Unhappily Ever After
Encyclopedia
Unhappily Ever After is an American sitcom
that aired for 100 episodes on The WB
network from January 11, 1995, to May 23, 1999, for a total of four and a half seasons. The series was produced by Touchstone Television
.
, whose character of Jennie was the focus of the first few episodes. However, the series concept was soon re-worked. The character of Jack (who had been kicked out of the house and was living in an apartment) was brought back home, and began living in the basement. Soon, Geoff Pierson
's character, Jack — a schizophrenic
family man whose only friend is a talking toy rabbit — became the central character of the show, along with the rabbit, Mr. Floppy. Also in seasons one and two, Joyce Van Patten
played Jennie's mother, Maureen Slattery. When she left the show, she was killed off and buried (off-screen) in the backyard.
By the show's third season it became apparent that Tiffany (Nikki Cox
) was becoming a breakout character
and the de facto co-star of the show along with Pierson. Stories began focusing on Tiffany and Ryan's high school (and later community college) escapades, and the producers attempted to kill off the increasingly unnecessary character of Jennie, who returned as a ghost. After doing so, however, they quickly reversed their decision because of negative audience reaction. On the show, the character was brought back to life in a deliberately bizarre sequence in which a network executive wandered on to the set and announced Jennie's character was no longer dead. Nevertheless, Jennie was soon gone again, as several episodes later, the character abandoned her family for a lesbian lover (Stephanie Hodge left the show) and was never seen again.
Nikki Cox was already signed to star in a new series for the WB when Unhappily... ended, and the final season focused more on the character of Tiffany. Wendy Benson
was added to the cast, playing Tiffany's rival Barbara Caufield. The series wrapped up with a final episode in which Jack finally made enough money to send Tiffany to Harvard University
. Once Jack started making money, he didn't need Floppy anymore and his schizophrenia was cured; Floppy went back to being just a stuffed animal, literally dying. Jack soon went insane again, however, bringing Floppy "back from the dead".
and Arthur Silver, who also worked on Married... with Children
. Unhappily was often compared to Married... with Children as both series had similar themes.
Unhappily Ever After was one of the four sitcoms that aired as part of the original Wednesday night two-hour lineup that helped launch The WB network (along with The Wayans Bros.
, The Parent 'Hood
and the short-lived Muscle
).
" by Ray Charles
used from episode 1 to the series finale, the song is a reference to Jennie kicking Jack out of the house. The opening is a sequence of bizarre events from the first season and the male vocals are lip-synched by Floppy while the female vocals are lip-synched by Jennie, Tiffany and Maureen for Seasons 1 & 2, Jennie and Tiffany for Seasons 3 & 4, and Tiffany, Jack, Ryan and Ross for Season 5.
When the show first began its run, "Hit the Road Jack" was not the theme. The original opening started with the "wedding photo" of the Malloys, with their smiles fading, and showed clips of the father leaving and walking through the slum to his new place. While walking, a man runs by him holding a TV, chased by another man who stops, takes a shooting stance, and fires a gun at the thief. The next clip shows the father as he walks past the first man laying face down, TV near his hands, as he enters his apartment. The theme song played over the opening was Bobcat Goldthwait (and possibly others) singing "We married young, because of Cupid. We had three kids 'CUZ WE WERE STUPID!..." (In the final scene of the final episode, this is the song Jack sings with Mr. Floppy.) In reruns and syndication, this was replaced with the "Hit The Road Jack" opening with clips from the show.
for the 1999-2000 and the 2000-01 seasons, but was not re-offered the following fall due to lackluster clearance rates and low ratings
. It has been off the air in America ever since, though it was shown on the UK channel ABC1 between 2004 and 2005. In Canada
, it was seen in syndication on Omni Television
during the 2006/2007 season. As of October 2007, it airs on the TV3 network in Estonia as Armastuseta sinu (Yours Without Love).
In Germany
, the show first aired on RTL Television
in November 1997, was since rerun on RTL II
and presently (as of June 2007) airs on Comedy Central
on a daily basis. It is titled Auf schlimmer und ewig ("For worse and ever"), a pun on the phrase "Auf immer und ewig" ("For always and ever").
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
that aired for 100 episodes on The WB
The WB Television Network
The WB Television Network is a former television network in the United States that was launched on January 11, 1995 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and Tribune Broadcasting. On January 24, 2006, CBS Corporation and Warner Bros...
network from January 11, 1995, to May 23, 1999, for a total of four and a half seasons. The series was produced by Touchstone Television
Touchstone Television
ABC Studios is the television production division of Disney-ABC Television Group. ABC Studios was established as Touchstone Television in 1985 and given its current name in May 2007....
