Less than Perfect | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Genre | Sitcom |
Created by | Terri Minsky |
Starring | |
Theme music composer |
|
Opening theme | "A Girl Like You" (season 2) |
Composers |
|
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 4 |
No. of episodes | 81 (8 unaired) (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producers |
|
Camera setup | Multi-camera |
Running time | 30 minutes |
Production companies |
|
Original release | |
Network | ABC |
Release | October 1, 2002 – June 6, 2006 [1] |
Less than Perfect is an American television sitcom created by Terri Minsky and starring Sara Rue and Sherri Shepherd which originally aired on ABC from October 1, 2002, to June 6, 2006. [1] It follows Claude (Rue), who works at a television network named GNB, as well as her friends and colleagues.
The show centers on Claude Casey (Sara Rue), a young woman who works at a television network called GNB. Though at first a temp who fills in on other assignments, Claude is hired in the pilot by anchor Will Butler (Eric Roberts) to be his assistant. Claude's fellow co-assistants Lydia Weston (Andrea Parker) and Kipp Steadman (Zachary Levi) are unhappy at Claude's arrival, and do everything they can to make her miserable. Luckily, Claude is able to navigate the workplace with the help of her best friends Ramona Platt (Sherri Shepherd) and Owen Kronsky (Andy Dick), who also work at the network in other departments. In season two, two new characters joined the series: Will Sasso as Claude's neighbor and GNB cafeteria head Carl Monari; and Patrick Warburton as Jeb Denton, ladder-climbing news anchor and Lydia's love interest. Sasso, who had recurred throughout the last half of the first season, was upgraded at the beginning of the season; Warburton began as a recurring character in the first half of the season, before being upgraded at midseason.
Much was made at the time of the show's premiere about the central character of the show being a "full figured" woman, and that the title correlated to Claude being "Less Than Perfect." [2] Over the course of the series, Rue lost 30 pounds (14 kg; 2.1 st). [3] She has since become a spokesperson for Jenny Craig and lost a total of 50 pounds (23 kg; 3.6 st). [4] As the series progressed, Rue's figure became less of a focus on the series.
Though it was never a rating juggernaut, Less Than Perfect aired at a time when ABC was seeing a large ratings decline across the network. However, the series received steady, respectable ratings, especially for being in the last slot of ABC's Tuesday night sitcom lineup. The overall ratings for season two, which creator Terri Minsky later departed, actually saw an increase from the ratings of season one. However, in its third season, ABC moved the series to its TGIF revival lineup on Friday nights. This led to a major decline in ratings, and put the show at risk for cancellation; VGuide.com featured the show on a list of "Endangered Series." Due to the series being near the threshold for the number of episodes needed for syndication, and the series still earning respectable ratings in the coveted 18–49 demographic, ABC ordered a 13-episode fourth season to air as a mid-season replacement.
For the fourth season, the series underwent a retooling that saw the departure of cast member Eric Roberts. Despite the close renewal, the future of the series was not assured. In January 2006, Zachary Levi said that many of the cast members were ready to move on after filming the season. [5] In March, Sara Rue was cast in a CBS sitcom pilot Play Nice, starring as a woman who runs a toy company with her brother (the pilot was ultimately not picked up). After almost a year off the air, the series returned on April 18, 2006, in its old Tuesday night timeslot. [6]
After airing only three episodes of the fourth season, ABC cancelled Less Than Perfect. The series was one of several sitcoms cancelled by the network, as they discontinued both the Tuesday night and Friday night sitcom lineups. [7] [8] ABC initially planned to burn off the remaining nine episodes with fellow cancelled sitcom Rodney , which had taken over its time slot the season prior. ABC ultimately aired only two more episodes before pulling both series off the schedule.
The show joined Lifetime Television's lineup on June 1, 2009 in syndication. The network aired all 81 episodes, including the seven unaired episodes from season four. However, Lifetime dropped the series in 2010. In April 2012, Less Than Perfect joined the lineup of new Canadian network, ABC Spark.
