Brains and Eggs
Encyclopedia
"Brains And Eggs" is the pilot episode
of the American
sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun
. The episode depicts an extraterrestrial
research expedition coming to Earth
in the guise of what they think is a typical human
family
.
of Rutherford, Ohio, the aliens appear in their human forms aboard a 1963 Rambler convertible
. The High Commander has become family patriarch Dick Solomon
, the Security Officer is his sister Sally
and the Information Officer (who is actually the oldest of the aliens) has become Tommy
, Dick's teenage son. Another alien, who has no obvious purpose as of yet, has taken on the form of Dick's brother Harry
.
The first discovery they all make is that none of them can swivel their heads around a hundred and eighty degrees and thus cannot lick their backs. Shortly thereafter, Dick scrounges up a job as a physics
professor
at nearby Pendelton State University and the aliens rent a loft
apartment
from Mrs. Mamie Dubcek, who remains their landlady for the rest of the series. At work, Dick becomes smitten with Dr. Mary Albright
, an anthropology
professor with whom he shares an office.
When he accidentally upsets Mary, he discovers emotion
s, which the aliens previously had no knowledge of. Intrigued and confused by the concept, Dick takes the family to a party
at the dean
's house, where he apologizes to Mary there and she somewhat returns his affections. He later tells the rest of his crew that humans must be more complex than they ever thought and decides they will remain on Earth to further study the human condition
. The rest of the aliens believe he actually wants to stay due to his infatuation
with Mary, but Dick has his way since he is High Commander.
is in his first weekly series, the show arrives dressed as one colossal breast
joke." Some critics compared the series to the short-lived Champs, which debuted on the same day.
The episode was watched by 23 million viewers.
. In Dick and Mary's office, Dick has the desk that would later become Mary's and vice-versa. Also, most of the set dressing in the office is different and it is entered through the door that later leads to Nina's office. The sets were altered in "Truth or Dick", the next episode to be filmed, and they remained largely unchanged for the remainder of the show's run.
, but, after the first pilot, it became apparent to the show's producers that the aliens bounced off everything and that "straight" comic foils were required. The love interest was subsequently rewritten to be a fellow professor and a new character, Nina Campbell, became the secretary. Nina was added since it was thought that an "edge in the office" was needed. Jane Curtin
and Simbi Khali
joined the cast two weeks after the rest of the regulars.
Television pilot
A "television pilot" is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell the show to a television network. At the time of its inception, the pilot is meant to be the "testing ground" to see if a series will be possibly desired and successful and therefore a test episode of an...
of the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun
3rd Rock from the Sun
3rd Rock from the Sun is an American sitcom that aired from 1996 to 2001 on NBC. The show is about four extraterrestrials who are on an expedition to Earth, which they consider to be a very insignificant planet...
. The episode depicts an extraterrestrial
Extraterrestrial life in popular culture
In popular cultures, "extraterrestrials" are life forms — especially intelligent life forms— that are of extraterrestrial origin .-Historical ideas:-Pre-modern:...
research expedition coming to Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
in the guise of what they think is a typical human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
family
Family
In human context, a family is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, affinity, or co-residence. In most societies it is the principal institution for the socialization of children...
.
Plot
In the townTown
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
of Rutherford, Ohio, the aliens appear in their human forms aboard a 1963 Rambler convertible
Rambler (automobile)
Rambler was an automobile brand name used by the Thomas B. Jeffery Company between 1900 and 1914, then by its successor, Nash Motors from 1950 to 1954, and finally by Nash's successor, American Motors Corporation from 1954 to 1969...
. The High Commander has become family patriarch Dick Solomon
Dick Solomon
Dr. Richard Solomon, usually known as Dick Solomon, is a character played by John Lithgow in the late '90s NBC sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun. Solomon is the High Commander of a highly trained alien unit, sent to Earth by their leader, The Big Giant Head...
