3rd Rock from the Sun (1996)

Watchseries; It's a low down dirty shame about 3rd Rock. While I've been a faithful viewer going on five years or so, the show never got the appreciation it deserved. Sure it won its share of Emmies, but that doesn't mean anybody watched it. It's a Ross and Rachel world out there, and the brilliance of 3rd Rock was often overshadowed by soap operas disguised as sitcoms.

But 3rd rock is rollicking comedy and nothing but. John Lithgow is simply one of our best in one of his best roles as Dick. If you like this show, I strongly suggest you see some of his movie work such as The World According To Garp, the movie I hate to love and love to hate, but Lithgow's performance falls on the love side of the scale.

Gangly Kristen Johnston plays Sally. The towering beauty and hilarious flake. She adds some amazing physical comedy to the show's ensemble. Her physical presence is so amusing she can crack you up just by standing there. I can't wait to see her in other comedic roles, my main fear being she'll fall into toilet humor instead of something sophisticated.

French Stewart as Harry is more or less the cute little pet and adds tremendously to the show. He acts as what at first might seem like the dumb member of the alien four, but in fact, his idiocy is what exposes that of the people that surround him in how they deal with him.

Finally, teenager Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Tommy is most impressive in the fact that he plays at the same level of the rest of the ensemble. The show hasn't used him as an idle, but as another resource for more of the social observations with which the show is bursting at the seems.

The four play together as a remarkable comedy team, each with their own quirks that evoke criticism on society. The satire is complete with the addition of the stereotypes they encounter every day. Jane Curtin as Mary, Dick's love interest, tries to appear normal and show the Solomon's that they aren't but is really as bizarre as anyone else on the show. Then there's Nina, the secretary; Don, the cop of Sally's dreams; the lovable nympho landlord, Miss Dubcek; and countless other students, colleagues, peers and various characters that teach the Solomons, themselves and us about society (I love Judith.) The show is as observant as any I've ever seen and equally funny with it's slapstick, zany dialogue, unusually usual situations and running gags.

My feeling is that the main source of 3rd Rock's brilliance is it's mocking classic sitcom formula. It takes the perpetually utilized premise of placing a group of outsiders in the middle of a "normal" group of people and completely turns it around. Unlike a show like the Beverly Hillbillies where we principally laugh at the Clampets, we're laughing it the Solomon's AND the people around them. In 3rd Rock, nobody is normal and there is no true norm, which is much truer to the world in which we live. There are all the classic patterned events from sitcoms (meeting people, dating, finding one's purpose, and the trials with which every day sitcom life presents you) but none of these situations lack a deeper meaner on 3rd Rock. Then there's the little things. Aspects such as the fact that there is no couch in the living room and that all the characters' names are those which one would have found on an older sitcom (Who's name is Sally anymore, really? Then Tom, Dick and Harry- the quintessential normal trio) are just some of the ways of the creators screw with

It's a low down dirty shame about 3rd Rock. While I've been a faithful viewer going on five years or so, the show never got the appreciation it deserved. Sure it won its share of Emmies, but that doesn't mean anybody watched it. It's a Ross and Rachel world out there, and the brilliance of 3rd Rock was often overshadowed by soap operas disguised as sitcoms.

But 3rd rock is rollicking comedy and nothing but. John Lithgow is simply one of our best in one of his best roles as Dick. If you like this show, I strongly suggest you see some of his movie work such as The World According To Garp, the movie I hate to love and love to hate, but Lithgow's performance falls on the love side of the scale.

Gangly Kristen Johnston plays Sally. The towering beauty and hilarious flake. She adds some amazing physical comedy to the show's ensemble. Her physical presence is so amusing she can crack you up just by standing there. I can't wait to see her in other comedic roles, my main fear being she'll fall into toilet humor instead of something sophisticated.

French Stewart as Harry is more or less the cute little pet and adds tremendously to the show. He acts as what at first might seem like the dumb member of the alien four, but in fact, his idiocy is what exposes that of the people that surround him in how they deal with him.

Finally, teenager Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Tommy is most impressive in the fact that he plays at the same level of the rest of the ensemble. The show hasn't used him as an idle, but as another resource for more of the social observations with which the show is bursting at the seems.

The four play together as a remarkable comedy team, each with their own quirks that evoke criticism on society. The satire is complete with the addition of the stereotypes they encounter every day. Jane Curtin as Mary, Dick's love interest, tries to appear normal and show the Solomon's that they aren't but is really as bizarre as anyone else on the show. Then there's Nina, the secretary; Don, the cop of Sally's dreams; the lovable nympho landlord, Miss Dubcek; and countless other students, colleagues, peers and various characters that teach the Solomons, themselves and us about society (I love Judith.) The show is as observant as any I've ever seen and equally funny with it's slapstick, zany dialogue, unusually usual situations and running gags.

