Something Wilder

{{More citations needed|date=April 2023}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}} {{Infobox television | image = SomethingWilder.png | image_size = 260 | caption = | genre = Sitcom | creator = {{Plain list| *Lee Kalcheim *Barnet Kellman }} | starring = {{Plain list| *Gene Wilder *Hillary B. Smith *Ian Bottiglieri *Carl Michael Lindner *Jake Weber *Gregory Itzin *Raegan Kotz }} | composer = {{Plain list| *Mason Daring *Ed Alton }} | opentheme = "You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me" | country = United States | language = English | num_seasons = 1 | num_episodes = 18 (3 unaired) | list_episodes = | executive_producer = {{Plain list| *Barnet Kellman *Tom Anderson *Ruth Bennett }} | producer = | location = | camera = Multi-camera | runtime = 30 minutes | company = {{Plain list| *The Kellman Company *Warner Bros. Television }} | network = NBC | first_aired = {{Start date|1994|10|1}} | last_aired = {{end date|1995|6|13}} }}

thumb|right|Cast '''''Something Wilder''''' is an American sitcom television series starring Gene Wilder that ran on NBC from October 1, 1994, to June 13, 1995. The series was created by Lee Kalcheim and Barnet Kellman. A total of 18 half-hour episodes were produced over one season.

==Synopsis== A fifty-something husband, Gene Bergman (Wilder), and his wife, Annie (Hillary B. Smith), who is in her thirties, are learning to cope with raising 4-year-old fraternal twin sons, Gabe and Sam (Ian Bottiglieri and Carl Michael Lindner). Sensitive, emotional Gene was especially unprepared for the prospect of fatherhood this much later in his life, and could not fathom how the generation gap was going to play out with the kids once they grew older. Sensible Annie pulled him through all the obstacles, and in the meantime, the Bergmans were just settling in for the joy of Sam and Gabe's innocent years. Gene ran an advertising agency with his partner, crabby best friend Jack Travis (Gregory Itzin), whose offices were located adjacent to both their homes. Jack, whose kids were grown, was at first unsure about Gene's newfound habit of dropping work frequently throughout the day to play with the twins, but eventually adjusted and sometimes found himself babysitting Sam and Gabe whenever some situation (usually comedic and slapstick) caused Gene and Annie to be away. Also working for the agency was Annie's irresponsible younger brother, Richie Wainwright (Jake Weber), who doted on the kids almost as much as Gene. Others seen were Annie's niece from another of her siblings, boy crazy teen Katy Mooney (Raegan Kotz), and Caleb (Cleavant Derricks), the neighborhood handyman.

The intended wit and charm of the show was drawn from Gene Wilder's comedic intuitiveness and the frantic mimicry and mugging he put on with his two young co-stars. Wilder and on-screen wife Hillary Bailey Smith also developed a "comedic supercouple" repertoire, as they often found themselves in situations ribbed with slapstick every week, slightly reminiscent of Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball; at the same time, they were found to depict the smart, modern career couple of the 1990s. However, ''Something Wilder'' failed to catch on with viewers, which led to cancellation by March 1995.

==Cast==

=== Main === *Gene Wilder as Gene Bergman *Hillary B. Smith as Annie Bergman *Ian Bottiglieri as Gabe Bergman *Carl Michael Lindner as Sam Bergman *Jake Weber as Richie Wainwright *Gregory Itzin as Jack Travis *Raegan Kotz as Katy Mooney

=== Recurring === * Cleavant Derricks as Caleb Attucks

=== Guest appearances === Alice Cooper guest starred in the fourteenth episode, "Hangin' With Mr. Cooper", when Gene unexpectedly finds himself cast in a television appearance promoting Cooper's new hit single. Marla Maples guest starred on the episode "Love Native American Style". In this episode, Gene takes a group of children on an Indian troop camping trip. Maples plays Donna Lorenzo, a divorced mother who goes along. Together, they demonstrate wrestling techniques and share a sleeping bag.

