youroldpaljim Review of My Mother the Car

My Mother the Car (1965–1966)

Perhaps this show needs to be reexamined.

[11 February 2002]

I have not seen this show since it was first aired on T.V. back in the mid sixties. I was around seven years old at the time and I don't recall it being all that bad. Then again I was only seven, but most people I have spoken to who remember it and who are older than me don't recall it being that bad either. I can still can hum the shows theme song and I remember vividly Jerry Van Dyke talking to the car and his "mother" talking back through the radio. I remember the show didn't last long and afterwards hearing all kinds of bad things about. The shows name became a buzz word for bad T.V. Jokes about this show sometimes popped up in some sixties sitcoms including "The Munsters".

I think it would be interesting to see this show again after all these years. Perhaps seen through todays eyes it might not look as bad as it did to critics back in the sixties. While I don't think it would turn out to an unsung TV classic, perhaps todays viewers might find things to like about this TV show that viewers and critics back in the sixties did not appreciate. However, its unlikely this show will ever turn up on T.V. again, if only because there were not enough episodes shot to make it worthwhile for syndication. As far as I know, it is not available on video, legally or illegally. Maybe this show is not as bad as it looked to people when it was first on. On the other hand maybe "My Mother The Car" is as bad as critics said it was. Until this show turns up again somewhere, only then can an objective reevaluation be made.