My feeling is that the main source of 3rd Rock's brilliance is it's mocking classic sitcom formula. It takes the perpetually utilized premise of placing a group of outsiders in the middle of a "normal" group of people and completely turns it around. Unlike a show like the Beverly Hillbillies where we principally laugh at the Clampets, we're laughing it the Solomon's AND the people around them. In 3rd Rock, nobody is normal and there is no true norm, which is much truer to the world in which we live. There are all the classic patterned events from sitcoms (meeting people, dating, finding one's purpose, and the trials with which every day sitcom life presents you) but none of these situations lack a deeper meaner on 3rd Rock. Then there's the little things. Aspects such as the fact that there is no couch in the living room and that all the characters' names are those which one would have found on an older sitcom (Who's name is Sally anymore, really? Then Tom, Dick and Harry- the quintessential normal trio) are just some of the ways of the creators screw with

3rd Rock from the Sun watchseries. It's TV shows like this that make me sad for the state of TV today. Not saying that there are bad shows out there but they're just missing something.

3rd Rock from the Sun was a broad comedy about 4 aliens who have come to Earth to explore humanity and what it means to be human. You had the Information officer who was the oldest and wisest of the group who is now stuck in the body of a pubescent teen played wonderfully by Joseph Gordon-Levitt. He showed that even at such a young age that he'd become a great actor. There was the security officer who was a no nonsense military man who found himself in the body of a statuesque blonde bombshell. You had the high commander played in a wonderfully over the top way by the great John Lithgow. And finally you had the receiver of the group, a dimwit who's only purpose was to transmit and receive information from their boss "the Big Giant Head". The entire cast was amazing and most of the humor came from them not understanding humans and trying desperately to fit in.

I knew it was going to be a great sitcom from the very start. Harry, the dimwit with the radio in his head, wanders into the room crying out, "I'm blind! I can't see!" One of them, I think Sally the bombshell, responds with, "your eyes are closed". He takes a moment, opens his eyes and realization dawns on him, "ohhhhhh! They're manual!" and he wanders off.

During their run they explored many different things about what it means to be human but they never lost their alienness. It was sad when they finally said goodbye but like all good things, it's best to go out on a high note than to stay around too long and have it get stale.

You can find the episodes in syndication or online so there's really no excuse not to take a look.

3rd Rock From the Sun is one of the funniest shows to ever air on televison. The actors are all great, especially John Lithgow who is the funniest. It's a brilliant series with so much originality. Anyone who thinks this show isn't funny, obviously needs their heads examined. This is classic television that will be remembered for years to come.

well I'm 15 and i simple love 3rd rock from the sun it has sections for all the family. The characters are great and are played with amazing talent. I don't think there is anything i could say that i hated and i only wished they could have carried on making more shows. As a family Dick Sally Harry and Tommy go great together each having their own individual style. Every show has more gags and laughs than the last. The story line of aliens disguised as humans is hilarious, I find it funny to see them tying to fit in and understand humans. Some of the lines leave me laughing for days and I'm sure they will live on for years to come!!!! Proving that there is no show better than 3rd rock from the sun!!

i totally loved this show!

instead of all the other sci-fi- or fantasy-centered sitcoms (like for example sabrina) this one didn't rely on heavy special effects. instead, the "alien" feeling came through the actors performance. it was exaggerated, sure, but in a very VERY good way. my favorite episodes where the ones where harry turned into a transmitter. in one of the last episodes he transmits an alien-award show and you can see him dance on behalf of the ballet. when you look closely you can even see kristen johnston (sally) nearly fall out of character. it was so hilarious, you could see her biting the insides of her cheeks not to start laughing and ruining the scene. and my favorite dialog was her asking dick "why am i the woman"-"because you lost".

great.

This is one of the best shows put out! It really feels like your in a theater watching a play. 'Dick' is the best character, hes funny and bossy and quite the simpleton when he wants to be. I love the way he expresses his feelings through his facial expressions. I would be entertained just watching him, with no sound. and 'Harry' is definitely the next best character. i love the way he dresses...the fur coat and his suspenders and bright shirts. plus, hes very funny. he gives off the impression that he is the youngest alien even though tommy is. i love how innocent and sweet he seems.

3rd Rock is not your A-typical show, it doesn't deal with real life and regular families and friends. every character in this show is weird and crazy and doing their own thing. i think its better this way. i get tired of watching the same old shows with a husband and a wife. problems with the kids or work or each other. its very refreshing to see a show where they have crazy situations and answers. plus it fun to see what it might be like for an alien to come to earth and not know how to deal with their bodies, or relationships, or school and work.