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What's Alan Watching?

  • TV Special
  • 1989
  • 1h
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
142
YOUR RATING
What's Alan Watching? (1989)
Comedy

Seventeen-year-old Alan is a couch potato who views life, and his family, as if they were on television. Libby and Leo are his parents, Gail is his sister (who's engaged to Lenny Kling the C... Read allSeventeen-year-old Alan is a couch potato who views life, and his family, as if they were on television. Libby and Leo are his parents, Gail is his sister (who's engaged to Lenny Kling the Carpet King), Jeff is his brother, Alyssa is his girlfriend, and Lenny is his friend.Seventeen-year-old Alan is a couch potato who views life, and his family, as if they were on television. Libby and Leo are his parents, Gail is his sister (who's engaged to Lenny Kling the Carpet King), Jeff is his brother, Alyssa is his girlfriend, and Lenny is his friend.

  • Director
    • Thomas Schlamme
  • Writers
    • Barry W. Blaustein
    • David Sheffield
    • Bob Tischler
  • Stars
    • Corin Nemec
    • Barbara Barrie
    • Peter Michael Goetz
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.2/10
    142
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Thomas Schlamme
    • Writers
      • Barry W. Blaustein
      • David Sheffield
      • Bob Tischler
    • Stars
      • Corin Nemec
      • Barbara Barrie
      • Peter Michael Goetz
    • 2User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win total

    Photos1

    View Poster

    Top cast30

    Edit
    Corin Nemec
    Corin Nemec
    • Alan Hoffstetter
    Barbara Barrie
    Barbara Barrie
    • Libby Hoffstetter
    Peter Michael Goetz
    Peter Michael Goetz
    • Leo Hoffstetter
    Fran Drescher
    Fran Drescher
    • Gail Hoffstetter
    David Packer
    David Packer
    • Jeff Hoffstetter
    Cheryl Pollak
    Cheryl Pollak
    • Alyssa
    Rob Bartlett
    • Lenny Kling
    Eddie Murphy
    Eddie Murphy
    • Protester…
    Shelley Berman
    Shelley Berman
    • Mel Krasoen
    Kristine Blackburn
    Kristine Blackburn
    • Cheerleader
    Stanley Brock
    Stanley Brock
    • Ed's Producer
    George Carlin
    George Carlin
    • George Carlin
    Darwyn Carson
    Darwyn Carson
    • Contestant #1
    Alexander Bacan Chapman
    Alexander Bacan Chapman
    • Con
    • (as Alexander Bacon Chapman)
    Ellen Cleghorne
    Ellen Cleghorne
    • Marsha
    Cal Gibson
    Cal Gibson
    • Valet
    David Warren Gibson
    • Lead
    Milt Kogan
    Milt Kogan
    • Mr. Rankin
    • Director
      • Thomas Schlamme
    • Writers
      • Barry W. Blaustein
      • David Sheffield
      • Bob Tischler
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews2

    6.2142
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    Featured reviews

    TRON-7

    FERRIS BULER MEETS UHF

    Tv show deserved more than one showing (FEB 27, 89)..The show's title character,played br Corin Nemic,is a high school student in the state of Wisconsin. This role was a warm up role to Parker Lewis character two years later. The youngest sibling of three ,older sister, Gail, played by Fran Dresher who's engaged to Lenny Kling the Carpet King" a carpet so clean you can eat off off it!"His parents can't wait until all their children finally leave the nest . The older brother 32 yars old still at home. The show splits into two directions , #1Life within the familys home,#2 The original twist to this show is that Alan daydreams as he is watching television. Where the daydreams have him interacting a conversation with the girl on the cheerleading team or with a woman in the shower in a soap commercial., Other moments have Alan channel surfing and a collage of short snippets from actual tv shows intertwine with short skits such as Ghandi on Ice commercial (he's starving for attention musical number)-or Eddie Murphy as dual roles ,one role is a protester for the release of James Brown from Prison,"Free James Brown!", the other role is Eddie in a James Brown Latex make-up mask in two spots in the show.Into scene 1.........we now return to the CBS movie of the week...Soul on the Rocks....The judge in the courtroom asks"Mr Brown how do you respond to the charges..Eddie responding in James Brown gibberish responds breaking into a musical production of "Please ,Please.Please."escorted out of the courtroom ,cape and all the theatrics of a James Brown performance. The second segment has James Brown singing" It's a Man's World" in the prison shower.The show also has appearances by Pauly Shore,George Carlin,Alex Trebek,Tom and Dick Smothers ,Brent Spiner and an uncredited Ellen Kleghorne. This was a very funny show, it's a shame more episodes never made it out of the vault.

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    Related interests

    Will Ferrell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy

    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      A pilot for a never-produced TV series. Aired on Feb. 27, 1989 on CBS.

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 27, 1989 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Production companies
      • Eddie Murphy Productions
      • Paramount Television
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h(60 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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