The Norm Show

Last updated
The Norm Show
Also known asNorm
Genre Sitcom
Created by
Starring
Theme music composer W. G. Snuffy Walden
Opening theme"Too Bad" performed by Doug and the Slugs
ComposerW. G. Snuffy Walden
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons3
No. of episodes54 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
Producers
  • Norm Macdonald
  • Frank Sebastiano
Camera setup Multi-camera
Running time22–24 minutes
Production companies
Original release
Network ABC
ReleaseMarch 24, 1999 (1999-03-24) 
April 6, 2001 (2001-04-06)

The Norm Show is an American television sitcom that ran on ABC from March 24, 1999, to April 6, 2001. Starting in September 1999, the show's title was shortened to Norm. [1] The series starred Norm Macdonald, who created the series with Bruce Helford.

Contents

Plot

The show focused on the life of Norm Henderson (Norm Macdonald), a former NHL hockey player who is banned for life from the league because of gambling and tax evasion. To avoid jail time for these crimes, Norm must perform five years of community service as a full-time social worker. Other characters in the show included fellow social workers Laurie Freeman (Laurie Metcalf), Danny Sanchez (Ian Gomez), and Danny's sometime girlfriend and former prostitute Taylor Clayton (Nikki Cox). Norm's boss on the program for the first several episodes was named Anthony Curtis (Bruce Jarchow). This character was quickly replaced by a new boss, Max Denby (Max Wright), whom Norm frequently antagonized and pranked.

The second season of the show added Artie Lange as Norm's half-brother Artie, and Faith Ford as Shelly Kilmartin, Norm's probation officer and love interest.

Episodes

SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
1 10March 24, 1999 (1999-03-24)May 26, 1999 (1999-05-26)
2 20September 22, 1999 (1999-09-22)March 15, 2000 (2000-03-15)
3 24October 4, 2000 (2000-10-04)April 6, 2001 (2001-04-06)

Cast and characters

Main cast

Recurring

Guest stars

Jack Warden guest-stars in one episode as the father of Ian Gomez's character, and fakes a grab at Norm's crotch (as he did in Dirty Work ). [2]

Production

Originally airing on Wednesday nights after The Drew Carey Show , the series was one of the top-rated sitcoms on ABC among adults 18-49 during its first season. [3] In between the first and second seasons, ABC shortened the series' title to Norm to avoid a legal conflict with Michael Jantze's comic strip The Norm . [4] ABC continued to keep the series on Wednesdays for its second season, though initially moved it an hour earlier. In November, the series moved back to its original timeslot, before moving back again in January. This caused ratings in the second season to fluctuate. When the series was renewed for a third season, ABC moved Norm to Friday nights (also known as the Friday night death slot), in an effort to create a new "Working Comedy" Friday night comedy lineup after the network disbanded TGIF . The third season saw even more time changes and ratings fluctuations. This, in addition to low ratings, caused ABC to cancel the series in May 2001.

Home media

On September 7, 2010, Shout! Factory released The Norm Show: The Complete Series on DVD in Region 1. The 8-disc set features all 54 episodes of the series as well as a handful of running commentaries (only in seasons 1 and 2) by Norm Macdonald and Bruce Helford. [5]

Reception

Critical reception

Initial critical reviews were mixed with the show's first season receiving a 54% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. [6] In a negative review of the show, Michele Greppi with New York Post stated of Laurie Metcalf's presence on the show "Metcalf’s energy just comes across as desperation when she’s working with a man who has no inflection, no expression, and no moves and brings nothing to would-be comedy except dead weight." In a more positive review, Howard Rosenberg of Los Angeles Times stated "Macdonald's ability to do this without being stupid -- his character is actually quite smart -- is key to this series, some of which is just a hoot, its humor perfectly tailored to its star's offbeat sardonic style." [7]

Audience reviews of the show were largely positive with the show earning a 7.8/10 on IMDb. [8]

Ratings

SeasonEpisodesTimeslot (EDT)Season PremiereSeason FinaleTV seasonRankRating
1 10Wednesday 9:30 pmMarch 24, 1999May 26, 1999 1998–99 468.1 [9]
2 20Wednesday 8:30 pm (1-7, 14–20)
Wednesday 9:30 pm (8-13)
September 22, 1999March 15, 2000 1999–2000 487.8[ citation needed ]
3 24Wednesday 9:30 pm (1)
Friday 9:00 pm (2-11)
Friday 9:30 pm (12-14)
Friday 8:30 pm (15-24)
October 3, 2000April 6, 2001 2000–01 1094.3[ citation needed ]

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References

  1. Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle (2003). "Dangerous Curves (Detective Drama)". The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946–Present (Eighth ed.). New York: Ballantine Books. pp. 863–64. ISBN   978-0-345-45542-0.
  2. "Norm Dates Danny's Dad". The Norm Show. Season 1. Episode 3. April 7, 1999. 21:12 minutes in. ABC.
  3. Rice, Lynette (December 20, 2000). "'Spin' Out". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved 2009-02-09.
  4. Smith, Austin (July 27, 1999). "Situation Norm-al: Macdonald Show Forced to Change Name". New York Post. Retrieved 2015-12-17.
  5. "The Norm Show DVD news: Announcement for The Norm Show - The Complete Series". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Archived from the original on 2010-05-28.
  6. "Norm - Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 2023-04-13.
  7. Rosenberg, Howard (1999-03-24). "Mixed Blessings in Midseason". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2023-04-13.
  8. Norm (TV Series 1999–2001) - IMDb , retrieved 2023-04-13
  9. "NIELSEN RANKINGS FOR 1998-99". SFGate. May 28, 1999. Retrieved September 10, 2019.