It's About Time TV Show, with Joe E. Ross

[Vince53]

Okay, when I was 13, I used to watch this show, with Joe E. Ross (Gunther Toody) as Gronk the caveman. Researching it, the show is universally panned, and it is so bad that this forum doesn't have a thread for it. But I found a few episodes on Youtube, so if you're a fan of this show, here's your place to post.

[Vince53]

Two astronauts, one of whom is a moron, break the speed of light and land on Earth a million years in the past, where they find an English-speaking tribe led by the evil "Boss."

After rescuing the son of Gronk and Shad (Imogene Coca) from a dinosaur, our marooned heroes have some friends.

The pilot is so bad that I can't believe they made a series out of it. Ross's talents are thrown away as Gronk, and even Imogene Coca's acting ability can't save the show.

[Vince53]

"Have I Got a Girl for You" is FUNNY! Mac and Hector have to marry cavegirls. Hector (the dumb one) gets a sweet, beautiful girl, while Mac gets...Don't ask.

When they try to escape, Boss sentences them to be thrown into a boiling pit.

[Vince53]

I realize why "The Rainmakers" isn't too funny. Joe Ross is the only actor in the series with any real talent, and he only gets a supporting role playing simple parts as Gronk.

I researched the two stars, and while some actors are loved and missed, they aren't. We identify real-life actors with the fictional characters they portray. Since we all love Toody and Muldoon, we love Joe Ross and Fred Gwynne. But Mack (who has a higher IQ than everyone else in the village combined) and Hector are just not that lovable.

[dahur1]

I posted "It's about Time", under "a rival for "My Mother The Car"

I watched this series back in 1967, and didn't even like it as a kid.
But I ALWAYS remembered the theme song-very catchy.

IMO, it's a truly terrible show. I bought the series, 26 episodes off E-Bay, just for nostalgia. I wasted my $20.

"Captain Nice", and "Mr. Terrific, also in 1967, were equally stupid, and lasted even less episodes than "It's About Time".

I love almost all TV from the 60's, but these series really suck.

[Vince53]

Good post, Dahur! I found your thread at

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=199442

and am heart-broken to report that as a kid I loved "My Mother the Car" and "The Pruitts of South Hampton."

[Vince53]

Twentieth Century, Here We Come

Boss orders the tribe to kill Gronk and his family for giving the astronauts a diamond from an idol, so our heroes take the four cave people with them back to the Twentieth Century.

In a plot so goofy that it was actually funny, nobody believes that the astronauts had broken the time barrier or that these four people are from the past.

The switch was a desperate attempt to save the show from falling ratings, and I noticed that Gronk gets a lot more speaking time.

[Vince53]

The Mother-in-Law

Hector introduces the new custom of having your (Shad's) mother come for a visit. The new custom starts out great, and then...

[Vince53]

Tailor-Made Hero

Okay, they took the plot from Gilligan's Island, but it's still funny.

Mack and Hector keep trying to make Gronk look like a hero, and Gronk (who is actually the star of this episode) keeps botching up. So they pretend to be "Painted Ones," the tribes' enemies. But Gronk overhears their plans. So when real Painted Ones kidnap Shad and Mlor, Gronk thinks he's only acting when he rescues them.

Folks, I'm actually starting to like this series.

[Vince53]

Our Brothers' Keepers

Back in 1967, Mac and Hec finally convince NASA that they have real cave people with them. And then they realize that the government will treat them as freaks.

Fortunately, our heroes have the right stuff.

And it's time to say "Good-bye" to our friend Sherwood Schwartz, who died peacefully two days ago. He created Gilligan's Island, which, through re-runs, passed I Love Lucy as the most widely watched show in TV history.

He created It's About Time, often using scenery from Gilligan's Island to save expenses.

He also created The Brady Bunch, as well as having written for several radio and TV comedies. He left us decades of humor so good that his shows will last for decades to come.

[McGillicuddy]

I have a bootleg dvd set of It's About Time the complete series. The show does have a lot of similarities to Gilligan's Island.

It was interesting that in the first half of the series, 2 astronauts went back in time to the caveman era. Then later, they were able to return to present day 1960's, and brought a prehistoric family with them.

[Vince53]

After learning how to sign their names, Gronk and Shad go on a credit-spending spree.

Just proves that a good credit check can save you from a lot of grief.

[Vince53]

"The Stowaway" is not a good title for this funny episode. To prevent Mlor from being forced to marry Boss's son, Hec agrees to marry her. But now he must fight Boss's son to the death.

Fortunately, our heroes have some "speed-up" and "slow-down" pills, so what could go wrong...

[McGillicuddy]

I think I like the second format of the series, when the astronauts bring back "the cave family" to present day, better than the first format. Which do you like better, Vince? I do remember the credit-spending spree episode as being one of the best.

[dlemond]

Director Richard Donner (of Lethal Weapon and Superman-The Movie fame) directed the pilot of It's About Time.

[Vince53]

Markway, I like them both the same. I have noticed that there are only a limited number of plots (Boss wants to kill the two strangers) in the original set-up. Returning to the present gave the writers a lot more room.

[Vince53]

"He Caveman-You Woman" is the funniest one I've seen yet.

Upset over the way the cavemen treat their wives, Hector teaches the tribe about romance. The women love it. The men, uhm, do not.

As families split up over romance, our heroes introduce the wedding celebration, which is funnier yet.

[Vince53]

Gronk and Shad must pretend they are friends of the Nordanian ambassador in order to keep the manager from evicting them from Mac and Hec's apartment.

It was good to see General Burkhalter from Hogan's Heroes make a guest appearance.

[comedyfreak]

I need to pick this up and check it out.

[Vince53]

"Mark Your Ballots" isn't too funny, but it brings up an interesting point. Boss is not as evil as he appears. Under his leadership, the tribe is happy, secure, and well-fed. While he's quick with the death sentence, it's because he fears that evil spirits will harm the tribe; but when shown that he's wrong, he's equally quick to cancel the death sentence.

[Steve E]

I have the complete series of It's About Time on DVD...two different sets,actually (one was given to me).The shows are uncut,but the prints are very washed-out,and look pretty bad.

I would like this show to get an official release...even though it is AWFUL.It makes Gilligan's Island look like high art,by comparision.I just can't imagine how it could've went another season with the flimsy premise,even if the ratings would've warranted it.Still,I do kind of enjoy it...in an odd way.

Another short-lived sitcom with a wacky premise from the same era that I'd like to see released is The Second Hundred Years (1967-68).It's about a man buried in a glacial avalanche during the Gold Rush in 1900.He goes into suspended animation,and is thawed out 67 years later.There's a couple episodes on YouTube...