Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show
Encyclopedia
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show (truncated to Honey, I Shrunk the Kids in the show's title sequence) is an American syndicated
science fiction
sitcom based on the 1989 film, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
. It expands upon the original film's concept of a shrinking experiment gone wrong to include a myriad of experiments gone awry. It debuted in first-run syndication on September 1, 1997 and ran for three consecutive seasons, concluding with the 66th episode on May 20, 2000.
Peter Scolari
took over the role as Wayne Szalinski, the wacky inventor in the original film, played by Rick Moranis
. Each episode incorporates new technologies and digital effects to feature the family in various new adventures. The series was filmed in Calgary, Alberta, with its main studios located in Currie Barracks, a decommissioned Canadian Forces
dormitory.
), the show's protagonist, is the husband of Diane and the father of Amy and Nick. The well-meaning Wayne constructs a variety of inventions, including the Shrink-Ray, Neuron Nudger and Brainiactivator among others, that often create predictaments for his family. His wife, Diane Szalinski (Barbara Alyn Woods
), is a lawyer. Diane supports Wayne and is very loving, but gets fed up with his antics. The family have a dog, Quark, who is played by Matese in the first season, but by Rusty in seasons two and three.
Amy Szalinski (Hillary Tuck
) is the oldest child of Wayne and Diane. She displays the normal teenage angst, but loves her family no matter what. Her younger brother, Nick (Thomas Dekker
), is very much like Wayne and also enjoys inventing things, however, unlike his father, he believes and has an extensive knowledge of the supernatural. He and Amy bicker like most siblings, but generally get along fairly well and will go out of their way for each other when one is in trouble.
The series picks up with the Szalinski household relocating to Matheson, Colorado
. Next door to the Szalinskis are the McKennas. Jake McKenna (George Buza
) is chief of the police force. He is usually caught up with the Szalinski's mishaps. His son, Joel, is one of Nick's friends. His oldest son, Jack McKenna, is one of Amy's latest boyfriends.
, which was released direct to video. The show was cancelled in 2000, due to Disney's unwritten policy of not producing shows with more than 65 episodes, even though it had one more episode. The series takes place between Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
and Honey, I Blew Up the Kid
since the youngest child, Adam Szalinski, is not born yet.
The film franchise's star Rick Moranis
is mentioned briefly in one episode where Amy tells Wayne that he resembles him. However, Wayne has no clue who Moranis is.
from 2001 to 2004, and currently air on The Hub since its launch on October 10, 2010.
Television syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
sitcom based on the 1989 film, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids is a 1989 comedy film. The directorial debut of Joe Johnston and released through Walt Disney Pictures and Silver Screen Partners III, the film tells the story of an inventor who accidentally shrinks his and his neighbor's kids to 1/4 of an inch with his electromagnetic...
. It expands upon the original film's concept of a shrinking experiment gone wrong to include a myriad of experiments gone awry. It debuted in first-run syndication on September 1, 1997 and ran for three consecutive seasons, concluding with the 66th episode on May 20, 2000.
Peter Scolari
Peter Scolari
Peter Scolari is an American television, film and stage actor best known for his roles in the television shows Newhart, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show, and Bosom Buddies.-Career:...
took over the role as Wayne Szalinski, the wacky inventor in the original film, played by Rick Moranis
Rick Moranis
Frederick Allan "Rick" Moranis is a Canadian comedian, actor, musician, and a magician. Moranis came to prominence in the late 1970s on the sketch comedy show Second City Television, and later appeared in several Hollywood films including Strange Brew; Ghostbusters; Spaceballs; Little Shop of...
. Each episode incorporates new technologies and digital effects to feature the family in various new adventures. The series was filmed in Calgary, Alberta, with its main studios located in Currie Barracks, a decommissioned Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
dormitory.
Characters
The Szalinski family are the only returning characters from the films. Wayne Szalinski (Peter ScolariPeter Scolari
Peter Scolari is an American television, film and stage actor best known for his roles in the television shows Newhart, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show, and Bosom Buddies.-Career:...
