Before Haim Saban's production company took off into the stratosphere, thanks to a certain Japanese franchise, Saban was importing cartoons from Japan for Nickelodeon, and trying his hand at producing game shows. You know about the short-lived NBC series, I'm Telling, but there was also a little something called Couch Potatoes, which also lasted one season (1989-90).
Nickelodeon icon Marc Summers (Double Dare) served as MC, and you can tell that Saban was ripping off MTV's Remote Control in a way, but instead of the game being played in someone's basement, the variant here is that the announcer, impressionist/voice actor Joe Alaskey, is billed as a "next door neighbor". Scheduling conflicts, I think, resulted in Alaskey departing before the series ended, replaced by former game show host and part-time actor Jim McKrell (ex-Celebrity Sweepstakes). Alaskey's only other live-action series gig was Out of This World, insofar as a I know, other than the obligatory late night yakfest bookings for his standup act. Joe's from my neck of the woods, one of a select number from the upstate corridor to hit it big in Hollywood, so we'll keep an eye open for any more of him in front of the camera.
Aside from Alaskey, Summers, and Saban, the reason this is in the Archives is, well, it could've worked better as a weekend entry. Airing 6 days a week instead of 5 might've helped Potatoes last longer. Other than that, it's a standard quiz game.
No rating.
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