From the beginning, Less Than Perfect had a simple opening sequence, credits which were played over the opening scene of each episode of season one. However, a new theme song and opening sequence were introduced at the beginning of season two. [9] The intro was abandoned after the first seven episodes, reverting to the previous simple credits which lasted until the end of season three. Season four introduced a five-second opening, in which the title can be seen on post-it notes on an office desk, while a brief instrumental version of the theme tune is played.
Season | Episodes | Originally aired | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
First aired | Last aired | |||
1 | 22 | October 1, 2002 | May 20, 2003 | |
2 | 24 | September 23, 2003 | May 18, 2004 | |
3 | 22 | September 24, 2004 | April 15, 2005 | |
4 | 13 [lower-alpha 1] | April 18, 2006 | June 6, 2006 [lower-alpha 2] |
Less Than Perfect was seen on ATV in Austria, on Nelonen in Finland, on FOX8 (pay TV) and the Seven Network (free to air) in Australia, on MTV Russia in Russia, on Star World for the rest of Asia, on yesSTARS in Israel, on Cuatro in Spain, on Sky Italia's Fox and MTV Italia in Italy, on Kanal 5 in Denmark, on HRT and Fox Life in Croatia, Serbia, Macedonia, Poland and Bulgaria, on TV-First in Belarus. The first seven episodes and episode nine of the final season of Less Than Perfect aired on TV2 in New Zealand, with the remaining episodes (eight and 10 through 13) not played. The show also aired on MBC 4 to Arabic speaking viewers. In Turkey, TNT Turkey airs. And ComedyMax currently airs the show for Digiturk subscribers and Comedy Smart airs for D-Smart subscribers. The show was originally screened in the UK and Ireland on ABC1 where it broadcast all episode and repeated the series up until its closure in 2007. It has previously been aired on RTÉ TWO in Ireland, while it also aired on Paramount Comedy 1 (now Comedy Central) in the UK and Ireland, although it is not currently being shown on either of these two networks. As of April 2013, ABC Spark in Canada are broadcasting the show in quadruple bills, twice daily. Lifetime also reran the show for a brief period in 2009. In Italy, it aired on Fox as Perfetti...ma non troppo (Perfect...but not too much) from September 1, 2003 until May 13, 2007.
Lionsgate Home Entertainment released the first season of Less Than Perfect on DVD in Region 1 on September 7, 2010 . [11]
Early reviews for the show found the characterization generally stereotypical, but critics often praised the performance of Sara Rue. USA Today asserted that "in just two episodes, the good guys/bad guys structure and the exaggerated characterizations already are showing signs of wear," although it called Rue a "welcome addition" to TV sitcoms. [12] People magazine likewise criticized the stereotypical characters, but summarized the show as "Hardly perfect but happily Rueful." [13] However, by Season 3, USA Today said the show had "hit its stride." [14] On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 33% of 18 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.5/10. [15]
Season | Episodes | Timeslot (EDT) | Season Premiere | Season Finale | TV season | Rank | Viewers (in millions) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 22 | Tuesday 9:30 PM | October 1, 2002 | May 20, 2003 | 2002–03 | 85 | 8.10 [16] |
2 | 24 | September 23, 2003 | May 18, 2004 | 2003–04 | 66 | 8.80 [17] | |
3 | 22 | Friday 9:30 PM | September 24, 2004 | April 15, 2005 | 2004–05 | 94 | 6.20 [17] |
4 | 13 [lower-alpha 3] | Tuesday 9:30 PM | April 18, 2006 | June 6, 2006 [lower-alpha 4] [1] | 2005–06 | 115 | 4.90 [18] |
Year | Association | Category | Recipient(s) | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2003 | Teen Choice Awards | Choice Breakout TV Show | Less Than Perfect [19] | Nominated |
Satellite Awards | Best Supporting Actor – Musical or Comedy Series | Eric Roberts | Won | |
2005 | BET Comedy Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | Sherri Shepherd | Nominated |
WIN Awards | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series | Andrea Parker | Won |
Full House is an American television sitcom created by Jeff Franklin for ABC. The show is about widowed father Danny Tanner who enlists his brother-in-law Jesse Katsopolis and childhood best friend Joey Gladstone to help raise his three daughters, eldest Donna Jo Margaret, middle child Stephanie and youngest Michelle in his San Francisco home. It aired from September 22, 1987 to May 23, 1995, broadcasting eight seasons and 192 episodes.
