alt.tv.3rd-rock Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - Part 1 of 3
Bradley Whitmarsh
Updated November 30, 2000
PART 1: Table of Contents, Sections 1 to 3
A newsgroup devoted to the discussion of the NBC Comedy "3rd Rock From
the Sun."
Please direct all comments, questions, criticisms, amusing anecdotes,
not so funny stories, boring jokes and rambling dissertations to:
bra...@110.net
Created by: Bonnie Lynne Kretschmer
Written by: Bonnie Lynne Kretschmer
(pen...@primenet.com)
Monty D. Martin
(car...@primenet.com)
Nathan E. Humbard
(na...@usit.net)
Bradley Whitmarsh (5/1/00-present)
(bra...@110.net)
Thanks to: the NBC web page, the Internet Movie Database, and all of
the posters in alt.tv.3rd-rock who have contributed information to the
FAQ. Thanks also to Matt and all of the information we co-opted from
his alterna-FAQ.
The most current version of this document is posted twice monthly in
alt.tv.3rd-rock (around the first and fifteenth of the month). It is
also posted on the web at:
http://users.110.net/~ps3776/3rdrock
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Table of Contents
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1.0 About alt.tv.3rd-rock
1.01 Charter
1.02 Brief History
1.03 How to submit corrections, changes, or additions
2.0 About "3rd Rock From the Sun"
2.01 The Premise
2.02 History of "3rd Rock"
2.03 The Cast
2.04 The Intros
2.05 Guest Stars and Roles
2.06 The Staff: Writers, Producers, and Directors
2.07 How to Contact NBC, the Staff, the Cast
2.08 Recognition and Awards
3.0 Frequently Asked Questions
3.01 When has/is/will "3rd Rock" be aired?
3.02 Is Ian Lithgow (Leon) related to John Lithgow?
3.03 Have the Solomons contacted their home planet?
3.04 What is Harry's function?
3.05 The Solomon's Jellophobia
3.06 How are the Solomons related to each other?
3.07 How did the Solomons get their names?
3.08 Where did they come from?
3.09 But didn't they come from 3rd Rock?
3.10 What are the aliens real names & appearence?
3.11 Where do you come up with the titles?
3.12 Why do they always put 'Dick' in the title?
3.13 Are the episodes aired in production order?
3.14 What's the deal with the 3-D episode?
3.15 What about getting 3-D Glasses?
3.16 How can I get tickets for the show?
3.17 How can I submit script ideas?
4.0 Characters/Actors Bios, Filmographies
4.01 John Lithgow (Dick Solomon)
4.02 Kristen Johnston (Sally Solomon)
4.03 French Stewart (Harry Solomon)
4.04 Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Tommy Solomon)
4.05 Jane Curtin (Dr. Mary Albright)
4.06 Simbi Khali (Nina Campbell)
4.07 Elmarie Wendel (Mamie Dubcek)
4.08 Wayne Knight (Officer Don Leslie Orville)
4.09 Larisa Oleynik (Alissa Strudwick)
4.10 Ian Lithgow (Leon)
4.11 David DeLuise (Bug Polone)
4.12 Chris Hogan (Aubrey Pitman)
4.13 Danielle Nicolet (Caryn)
4.14 Shay Astar (August Loeffler)
4.15 Ileen Getz (Dr. Judith Draper)
4.16 Ron West (Dr. Vincent Strudwick)
4.17 Jan Hooks (Vicki Dubcek)
4.18 Other Characters/Actors
5.0 Episode List
6.0 Where to Find More Information
6.01 Recommended "3rd Rock" Internet Sites
6.02 How to Contact NBC
6.03 How to Get Tickets for Future Taping
7.0 Credits (where we found out what we know and other secrets)
=======FAQ=====FAQ=====FAQ=====
1.0 About alt.tv.3rd-rock
-------
1.01 Charter
-------
There is no charter that was posted with the newgroup message that
created the group, but as poster of the proposal, I have taken the
liberty of writing one, so that the purpose of the group is clear to
newcomers. It is as follows:
We in this group are devoted to the frank and open discussion of the
merits and faults of "3rd Rock From the Sun". We do so out of a
genuine interest in, and respect for, the show and its creators.
