THE COMPLETELY MENTAL MISADVENTURES OF ED GRIMLEY (2024)

(NBC, September 10-December 3, 1988)

Hanna-Barbera Productions, SEPP International S.A.

MAIN CAST:

Martin Shortintended to become a social worker after graduating from McMaster University, but being cast in a Toronto production of Godspell gave him the acting bug. Short wasencouraged to pursue comedy by classmates Eugene Levy and Dave Thomas, andhe joined them in the Canadian improvisational group The Second City in 1977.

Short partnered with Hanna-BarberaProductions, in association with SEPP International S.A., tobring Grimley to Saturday morning television; in part as a means to entertainhis children, and in part because NBC washoping the Grimley persona could stand up against Pee-weeHerman over on CBS’ Pee-wee’sPlayhouse. Short himself provided the voice of Grimley, as well as EmilGustav of the scientific duo the Amazing Gustav Brothers. The rest of the showwas filled with Short’s friends and fellow Second City castmates: Andrea Martinplayed co-landlord Deidre Freebus; Catherine O’Hara played Grimley’s lovely andditzy amateur actress neighbor Ms. Malone; Joe Flaherty appeared in live-actionsegments as his character Count Floyd; and Short’s mentor Jonathan Wintersplayed landlord Leo Freebus and the other Gustav brother, Roger, as well as theGustav’s mother (based on his Maude Frickertcharacter). Fellow SCTV alumsincluded Levy in a guest-starring role and Thomas in several supporting roles,as well as SNL alum Christopher Guest (who alsoappeared in Short’s 1985 special) as a guest-star. René Auberjonois, Kenneth Mars and Arte Johnson also lent theirvoices to various episodes. Danny Cooksey played the role of Ms. Malone’slittle brother, Wendell.

The Completely Mental Misadventuresof Ed Grimley debuted on NBC on September 10, 1988, becoming the firstSaturday morning adaptation of an SCTV orSNL feature, and the first to star a SCTVcast member (joined by John Candy in CampCandy the following year, and Rick Moranis in GravedaleHigh the year after that). The intro featured a live-action Grimleyinteracting with the world and characters of the show before becoming theanimated Grimley. The series’ music was composed by Michael Tavera. Episodes wouldtypically follow a mundane day in the life of Grimley, who lived alone with hisgoldfish, Moby, and pet rat, Sheldon (Frank Welker). However, Grimley’s daywould typically end up going bizarrely sideways as only they could to aself-aware cartoon character. All of Grimley’s trademarks were present,including his catchphrases “I must say,” “Pretty decent,” and “Too much,” aswell as his manic dancing and affinity for the triangle. The series was writtenby Short along with Wayne Kaatz,John Loy, John Ludin, Ali Marie Matheson, Kelly Ward, Mark Young andMichael Short, his brother.Loy, Ludin, Matheson and Short himself all served as story editors. It wasanimated by WangFilm Productions’ Cuckoo’s NestStudio.

Regardless of the situation, Grimley would always find time to tune into hisfavorite show (next to Wheel of Fortune):Count Floyd’s Scary Stories. It was alive-action show-within-a-show where the howling vampire Count Floyd wouldregale his children-filled audience with the most un-scary stories imaginable(a parody of TV horror hosts from the 1950s and 60s that were stuck hostingnonfrightening films). Another recurring segment would feature the Gustavbrothers attempting to tie a science lesson into the main story—sometimessuccessfully. Midway through the season, Hanna-Barbera held an Ed Grimley look-alike contest topromote the show. The winner was 10-year-old Matt Mitchel from Des Moines, Iowa.

Despite airing on Saturday mornings, the show was really geared towardsan older audience with the types of references and in-jokes used. As a result,it ended up losing out to the ratings powerhouse Pee-wee’s Playhouse. The Writer’sGuild strike of 1988 also played a factor in the show getting cancelled atthe conclusion of its only season. Short unsuccessfully proposed moving theshow to primetime where its content would find a better audience. Hanna-Barberahad begun development on a star vehicle for Whoopi Goldberg, but Ed Grimley’s performance caused thoseplans to be abandoned. Ed Grimley wouldremain on NBC until the following September when it would be replaced by Camp Candy.

“Tall, Dark and Hansom” (9/10/88) – Filling in for his cousin ends upputting Ed in a horse race with a hansom cab.

“Ed’s Debut” (9/17/88) – Ed is mistakenly arrested for a bank robberywhile on his way to make his triangle debut with the city’s philharmonic.

“E.G., Go Home” (9/24/88) – An amusement park rocket ride takes Ed andWendell to another planet ruled by an alien queen.

“Ed’s in Hot Water” (10/1/88) – Ed is asked to watch the building forthe Freebuses and is washed out to sea when he tries to fix the hot waterheater.

“Crate Expectation” (10/8/88) – Ed ends up in a crate trying to get abirthday present for Miss Malone, while she’s visited by a guardian angel whoshows what would happen if she wasn’t born.

“Grimley, P.F.C.” (10/15/88) – Ed goes to return a library book andends up joining the Army.

“Moby is Lost” (10/22/88) – Ed hires a sea captain to find the missingMoby.

“Good Neighbor Ed” (10/29/88) – Ed must take a picture of all hisneighbors to win a contest.

“Driver Ed” (11/5/88) – Teaching Miss Malone to drive leads her and Edto become wandering spirits haunting Mr. Freebus.

“Blowin’ in the Wind” (11/12/88) – A tornado whisks Ed to a farm wherea traveling stock show work for a chance at Broadway.

“Eyewitness Ed” (11/19/88) – Ed witness a robbery and ends up in theWitness Protection Program.

“Eddy, We Hardly Knew Ye” (11/26/88) – Ed’s tonsillectomy puts him ina hospital room with a werewolf.

“The Irving Who Came to Dinner” (12/3/88) – Irving Cohen helps Edexpose a couple of con artists.

Originally posted in 2016. Updated in 2024.