According to Jim is an American sitcom television series starring Jim Belushi in the title role as a suburban father of three children. It originally ran on ABC from October 3, 2001, to June 2, 2009.
The Golden Girls is an American sitcom created by Susan Harris that aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, to May 9, 1992, with a total of 180 half-hour episodes, spanning seven seasons. With an ensemble cast starring Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty, the show is about four older women who share a home in Miami, Florida. It was produced by Witt/Thomas/Harris Productions, in association with Touchstone Television. Paul Junger Witt, Tony Thomas, and Harris served as the original executive producers.
Dinosaurs is an American family sitcom television series that aired on ABC for four seasons from April 26, 1991, through July 20, 1994, and repeats were shown on Disney Channel. The show, about a family of anthropomorphic dinosaurs, was produced by Michael Jacobs Productions and Jim Henson Television in association with Walt Disney Television and distributed by Buena Vista International, Inc. The characters were designed by Henson team member Kirk Thatcher.
Family Matters is an American television sitcom that debuted on ABC on September 22, 1989, and ended on May 9, 1997. However it moved to CBS, where it was shown from September 19, 1997, to July 17, 1998. A spin-off of Perfect Strangers, the series revolves around the Winslow family, an African-American middle class family living in Chicago, Illinois. Midway through the first season, the show introduced the Winslows' nerdy neighbor Steve Urkel, who was originally scripted to appear as a one-time character. However, he quickly became the show's breakout character, joining the main cast.
Bewitched is an American fantasy sitcom television series that originally aired for eight seasons on ABC from September 17, 1964, to March 25, 1972. It is about a witch who marries an ordinary mortal man and vows to lead the life of a typical suburban housewife. The show was popular, finishing as the second-rated show in America during its debut season, staying in the top ten for its first three seasons, and ranking in eleventh place for both seasons four and five. The show continues to be seen throughout the world in syndication and on recorded media.
Mr. Belvedere is an American sitcom that originally aired on ABC from March 15, 1985 to July 8, 1990. The series is based on the Lynn Aloysius Belvedere character created by Gwen Davenport for her 1947 novel Belvedere, which was later adapted into the 1948 film Sitting Pretty. The show stars Christopher Hewett as the title character, a butler for an American family headed by George Owens, played by Bob Uecker.
Step by Step is an American television sitcom created by William Bickley and Michael Warren that ran on ABC as part of its TGIF Friday night lineup from September 20, 1991, to August 15, 1997, then moved to CBS, where it aired from September 19, 1997, to June 26, 1998, with a total of 160 half-hour episodes spanning seven seasons. The series follows Patrick Duffy and Suzanne Somers who star as single parents Frank and Carol, respectively, each with three children, who wed and form a blended family.
The "Friday night death slot" or "Friday evening death slot" is a perceived graveyard slot in American television. It implies a television program in the United States scheduled on Friday evenings is likely to be canceled.
TGIF was an American prime time television programming block that has aired on ABC at various points since the late 1980s. The name comes from the initials of the popular phrase "Thank God It's Friday"; however, the stars of the lineup touted the initialism meaning "Thank Goodness It's Funny." In its various incarnations, the block mainly featured situation comedies aimed at a family audience, and served as a lead-in to the long-running newsmagazine 20/20.
