For some of you this show might be totally alien to you, for others, you’ll have gotten the pun I just made. A wonderful sitcom that first aired in America in 1996, 3rd Rock From The Sun focused on the day-to-day lives of the Soloman family, a group of extra-terrestrial explorers sent to covertly discover details of life on Earth – the third “rock” from the sun. The Soloman family is wonderfully put together, with each member having their own weird qualities. Dick Soloman, for example, is the leader of the group, but the reason for this is not particularly obvious. As an alien from a supposedly far more advanced race, Dick is highly intelligent but has next-to-no social skills or knowledge of the human condition.
All the family are excellently written, but in a very strange way. Tommy, the youngest in the family, is actually the oldest member of the crew but wears the ‘disguise’ of a teen age boy. Sally is the military expert of the crew, but not knowing about the distinctions between sexes on Earth opts for a female body, only then to be hit-on by a plethora of men – a lot of whom she beats up. Then there’s Harry, who has no particular niche other than that he’s inexplicably desired by multiple women; not that he’s bright enough to do anything about it.
The humour of the show is derived from the total lack of understanding the crew has when it comes to socialising with humans and with the emotive capabilities of the human mind. They simply can’t handle what’s going on and it’s utterly riotous to watch. Definitely find some episodes if you can!
