Life on a Stick

Last updated
Life on a Stick
Also known asRelated by Family (original title)
Genre Sitcom
Created by Victor Fresco
Starring Zachary Knighton
Charlie Finn
Rachelle Lefevre
Saige Thompson
Amy Yasbeck
Matthew Glave
Theme music composerStuart Hart
Scott Lean
Steven M. Stern
ComposersGreg Burns
Jeff Burns
Brian Kirk
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes13 (8 unaired)
Production
Executive producers Victor Fresco
Maggie Bandur
Michael A. Ross
Mike Teverbaugh
Miriam Trogdon
Camera setup Multi-camera
Running time30 minutes
Production companiesGarfield Grove Productions
Paramount Television
Original release
Network Fox
ReleaseMarch 24 (2005-03-24) 
April 27, 2005 (2005-04-27)

Life on a Stick (originally titled Related by Family) is an American sitcom that aired on Fox from March 24 to April 27, 2005. Thirteen episodes of the show were completed, but Fox only showed the first five before pulling the show due to poor ratings.

Contents

Premise

The show centers on several teen characters who work and hang out at the mall food court. The main characters are Laz, his stepsister Molly, Laz's best friend Fred, and Laz's new girlfriend Lily. Laz's dad Rick and Molly's mom Michelle also play a large role in the show. They love all of their children, but their clear favorite is Gus (Frankie Ryan Manriquez).

Laz and Fred, both 18, have been friends forever. Just out of high school and unsure what they want to do with their lives, they take jobs at a mall food court, at "Yippiee Hot Dogs" run by Mr. Hut (Maz Jobrani). Laz meets Lily, the girl of his dreams there. Optimistic but not ambitious, Laz cuts a deal with his dad Rick and stepmom Michelle which allows Laz to continue living rent-free at home. All he must do is keep an eye on his stepsister, Molly. Michelle and Rick hope that Laz will help socialize Molly and get her on the right track with Jasper.

Cast

Episodes

An alternate version of the pilot exists, originally titled Related by Family, featuring a different actor, Kurt Doss, playing Gus Lackerson.[ citation needed ]