Please DO NOT flame others for their contrasting opinions or for
asking a question covered here in the FAQ. Instead, please politely
and intelligently respond to their argument or answer their questions
and then direct them to the FAQ. Let us make each other proud with our
conduct here. BLK
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1.02 Brief History
-------
The idea to create the newsgroup was that of Ann-Marie Myers. She
posted the idea in alt.tv.frasier and started a small, informal network
of people who talked about the show in e-mail. Ann-Marie is active in
the IRC chats about "3rd Rock" and remains as active in the group as
she can. Since Ann-Marie didn't have the time to spare, it was Bonnie
Lynne (from that e-mail group) who decided to actually head the
campaign to create the group as alt.tv.3rd-rock. She is the same
person who initially wrote and maintained the EPG (Episode Guide) and
this FAQ. She posted the proposal in alt.config on the evening of May
8, 1996. Many people worked hard to spread the word to other fans,
post in alt.config on our behalf and discuss the show in rec.arts.tv.
As a direct result of these discussions, the news administrator at
Earthlink created alt.tv.3rd-rock early in the morning on May 14, 1996
and we are all thankful that he did. The inaugural article in the new
group was posted by Nathan Humbard that same morning. There were
eleven posts to the group on that first day, and the group has been
going strong ever since. On June 6, 1996 a link to this group was
added to the web search utility Yahoo! under the category:
Entertainment:TV:Shows:Comedies:Third Rock From The Sun.
On December 7, 1996, the founder and creator of this FAQ took a leave
of absence to return to Graduate School. The mantle was passed to
Nathan Humbard.
In April 2000, with "3rd Rock" still going strong, Bradley Whitmarsh
took over the reins of the FAQ and Episode Guide. Brad has been a
frequent reader and contributor to alt.tv.3rd-rock since March 1997.
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1.03 How to submit corrections, changes, or additions
-------
If you have any comments, corrections, changes, or additions to this
FAQ please email them to:
Bradley Whitmarsh <bra...@110.net>
Submissions posted in the newsgroup may be inadvertently overlooked or
fail to arrive at all sites.
PLEASE contact us if you know any of the information here to be false
or cripplingly incomplete. We have taken great pains to assure that it
is truthful and complete, but we are only human.
2.0 About "3rd Rock From the Sun"
-------
2.01 The Premise
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Aliens have come to earth and used their advanced technology to install
themselves in fully functional human bodies. The High Commander (John
Lithgow) assumes the human body and identity of Dick, the patriarch of
the Solomon family and a professor of physics at Pendelton State
University, in Rutherford, Ohio. His officemate there is Dr. Mary
Albright (Jane Curtin) who is human and an anthropology professor. The
Alien Security officer takes the form of Sally Solomon, who is Dick's
sister. An alien who has no official title (French Stewart) takes the
role of Dick and Sally's brother Harry. At the end of the first
season, we find that he serves as a radio transmitter for "The Big
Giant Head", their boss on the home world. The Intelligence specialist
(Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is the oldest member of the alien expedition,
but ironically is assigned to take the form of Dick's son Tommy (a
teenager in the throes of puberty).
The aliens are completely unprepared for the physical and emotional
sensations of their new human bodies. So while they are intellectually
superior to humans, they can appear quite foolish because they are
experiencing every feeling for the first time.
The expedition was originally to be a two week fact finding tour, but
Dick extended the journey because he fell in love with his new body and
the feelings and sensations thereof (not to mention Dr. Albright). The
others were not originally in favor of staying, but they have learned
to like the planet and their lives here. The series allows us to watch
as the aliens discover Earth, our fellow humans and their quirks, and
we often learn as the Solomons do.
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2.02 History of 3rd Rock
-------
Speaking at the Museum of Television and Arts symposium on "3rd Rock",
Bonnie Turner said she and her husband Terry were approached by Marcy
Carsey, Tom Werner and Caryn Mandabach (President of Carsey-Werner)
about doing a sitcom about a group of aliens. Not in a "My Favorite
Martian" or "ALF" thing, but rather a social satire/commentary. The
original title was "Life as We Know It".. The Turners agreed and then
contacted John Lithgow's agent, saying his "old friends" Bonnie and
Terry wanted to have breakfast in Beverly Hills. John was friends with
the Turners because he had hosted three episodes of "Saturday Night
Live". Anyway, John went to the breakfast not knowing what it was
about, but he soon learned. At first he rejected it out of hand, but
became more intrigued as the breakfast wore on. He left saying he
would think about it, then agreed to do it. It took a year to cast the
other aliens. ABC latched onto the project.
But in May 1995, when ABC announced their fall schedule, "3rd Rock"
was missing. In less than a week, a deal was sealed with NBC. When
"3rd Rock" became the smash hit of the 1995-96 season, the trade press
was flooded with articles about the genius of NBC, and about how ABC
totally missed the boat.