.
Synopsis
The series was initially intended to be a starring vehicle for Stephanie HodgeStephanie Hodge
Stephanie Hodge is an American actress and stand-up comedian. She was in the television series Suite Life of Zack and Cody starring as Brianna's mom.-Acting credits:...
, whose character of Jennie was the focus of the first few episodes. However, the series concept was soon re-worked. The character of Jack (who had been kicked out of the house and was living in an apartment) was brought back home, and began living in the basement. Soon, Geoff Pierson
Geoff Pierson
Geoff Pierson is an American actor known for his role on The WB series Unhappily Ever After as Jack Malloy, the father of a dysfunctional family whose best friend is a stuffed animal rabbit named Mr. Floppy...
's character, Jack — a schizophrenic
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...
family man whose only friend is a talking toy rabbit — became the central character of the show, along with the rabbit, Mr. Floppy. Also in seasons one and two, Joyce Van Patten
Joyce Van Patten
Joyce Benignia Van Patten is an American stage, film and television actress.-Personal life:Van Patten was born in New York City, the daughter of Josephine Rose , an Italian American magazine advertising executive, and Richard Byron Van Patten, a Dutch American interior decorator.She is the younger...
played Jennie's mother, Maureen Slattery. When she left the show, she was killed off and buried (off-screen) in the backyard.
By the show's third season it became apparent that Tiffany (Nikki Cox
Nikki Cox
Nicole Avery "Nikki" Cox is an American actress known mostly for her roles on the television series Unhappily Ever After, Las Vegas, and Nikki.-Early life:...
) was becoming a breakout character
Breakout character
A breakout character is a fictional character in different episodes, books or other media that becomes the most popular, talked about, and imitated. Most often a breakout character in a television series captures the audience's imagination and helps to popularize the show, sometimes inadvertently...
and the de facto co-star of the show along with Pierson. Stories began focusing on Tiffany and Ryan's high school (and later community college) escapades, and the producers attempted to kill off the increasingly unnecessary character of Jennie, who returned as a ghost. After doing so, however, they quickly reversed their decision because of negative audience reaction. On the show, the character was brought back to life in a deliberately bizarre sequence in which a network executive wandered on to the set and announced Jennie's character was no longer dead. Nevertheless, Jennie was soon gone again, as several episodes later, the character abandoned her family for a lesbian lover (Stephanie Hodge left the show) and was never seen again.
Nikki Cox was already signed to star in a new series for the WB when Unhappily... ended, and the final season focused more on the character of Tiffany. Wendy Benson
Wendy Benson
Wendy Benson-Landes is an American actress seen in many television shows. One of her roles was as Joanne Hertz, the segment producer for the character Piper Halliwell at her restaurant Quake in the series Charmed....
was added to the cast, playing Tiffany's rival Barbara Caufield. The series wrapped up with a final episode in which Jack finally made enough money to send Tiffany to Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. Once Jack started making money, he didn't need Floppy anymore and his schizophrenia was cured; Floppy went back to being just a stuffed animal, literally dying. Jack soon went insane again, however, bringing Floppy "back from the dead".
Main characters
- Jack Malloy (Geoff PiersonGeoff PiersonGeoff Pierson is an American actor known for his role on The WB series Unhappily Ever After as Jack Malloy, the father of a dysfunctional family whose best friend is a stuffed animal rabbit named Mr. Floppy...
): A schizophrenic, alcoholic, cynical and depressed man who hates his wholly unsatisfying job as a used car salesman and his unhappy marriage. He gets little respect from his family, who think that he is insane or senile. He converses with a stuffed bunny (Mr. Floppy) that only he can hear. His daughter Tiffany is his only real hope in his otherwise depressing life, though he is unaware of how Tiffany often uses him to her own advantage. He and his wife tend to bicker over trivial things and she appears to dominate him. He cares about his family, despite the fact they are the cause of most of his woes. He is the sole source of income for the family and often tries to manage the money he makes, though it never gets to him as he has to pay for bills, food, expenses, allowances, and presents for Tiffany. - Jennifer "Jennie" Malloy (née Slattery) (Stephanie HodgeStephanie HodgeStephanie Hodge is an American actress and stand-up comedian. She was in the television series Suite Life of Zack and Cody starring as Brianna's mom.-Acting credits:...