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.
code
1"Pilot" Andy Ackerman Victor Fresco March 24, 2005 (2005-03-24)100
Laz is out of high school and his parents force him to get a job. Laz and his friend Fred get a job at Yippie Hot Dogs where they meet an attractive girl Lily and their evil boss Mr. Hut. Meanwhile Laz's angry stepsister Molly falls for a guy named Jasper. After getting fired Laz's parents make him spend time with Molly or they will kick him out. Laz tries to impress Lily by deep-frying everything in Mr. Hut's office with Lilly and Fred.
2"Liking Things the Way They Aren't" Andrew D. Weyman Michael A. RossMarch 30, 2005 (2005-03-30)101
After working to pay for the objects deep fried in Mr. Hut's office, Laz gets Fred and Lily jobs at a pretzel place, but it's worse than Yippie Hot Dogs. Meanwhile Molly thinks she is going on a date with Jasper, but finds out differently when she meets his girlfriend.
3"Fish Song"Andrew D. WeymanMiriam TrogdonApril 6, 2005 (2005-04-06)102
When Laz ignores Fred to spend more time with Lily, Fred starts to join the fish restaurant in singing. Meanwhile Laz gathers up a mob to take down the Fish place, because Mr. Hutt makes them sing to compete with the Fish place. Molly and Jasper almost kiss when they study together. Guest appearances by American Idol season 2 contestant Kimberly Caldwell and winner Ruben Studdard.
4"The Defiant Ones"Andrew D. Weyman Adam Chase April 20, 2005 (2005-04-20)105
Molly asks for Laz's help in defying a German teacher. When this works, Jasper kisses her and she's happy, but is in deep water with her teacher. Fred is forced to hang out with Mr. Hutt at the mall after he accidentally advises him to separate with his wife.
5"Gangs of the Mall"Andrew D. Weyman Maggie Bandur April 27, 2005 (2005-04-27)104
Fred gets into a fight with a Sport's City guy, when he starts to like his ex-girlfriend Alison. Meanwhile Molly accidentally says "I Love You" to Jasper.
6"We'll Always Have Bowling"Andy AckermanMike TeverbaughUnaired103
Lily is still not committing to Laz. Fred dates a friend of Laz's mom, Michelle. Fred also hooks Laz up with an older woman. Molly accidentally breaks something special of Rick's and bribes Gus with cappuccinos to take the fall.
7"Breaking Away"Andrew D. WeymanKat Likkel & John HobergUnaired106
Fred makes special breakaway clothing to make his life more convenient. Lily and Laz try to convince each other that they are over with one another by going out with different people. Laz goes out with a girl who has an extreme dislike for old people and Lily goes out with a guy who sings about everything. Rick and Michelle discover an old stuffed bear of Molly's that they took from her eight years ago and give Molly whatever she wants when she finds out.
8"Things People Stand For"Andrew D. Weyman Jeff Westbrook Unaired107
Laz, Fred, Lily, and Mr. Hutt compete in a contest to win a car at the mall, by seeing who can hold on to it the longest. Laz meets a girl named Jenny when he and Lily get into a fight, but he learns a lot about Lily in the process.
9"The Things We Do for Love" Sheldon Epps Michael A. RossUnaired108
After Molly hits Laz with a car he wets himself this causes Molly and Lily to take pity on him. Feeling embarrassed Laz and Fred try to think of a way to forget about Laz wetting himself. Gus refuses to leave a suit of armor he wore for a school play.
10"Some Drinkin' and Some Foolin' Around" Lee Shallat Chemel Mike TeverbaughUnaired109
Fred discovers edible clothing and becomes obsessed with it. Rick and Michelle worry about Molly and drinking, but get drunk in the process allowing Molly to see who they truly are. Laz and Lily have sex in a wilderness store and finally start a relationship together, but Laz ruins it. Fred and Jasper hang out at the movies and eating the edible clothing since the movie is very overpriced.
11"Soupless in Seattle" Lee Shallat Chemel Miriam TrogdonUnaired110
Now in a relationship, Lily keeps making soup for Laz. Laz gets freaked out that she keeps giving him the same soup and that she's too intense. They eventually find out that Laz hates the frequency of the soup and that Lily hates making it. They go so far into the lie that they eventually get engaged and a marriage license. Fred reveals to Molly that Jasper broke up with Susan, but she freaks out that she didn't tell her. Molly even goes as low as having Michelle dress her to impress Jasper, but it backfires when she thinks he has no interest.
12"Wouldn't It Be Nice" Lee Shallat Chemel Maggie Bandur Unaired111
Now that they are in a relationship Jasper has Molly meet his parents and accidentally kills Jasper's grandmother. Laz, Lily, and Fred stay at a furniture store in the mall when they realize that their own place will be too expensive. Laz and Lily learn things they don't like about each other when they live together. Fred takes in a hurt bird.
13"The Gods of TV"Andy AckermanAdam ChaseUnaired112
Fred wins front-row Beastie Boys tickets which is the same night as Lily and Molly's self-defense demonstration, which Jasper and Laz have to go to. They decide to not go, but Fred hangs on to the tickets. When Laz tells him to get rid of them, Fred lights them on fire and throws them out the window. They hit a motorcyclist who is the stage manager of the Beastie Boys and asks them to come with him to the concert and meet the Beastie Boys. Jasper keeps on thinking these as signs of fate, but Laz thinks of it as fate tempting them. When the manager hurts his foot, he asks the guys to carry him inside to the concert. They eventually cave and go to the concert. Meanwhile Lilly gets freaked out by an old memory of a guy in an animal costume. The guys lie and have to wreck Laz's car to prove to the girls they couldn't go to the demonstration because they hit a deer.

Development and production

Originally called Related by Family, [1] the show was created by Victor Fresco, who had also created the short-lived sitcom Andy Richter Controls the Universe . [2] However, like Andy Richter Controls the Universe, poor ratings doomed Life on a Stick to quick cancellation. It only aired five low-rated episodes, although the premiere had American Idol for a lead-in. Thirteen episodes were produced.