== Production == The series premiere of ''Something Wilder'' was delayed by a few weeks in the fall of 1994, as a result of casting issues. Jennifer Grey had originally won the role of Annie Bergman, and shot the first pilot; test audiences, however, disapproved of the age difference between her and Wilder. Grey was let go, but the search for her replacement proved more challenging than expected. Almost down to the wire, NBC then cast actress Hillary Bailey Smith for the role. Smith, who was playing the contract role of Nora Gannon on ''One Life to Live'' at the time, continued appearing on that show (despite the fact that ''OLTL'' was on a competing network, ABC) during the run of ''Something Wilder'', and resumed the daytime role full time when ''Something Wilder'' was canceled.

== Episodes == {{No plot|section|date=September 2020}} {{Episode table |background=#36BD2A |overall=5 |title=22 |director=20 |writer=22 |writerR=<ref>https://directories.wga.org/project/195994/something-wilder/</ref> |airdate=18 |viewers=9 |episodes=

{{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=1 |Title=Hell No, They Won't Go |DirectedBy=Barnet Kellman |WrittenBy={{StoryTeleplay|s= Lee Kalcheim & Barnet Kellman|t= Lee Kalcheim}} |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1994|10|1}} |Viewers=8.3<ref>{{cite news|title=Nielsen ratings|department=Life|work=USA Today|page=3D|date=October 5, 1994}}</ref> |ShortSummary=  |LineColor=36BD2A }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=2 |Title=All in the Game |DirectedBy=Barnet Kellman |WrittenBy=Gail Honigberg |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1994|10|8}} |Viewers=7.5<ref>{{cite news|title=CBS edges into No. 1 spot, but can it stay?|department=Life|work=USA Today|page=3D|date=October 12, 1994|author=Graham, Jefferson}}</ref> |ShortSummary=  |LineColor=36BD2A }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=3 |Title=No Kids Allowed |DirectedBy=Barnet Kellman |WrittenBy=Lee Kalcheim |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1994|10|15}} |Viewers=7.3<ref>{{cite news|title=Regular series put ABC back on top|department=Life|work=USA Today|page=3D|date=October 19, 1994|author=DeRosa, Robin}}</ref> |ShortSummary=  |LineColor=36BD2A }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=4 |Title=Buster Beefy |DirectedBy=Barnet Kellman |WrittenBy=Seth Kurland |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1994|10|22}} |Viewers=7.4<ref>{{cite news|title=ABC is 'Home' alone at the top|department=Life|work=USA Today|page=3D|date=November 2, 1994|author=DeRosa, Robin}}</ref> |ShortSummary=  |LineColor=36BD2A }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=5 |Title=Love, Native American Style |DirectedBy= |WrittenBy=Alan Uger |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1994|12|6}} |Viewers=16.0<ref>{{cite news|title=Nielsen ratings|department=Life|work=USA Today|page=3D|date=December 14, 1994}}</ref> |ShortSummary=  |LineColor=36BD2A }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=6 |Title=Gotta Dance |DirectedBy= |WrittenBy=Jennifer Glickman & Seth Kurland |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1994|12|13}} |Viewers=16.3<ref>{{cite news|title=ABC's winning way with comedy|department=Life|work=USA Today|page=3D|date=December 21, 1994|author=DeRosa, Robin}}</ref> |ShortSummary=  |LineColor=36BD2A }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=7 |Title=Holy Water |DirectedBy=Barnet Kellman |WrittenBy=James Berg & Stan Zimmerman |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1994|12|20}} |Viewers=14.4<ref>{{cite news|title=Football kicks off ABC's winning week|department=Life|work=USA Today|page=3D|date=December 29, 1994|author=DeRosa, Robin}}</ref> |ShortSummary=  |LineColor=36BD2A }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=8 |Title=The Ex Files |DirectedBy=Barnet Kellman |WrittenBy=Ruth Bennett |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1995|1|3}} |Viewers=18.6<ref>{{cite news|title=Nielsen ratings|department=Life|work=USA Today|page=3D|date=January 11, 1995}}</ref> |ShortSummary=  |LineColor=36BD2A }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=9 |Title=For the Boys |DirectedBy=Barnet