"Small Wonder" (1985) TV series 1985-1989

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Release Date:

7 September 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Sci-Fi

Plot:

Father Ted Lawson creates robot, Vickie. The family, Ted, Joan, and Jamie, keep the information that Vickie is a robot secret...

Plot Keywords:

Robot | Artificially Created Girl | Sitcom

Awards:

2 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Dick Christie	...	Ted Lawson (96 episodes, 1985-1989)
Marla Pennington	...	Joan Lawson (96 episodes, 1985-1989)
Jerry Supiran	...	Jamie Lawson (96 episodes, 1985-1989)
Tiffany Brissette	...	Vicki the Robot (96 episodes, 1985-1989)
Emily Schulman	...	Harriet Brindle (96 episodes, 1985-1989)

Runtime:

30 min (96 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Fox Television Studios - 1999 S. Bundy Drive, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

20th Century Fox Television

Trivia:

When Vicki "jumpstarted Grandpa" via the defibrillator to restart his heart, Jamie asks where she leaned that, she replies "Trapper John". 'Jerry Suprian' guest starred in _"Trapper John, M.D." - Send in the Clowns (1984)_ as Matthew Riley.

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: Despite being "made of plastic, microchips here and there" the robot and her costume grew from season to season to accommodative the actress. However, in one of the episodes there was an explanation from the father who put in a special chip that enabled her to grow to avoid suspicion from friends and neighbors why she never grew and remained the same age.

Quotes:

Harriet Brindle: [Jaime had asked Harriet to go and buy him a pineapple, when they are currently out of season, Harriet however returns with a pineapple] Hey Jaime! guess what? I found a pineapple.
Jamie Lawson: Ooooh noooo.
Harriet Brindle: It cost me a months allowance at the gourmet restaurant, but for you, it was worth it.
Reggie Williams: [laughing] Jaime, remember what you said? that if Harriet found a pineapple between here and Hawaii, you'd marry her?
Harriet Brindle: He did? I accept.
Harriet Brindle: Hi father -in law
[hugs Mr. Lawson]
Harriet Brindle: Hi mother - in law
[hugs Mrs. Lawson]
Harriet Brindle: Hi sister - in law
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in "SexTV: Remote Control: Romancing the Robot/Hajime Sorayama (#8.4)" (2005)

Creepy example of 80's fad for high-concept sitcoms.

I'm not sure who started it, or when... all I know is that in the mid to late 80's, there was a slew of sitcoms based around wacky premises; Alf, Harry & the Hendersons, My Secret Identity... Small Wonder was one of the group, and probably the most cloyingly sweet of them all.

The show always had a seedy edge to it; you were never quite sure why the dad had built an automated little girl, nor why he wanted to keep her at home. Vicki (an Anglicization of some idiotic made-up acronym about voice-input) talked like a female Speak 'n' Spell, had telekinetic powers (!) and in the grand tradition of "high-concept" sitcoms, the plot would always seem to go like this.

(1) Vicki screws up, blows dad's cover. (2) Dad tries ineptly to keep people from figuring out Vicki isn't human. (3) Vicki does something wacky, that "proves" to the low-IQ neighbors she's human. (4) Everyone laffs.

After 4 years, somehow the American viewing public's IQs rose above Vicki's neighbors, and they figured out the plot was the same from show to show, and went on to other things.