The Elvira Show

This failed sitcom pilot revolves around Elvira (naturally) and her Aunt Minerva (a sadly wasted Katherine Helmond from "Soap" and "Who's the Boss?" fame). In the first and only episode Elvira and Minerva are living in Kansa when they have to deal with an undercover cop who Elvira is hopelessly smitten over, as well as, Paige (Phoebe Augustine from "Twin Peaks") the niece that she never knew she had. The humor comes across as "Married with Children" in as much as the double-entendres and slight raunch meets "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch". Speaking of "Sabrina", this one has a talking cat as well and it's easily the worst part of the show. If this HAD gotten picked up, I'd have probably watched an episode or two, but it's definitely no big loss that it didn't.

My Grade: C-

"The Elvira Show" is a pilot for a series that was never picked up by the networks. In many ways, it plays like "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" (1996)...but with the boobified Elvira in the lead. It also stars her kooky aunt (Katherine Helmond) and a niece she never knew she had.

So is it any good? Not really. It lacks subtlety and the jokes are too often about sex and boobs. But, for fans of Elvira (Cassandra Peterson), you really aren't looking for much more! I think in hindsight, the show needed more.

I just watched the one and only episode ever made, on YouTube, and it's a solid 10! There were so many laugh-out-loud moments, and Elvira is so beautiful! The rest of the cast was a joy to see as-well, like Katherine Helmond- whom I've never loved more than here! And I love how Elvira plays a phony psychic in the show, in addition to being a witch- PERFECT combo!!

Oh, what a loss that there were never any more episodes made. This is so much fresher, funnier, and more authentic to the spirit of witches and all things supernatural and Halloween-y than "Sabrina" ever could be, and the fact that there were no more made is a tragedy to all Elvira and Halloween fans, as well as fans of good sitcoms.

I just read this in the trivia section here, about why the show wasn't picked up:

"CBS produced the pilot under the reign of president Jeff Sagansky, who made assurances that it would be picked up. Sagansky fell ill and was hospitalized just as the fall schedule was being finalized, so CBS flew in the head of their sports department, Howard Stringer, to finish programming the season. Stringer hated the show's blatant sexual innuendo, and when he remarked that he wasn't picking it up, several executives walked out of his meeting and one quit."

And now, all I can say is a pox on you, Howard Stringer!!

This show had SO MUCH potential, but it would have only worked in it's time of the 1990s, when people had more of a sense of humor about things- and when Katherine Helmond was still alive and everyone was the ideal ages for it. As much as I would love to see an Elvira reboot now, people are too PC and easily offended these days and it would fail. But gosh, what could have been!!

Hilariously naughty yet The Elvira Show could not have done well in 1993. However, nowadays it seems rather tame compared to some of today's programming. The Elvira Show might have found an audience later.

The version I saw actually ran closer to 27 minutes. The plot of the pilot episode (and premise of the series itself) of "Sabrina, The Teenage Witch" is actually very similar to The Elvira Show. Elvira does it better though, and was there first with it. It would be nice to see Elvira market this as a Halloween tape/DVD. Or maybe she could just include it as a bonus extra on the "Elvira's Haunted Hills" DVD whenever it gets pressed. -Arthur-