The show premiered on NBC on Tuesday, January 9th at 8:30 EST/PT and
7:30pm CST/MT on NBC in the U.S. and Canada. For the 15th episode,
"Dick Like Me" (4/23/96), the show was rescheduled to the 8:00 EST/PT
time slot where it remained until the end of the season and through the
summer until the Olympics. After the Olympics, "3rd Rock" moved to
Sundays at 8:00 EST/PT. The second season of "3rd Rock" started on
September 22, 1996. For the third season, "3rd Rock" moved to
Wednesdays at 9:00 ET, where it remained until the middle of the fourth
season. Since then, it has flip-flopped between its two original air
times, 8:00 ET and 8:30 ET on Tuesday nights.
NBC has announced that "3rd Rock" will air on Mondays during the
2000-2001 season.
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2.03 The Cast
-------
Main Cast
Dick Solomon John Lithgow
Sally Solomon Kristen Johnston
Harry Solomon French Stewart
Tommy Solomon Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Mary Albright Jane Curtin
Nina Campbell Simbi Khali
Mamie Dubcek Elmarie Wendel
Officer Don Orville Wayne Knight
Alissa Strudwick Larisa Oleynik 1998-present
Recurring Cast
Leon Ian Lithgow
Bug Polone David Deluise
Caryn Danielle Nicolet
Aubrey Pitman Chris Hogan
Dr. Judith Draper Ileen Getz
Dr. Vincent Strudwick Ron West 1997-present
Vicki Dubcek Jan Hooks
Rico Chad Einbinder 1997-present
The Big Giant Head William Shatner 1999-present
Dr. Howard Richard McGonagle
Former Recurring Cast
August Loeffler Shay Astar 1996-1999
Coach Strickland Michael Milhoan 1996-1998
Mrs. Sumner Jennifer Rhodes 1996
Dr. Suter Harry Morgan 1996-1997
Father Rice Bruce Morrow 1996
Miss Frost Brenda Strong 1996-1997
Kevin Randell John D'Aquino 1996
Larry Steve Larson 1997-1998
Mrs. DeGuzman Nancy Yee 1997-1998
Jennifer Ravelli Laurie Metcalf 1998
Lucy Marianne Muellerleile 1998-1999
Happy Doug Jim Beaver 1998-1999
Shay Astar's character faded from view after Tommy broke up with August
toward the end of the third season. She reappeared in episodes #420
and #422.
John D'Aquino's character was written out in episode #203.
Bruce Morrow succumbed to cancer during the second season.
Steve Larson and Nancy Yee appeared in several episodes while Harry
was going to night school.
Laurie Metcalf did a 3-episode stint during the fourth season.
Marianne Muellerleile's character was Mary's assistant while she was
Dean. She was written out when Mary was demoted.
Jim Beaver announced on alt.tv.3rd-rock in late 1999/early 2000 that
the show did not have any future plans for his character.
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2.04 The Intros
-------
Opening narration was read by James Earl Jones for the second through
ninth first-run episodes:
"As many intelligent people know, aliens are all around us. This is
the story of a band of four such explorers. In order to blend in, they
have assumed human form. [shot of Dick] This is the High Commander. He
has assembled an elite team of experts. [shot of Sally] A decorated
military officer. [shot of Tommy] A seasoned intelligence specialist.
[shot of Harry] And... well, they had an extra seat."
The joke following that speech changed each week:
"Post-Nasal Dick": "The earth is a primitive place, notable for its
pollution, squandered resources, and violent upheavals. But man, you
should taste the doughnuts!"
"Dick's First Birthday": "The earth revolves around the sun. But ask
most humans, they'll say it revolves around them."
"Dick is From Mars, Sally is From Venus": "The people of earth
sometimes divide against each other based on national origin or skin
color. Of course, no one else in the galaxy can tell them apart."
"Dick, Smoker": "The earth is actually two-thirds water... about the
equivalent of scotch at a cheap wedding."
"Green-Eyed Dick": "They say earth started with just two humans. Now
there are five billion of them. Someone needs to turn a hose on them."
"Lonely Dick": "The earth is populated by millions of beautiful women.
And those who aren't beautiful have great personalities."
"Body and Soul and Dick": "The earth is covered with a deep, hard
crust... although it does have a wonderful chewy center."
"Ab-Dick-ted": "Earth is a place where backing down causes ego
problems, and backing up causes severe tire damage."
Thereafter, the intro was shortened to:
"As many intelligent people know, aliens are all around us. This is
the story of four such explorers."
For reruns, the shortened intro was also used, with the opening credits
being placed after the first scene (called a "teaser"), instead of
before, as in their original runs.
Effective with the second season, James Earl Jones's voice was
eliminated altogether.
