit-com, helped through it's first year following married with children, then killed off by Fox putting it into the 9:30 slot facing NBC's Thurdsay lineup containing Seinfeld, Frasier and then ending with Homicide. Nothing would have made it in that time slot, so we have to assume it was sacrificed to make way for one of Fox's brass to introduce one of his other pet projects.

this show was so freakin' cool. it was one of the many gems that fox let slip into the cracks (family guy, critic, are others). this truly was a breath of fresh air. it makes you think. about when tv was good. or maybe just this show was good. whatever the case, it isn't on anymore, and i think 's a shame.

When friends and I sit around discussing the fall of TV I always bring this show up. Some remember it, and others are clueless. Fox has let some good shows slip away and I never understand why. This show was funny. I'm glad that I'm not the only one that wished that it hadn't been canceled so soon or hoped that at some time or other it would have been picked up in syndiciation. Is there anything that people without the "anonymous voting tv monitors" can do to stop these kind of atrocities?

Herman Brooks (William Ragsdale) is a lowly fact checker at a publishing house. He works under the encyclopedic Mr. Paul Bracken (Jason Bernard) along with selfish bitch Heddy Newman (Jane Sibbett) and awkward virgin Louise Fitzer (Yeardley Smith). His best friend is sleazy writer Jay Nichols (Hank Azaria). The show goes inside Herman's head with conflicting psyche; Sensitivity (Molly Hagan), Lust (Ken Hudson Campbell), Anxiety (Rick Lawless), and Intellect (Peter Mackenzie).

The premise of inside Herman's head has some good fun. On the other hand, the basic sitcom premise lacks needed romantic possibilities for Herman. I definitely don't want Herman with Louise. Heddy is such a bitch that any relationship is doomed from the start. It's not love-hate. It's just hate-hate. The show tries to put them together a couple times but in general, the coupling is horrible. The odd thing is that there is a perfect partner in the pilot. Connie is sleazy Jay's girlfriend when she falls for Herman. I really like the pilot and the show misses that character. Jay is such an annoying jerk that it actually detracts from my love of Herman. I don't see the friendship in them. The unique premise has some fun but ultimately, the chemistry in the sitcom isn't that good. Jennifer Aniston has a minor role as Herman's little sister.