Kellman |WrittenBy=Mark Drop |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1995|1|10}} |Viewers=16.3<ref>{{cite news|title='ER' rolls into the No. 1 spot|department=Life|work=USA Today|page=3D|date=January 18, 1995|author=DeRosa, Robin}}</ref> |ShortSummary=  |LineColor=36BD2A }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=10 |Title=Family Tie |DirectedBy=Barnet Kellman |WrittenBy=Ruth Bennett & Tom Anderson |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1995|1|17}} |Viewers=13.7<ref>{{cite news|title='ER' helps pull NBC to No. 1|department=Life|work=USA Today|page=3D|date=January 25, 1995|author=DeRosa, Robin}}</ref> |ShortSummary=  |LineColor=36BD2A }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=11 |Title=Sleepless in Stockbridge |DirectedBy= |WrittenBy=James Berg & Stan Zimmerman |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1995|1|31}} |Viewers=15.0<ref>{{cite news|title=Nielsen ratings|department=Life|work=USA Today|page=3D|date=February 8, 1995}}</ref> |ShortSummary=  |LineColor=36BD2A }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=12 |Title=Love at First Flight |DirectedBy=Barnet Kellman |WrittenBy=Jennifer Glickman & Seth Kurland |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1995|2|14}} |Viewers=13.9<ref>{{cite news|title=Nielsen ratings|department=Life|work=USA Today|page=3D|date=February 22, 1995}}</ref> |ShortSummary=  |LineColor=36BD2A }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=13 |Title=Bergman of Alcatraz |DirectedBy= |WrittenBy=Jennifer Glickman |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1995|3|7}} |Viewers=11.4<ref>{{cite news|title=Nielsen ratings|department=Life|work=USA Today|page=3D|date=March 15, 1995}}</ref> |ShortSummary=  |LineColor=36BD2A }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=14 |Title=Hanging with Mr. Cooper |DirectedBy=Barnet Kellman |WrittenBy=Barry Vigon & Tom Walla |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1995|3|14}} |Viewers=14.2<ref>{{cite news|title=Nielsen ratings|department=Life|work=USA Today|page=3D|date=March 22, 1995}}</ref> |ShortSummary=  |LineColor=36BD2A }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=15 |Title=Dr. Roof |DirectedBy= |WrittenBy=Ruth Bennett |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1995|6|13}} |Viewers=10.0<ref>{{cite news|title=Nielsen ratings|department=Life|work=USA Today|page=3D|date=June 21, 1995}}</ref> |ShortSummary=  |LineColor=36BD2A }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=16 |Title=Dumping's Rotten in the State of Massachusetts |DirectedBy= |WrittenBy=Seth Kurland |OriginalAirDate= Unaired |Viewers= |ShortSummary=  |LineColor=36BD2A }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=17 |Title=Mothers and Other Strangers |DirectedBy= |WrittenBy=James Berg & Stan Zimmerman |OriginalAirDate= Unaired |Viewers= |ShortSummary=  |LineColor=36BD2A }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=18 |Title=Oy, the Jury |DirectedBy= |WrittenBy=James Berg & Stan Zimmerman |OriginalAirDate= Unaired |Viewers= |ShortSummary=  |LineColor=36BD2A }} }}

== Release == After the series premiered on October 1, 1994, on Saturdays at 8/7c, lackluster ratings prompted NBC to pull the show after only four episodes had aired. It was relaunched in December in a new Tuesday 8:30/7:30c slot. The series continued steadily for another three months, but it did not do much better in the ratings. NBC dropped the show from its lineup again in March 1995, and officially canceled it not long after. One more original episode turned up in the same Tuesday time slot on June 13, 1995, with three unaired episodes remaining.

==References== {{reflist}} * Brooks, Tim and Marsh, Earle, ''The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows''

==External links== * {{IMDb title|0108934}} * {{epguides|id=SomethingWilder}}

Category:1990s American multi-camera sitcoms Category:1994 American television series debuts Category:1995 American television series endings Category:English-language American television shows Category:Television series about families Category:Television series by Warner Bros. Television Studios Category:Television shows set in Massachusetts Category:NBC sitcoms