): Jack's irritable and promiscuous wife, who gets along with no one in particular and is prone to jealousy. She is sarcastic, embittered and judgmental, verbally abusing Jack and showing little compassion for her children. She particularly resents Tiffany, who is everything Jennie never was. Jennie comes across as self-centered, mean, and ill-tempered and she is also shown to make a cuckoldCuckoldCuckold is a historically derogatory term for a man who has an unfaithful wife. The word, which has been in recorded use since the 13th century, derives from the cuckoo bird, some varieties of which lay their eggs in other birds' nests...
out of Jack. Hypocritically, Jennie is still shown to be displeased when Jack becomes involved with other women. She "dies" during season four, existing in the series as a "ghost", before coming back briefly and then leaving permanently in season 5. It is highly suggested that she divorced Jack, leaving him for another woman. - Ryan Malloy (Kevin Connolly): The eldest son of Jack and Jennie, Ryan maintains a positive, happy-go-lucky attitude despite being stupid and disliked by virtually everyone he knows, including his parents. He occasionally acknowledges how miserable his existence is and comes across as sympathetic; in one episode, his chemistry teacher, Ms. O'Hara, blows herself up after Ryan passes her class and wins a bet where she said she'd go to a school dance with him if he did so, and Ryan is visibly distraught at both her death and what it says about how he's perceived. His inability to attract girls and his parents' overt derision of him are recurring themes throughout the show. Throughout the series Ryan manages to have a limited number of girlfriends, though the relationships are inevitably ill-fated.
- Tiffany Malloy (Nikki CoxNikki CoxNicole Avery "Nikki" Cox is an American actress known mostly for her roles on the television series Unhappily Ever After, Las Vegas, and Nikki.-Early life:...
): The "favorite" child of Jack, Tiffany is the middle child, who is seemingly perfect: smart, ambitious, popular, attractive, and still a virgin. However, Tiffany is less than virtuous; she tends to be self-indulgent, self-serving and manipulative, often taking advantage of Jack's special treatment. Typically she will use Ryan or Ross as a scapegoatScapegoatScapegoating is the practice of singling out any party for unmerited negative treatment or blame. Scapegoating may be conducted by individuals against individuals , individuals against groups , groups against individuals , and groups against groups Scapegoating is the practice of singling out any...
whenever she gets in trouble. She is also shown to be a practicing gold digger. Tiffany's figure has been repeatedly alluded to as a result of her suffering from some kind of an eating disorder. Tiffany is an overachiever, coveting success and frequently achieving it. She's extremely opinionated and can be very sarcastic, speaking with deadpan humor. - Ross Malloy (Justin BerfieldJustin BerfieldJustin Tyler Berfield is an American actor, writer and producer, best known for his portrayal as Malcolm's 2nd-oldest brother, Reese, in Malcolm in the Middle...
): The "forgotten child". The youngest and arguably the most normal member of the family, Ross is often the voice of reason, common sense, and enlightenment in an otherwise dysfunctional familyDysfunctional familyA dysfunctional family is a family in which conflict, misbehavior, and often abuse on the part of individual members occur continually and regularly, leading other members to accommodate such actions. Children sometimes grow up in such families with the understanding that such an arrangement is...
. However, it becomes clear from certain episodes that Ross has issues of his own. As a result of indifferent parenting, Ross craves attention, though his attempts usually fail. In one episode, he even attempts arson. Ross is shown to adore his father despite Jack's lack of concern for him, Ross was the one who gave Jack the stuffed rabbit Mr. Floppy. He also gets the least airtime, which is the joke of some episodes. Ross dislikes his siblings Tiffany and Ryan, Tiffany for being cruel and selfish and an attention-craver and Ryan for being stupid and annoying.
Additional characters
- Mr. Floppy (voice of Bobcat GoldthwaitBobcat GoldthwaitRobert Francis "Bobcat" Goldthwait is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and film and television director. He is commonly known for his energetic, ravenous stage personality, his dark, acerbic black comedy, and his gruff but high-pitched voice.- Early life :Goldthwait was born in Syracuse,...
, puppeteer Allan Trautman): A smoking, drinking, and perverted gray stuffedStuffed animalA stuffed toy is a toy sewn from cloth, plush, or other textiles, and stuffed with straw, beans, plastic pellets, cotton, synthetic fibres, or other similar materials. Stuffed toys are also known as plush toys A stuffed toy is a toy sewn from cloth, plush, or other textiles, and stuffed with straw,...
bunnyBunnyBunny is a colloquial name for rabbits.Bunny may also refer to:-People:* Allu Arjun , Telugu film star, nicknamed Bunny* Andrew "bunnie" Huang , American hacker* Bunny Ahearne , British ice hockey promoter...
who lives in the Malloy basementBasement__FORCETOC__A basement is one or more floors of a building that are either completely or partially below the ground floor. Basements are typically used as a utility space for a building where such items as the furnace, water heater, breaker panel or fuse box, car park, and air-conditioning system...
