"Cracking Up" (2004) TV series

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Creator:

Mike White

Seasons:

1 | unknown

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Ben, a student, moves into a Beverly Hills family's guest house. Every family member seems to act crazier than the next, even though they look like a picture-perfect family.

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Jake Sandvig	...	Preston Shackleton (12 episodes, 2004-2006)
Molly Shannon	...	Lesley Shackleton (7 episodes, 2004-2006)
Christopher McDonald	...	Ted Shackleton (7 episodes, 2004-2006)
Caitlin Wachs	...	Chloe Shackleton (7 episodes, 2004-2006)
David Walton	...	Liam Connor (7 episodes, 2004-2006)
Jason Schwartzman	...	Ben Baxter (6 episodes, 2004-2006)
Bret Loehr	...	Tanner Shackleton (6 episodes, 2004-2006)

Runtime:

USA:30 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Company:

20th Century Fox Television

Trivia:

12 Episodes were produced for this show but only 9 episodes got to air because the show later got canceled with 4 unaired episodes.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Family Guy: North by North Quahog (#4.1)" (2005)

Charles in Charge on acid

Long ago in the mid-80s, Scott Baio had a little family-oriented sit-com called "Charles in Charge." Premise: male college student becomes live-in nanny to a family with 3 kids (2 boys and a girl). Every problem was easily solved at the end of the half hour, and a lesson was learned. Very clean cut. Cancelled after 2 seasons.

But it didn't die! A couple of years later, "Charles in Charge" was resurrected in syndication. Scott Baio and the house were the same, as was good, albeit dumb, friend Buddy. Yet, the family changed. It morphed into a family with 2 girls and a boy. This always made me wonder if the original family sold the house, but put a rider in the contract declaring that the new family had to keep Charles as their nanny. Eventually, the 2nd version of "Charles of Charge" was cancelled, too.

But it still didn't die! More than 15 years later, Jason Shwartzman revived the premise. He's a college student and live-in nanny to a family with 3 kids. They even kept the same theme song! But instead of the happy-bubble gum, "Charles in charge of our days and our nights. Charles in charge of our wrongs and our rights. I want Charles in charge of me," it was instrumental -- and very punk. And the family went from happy-bubble gum to very skewed. I mean, Jack Black as a drug counselor? Totally surreal. "Charles in Charge" on acid.

Sadly, most people didn't get it. I think if people had realized what the show was trying to do, they would have appreciated it a bit more. It's a spoof, people! But no one got it, and it was cancelled after about 3 episodes. Oh well. Perhaps one day, we'll be able to see the rest of the episodes that never aired.