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2.05 Guest Stars and Roles
-------
For a complete list of actors and roles, see the "3rd Rock From the
Sun" cast list. It is posted to alt.tv.3rd-rock around the first and
fifteenth of each month.
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2.06 The Staff: Writers, Producers, and Directors
-------
Executive Producers: Marcy Carsey, Tom Werner, and Caryn Mandabach
Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner have produced:
"Roseanne"
"Grace Under Fire"
"Cybill"
"The Cosby Show"
"A Different World"
Executive Producers/Writers and Creators: Bonnie and Terry Turner
Bonnie Turner and Terry Turner have written for:
"She TV"
"Wayne's World"
"Wayne's World II"
"The Brady Bunch Movie"
"Saturday Night Live"
Production Company:
The Carsey-Werner Company and YBYL Productions
4024 Radford Ave., Bldg. 2
Studio City, CA 91604
*Rant*
These are the staff to the best of my knowledge. Due to the rapid
display of the credits and my deteriorating VCR :( I am no longer able
to log the end credits because I am unable to read them either when I
pause the VCR or when the tape plays up to speed. Just a brief moment
on the stump here for a former theatre techie to say that this sucks
rocks! I would like to credit all the folks whose hard work goes into
making this show, but I am unable to due to a stupid assumption that no
one wants to read the end credits! *pant* *pant* Okay. End rant.
Enjoy the rest of the FAQ. :o) BLK
*** Senior Staff ***
The most recent are listed first.
Executive in Charge of Production: Courtney B. Conte
Co-Executive Producer: Danny Smith
Nastaran Dibai
Jeffrey B. Hodes
Bob Kushell
Christine Zander
Joe Fisch
David Sacks
Executive Producer: Dave Goetsch
Jason Venokur
Bonnie Turner
Terry Turner
Tom Werner
Caryn Mandabach
Marcy Carsey
David Sacks
Bob Kushell
Christine Zander
Bill Martin
Mike Schiff
Joe Fisch
Linwood Boomer
Supervising Producer: David M. Israel
Jim O'Doherty
Dave Goetsch
Jason Venokur
Bill Martin
Mike Schiff
Produced by: Patrick Kienlen
Co-Producer: Aron Abrams
Gregory Thompson
Bob Kushell
Christine Zander
Producer: Aron Abrams
Gregory Thompson
Michael Glouberman
Andrew Orenstein
Associate Producer: Patricia Valenzuela
Timothy Ryder
Consulting Producer: Terry Hughes
Nastaran Dibai
Jeffrey B. Hodes
Mark Brazill
Production Executive: Dalia Rogow
Written by (listed in order by episode number--see the Episode Guide
for correlation of episode numbers and titles):
1) Bonnie and Terry Turner: 101, 102, 113, 214, 422.
2) Bill Martin and Mike Schiff: 103, 107, 118, 201, 202, 305, 413,
423, 502, 513.
3) Linwood Boomer: 104, 117.
4) Micheal Glouberman and Andrew Orenstein: 105, 108, 114, 204, 220,
415 (teleplay), 424.
5) Andy Cowan: 106.
6) Joe Fisch: 109, 115.
7) Christine Zander: 110, 116, 203, 409, 504, 512.
8) Bob Kushell: 111, 119, 205, 219, 315, 503.
9) Bob Kushell and Christine Zander: 112, 418.
10) David Sacks: 120, 221, 312, 412, 421 (story), 508, 517.
11) Katy Ballard: 216.
12) David M. Israel and Jim O'Doherty: 222, 317, 414, 419 (teleplay),
501, 516.
13) Dave Goetsch and Jason Venokur: 223, 311, 417, 421 (teleplay), 507,
514, 521, 609.
14) Mark Brazill and Christine Zander: 224, 319.
15) Bonnie Turner, Terry Turner, and David Sacks: 225 (story), 226
(story).
16) Bill Martin, Mike Schiff, and Bob Kushell: 225 (teleplay), 226
(teleplay).
17) Bill Martin, Mike Schiff, and Christine Zander: 313, 314.
18) Mark Brazill: 316.
19) Bob Kushell and Gregg Mettler: 318, 511.
Dave Schiff: 323.
20) Gregg Mettler: 308, 408, 416, 419 (story), 505.
21) Gil Goldberg: 411.
22) Dennis Snee: 415 (story).
23) Chris Atwood: 420.
24) Valerie Watson: 506.
25) Julie E. Sherman: 509.
26) Dave Boerger: 518.
27) Nastaran Dibai and Jeffrey B. Hodes: 515, 522, 605.
28) Aron Abrams and Gregory Thompson: 510, 603.
29) Gregg Mettler and Will Forte: 520.
30) Christine Zander and Mark Nutter: 612, 613.