, the Security Officer is his sister Sally
Sally Solomon
Sally Solomon is a fictional character from the television sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun.-Role as female:Prior to arriving on Earth, the Solomons had some sort of contest to determine who would be male or female...
and the Information Officer (who is actually the oldest of the aliens) has become Tommy
Tommy Solomon (3rd Rock from the Sun)
Tommy Solomon is a fictional character created by Bonnie and Terry Turner from the American sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun. He was portrayed by Joseph Gordon-Levitt.-Ironic age:...
, Dick's teenage son. Another alien, who has no obvious purpose as of yet, has taken on the form of Dick's brother Harry
Harry Solomon
Harry S. Solomon is a character in 3rd Rock from the Sun, played by French Stewart. He is the brother of Dick Solomon and Sally Solomon, and the uncle of Tommy Solomon. His middle initial is mentioned in the episode "Dick the Vote." French Stewart said in a 1998 interview, "The way the character...
.
The first discovery they all make is that none of them can swivel their heads around a hundred and eighty degrees and thus cannot lick their backs. Shortly thereafter, Dick scrounges up a job as a physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
at nearby Pendelton State University and the aliens rent a loft
Loft
A loft can be an upper story or attic in a building, directly under the roof. Alternatively, a loft apartment refers to large adaptable open space, often converted for residential use from some other use, often light industrial...
apartment
Apartment
An apartment or flat is a self-contained housing unit that occupies only part of a building...
from Mrs. Mamie Dubcek, who remains their landlady for the rest of the series. At work, Dick becomes smitten with Dr. Mary Albright
Dr. Mary Albright
Mary Margaret Albright, Ph.D is a fictional character who was played by Jane Curtin in the American situation comedy 3rd Rock from the Sun. She serves as a straight foil and love interest for the eccentric Dick Solomon.-Casting:...
, an anthropology
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
professor with whom he shares an office.
When he accidentally upsets Mary, he discovers emotion
Emotion
Emotion is a complex psychophysiological experience of an individual's state of mind as interacting with biochemical and environmental influences. In humans, emotion fundamentally involves "physiological arousal, expressive behaviors, and conscious experience." Emotion is associated with mood,...
s, which the aliens previously had no knowledge of. Intrigued and confused by the concept, Dick takes the family to a party
Party
A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, or recreation. A party will typically feature food and beverages, and often music and dancing as well....
at the dean
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
's house, where he apologizes to Mary there and she somewhat returns his affections. He later tells the rest of his crew that humans must be more complex than they ever thought and decides they will remain on Earth to further study the human condition
Human condition
The human condition encompasses the experiences of being human in a social, cultural, and personal context. It can be described as the irreducible part of humanity that is inherent and not connected to gender, race, class, etc. — a search for purpose, sense of curiosity, the inevitability of...
. The rest of the aliens believe he actually wants to stay due to his infatuation
Limerence
Limerence is a term coined c. 1977 by the psychologist Dorothy Tennov to describe an involuntary state of mind which seems to result from a romantic attraction to another person combined with an overwhelming, obsessive need to have one's feelings reciprocated...
with Mary, but Dick has his way since he is High Commander.
Reception
Reviews of the pilot were mixed and it was criticized for its abundant sex jokes, which were seen as "cheap". The Daily News of Los Angeles reported that "as terrific as LithgowJohn Lithgow
John Arthur Lithgow is an American actor, musician, and author. Presently, he is involved with a wide range of media projects, including stage, television, film, and radio...
is in his first weekly series, the show arrives dressed as one colossal breast
Breast
The breast is the upper ventral region of the torso of a primate, in left and right sides, which in a female contains the mammary gland that secretes milk used to feed infants.Both men and women develop breasts from the same embryological tissues...
joke." Some critics compared the series to the short-lived Champs, which debuted on the same day.
The episode was watched by 23 million viewers.
