"The Ugliest Girl in Town" was an ABC sitcom that aired from 1968–1969. In it Timothy Blair (Peter Kastner), a Hollywood talent agent who falls in love with a British actress and through a series of truly sitcom-level circumstances, ends up becoming a fashion model in London… while disguised as a woman. Under the persona “Timmie,” he becomes an overnight sensation, forcing him to juggle his double life, hide his secret identity, and somehow keep his long-distance romance alive.
Critics at the time were confused, and the show quickly became an instant punchline for its outlandish setup and broad humor. Ratings weren’t kind, leading ABC to cancel it after just 20 episodes. Over the years it’s earned a strange cult curiosity status as one of the most “What were they thinking?” sitcoms ever put on television. How will the boys react? Listen as they dive into The Ugliest Girl in Town's pilot episode, and see what they make of this oddball artifact.
Starring: Peter Kastner, Patricia Brake, Gary Marshal, Jenny Till, Nicholas Parsons, Rose Alba, Michael Balfour, Jeffry Wickham, & Richard Steele
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S1E1: The Neighborhood
"The Neighborhood" is a CBS sitcom that first premiered in 2018. The show stars Max Greenfield as Dave Johnson, a relentlessly upbeat Midwesterner who moves his wife and kids to a predominantly Black neighborhood in Pasadena. His overly friendly approach doesn’t exactly win over his new next-door neighbor, Calvin Butler (Cedric the Entertainer), who’s not thrilled about the Johnsons’ arrival. What follows is a clash of cultures that slowly turns into an unlikely friendship.
Critics were a little mixed at first, calling it a “safe” network sitcom with a big heart. Over time, The Neighborhood found its rhythm largely in part to the chemistry between Cedric and Greenfield and became one of CBS’s quiet success stories. So will the boys think this neighborly sitcom fits right in, or are they ready to move out after one episode? Find out as they check out the pilot, Welcome to the Neighborhood.
Starring: Cedric the Entertainer, Max Greenfield, Tichina Arnold, Beth Behrs, Sheaun McKinney, Marcel Spears, & Hank Greenspan
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S1E1: Santa Clarita Diet
"Santa Clarita Diet" was a dark comedy series that aired on Netflix from 2017-2019. The show starred Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant as suburban realtors Sheila and Joel Hammond, whose quiet California life gets flipped on its head when Sheila mysteriously transforms into an undead, flesh-craving zombie. Instead of leaning into horror tropes, the show mined humor from the couple’s desperate attempts to keep their family and careers intact while hiding the fact that Mom is now snacking on human remains.
Critics praised the sharp writing and the show’s ability to balance over-the-top gore with genuine sweetness. Netflix controversially canceled "Santa Clarita Diet" in 2019 without resolving its story. Since then, it’s earned cult-favorite status among viewers. Is this one as finger licking good as it sounds? Listen as the S1E1 boys sink their teeth into the pilot episode, "So Then a Bat or a Monkey".
Starring: Drew Barrymore, Timothy Olyphant, Liv Hewson, Skyler Gisondo, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Richard T. Jones, Ricardo Chavira, Joy Osmanski, Andy Richter, & Nathan Fillion
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S1E1: Tabitha
"Tabitha" was a short-lived sitcom that aired on ABC in 1977, serving as a spin-off of the iconic series Bewitched. The show followed Tabitha Stephens (played by Lisa Hartman), now all grown up and blessed with her mom's powers, working as a television producer in Los Angeles. While Bewitched thrived on suburban domestic chaos, Tabitha shifted the formula into a workplace setting.
Despite its familiar pedigree and Hartman’s charm, Tabitha struggled to find its footing. Critics felt the show lacked the wit and chemistry that made Bewitched a classic, and audiences didn’t fully connect with its new direction. Ratings were low, and the series was canceled after just eleven episodes. So, is this magical spin-off worth the watch? Listen as the boys dust off the pilot episode and decide.
Starring: Lisa Hartman, Robert Urich, Mel Stewart, David Ankrum, Karen Morrow, Timothy Blake, Eric Server, & Barry Van Dyke
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S1E1: Not Dead Yet
"Not Dead Yet" is sitcom that aired on ABC from 2023-2024. Loosely inspired by Alexandra Potter’s novel "Confessions of a Forty-Something F**k Up". The series stars Gina Rodriguez as Nell Serrano, a down-on-her-luck journalist who moves back to the States after a messy breakup only to find herself stuck writing obituaries. But there’s a catch: every time she writes one, the ghost of her subject shows up to hang out. With the help of these not-so-dead mentors, Nell navigates her quest to get her life back on track.
Reviews were cautiously optimistic, praising Rodriguez’s charm and the show’s mix of goofy gags with genuine warmth. The ratings didn’t exactly resurrect network sitcoms from the grave, but the show carved out a small fanbase for its oddball sincerity. So the big question: is this sitcom a spirited winner or a flatlined flop? Listen as the S1E1 boys crack open Not Dead Yet's pilot episode.
Starring: Gina Rodriguez, Hannah Simone, Lauren Ash, Rick Glassman, Joshua Banday, Angela E. Gibbs, & Martin Mull
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Join us every week where we’ll be picking a different sitcom and judging it solely on its very first televised episode. In doing so we’ll be challenging ourselves to erase any knowledge of future episodes so we can deliver an unbiased opinion. At the end of each show we’ll tell you if this is a show we would green light or cancel. Tune in to find out which mega shows wouldn’t make the cut, what forgettable mistakes we give a pass, and who started exactly where they should be.