Director (listed in order by episode number--see the Episode Guide for
correlation of episode numbers and titles):
1) James Burrows: 101, 118.
2) Robert Berlinger: 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 111, 113, 114,
116, 117, 119, 120, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 216, 219, 220.
3) Terry Hughes: 214, 221, 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 305, 308, 311,
312, 313, 314, 315, 316, 317, 318, 319, 323, 408, 409, 411, 412,
413, 414, 415, 416, 417, 418, 419, 420, 421, 422, 423, 424, 501,
502, 503, 504, 505, 506, 507, 508, 509, 510, 511, 512, 513, 514,
515, 516, 517, 518, 520, 521, 522, 603, 605, 609, 612, 613.
*** Staff ***
These are all of the people who have ever worked more than one show in
each given position. The most recent are listed first.
Executive Story Editor: Gregg Mettler
(aka Executive Story Consultant) Andy Cowan
David Israel
Jim O'Doherty
Michael Glouberman
Andrew Orenstein
Story Editor: Dave Jeser
Matt Silverstein
William Forte
Julie E. Sherman
David Goetsch
Jason Venokur
Staff Writer: Dave Boerger
David Lewman
Joe Liss
Creative Consultant: Mark Brazill
(first season only)
Production Designer: Garvin Eddy
Director of Photography: Ronald W. Browne
Post-Production Supervisor: Patricia Valenzuela
Unit Production Manager: Patrick Kienlen
Doug Tobin
Chris Halle
Micheal Kelly
1st Assistant Director: Doug Tobin
Chris Halle
Micheal Kelly
2nd Assistant Director: Bill Ghaffary
Jessica Kreps-Norton
Phyllis Guarnaccia
Casting: Liberman/Patton Cecily Adams
Liberman/Hirschfeld Cicily Adams
Liberman/Hirschfeld Gayle Pilsbury
Editor: Vince Humphrey
Greg Wong
Briana London
Music: Ben Vaughn
Jeff Sudakin
Theme Performed By: Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
Music Supervisor: John McCullough
Lana Hale
Production Coordinator: Orit Schwartz
Melanie Patterson
Sean Veder
Patty McManus
Post-Production Coordinator: Mark Romano
Production Supervisor: Sean Veder
Script Supervisor: Hayden Ghaffary
Sandra Pearson
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Wheat
Set Decorator: Diane Yates
Tara Stephenson
Rochelle Moser
Property Master: Cliff Bernay
Gaffer: Bill Tenny
Jack Harmon
Key Grip: John Colorado
Andy Anderson
Grips: Tim Johnston
John Colorado
Costume Designer: Melina Root
Make-up Artist: Wendy Hogan
Leslie Lightfoot
Hair Artist: Pixie Schwartz
Costumer: Johnny Foam
Costume Supervisor: Michelle Kurpaska
Johnny Foam
Choreography: Marguerite Derricks
Production Sound: Jesse Peck
Norman Webster
Bill Remhild
Re-recording: Craig Porter
Todd Grace
Graphics: Audio Motion UK
SVC Television London
Producers' Assistants: Catherine Gurbanxani
Dina Marovich
Catherine Wright
Sallie Houston
Melodie Moore
Mona Nash
Christina Nelson
Leslie Rylke
Gil Goldberg
Natasha Goldstone
Melanie Patterson
Laura Black
Linda Parker
Sean Veder
Writers' Assistants: Erik Durbin
Jennifer Keene
Dave Boerger
Katy Penland
Valerie Watson
Chris Atwood
Katy Ballard
Denise Downer
Gregg Mettler
Jeanne La Plante
Karla Tofte
Cameras and Lenses By: Panavision
Origination: CBS/MTM in Studio City, CA
Staff for 3D Special Effects Segments (episodes #225 and #226):
Directed By: Phil Joanou
Produced By: Jane Reardon
Director of Photography: Marc Reshovsky
1st Assistant Director: Greg Marcus
2nd Assistant Director: Carla Bowan
Visual Consultants: Robbie Freed
Tom Hartman
Arabella Serrell
Visual Effects Team: Patrick Shearn
Brian Buongiorno
Chris Staves
Edited By: Tom McQuade
3D Advisor: Daniel Symmes
Post-Production Coordinator: Jeff Blitz
Production Supervisor: Laurie Boccaccio
Production Coordinator: Michelle Holt
Steadicam Operator: Jimmy Muro
Gaffer: Alex Skvorzov
Key Grip: Johnny London
Staff for New York Segments (episodes #612 and #613):
Director of Photography: Stuart Dryburgh
Unit Production Manager: Pam Thur
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2.07 How to Contact NBC, the Staff, the Cast
-------
NBC requests that all fan mail and requests for information about "3rd
Rock From the Sun" be sent via postal mail to the production company
address below:
"3rd Rock From the Sun"
Carsey-Werner Productions
4024 Radford Ave., Bldg. 2
Studio City, CA 91604
To contact NBC with general questions, write to:
NBC
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10112
You can e-mail NBC Interactive Entertainment at:
<Entert...@nbc.com> or
<Sh...@nbc.com>
Cast and crew members can receive email through the "3rd Rock" web
site.
