Stark Raving Mad (TV series)

Stark Raving Mad
Created by Steven Levitan
Starring Tony Shalhoub
Neil Patrick Harris
Eddie McClintock
Heather Paige Kent
Dorie Barton
Composer(s) Steve Hampton
Korban Kraus
John Adair
Country of origin United States
No. of seasons 1
No. of episodes 22 (4 unaired)
Production
Executive producer(s) Steven Levitan
Camera setup Multi-camera
Running time 30 minutes
Production company(s) Steven Levitan Productions
20th Century Fox Television
Release
Original network NBC
Original release September 23, 1999 (1999-09-23) – July 13, 2000 (2000-07-13)

Stark Raving Mad is an American sitcom that aired on NBC from 1999 to 2000. The series starred Tony Shalhoub and Neil Patrick Harris.

Synopsis

Shalhoub stars as odd horror novelist Ian Stark, who is obsessed with practical jokes, and whose first book Below Ground was a best seller. Neil Patrick Harris is Stark's reluctant editor Henry McNeeley, who has a variety of phobias and possibly obsessive-compulsive disorder. On January 10, 2000, the sitcom won a People's Choice Award for Favorite New Television Comedy Series. The sitcom premiered on September 23, 1999 and was officially cancelled by NBC on April 15, 2000 despite having a 10.7 average household share and being ranked 15th among all programs.[1]

Margaret 'Maddie' Keller was to be played by Jessica Cauffiel as she appears in several early cast photos.

Cast

Main cast

Recurring cast

Episodes

No. Title Directed by Written by Original air date Production
code
1"Pilot"James BurrowsSteven LevitanSeptember 23, 19991ADM79
Henry McNeely gets a promotion he doesn't want. He's now the editor for the eccentric horror novelist Ian Stark. Ian's practical jokes are done at the expense of Henry.
2"The Man Who Knew Too Much"Ted WassAlan KirschenbaumSeptember 30, 19991ADM01
Trying to pull another joke on Henry Ian mistakes in recommending some other woman's wishes as those of Henry's girlfriend to Henry. Ian even takes Henry to a sex shop for kinky presents to "her girlfriend".
3"Sometimes a Fritter Is Just a Fritter"Ted WassDavid A. GoodmanOctober 7, 19991ADM03
Henry's misunderstanding of a change of a name of a character in Ian's manuscript ruins Ian's morning routine of fritters and long walks.
4"Four Colds and a Funeral"Gail MancusoEric ZicklinOctober 14, 19991ADM05
Henry accidentally kills a man named Professor Huggles (a character obviously inspired by Dr. Seuss)
5"The Lyin' King"Gail MancusoBrian Buckner, Sebastian JonesOctober 21, 19991ADM06
During Halloween, Ian helps Henry to pay back his cousin Lori for an old prank she pulled on him, while Maddie's date may or may not be a humpback for real.
6"Fish out of Water"Ted WassJeffrey RichmanNovember 4, 19991ADM04
Everyone is at Audrey's dinner party where a fish needs to be put back into the tank.
7"Engaged to Be Engaged"Gail MancusoGayle AbramsNovember 11, 19991ADM07
Henry tries to make a commitment to Tess.
8"The Stalker"Ken LevineSteven LevitanNovember 18, 19991ADM09
Ian's obsessed fan wants to take Henry's place.
9"The Dance"Gail MancusoSteven LevitanDecember 2, 19991ADM08
Tess attempts to fix up Ian and Maddie.
10"Coffin to Go"Ted WassLynnie Greene, Richard LevineDecember 9, 19991ADM02
Ian discovers that the funeral place accidentally sold him a coffin with a corpse in it.
11"Christmas Cheerleader"Michael LembeckDavid A. GoodmanDecember 16, 19991ADM10
Tess tries to cheer up Christmas for a bunch of social outcasts.
12"The Crush"Michael LembeckEric ZicklinJanuary 6, 20001ADM11
Ian has a crush on a woman, but Jake cannot be trusted with letters.
13"My Bodyguard (a.k.a. Guarding Tess)"Steven LevitanGayle AdamsJanuary 13, 20001ADM12
Henry, Ian and Tess get mugged. Ian head-butts the mugger and saves the day. Henry soon feels sexually inadequate when he learns that Ian's heroics caused Tess to have an erotic dream about Ian. Ian sets up a similar incident, designed to make Henry look like a hero in Tess' eyes.
14"The Hypnotist"Michael LembeckAlan KirschenbaumFebruary 3, 20001ADM15
Ian professes to be a hypnotic expert and the situation gets out of hand. Note: Ian claims to have once suffered from OCD, but cured it with hypnosis. Tony Shalhoub would later find success in Monk, playing a detective with OCD.
15"Therapy"Sheldon EppsEric ZicklinMarch 2, 20001ADM16
Ian and Henry go to a therapist. After the session Henry wants to know what the therapist told about him. Ian lies that she thinks Henry is paranoid.
16"Secrets and Lies"David LeeJeffrey RichmanMarch 9, 20001ADM18
A Yale student turns up some shocking secrets about where Ian was nearly twenty years ago.
17"The Grade"Steven LevitanBrian Buckner, Sebastian JonesMarch 16, 20001ADM21
Ian helps Maddie by writing a book report for her, but then is furious when her professor only gives her a "B".
18"The Pigeon"Sheldon EppsJoe Piscatella, Craig A. WilliamsJuly 13, 20001ADM17
Ian accidentally knocks a pigeon's nest filled with eggs off his balcony's ledge. Later he becomes paranoid, thinking the mother pigeon is back with vengeance.
19"He's Gotta Have It"Joyce GittlinLynnie Greene, Richard LevineJuly 20, 20001ADM13
Tess' sister visits and Ian becomes uncontrollably attracted to her.
20"Dog Gone"Gail MancusoBrian Buckner, Sebastian JonesJuly 27, 20001ADM14
Henry loses Edgar, and when he finds him, new problems arise.
21"The Psychic"Jeff MelmanDana GouldAugust 3, 20001ADM19
22"The Big Finish"Robert EganRichard Levine, Lynnie GreeneAugust 10, 20001ADM20

International airings

In some countries the series was renamed: Loco enloquecido (Latin American),[2] Stark, loco de atar (Spain), Splitter Pine Gal (Norway), Kreisi kynäniekka (Finland) and "En förläggares mardröm" (Sweden).

References

  1. The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946-Present. Ballantine Books. 2003. p. 1466. ISBN 0-345-45542-8.
  2. Canal Fox - Tandas Comerciales (6 feb. 2000) https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=WL48F336ACFA093FBB&feature=player_detailpage#t=422 at 7:07
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