"Normal, Ohio" (2000) TV series 2000-2001

Director:

David Trainer

Writers:

Kira Arne (staff writer)
Bob Nickman (writer)

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

1 November 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot Keywords:

Gay Interest | Homosexual | Homosexuality | Gay Parent

Awards:

1 win

Cast

John Goodman	...	Rex Gamble / ... (7 episodes, 2000)
Joely Fisher	...	Pamela Theresa Gamble-Miller (7 episodes, 2000)
Greg Pitts	...	Charles 'Charlie' Gamble (7 episodes, 2000)
Anita Gillette	...	Joan Gamble (7 episodes, 2000)
Julia McIlvaine	...	Kimberly Miller (7 episodes, 2000)
Cody Kasch	...	Robert 'Robbie' Miller (7 episodes, 2000)
Mo Gaffney	...	Elizabeth (7 episodes, 2000)
Charles Rocket	...	Danny (7 episodes, 2000)
Orson Bean	...	William 'Bill' Gamble, Sr. (7 episodes, 2000)
Jayson Schaal	...	Young Bill (4 episodes, 2000)

Also Known As:

Butch (USA) (working title)
Don't Ask (USA) (working title)
Goodman (USA) (working title)
The John Goodman Project (USA) (working title)
Untitled John Goodman Project (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

30 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Filming Locations:

CBS Studio Center - 4024 Radford Avenue, Studio City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Carsey-Werner Company

Trivia:

13 Episodes were made but only 7 episodes got to air.

Quotes:

Robert 'Robbie' Miller: What is the point of having a great tree if the outside of the house looks like... like...
Pamela Theresa Gamble-Miller: Our house?
Robert 'Robbie' Miller: Yes.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Lucy Liu/Jay-Z (#26.8)" (2000)

A Good Idea Spoiled by Corporate Stupidity

First of all, I agree with most of the posters that say that Fox should have been shot for the way they handled "Normal, Ohio." That being said, a good amount of the blame should also be laid at the feet of John Goodman himself, who seemed to base his response to interviewers who asked about the show on its original title: "Don't Ask."

As good an actor as he is, John Goodman was the wrong actor to choose, in that he did everything but sabotage the show himself. He seemed very uncomfortable--almost to the point of hostility--that there was some small contingent of the gay community that might find him desirable, and that doesn't go over so well when you're playing a gay man on a gay-themed comedy. I didn't expect him to be anything like Richard Karn (who is aware of his gay following and is cool with it), but he definitely didn't handle it well.

But most of all, I miss this show because of the possibilities that would have been opened up had Fox not pulled the plug and showed a bit more moxie. If it had continued, Butch would have gotten a love interest--none other than Dan Aykroyd! This was a show that could have finally broken the "Will and Grace" stereotype of gay men that seems to have a complete stranglehold on the media. Only one other show has come close, and that was the two "Wings" episodes with "Men in Trees'" Abraham Benrubi (another straight-but-not-narrow actor who actually appeared on "Roseanne" as a younger version of Goodman's character). Sadly, like most potentially daring ideas on TV nowadays, they were forced to sacrifice their higher concept for survivability.