, often discussing his life in "the toy bin", his success stories with women, or ranting about cynical topics. A large part of the show revolves around Jack consulting Mr. Floppy for advice, as only Jack can hear him. While both Jack and Mr. Floppy often have differing views on things, they have similar mindsets and thus Mr. Floppy is best seen as a sort of alter-ego of Jack. He has a crush on Drew BarrymoreDrew BarrymoreDrew Blyth Barrymore is an American actress, film director, screenwriter, producer and model. She is a member of the Barrymore family of American actors and granddaughter of John Barrymore. She first appeared in an advertisement when she was 11 months old. Barrymore made her film debut in Altered...
. - Maureen Slattery (Joyce Van PattenJoyce Van PattenJoyce Benignia Van Patten is an American stage, film and television actress.-Personal life:Van Patten was born in New York City, the daughter of Josephine Rose , an Italian American magazine advertising executive, and Richard Byron Van Patten, a Dutch American interior decorator.She is the younger...
) (Season 1-2): Jennie's alcoholic, overbearing, and somewhat delusional mother who despises Jack, a feeling that is more than mutual. She has an addiction to prescription drugs. She only appeared in the first two seasons of the series. It was stated by Jack in the episode "The Old West" that she was dead and they buried her in the backyard. - Barbara Caulfield (Wendy BensonWendy BensonWendy Benson-Landes is an American actress seen in many television shows. One of her roles was as Joanne Hertz, the segment producer for the character Piper Halliwell at her restaurant Quake in the series Charmed....
) (recurring Season 4, starring in Season 5): Tiffany's chief rival and one of Ryan's love interests. She attends Northridge Junior College along with Tiffany and Ryan. She first appears in the fourth season.
Recurring characters
- Barry Wallenstein (AntAnt (comedian)ANT is an American stand-up comedian and actor. ANT prefers his name spelled in all capital letters.ANT performed at comedy clubs across the USA beginning in 1991...
) (Season 1-5): Tiffany's openly gayGayGay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
friend at Priddy High. - Amber Moss (Dana Daurey) (Season 1-3): Tiffany's vacuous best friend at Priddy High. She is an underachiever and is very promiscuous.
- Patty Le Gurst (Elizabeth Harnois) (Season 1): Tiffany's rival who dresses scantily, but is stupider than Tiffany.
- Muffy (Deborah Kellner) (season 5): Tiffany's best friend at Northridge Junior College.
- Sable O'Brien (Kristanna LokenKristanna LokenKristanna Sommer Loken is an American actress known for her work in both film and television, and as a fashion model.-Early life:Loken was born in Ghent, New York, the daughter of Rande , a model, and Merlin "Chris" Loken, a writer and apple farmer. All four of her grandparents were born in Norway...
) (Season 3): A strikingly beautiful and extremely popular girl at Priddy High, Sable is the arch-nemesis of Tiffany Malloy. Though Tiffany and Sable are usually antagonistic toward each other, occasionally they cooperate if it's to their mutual advantage. Both share a number of common enemies, including Tiffany's own brother Ryan (who at one point "dates" Sable). - Mr. Dunn (Allan Trautman) (season 1-3): The principal of Priddy High.
- Joe Slattery: Jennie's father and Maureen's ex-husband. He owns Joe's Used Car Lot, the place where Jack is employed. He is never seen but is often referred to.
- Emily, Jasper and Annie: The family's pet dogs that are seen in the early seasons. Jasper is a bloodhound who makes the most appearances.
- Mr. Monteleone (Oliver MuirheadOliver MuirheadOliver Muirhead is an English character actor known for often portraying pompous country gentlemen. In 1986, he also directed the musical pantomime A Christmas Held Captive. In addition to acting, Muirhead has also lent his voice to various animated series such as P.J...
) (Seasons 3-4): Tiffany and Ryan's rude, arrogant English teacher who makes frequent appearances in the later episodes. He hates Tiffany and loves to watch her fail. - Chelsea (Shonda Whipple) (season 1): Tiffany's nemesis in season 1.
- Beau (Benjamin Shelfer) (season 1): Tiffany's love interest.
- Eddie the Neuter Boy (Tal Kapelner) (season 4): A pathetic nerd boy who is often the victim of physical harm.
- Stoney (Jamie KennedyJamie KennedyJames Harvey "Jamie" Kennedy is an American comedian, rapper, and actor.-Early life:Kennedy, the youngest of six children, was born in Upper Darby Township, a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His family is of Irish descent and he was raised Roman Catholic. He attended and graduated from...