Yasbeck took this role as part of the healing process following the death of her husband John Ritter. [3] A role on Life on a Stick was offered to the then-unknown Charlie Day; he turned it down to continue working on the pilot for what would become It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia . [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lily Tomlin</span> American actress (born 1939)

Mary Jean "Lily" Tomlin is an American actress, comedian, writer, singer, and producer. Tomlin started her career in stand-up comedy and sketch comedy before transitioning her career to acting onstage and on-screen. In a career spanning over fifty years, Tomlin has received numerous accolades, including seven Emmy Awards, a Grammy Award, and two Tony Awards. She was also awarded the Kennedy Center Honor in 2014 and the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barry Bostwick</span> American actor (born 1945)

Barry Knapp Bostwick is an American actor. He is best known for portraying Brad Majors in The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) and Mayor Randall Winston in the sitcom Spin City (1996–2002). Bostwick has also had considerable success in musical theatre, winning a Tony Award for his role in The Robber Bridegroom.

<i>Andy Richter Controls the Universe</i> American TV series or program

Andy Richter Controls the Universe is an American sitcom which aired from March 19, 2002 to January 12, 2003 on Fox. The series was Andy Richter's first starring role after leaving NBC's Late Night with Conan O'Brien in 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Ritter</span> American actor (1948–2003)

Johnathan Southworth Ritter was an American actor. Ritter was a son of the singing cowboy star Tex Ritter and the father of actors Jason and Tyler Ritter. He is known for playing Jack Tripper on the ABC sitcom Three's Company (1977–1984), and received a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award for the role in 1984. Ritter briefly reprised the role on the spin-off Three's a Crowd, which aired for one season, producing 22 episodes before its cancellation in 1985.

<i>Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law</i> American adult animated television sitcom

Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law is an American adult animated television sitcom created by Michael Ouweleen and Erik Richter for Cartoon Network's late-night programming block, Adult Swim. The first season of Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law is the first adult animated production to be produced by Cartoon Network Studios. A spin-off of Space Ghost Coast to Coast, the series revolves around the activity of the Sebben & Sebben law firm, which is staffed mainly by superheroes and other characters who had originally been featured in past Hanna-Barbera cartoons, most notably Birdman and the Galaxy Trio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freddie Prinze Jr.</span> American actor (born 1976)

Freddie James Prinze Jr. is an American actor. He has starred in films such as I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) and its sequel I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998), She's All That (1999), Summer Catch (2001), Scooby-Doo (2002), and its sequel Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004). Prinze has also had recurring and starring roles in television shows, including Friends (2002), Boston Legal (2004), Freddie (2005–2006) and 24 (2010). He voiced Kanan Jarrus in the Disney XD series Star Wars Rebels. He is the only child of comedian and actor Freddie Prinze.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andy Richter</span> American actor and announcer (born 1966)

Paul Andrew Richter is an American actor, comedian, writer, and talk show announcer. He is best known as the sidekick for Conan O'Brien on each of O'Brien's talk shows: Late Night and The Tonight Show on NBC and Conan on TBS. He was also star of the TV series Andy Richter Controls the Universe. He voiced Mort in the Madagascar film franchise and Ben Higgenbottom in the Nickelodeon animated television series The Mighty B!.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amy Yasbeck</span> American actress (born 1962)

Amy Marie Yasbeck is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Casey Chappel Davenport on the sitcom Wings from 1994 to 1997, and for having played the mermaid Madison in the television film Splash, Too in 1988. She has guest starred in several television shows and appeared in the films House II: The Second Story, Pretty Woman, Problem Child, Problem Child 2, The Mask, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, and Dracula: Dead and Loving It.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laz Alonso</span> American actor

Lazaro Alonso is an American actor. He is known for playing Tsu'tey in James Cameron's science fiction film Avatar and Fenix Calderon in the film Fast & Furious. Alonso has had roles in other films such as Jarhead, This Christmas, Miracle at St. Anna and Detroit. As of 2019, Alonso is part of the main cast of the series The Boys playing the character known as Marvin T. "MM " Milk.

James Edward Burrows, sometimes known as Jim "Jimmy" Burrows, is an American television director. Burrows has received numerous accolades including 11 Primetime Emmy Awards and five Directors Guild of America Awards. He was honored with the Directors Guild of America Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015 and NBC special Must See TV: An All-Star Tribute to James Burrows in 2016.