), the show's protagonist, is the husband of Diane and the father of Amy and Nick. The well-meaning Wayne constructs a variety of inventions, including the Shrink-Ray, Neuron Nudger and Brainiactivator among others, that often create predictaments for his family. His wife, Diane Szalinski (Barbara Alyn Woods
Barbara Alyn Woods
Barbara Alyn Woods is an American actress. She is best known for her roles in One Tree Hill, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show, and Striptease.-Filmography:...
), is a lawyer. Diane supports Wayne and is very loving, but gets fed up with his antics. The family have a dog, Quark, who is played by Matese in the first season, but by Rusty in seasons two and three.
Amy Szalinski (Hillary Tuck
Hillary Tuck
Hillary Tuck is an American actress, who is perhaps best known for her co-starring roles in the NBC Saturday Morning sitcom Hang Time and Disney's Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show...
) is the oldest child of Wayne and Diane. She displays the normal teenage angst, but loves her family no matter what. Her younger brother, Nick (Thomas Dekker
Thomas Dekker (actor)
Thomas Alexander Dekker is an American film and television actor and a musician. He is also a singer and has written and produced two albums. He is best known for his roles as John Connor in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Nick Szalinski on Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show, and Zach...
), is very much like Wayne and also enjoys inventing things, however, unlike his father, he believes and has an extensive knowledge of the supernatural. He and Amy bicker like most siblings, but generally get along fairly well and will go out of their way for each other when one is in trouble.
The series picks up with the Szalinski household relocating to Matheson, Colorado
Matheson, Colorado
Matheson is an unincorporated town and a U.S. Post Office in Elbert County, Colorado, United States. The Matheson Post Office has the ZIP Code 80830.Established in the mid 1880's by Duncan Matheson a native of Scotland.Mr...
. Next door to the Szalinskis are the McKennas. Jake McKenna (George Buza
George Buza
George Buza is an American-born Canadian actor who is best known for voicing Beast in the X-Men Animated Series.-Biography:Born in Cleveland, Ohio, he moved to Canada as a young man and became a Canadian citizen in 1998. He appeared as Chief Jake McKenna multiple times in the TV series Honey, I...
) is chief of the police force. He is usually caught up with the Szalinski's mishaps. His son, Joel, is one of Nick's friends. His oldest son, Jack McKenna, is one of Amy's latest boyfriends.
History
Ed Ferrara and Kevin Murphy wrote the series only a few months after the last film, Honey, We Shrunk OurselvesHoney, We Shrunk Ourselves
Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves is a 1997 direct-to-video sequel to Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and Honey, I Blew Up the Kid. It is the last film in the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids franchise...
, which was released direct to video. The show was cancelled in 2000, due to Disney's unwritten policy of not producing shows with more than 65 episodes, even though it had one more episode. The series takes place between Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids is a 1989 comedy film. The directorial debut of Joe Johnston and released through Walt Disney Pictures and Silver Screen Partners III, the film tells the story of an inventor who accidentally shrinks his and his neighbor's kids to 1/4 of an inch with his electromagnetic...
and Honey, I Blew Up the Kid
Honey, I Blew Up the Kid
Honey, I Blew Up the Kid is the 1992 sequel to the 1989 film Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. Directed by Randal Kleiser and released by Walt Disney Pictures, the film stars Rick Moranis, Marcia Strassman, Robert Oliveri and Amy O'Neill, who reprise their roles as Wayne, Diane, Nick, and Amy Szalinski...
since the youngest child, Adam Szalinski, is not born yet.
The film franchise's star Rick Moranis
Rick Moranis
Frederick Allan "Rick" Moranis is a Canadian comedian, actor, musician, and a magician. Moranis came to prominence in the late 1970s on the sketch comedy show Second City Television, and later appeared in several Hollywood films including Strange Brew; Ghostbusters; Spaceballs; Little Shop of...
is mentioned briefly in one episode where Amy tells Wayne that he resembles him. However, Wayne has no clue who Moranis is.