The addresses are:
jlit...@3rdrock.com
jcu...@3rdrock.com
kjoh...@3rdrock.com
fste...@3rdrock.com
jgle...@3rdrock.com
skh...@3rdrock.com
ewe...@3rdrock.com
di...@3rdrock.com
ma...@3rdrock.com
sa...@3rdrock.com
ha...@3rdrock.com
to...@3rdrock.com
ni...@3rdrock.com
dub...@3rdrock.com
3rd...@3rdrock.com
wri...@3rdrock.com
3rd...@nbc.com
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2.08 Recognition and Awards
-------
John Lithgow has won many Best Actor in a Comedy awards. These include
the Golden Globe, the Screen Actors Guild Award, the American Comedy
Award, and the Emmy Award.
Kristen Johnson garnered nominations as Best Supporting Actress from
the Golden Globes and the Screen Actors Guild.
Jane Curtin was nominated as Best Actress by the American Comedy
Awards.
Nominations for the 1996 Emmy Awards were also announced in early
August, 1996. "3rd Rock" received three nominations:
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
John Lithgow
Outstanding Individual Achievement in Directing in a Comedy Series
James Burrows
Outstanding Individual Achievement in Hairstyling for a Series
Pixie Schwartz
On Sunday night, September 8, 1996, John Lithgow won the Emmy for
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. Congratulations!
The City of Los Angeles officially proclaimed November 20, 1996, "3rd
Rock" Day, complete with an official proclamation from Mayor Richard
Riordan. The proclamation was presented to the aliens and Dr. Albright
at a ceremony at Planet Hollywood in Beverly Hills. As part of the
ceremony, they presented Planet Hollywood the leather pants in which
Dick squeaked in in "Dick's First Birthday".
Later that evening, "3rd Rock" had a big event at the Doolittle Theatre
in Hollywood. In front of about a thousand fans, the aliens and Dr.
Albright read portions of the new book. They brought the Rambler onto
the stage, and when the aliens emerged from the car it sounded like the
start of a Beatles concert.
At the end of its first season, "3rd Rock" received a Bronze Award from
the prestigious "Montreux Golden Rose Festival", a European film
festival held in Switzerland. Until 1993, sitcoms were not recognized
for this major creative award. "3rd Rock" is the first U.S. sitcom in
history to receive this honor which was awarded for the Feb. 27
episode, "Body and Soul and Dick".
Also, on June 1, 1996, "3rd Rock" was nominated by the Television
Critics Association for Outstanding Comedy Series. All of the other
nominees are established and highly acclaimed sitcoms. They include
"Seinfeld", "Frasier", "The Simpsons", and "The Larry Sanders Show".
"3rd rock" didn't win, but the nomination alone indicates that critics
think very highly of the show.
It was reported in August 1996 that "3rd Rock" captured two honors in
the annual "TV Guide" Readers Poll. They were voted as the Best
Midseason Replacement Series and Best Unearthly Life Form. Dr. Dick
Solomon and Dr. Mary Albright came in second for Couple You'd Like to
See Together. The winning couple in that category are Dr. Niles Crane
and Daphne Moon from "Frasier".
1996 year-end lists brought a lot of recognition for "3rd Rock". The
big win was from "TV Guide", which picked "3rd Rock" as the best show
of 1996. "TV Guide" also selected John Lithgow #2 in their list of Top
10 TV Performers for 1996. (1/4/97 issue)
"Entertainment Weekly" had two Top 10 TV Show lists, and "3rd Rock"
didn't show up in either one. But in their more prestiguous Top 10
Entertainers of 1996, they selected the cast of "3rd Rock" #8. Go
figure. (12/27/96 issue)
"Rolling Stone" had a list of 101 reasons to watch TV, and Joseph
Gordon-Levitt (Tommy Solomon) was reason #37. (12/26/96 issue)
The 1997 Golden Globes honored 3rd Rock as the Best Comedy or Musical.
The producers were quoted, at the ceremony on January 19, 1997, as
saying the cast is like "a box full of puppies in your house".
