Over the Top

After starring together in the little-known '80s flick "Pass the Ammo," friends and literal next door neighbors Tim Curry and Annie Potts tried to find another project they could work together on. Their chance finally came in 1997, when the two co-starred in a sitcom called "Over the Top." The original premise was that the pair were a divorced couple living in a suburban New York hotel who were constantly feuding with each other... however, that's not quite what (minuscule) TV audiences ultimately saw.

When ABC refused to let the press review the pilot (which is usually a strong indication that a show is terrible), rumors began to fly that the only reason it was optioned for a series was because executive producer Robert Morton and then-head of ABC Jamie Tarses were romantically involved. Production began on the series, but at the behest of Michael Eisner (Disney had recently aquired ABC), Tarses decided at the 11th hour to "retool" the show and make Curry and Potts ' characters friendly toward one another, since they had such good chemistry.

Part of the supporting cast was fired (including "That '70s Show"'s Debra Jo Rupp), Marla Sokoloff ("The Practice") replaced Natanya Ross, the original actress who played Potts' daughter, and the show's premise went through a drastic change. If memory serves, the series was slated to debut in early September 1997, but the retooling was announced mere days before the scheduled premiere and, since everything that was filmed completely scrapped, it wasn't until late October when the show finally debuted.

The new premise was that Potts and Curry had been married (for 12 days) and, when eccentric actor Curry finds himself down on his luck after being fired from a soap opera, he moves into the NYC hotel owned by ex Potts, and the two rekindle their friendship. Hilarity ensues (or at least it was supposed to).

I can only surmise that due to the negative publicity the show received, ABC went out of their way to ensure it was quickly canceled. The series received less than minimal promotion, and it was paired with Dan Ackroyd's sitcom "Soul Man," which was already limping along on life support by the time "Over the Top" premiered. As if that wasn't enough to kill the show, it debuted opposite The World Series. The final nail in the coffin came when the episode guest starring John Ritter (easily the best of the episodes that aired) failed to make an impact during November "sweeps" (a ridiculous period 3 times a year when every network vies for ratings and the shows that don't get huge numbers are immediately put on "hiatus" -- which almost always means they'll never air again). It seems a little too coincidental that the show's future hinged on that episode getting good ratings... the Ritter episode aired on American election night and was bumped from the schedule altogether in some television markets and replaced with election coverage. Only three episodes aired (an additional two episodes were scheduled in TV Guide listings), then ABC pulled the plug and shut down production three weeks early.

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Although "Over the Top" sounds like an appropriate title for a show with Tim Curry, he wasn't the most outrageous actor in the series by a longshot. No, that (dis)honor goes to a 35 year old Steve Carell ("The Office"), who co-starred in his first sitcom as a Greek chef named Yorgo. Carell was so outrageously manic that he was absolutely terrifying! Judging from his frightening performance on "Over the Top," I never imagined that Carell would (or could!) ever go on to become a household name. I've genuinely come to like him, but mere words can't describe how utterly horrific he is in "Over the Top!"

[Personal anecdote: The next thing I saw Carell in was the gimmicky sitcom "Watching Ellie," though I didn't immediately realize he was the guy from "Over the Top." Later as I was sitting in a movie theatre watching BRUCE ALMIGHTY and Carell began ranting in gibberish, I finally realized what I knew him from and literally said aloud, "Oh my God, that's Yorgo!" You know how sometimes you do something and immediately regret it? Yep, a bunch of heads turned and I found myself slumping deep in my seat from embarassment...]

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EPISODES

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01. "Pilot" (Original version)

This pilot is a variation of "I'm Bonnie, I'm Clyde" (below), with Simon crashing the quaint hotel owned by his ex, Kate (Annie Potts).

NOTES:ROCKY HORROR fans may get a kick out of the final line uttered by Curry in this episode.

*Some of the jokes are the same, but this version doesn't feature Robert, and the original version of Potts' character is far more hostile toward Simon than Hadley ever was.

*Debra Jo Rupp ("That '70s Show") stars as Rose, a role later filled by Liz Torres.

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02. "I'm Bonnie, I'm Clyde"

After being fired from his soap opera, Simon Ferguson (Tim Curry) looks up his ex-wife Hadley (Annie Potts) and then proceeds to completely disrupt her life.

NOTES: Perennial TV actor John O'Hurley was a last minute addition to the cast. He received a starring credit in most of the episodes though he only appeared in five of them. Curry and Potts sing "I'm Bonnie, I'm Clyde;" O'Hurley and Curry sing "Sunny."

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03. Who's Afraid of Simon Ferguson?

Simon directs and stars in Daniel's school production of Jack and the Beanstalk; Rose advises Gwen on how to gain the affection of a boy.

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04. "The Kernel"

Simon is hired back on the soap opera, but he quickly discovers that there are strings attached.

Note: Watch for Steve Carell's annoyingly wacky antics when he arrives on the set of the soap. He gets even more over the top in the unaired episodes... which seems hard to believe!

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05. "The Review"

A newspaper critic (Martin Mull) arrives at the hotel and plans to give it a wonderful review... until Simon gives him amnesia.

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06. "Simon, We Hardly Knew Ye"

Simon schemes to get publicity by faking his own death.

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07. "It's Gwen's Party and Hadley'll Cry If She Wants To"

Gwen throws a party; Hadley goes on a date with Robert.

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08. "The Bee Story"

Simon has Daniel unwittingly cheat on the spelling bee.

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09. The Nemesis

Simon and Hadley's old friend Justin (John Ritter) resurfaces, but his motives for returning to New York aren't what they appear to be.

NOTES: Ritter and Curry sing "Singin' in the Rain," and both actors revisit earlier successes... by appearing in drag.

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10. "Acting Out"

Gwen decides to take up acting, Hadley tries to resume her acting career, and Simon considers giving up the profession.

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11. "The Southern Story"

Hadley visits her mother (Grace Zabriskie) and discovers her mom's set to remarry. Meanwhile back at the Metropolitan, Rose and Yorgo find themselves quarreling like an old married couple.

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