Perfect Strangers is an American sitcom that ran for eight seasons, from March 25, 1986, to August 6, 1993, on the ABC television network. Created by Dale McRaven, the series chronicles the rocky coexistence of midwestern American Larry Appleton and his distant cousin from eastern Mediterranean Europe, Balki Bartokomous.
Too Close for Comfort is an American sitcom television series that aired on ABC from November 11, 1980, to May 5, 1983, and in first-run syndication from April 7, 1984, to February 7, 1987. Its name was changed to The Ted Knight Show when the show was retooled in 1986 for what would turn out to be its final season, due to Ted Knight's death. The original concept of the series was based on the 1980s British sitcom Keep It in the Family. Knight plays work-at-home cartoonist Henry Rush, who is married to Muriel, and their two adult daughters, Jackie and Sara, live in the downstairs apartment of their San Francisco two-flat. An episode involving the daughters moving across the bay to Oakland and the family complaining about crime, undrinkable water, and constant sound of police sirens saw the episode being briefly protested by Oakland politicians. The family moves to Marin County for the show's final season, where Henry Rush becomes a co-owner of the local weekly newspaper.
Sara Rue is an American actress. She is best known for her performances as Carmen Ferrara on Popular, as Claude Casey on Less than Perfect, and as the Attorney General in Idiocracy. In 2011, she hosted The CW reality series Shedding for the Wedding. She had a recurring role in the comedy Rules of Engagement, as Brenda, the softball teammate and good friend of Jeff Bingham. She had a regular role as Kim on the short-lived ABC sitcom Malibu Country, and appeared in the main cast of the TV Land comedy series Impastor. She is also known for her role as Olivia Caliban in the second season of A Series of Unfortunate Events.
Cleghorne! is an American sitcom television series starring comedian Ellen Cleghorne that aired on The WB from September 10 to December 17, 1995. Garrett Morris and Alaina Reed Hall costarred as Ellen's character's parents, Sidney and Lena, with Steve Bean, Cerita Monet Bickelmann, Michael Ralph and Sherri Shepherd.
Friends with Benefits is an American romantic sitcom television series created by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber that aired on NBC from August 5 to September 9, 2011. It was originally set to air on as a mid-season replacement during the 2010–11 television season, but was ultimately delayed until summer. The series ended after twelve episodes aired with the thirteenth being only available on iTunes, Amazon.com, and Netflix.
Last Man Standing is an American sitcom created by Jack Burditt for ABC and Fox. It aired from October 11, 2011, to March 31, 2017, on ABC, and then again from September 28, 2018, to May 20, 2021, on Fox. The show starred Tim Allen as an executive at a sporting goods store chain headquartered in Denver, Colorado, who is a married father of three daughters and a grandfather to his eldest daughter's son. Last Man Standing was a joint production by 21 Laps-Adelstein Productions, NestEgg Productions, and 20th Television.
Malibu Country is an American sitcom that ran on ABC from November 2, 2012, to March 22, 2013. The series was created by David A. Stewart and marks Reba McEntire's return to series television, following up her previous sitcom Reba (2001–2007).
Guys with Kids is an American sitcom television series that aired on NBC, from September 11, 2012, to February 27, 2013, as part of the 2012–13 television schedule. The series was created by Jimmy Fallon and Charlie Grandy and starred Anthony Anderson, Jesse Bradford, Zach Cregger, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Erinn Hayes, and Tempestt Bledsoe. The series chronicles the lives of three friends, and their respective partners, as they raise their children in a modern environment.
Back in the Game is an American sitcom about a newly divorced single mother who has to move back home to live with her ex-minor league baseball manager father. It aired from September 25, 2013, to February 23, 2014, on ABC. The series stars James Caan and Maggie Lawson and aired during the 2013–14 American television season as a Wednesday night entry. Back in the Game was co-created and executive-produced by brothers Mark and Robb Cullen for 20th Century Fox Television. The series was green-lit by ABC for a series order pickup on May 10, 2013.