<i>Maybe Its Me</i> (TV series) American TV series or program

Maybe It's Me is an American television sitcom that aired on The WB network. It premiered on October 5, 2001, and ended on May 3, 2002. The series was created and executive produced by Suzanne Martin, a former writer of Frasier and Ellen.

<i>How I Met Your Mother</i> American sitcom (2005–2014)

How I Met Your Mother is an American sitcom, created by Craig Thomas and Carter Bays for CBS. The series, which aired from September 19, 2005, to March 31, 2014, follows the main character, Ted Mosby, and his group of friends in New York City's Manhattan. As a framing device, Ted, in 2030, recounts to his son, Luke, and daughter, Penny, the events from September 2005 to May 2013 that led him to meet their mother. How I Met Your Mother was a joint production by Bays & Thomas Productions and 20th Century Fox Television, and syndicated by 20th Television.

<i>December Bride</i> American television series

December Bride is an American sitcom that aired on the CBS television network from 1954 to 1959. It was adapted from the original CBS radio network series of the same name that aired from June 1952 through September 1953.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zachary Knighton</span> American actor

Zachary Knighton is an American actor, best known for starring as Dave Rose on the ABC comedy series Happy Endings. Prior to that, he co-starred as Dr. Bryce Varley on ABC's science fiction series FlashForward. He also starred in the FOX sitcom Weird Loners and stars as Orville "Rick" Wright in the current reboot version of Magnum P.I.

"Pilot" is the pilot episode of the television show Life on a Stick. It was written by Victor Fresco, directed by Andy Ackerman, and first aired on March 25, 2005. It followed American Idol, with strong initial ratings which gave FOX its strongest numbers in six years. "Pilot" was delayed one day in its debut. On March 22, American Idol provided its viewers with an incorrect voting telephone number. On March 23, "Pilot" was replaced with an American Idol re-vote episode, and finally aired on the 24th.

<i>Amandas</i> American TV series or program

Amanda's is an American sitcom television series based on the 1970s British sitcom Fawlty Towers that aired on ABC from February 10 to May 26, 1983. The series starred Bea Arthur as Amanda Cartwright, who owns a seaside hotel called "Amanda's by the Sea" and was Arthur's first return to series television since her sitcom Maude ended in 1978.

<i>Heroes: Saving Charlie</i>

Saving Charlie is a novel written by Aury Wallington and published by Del Rey Books, based on the television series Heroes. It was released in the United States on December 26, 2007. It was made with the full cooperation of the show's creators, although its canonicity about the television series has not yet been established.

<i>Yus, My Dear</i> British TV series or programme

Yus, My Dear is a British sitcom that ran for nineteen episodes over two series in 1976 featuring Arthur Mullard and Queenie Watts in the lead roles. It was written by Ronald Chesney and Ronald Wolfe, and produced and directed by Stuart Allen for London Weekend Television. It was screened by ITV during 1976, and marked an early regular TV appearance of the comedian Mike Reid.

<i>Get a Life</i> (American TV series) American television series (1990–1992)

Get a Life is a television sitcom that was broadcast in the United States on the Fox Network from September 23, 1990, to March 8, 1992. The show stars Chris Elliott as a 30-year-old paperboy named Chris Peterson. Peterson lived in an apartment above his parents' garage. The opening credits depict Chris Peterson delivering newspapers on his bike to the show's theme song, "Stand" by R.E.M.

<i>The Dumping Ground</i> (series 1) Season of television series

The first series of the British children's television series The Dumping Ground began broadcasting on 4 January 2013 on CBBC and ended on 15 March 2013. The series follows the lives of the children living in the fictional children's care home of Elm Tree House, nicknamed by them "The Dumping Ground". It consists of thirteen, thirty-minute episodes. It is the ninth series in The Story of Tracy Beaker franchise.

References

  1. "The Austin Chronicle Screens: TV EyeAustin Chronicle". Austin Chronicle. March 18, 2005.
  2. Bianco, Robert (March 22, 2005). "Cast, characters skewer 'Life on a Stick'". USA Today. Retrieved May 7, 2010.
  3. "The View". ABC. Archived from the original on 2006-10-30. Retrieved 2007-05-11. (archived link)
  4. "Charlie Day Gave An Epic Commencement Speech At His Alma Mater". Huffington Post. May 20, 2014.