The 1997 Primetime Emmy awards saw "3rd Rock" earning 8 nominations:
Outstanding Sound Mixing
Outstanding Costume Design
Outstanding Hairstyling
Outstanding Choreography
Outstanding Special Visual Effects
Outstanding Lead Actor (John Lithgow)
Outstanding Supporting Actress (Kristen Johnston)
Outstanding Comedy Series
3rd Rock earned 5 Emmys:
1. Outstanding Costume Design For a Series (Melina Root)
2. Outstanding Choreography (Marguerite Daniels)
3. Outstanding Sound Mixing For a Comedy Series or Special (Jesse Peck,
Todd Grace, Craig Porter)
4. Outstanding Lead Actor In a Comedy Series (John Lithgow)
5. Outstanding Supporting Actress In a Comedy Series (Kristen Johnston)
On Sunday, March 8, 1998, John Lithgow was honored during the 4th
annual Screen Actors Guild Awards with the trophy for outstanding
performance by a male actor in a comedy series.
The 1998 Primetime Emmy nominations were announced the morning of July
16, 1998, and "3rd Rock From the Sun" was recognized with eight:
1. Outstanding Comedy Series
2. Outstanding Directing For a Comedy Series (Terry Hughes for "Dick
and the Other Guy")
3. Outstanding Costume Design For a Series (Melina Root for "36! 24!
36! Dick!")
4. Outstanding Sound Mixing For a Comedy Series or Special (Jesse
Peck, Todd Grace, and Craig Porter for "36! 24! 36! Dick!")
5. Outstanding Lead Actor In a Comedy Series (John Lithgow)
6. Outstanding Supporting Actress In a Comedy Series (Kristen
Johnston)
7. Outstanding Guest Actor In A Comedy Series (John Cleese for "Dr.
Liam Neesam")
8. Outstanding Guest Actress In A Comedy Series (Jan Hooks for "Vicki
Dubcek")
No awards were presented to "3rd Rock".
3.0 Frequently Asked Questions
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3.01 When has/is/will "3rd Rock" be aired?
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In the United States, on NBC, the time slot has been as follows:
09 Jan 1996 to 16 Apr 1996: Tuesday, 8:30 EST/PT, 7:30 CST/MT
23 Apr 1996 to 21 May 1996: Tuesday, 8:00 EST/PT, 7:00 CST/MT
11 Aug 1996 to 14 Sep 1997: Sunday, 8:00 EST/PT, 7:00 CST/MT
17 Sep 1997 to 11 Nov 1998: Wednesday, 9:00 EST/PT, 8:00 CST/MT
08 Dec 1998 to 20 Jul 1999: Tuesday, 8:00 EST/PT, 7:00 CST/MT
27 Jul 1999 to 07 Mar 2000: Tuesday, 8:30 EST/PT, 7:30 CST/MT
14 Mar 2000 to present: Tuesday, 8:00 EST/PT, 7:00 CST/MT
A list of non-U.S. facilities airing the show is available at the
official web site:
http://www.3rdrock.com
Note: Thank you to all Rockheads around the world who have e-mailed me
the airtime(s) for "3rd Rock" in their area. The reason I
handled it by deferring to the official website above, rather
than maintaining a list of airtimes in the FAQ, is this: the list
became so large and changed so often that I simply started
drowning in a sea of constant changes. I hope no one is offended
by this or thinks that their contributions are unappreciated,
because they definitely are appreciated. NEH
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3.02 Is Ian Lithgow (Leon) related to John Lithgow?
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Yes. Ian Lithgow is John's son from a former marriage.
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3.03 Have the Solomons contacted their home planet?
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Yes. Ever since midway through the first season, their leader (The Big
Giant Head) contacted them through a receiver implanted in Harry's
head.
Also in the first season, Dick was imprisoned in a glass cage in the
basement by his would be replacement, Evil Dick.
In the season 2 opener, Dennis Rodman makes a guest appearance as
himself but it is revealed that he is too an alien assigned to earth
much like the Solomons. Dennis escorts Evil Dick back to their home
world in the same episode.
In the 2nd season finale, all the aliens except Dick returned home for
repairs.
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3.04 What is Harry's function?
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Contrary to what we are told in the introduction (they had an extra
seat), it turns out that Harry is the group's conduit for communicating
with the Big Giant Head.
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3.05 The Solomon's Jellophobia
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The Solomons don't like Jello because they are afraid of it. In an
early episode, Mrs. Dubcek brought them some Jello, and since it
wiggled, they thought it was alive. They tried stabbing it with a
knife to kill it, but it wiggled anyway and their Jellophobia was born.
