This article needs additional citations for verification .(December 2018) |
The Norm Show | |
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Also known as | Norm |
Genre | Sitcom |
Created by | |
Starring |
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Theme music composer | W. G. Snuffy Walden |
Opening theme | "Too Bad" performed by Doug and the Slugs |
Composer | W. G. Snuffy Walden |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 3 |
No. of episodes | 54 (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producers |
|
Producers |
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Camera setup | Multi-camera |
Running time | 22–24 minutes |
Production companies | |
Original release | |
Network | ABC |
Release | March 24, 1999 – April 6, 2001 |
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.
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.
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]
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.
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]
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 the 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 the 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]
Season | Episodes | Timeslot (EDT) | Season Premiere | Season Finale | TV season | Rank | Rating |
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1 | 10 | Wednesday 9:30 pm | March 24, 1999 | May 26, 1999 | 1998–99 | 46 | 8.1 [9] |
2 | 20 | Wednesday 8:30 pm (1-7, 14–20) Wednesday 9:30 pm (8-13) | September 22, 1999 | March 15, 2000 | 1999–2000 | 48 | 7.8[ citation needed ] |
3 | 24 | Wednesday 9:30 pm (1) Friday 9:00 pm (2-11) Friday 9:30 pm (12-14) Friday 8:30 pm (15-24) | October 3, 2000 | April 6, 2001 | 2000–01 | 109 | 4.3[ citation needed ] |
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