) (season 1): a stonerStoner-People:* Stoner , bass guitarist* Alyson Stoner , American actress and dancer* Andrew Stoner , Australian politician, member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, and the Leader of the New South Wales National Party...
at Priddy High.
Production notes
The series was created by Ron LeavittRon Leavitt
Ron Leavitt was the co-creator of the American television show Married... with Children...
and Arthur Silver, who also worked on Married... with Children
Married... with Children
Married... with Children is an American surrealistic sitcom that aired for 11 seasons that featured a dysfunctional family living in Chicago, Illinois. The show, notable for being the first prime time television series to air on Fox, ran from April 5, 1987, to June 9, 1997. The series was created...
. Unhappily was often compared to Married... with Children as both series had similar themes.
Unhappily Ever After was one of the four sitcoms that aired as part of the original Wednesday night two-hour lineup that helped launch The WB network (along with The Wayans Bros.
The Wayans Bros.
The Wayans Bros. is a situation comedy that aired from 1995 to 1999 on The WB. The series starred real-life brothers Shawn Wayans and Marlon Wayans. Both brothers were already well-known from the sketch comedy show In Living Color...
, The Parent 'Hood
The Parent 'Hood
The Parent 'Hood is an American sitcom that aired on The WB airing from January 18, 1995 to July 25, 1999. The series starred Robert Townsend and Suzzanne Douglas....
and the short-lived Muscle
Muscle (TV series)
Muscle is a comedy television series from the United States which aired on The WB in 1995. It was set inside the fictional Survival Gym in New York City...
).
Theme song and opening sequence
The series' theme song is "Hit the Road JackHit the Road Jack
"Hit the Road Jack" is a song written by rhythm and bluesman Percy Mayfield and first recorded in 1960 as an a capella demo sent to Art Rupe, available on the Memory Pain CD vol. 2, Specialty Records SPCD-7027-2. It became famous after it was recorded by singer-pianist Ray Charles. It hit number...
" by Ray Charles
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
used from episode 1 to the series finale, the song is a reference to Jennie kicking Jack out of the house. The opening is a sequence of bizarre events from the first season and the male vocals are lip-synched by Floppy while the female vocals are lip-synched by Jennie, Tiffany and Maureen for Seasons 1 & 2, Jennie and Tiffany for Seasons 3 & 4, and Tiffany, Jack, Ryan and Ross for Season 5.
When the show first began its run, "Hit the Road Jack" was not the theme. The original opening started with the "wedding photo" of the Malloys, with their smiles fading, and showed clips of the father leaving and walking through the slum to his new place. While walking, a man runs by him holding a TV, chased by another man who stops, takes a shooting stance, and fires a gun at the thief. The next clip shows the father as he walks past the first man laying face down, TV near his hands, as he enters his apartment. The theme song played over the opening was Bobcat Goldthwait (and possibly others) singing "We married young, because of Cupid. We had three kids 'CUZ WE WERE STUPID!..." (In the final scene of the final episode, this is the song Jack sings with Mr. Floppy.) In reruns and syndication, this was replaced with the "Hit The Road Jack" opening with clips from the show.
Syndication and international airings
The show was sold into syndicationTelevision 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...
for the 1999-2000 and the 2000-01 seasons, but was not re-offered the following fall due to lackluster clearance rates and low ratings
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
. It has been off the air in America ever since, though it was shown on the UK channel ABC1 between 2004 and 2005. In Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, it was seen in syndication on Omni Television
OMNI Television
Omni Television, corporately styled as OMNI Television, is a Canadian television system owned and operated by Rogers Communications. It consists of the company's conventional television stations in Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta which are licensed as multicultural stations...
during the 2006/2007 season. As of October 2007, it airs on the TV3 network in Estonia as Armastuseta sinu (Yours Without Love).
In Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, the show first aired on RTL Television
RTL Television
Rtl.de' redirects here. For other uses, see RTL.RTL Television , or simply RTL, is a German commercial television station distributed via cable and satellite along with DVB-T , in larger population centres...
in November 1997, was since rerun on RTL II
RTL II
RTL II is a privately owned, commercial, general-interest German television channel.It was founded as a second-generation commercial broadcaster in 1993. It quickly became infamous for its perceived "trash programming", comprising lots of soft porn as well as shows such as Peep and many...
and presently (as of June 2007) airs on Comedy Central
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
on a daily basis. It is titled Auf schlimmer und ewig ("For worse and ever"), a pun on the phrase "Auf immer und ewig" ("For always and ever").