In a later episode, the Solomon men were visiting Sally in the
hospital, and when the nurse brought Sally a Jello cup, all four of
them became paralyzed with fear based on their previous experience. At
their Thanksgiving on Earth, Mrs. Dubcek unfortunately brought Jello
for dessert and the old fears resurfaced in the Solomon family. In
Dick's first-ever dream (nightmare), he dreamed he was drowning in an
ocean of green Jello, and he woke up horrified.
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3.06 How are the Solomons related to each other?
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Harry and Sally are Dick's brother and sister and Tommy is Dick's son.
Dick once stated that his wife "burned up on re-entry."
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3.07 How did the Solomons get their names?
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Terry and Bonnie Turner were brainstorming while walking down a street
in New York City. A Solomon's Moving van drove by and inspiration
struck. That's how the the creators came up with the name and in
fact... Dick mentioned that it was also the way he came up with it as
well (Harry joked that they could have been the Wal-Marts in Dick Like
Me). What a coincidence!
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3.08 Where did they come from?
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Dick mentions that they are from the Barred-Spiral on the
Cephaeous-Draco border in "Hotel Dick". Also, in a USA today article,
Bonnie Turner said that this is a distant planet way out in another
galaxy.
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3.09 But didn't they come from 3rd Rock?
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No. "3rd Rock From the Sun" refers to the earth.
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3.10 What are the aliens real names & appearance?
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Their real names have not been revealed to us. As for their alien
appearance, Terry Turner mentioned in a USA article that they looked
like gelantinous cubes of purple Jello. Dick also once told Mary that
if she awoke to find a "quivering purple tube" lying on her couch, she
should run. Of course, Mary had no idea what he was talking about, as
usual.
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3.11 Where do you come up with the titles?
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The titles are not given in the credits of the show, but they are in
the descriptions of the episodes that are found at the official web
site <http://www.3rdrock.com>. Past titles can be found in the
Episode Guide, posted bi-monthly to the alt.tv.3rd-rock newsgroup.
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3.12 Why do they usually put the word 'Dick' in the title?
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It is a fun tradition that has *usually* been followed by the writers
of the show. However there are several exceptions including the pilot,
called "Brains And Eggs", and in the second season, the episodes "Big
Angry Virgin from Outer Space" and "My Mother the Alien". The third
season, especially toward the end, saw a trend away from the "Dick"
titles.
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3.13 Are the episodes aired in production order?
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No. It seems that episodes are and will continue to air out of
order--story arcs are not necessarily filmed in order. This can be
seen by looking at the episodes and their production numbers in the
order in which they were aired. The episode guide lists both the
production number and airdate for each episode.
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3.14 What's the deal with the 3-D episode?
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Portions of the hour-long finale of the second season, entitled "A
Nightmare On Dick Street", were filmed in 3-D. Barq's Root Beer
sponsored a massive promotional campaign in the U.S. surrounding the
episode which included the availability of 3-D glasses within cartons
of Barq's, along with an "entry number" inside the carton. The winning
"entry number" was announced in a commercial airing with the episode on
May 18, 1997, with the grand prize being a vintage Rambler automobile,
like the Solomons have. There were other prizes given away as well.
In Canada, the glasses were distributed through a promotion with
Cadbury candy bars and available at Zeller's department stores.
The 3-D technology used was not the traditional type involving the red
and blue-lensed glasses. Instead, the glasses featured a clear lens
over the left eye, and a grayish colored lens over the right eye. The
principle was to delay the image reaching the right eye, which fooled
the brain into seeing the 3-D images. By staying away from the
red/blue technology, which looks strange if viewed without the
accompanying glasses, the 3-D episode of 3rd Rock may be enjoyed with
or without the glasses.
A video of the episode was made available for sale, and set for release
in mid-July, 1997. Pre-orders reportedly exceeded 37,000.
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3.15 What about getting 3-D glasses?
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If "official" 3-D glasses from Barq's or Zeller's are unavailable, an
"unofficial" pair may easily be made in the following manner:
1. Obtain old pair of sunglasses.
2. Grip said glasses firmly by the left eyeframe.
3. Point index finger of free hand.
4. Place pointed index finger onto left lens of glasses.
5. Poke really really hard.
6. Un-point index finger.
7. Release grip on glasses.
8. Retrieve poked-out left lens from whence it landed.
9. Discard heretofore mentioned poked-out left lens.
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3.16 How can I get tickets for the show?
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See Section 6.03
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3.17 How can I submit script ideas?
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NBC says they don't accept unsolicited scripts or script ideas. None
of the networks will accept scripts or story ideas unless they are
submitted by an agent. In fact, manuscripts will be returned unopened.