Baby Bob

Baby Bob

Series premiere print advertisement
Genre Sitcom
Created by Michael Saltzman
Written by Steve Baldikoski
Bryan Behar
Jared Bush
Norm Gunzenhauser
Stephen Lloyd
Tom Palmer
Michael Saltzman
Dan Signer
Directed by Robby Benson
John Fortenberry
Rob Schiller
Starring Adam Arkin
Joely Fisher
Holland Taylor
Elliott Gould
Voices of Ken Hudson Campbell
Composer(s) Jon Ehrlich
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 2
No. of episodes 14 (3 unaired)
Production
Executive producer(s) Michael Saltzman
Producer(s) Steve Baldikoski
Bryan Behar
Stephen C. Grossman
Editor(s) Skip Collector
Tucker Wiard
Michael Wilcox
Cinematography Ron Vargas
Running time 2224 minutes
Production company(s) Viacom Productions
Scribbler's Pillow
Distributor CBS Television Distribution
Broadcast
Original channel CBS
Original run March 18, 2002 – July 4, 2003
Baby Bob as Quizno's television pitchman

Baby Bob is an American sitcom that aired on CBS as a midseason replacement in March 2002. The Baby Bob character had previously been on television since February 2000, appearing in commercials for FreeInternet.com.[1] While actual infants played Bob, the effect to make him look like he was talking was achieved through computer editing.

Synopsis

The series centered around first-time parents Walter Spencer (Adam Arkin) and his wife Lizzy (Joely Fisher), and their six-month-old baby Bob (voiced by Ken Hudson Campbell). After discovering that their son can talk like an adult, Walter decides that they must keep it a secret. Lizzy, however, wants to show off Bob's talking skills, especially to her mother Madeline (Holland Taylor), who constantly brags about her other grandchildren. Supporting cast members included Elliott Gould as Walter's father Sam and Marissa Tait as Bob's babysitter Teala.

Reception and cancellation

The series was panned by critics but premiered to strong ratings and placed 15th in its first week.[2] Baby Bob wrapped its first season, consisting of six episodes, in April 2002 with CBS planning a second season of thirteen episodes. However, CBS decided to shift its programming budget for the new series My Big Fat Greek Life and cut the second season to eight episodes. The second season of Baby Bob remained unaired for over a year until CBS aired the episodes in summer 2003.[3]

After the show's run ended, the Baby Bob character returned to television in a series of commercials for Quizno's.[4]

In 2002, TV Guide ranked Baby Bob number 14 on its '50 Worst TV Shows of All Time' list.[5]

Cast

Episodes

Season 1

Episode # Episode title Original airdate
1-1 "First Words" March 18, 2002
1-2 "Mommy & Me" March 25, 2002
1-3 "The Tell-Tale Art" April 1, 2002
1-4 "The Other Side" April 8, 2002
1-5 "House of the Rising Son" April 15, 2002
1-6 "Talking Babies Say the Darndest Things" April 22, 2002

Season 2

Episode # Episode title Original airdate
2-1 "Rush Lim-Bob" June 6, 2003
2-2 "Don't Pass Me By" June 13, 2003
2-3 "Reality Bites" June 20, 2003
2-4 "Boys Will Be Girls" June 27, 2003
2-5 "Footloose, Infancy Free" July 4, 2003
2-6 "You Don't Know Jack" Unaired
2-7 "Vegas Baby" Unaired
2-8 "Let's Go to the Videotape" Unaired

References

  1. Freeinternet.com Scores User Surge
  2. Jasik, Mike (2002-03-27). "Puzzling success of CBS's 'Baby Bob'". medialifemagazine.com. Archived from the original on 26 April 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-15.
  3. Sullivan, Brian Ford (2003-05-23). "'BABY BOB' RETURNS TO CBS". thefutoncritic.com. Retrieved 2009-04-15.
  4. Schneider, Michael (2007-03-01). "ABC developing 'Cavemen'". variety.com. Archived from the original on 26 April 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-15.
  5. TV Guide Book of Lists. Running Press. 2007. p. 180. ISBN 0-7624-3007-9.

External links