Main cast
| Actor/Actress | Character | Years | Episodes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peter Scolari Peter Scolari Peter Scolari is an American television, film and stage actor best known for his roles in the television shows Newhart, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show, and Bosom Buddies.-Career:... |
Wayne Szalinski | 1997-2000 | 66 episodes |
| Barbara Alyn Woods Barbara Alyn Woods Barbara Alyn Woods is an American actress. She is best known for her roles in One Tree Hill, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show, and Striptease.-Filmography:... |
Diane Szalinski | 1997-2000 | 66 episodes |
| Hillary Tuck Hillary Tuck Hillary Tuck is an American actress, who is perhaps best known for her co-starring roles in the NBC Saturday Morning sitcom Hang Time and Disney's Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show... |
Amy Szalinski | 1997-2000 | 66 episodes |
| Thomas Dekker Thomas Dekker (actor) Thomas Alexander Dekker is an American film and television actor and a musician. He is also a singer and has written and produced two albums. He is best known for his roles as John Connor in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Nick Szalinski on Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show, and Zach... |
Nick Szalinski | 1997-2000 | 66 episodes |
| George Buza George Buza George Buza is an American-born Canadian actor who is best known for voicing Beast in the X-Men Animated Series.-Biography:Born in Cleveland, Ohio, he moved to Canada as a young man and became a Canadian citizen in 1998. He appeared as Chief Jake McKenna multiple times in the TV series Honey, I... |
Chief Jake McKenna | 1998-2000 | 30 episodes |
Recurring cast
| Actor/Actress | Character | Years | Episodes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bruce Jarchow Bruce Jarchow Bruce Jarchow is an American film and television actor, most notable for his role as Lyle Ferguson in the film Ghost.Additional television guest appearances include recurring roles in Seinfeld, Married... With Children, Weird Science, The Norm Show, What About Joan, Desperate Housewives and... |
H. Gordon Jennings | 1997-2000 | 16 episodes |
| Andrew T. Grant | Joel McKenna | 1998-2000 | 4 episodes |
| Mark Hildreth Mark Hildreth (actor) Mark Hildreth is a Canadian actor and musician, based in the U.S. He has appeared in many movie and television roles. A graduate of The National Theater School of Canada, Mark Hildreth's theater credits include Hamlet , Bertram in All's well that Ends well , Richard of Gloucester in Richard III and... |
Jack McKenna | 1998-2000 | 3 episodes |
| Jewel Staite Jewel Staite Jewel Belair Staite is a Canadian actress, who portrayed Catalina in Space Cases, Kaylee Frye in Firefly and Serenity, and Dr. Jennifer Keller on Stargate Atlantis.-Personal life:... |
Tiara Vanhorn | 1997-1999 | 5 episodes |
| Hilary Alexander Hilary Alexander Hilary Alexander is a British journalist and the Fashion Director of The Daily Telegraph.-Biography:Alexander was born in New Zealand and is a passionate traveller, long distance walker, gardener and cat-lover... |
Ms. Elders | 1998-1999 | 10 episodes |
| David Lereaney | Mr. Patterson | 1997-1998 | 9 episodes |
| Christine Willes Christine Willes Christine Willes is a Canadian television, theatre and film actress who is best known for her roles as Delores Herbig on the Showtime comedy-drama Dead Like Me and Gladys the DMV demon on the CW supernatural drama television series Reaper... |
Mrs. Gotteramerding | 1999 | 3 episodes |
| John Michael Higgins John Michael Higgins John Michael Higgins is an American actor whose film credits include Christopher Guest's mockumentaries, the role of David Letterman in HBO's The Late Shift, and a starring role in the American version of Kath & Kim.... |
Ar'nox | 1997-1998 | 3 episodes |
| Doug MacLeod | Dan | 1997-1999 | 4 episodes |
| Thierry P. Nihill | Russell | 1997-1998 | 4 episodes |
| Jesse Moss Jesse Moss -Life and career:Moss was born in Vancouver, British Columbia. He is best known for his roles of Jason Wise in Final Destination 3 and Quinn McKaye on Whistler, for which Moss won a Leo Award for Best Lead Performance by a Male in a Dramatic Series in 2007. Moss starred in the Dear Mr... |
Howard Phillips | 1997 | 1 episode |
Syndication
Reruns of the series aired on Disney ChannelDisney Channel
Disney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...
from 2001 to 2004, and currently air on The Hub since its launch on October 10, 2010.