Differences in the sets
The sets seen in this episode are markedly different than they are later in the show. For instance, the Solomons' loft apartment doesn't have a staircase and the room is instead entered through the door that would later lead to Dick's bedroomBedroom
A bedroom is a private room where people usually sleep for the night or relax during the day.About one third of our lives are spent sleeping and most of the time we are asleep, we are sleeping in a bedroom. To be considered a bedroom the room needs to have bed. Bedrooms can range from really simple...
. In Dick and Mary's office, Dick has the desk that would later become Mary's and vice-versa. Also, most of the set dressing in the office is different and it is entered through the door that later leads to Nina's office. The sets were altered in "Truth or Dick", the next episode to be filmed, and they remained largely unchanged for the remainder of the show's run.
Background
This episode is actually the second version of the pilot to be filmed. Originally, Dick's love interest was to be a secretarySecretary
A secretary, or administrative assistant, is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication & organizational skills. These functions may be entirely carried out to assist one other employee or may be for the benefit...
, but, after the first pilot, it became apparent to the show's producers that the aliens bounced off everything and that "straight" comic foils were required. The love interest was subsequently rewritten to be a fellow professor and a new character, Nina Campbell, became the secretary. Nina was added since it was thought that an "edge in the office" was needed. Jane Curtin
Jane Curtin
Jane Therese Curtin is an American actress and comedienne. She is commonly referred to as Queen of the Deadpan.First coming to prominence as an original cast member on Saturday Night Live in 1975, she went on to win back-to-back Emmy Awards for Best Lead Actress in a Comedy Series on the 1980s...
and Simbi Khali
Simbi Khali
Simbi Khali is an American actress, known for her role as Nina Campbell on the NBC sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun.Born in Jackson, Mississippi, Khali was raised in Chicago, Illinois, the youngest of seven children...
joined the cast two weeks after the rest of the regulars.
Guest stars
- David DeLuiseDavid DeLuiseDavid Dominick DeLuise is an American actor and director.-Career:DeLuise was born in 1971 in Los Angeles, California. He is the youngest son of actor and comedian Dom DeLuise and actress Carol Arthur , and the brother of actor, writer, director Peter DeLuise and actor Michael DeLuise.His first...
("Bug Pollone") - Dan GilvezanDan GilvezanDan Gilvezan is an actor who provided the voice for Peter Parker/Spider-Man on the 1980s animated series Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends and the voice of the Autobots Bumblebee, Outback and Hot Spot and the Decepticon Snapdragon in the original 1984-1987 Transformers cartoon...
("Radio DJ") - Chris HoganChris HoganChris Hogan is an American comic actor. Hogan is most notable for his membership in the recurring cast of comedians on sketch comedy series MADtv, and for the character of Aubrey Pitman, one of Dick Solomon's students, on the sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun.-Biography:Chris Hogan grew up in...
("Aubrey Pitman") - Susan Leslie ("Kissing Woman")
- Ian Lithgow ("Leon")
- Danielle NicoletDanielle NicoletDanielle Nicolet is an American television and film actress.-Career:Born Danielle Diggs in Ashtabula, Ohio, Nicolet began acting in the 1990s when she appeared in a recurring role in the sitcom Family Matters. In 1996, she landed the role of Caryn on 3rd Rock from the Sun, a role she would reprise...
("Caryn") - Marnette PattersonMarnette PattersonMarnette Patterson is an American actress who is perhaps best known for her role as Christy Jenkins on Charmed.-Career:Patterson portrayed Nicole Farrell on the NBC series Something So Right....
("Volleyball Girl") - Jennifer RhodesJennifer RhodesJennifer Rhodes is an American actress whose career spans four decades.- Life and career :Jennifer Rhodes grew up in Rosiclare, Illinois, a small town on the Ohio River.She also has one sister, Kim Rhodes. She became interested in theater while attending Southern Illinois University and moved to...
("Mrs. Sumner") - Elmarie WendelElmarie WendelElmarie Louise Wendel is an American actress, perhaps best known for her role as Mrs. Dubcek in the NBC sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun....
("Mrs. Mamie Dubcek")