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{{Infobox television
| show_name = Meego
| image = Meego cast.jpg
| caption =
| genre = [[Science fiction]] [[Situation comedy|sitcom]]
| creator = Ross Brown
| developer = [[Thomas L. Miller]] [[Robert L. Boyett]] Michael Warren
| starring = {{Plain list|
* [[Bronson Pinchot]]
* [[Ed Begley, Jr.]]
*[[Erik Von Detten]] (Pilot Episode)
* [[Jonathan Lipnicki]]
* [[Michelle Trachtenberg]]
* [[Will Estes]]
}}
| theme_music_composer = [[Jesse Frederick]] Bennett Salvay
| composer = Jesse Frederick Bennett Salvay
| country = United States
| language = English
| num_seasons = 1
| num_episodes = 13 (7 unaired)
| list_episodes = #Episodes
| executive_producer = Ross Brown Thomas L. Miller Robert L. Boyett Michael Warren
| producer = Karen K. Miller
| camera = [[Videotape]]; [[Multi-camera setup|Multi-camera]]
| runtime = 22 minutes (approx.)
| company = [[Miller-Boyett Productions|Miller-Boyett-Warren Productions]] [[Warner Bros. Television]]
| network = [[CBS]]
| picture_format = [[480i]] ([[SDTV]])
| first_aired = {{Start date|1997|09|19}}
| last_aired = {{End date|1997|10|24}}
}}

'''''Meego''''' is an American [[science fiction]] [[Situation comedy|sitcom]] that ran for six episodes from September 1 to October 24, 1997 on the [[CBS]] television network as part of its Friday night ''[[CBS Block Party|Block Party]]'' program block; after its cancellation, seven additional episodes that were produced but left unaired in the United States were aired in some international markets (such as on [[Sky1]] in the United Kingdom).

Created by Ross Brown, and developed by [[Thomas L. Miller]], [[Robert L. Boyett]], and Michael Warren, the series starred [[Bronson Pinchot]] in the title role as an alien masquerading as a human being who, after his spaceship crashlands on Earth, unexpectedly becomes the nanny to a single father's three children.

==Synopsis==
Meego (Pinchot) is a 9,000-year-old shape-shifting [[Extraterrestrial life in popular culture|alien]] from the planet Marmazon 4.0. After his spaceship crashes, he is discovered by three children; Trip ([[Erik von Detten]], later played by [[Will Estes]]), Maggie ([[Michelle Trachtenberg]]) and Alex Parker ([[Jonathan Lipnicki]]). They live with their single father, Dr. Edward Parker ([[Ed Begley, Jr.]]) and pass Meego off as human (he does not want anyone to know that he is extraterrestrial, and tells people he is from Canada instead). Although he plans to go home as soon as his ship is repaired, he becomes attached to the children and decides to remain on Earth to care for them.

==Cast==

===Main cast===
* [[Bronson Pinchot]] as Meego
* [[Ed Begley, Jr.]] as Dr. Edward Parker
* [[Michelle Trachtenberg]] as Maggie Parker
* [[Erik von Detten]] as Trip Parker #1 (pilot episode only)
* [[Will Estes]] as Trip Parker #2 (episodes 2-13)
* [[Jonathan Lipnicki]] as Alex Parker

===Notable guest stars===
* [[Jaleel White]] reprised his role as [[Steve Urkel]] for two back-to-back guest spots in the episodes "For Love and Money" and "The Truth About Cars and Dogs" (White's brief cameos in both episodes did not feature a speaking role).
* Three cast members of ''[[Gilligan's Island]]'', [[Bob Denver]], [[Dawn Wells]], and [[Russell Johnson]], had a guest appearance on the episode "Mommy 'n' Meego", which was unaired in the U.S.

==Broadcast history==
''Meego'' was commissioned specifically for the CBS Block Party, an effort to compete with [[TGIF (ABC)|TGIF]], the long-running family comedy block on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]. Incoming CBS head [[Leslie Moonves]] saw an opportunity to take advantage of an ownership change at ABC (then being acquired by [[The Walt Disney Company]], which was reshaping TGIF into a more teen-oriented block) and offered [[Miller-Boyett Productions]] US$40 million to bring two of TGIF's programs, ''[[Family Matters]]'' and ''[[Step by Step (TV series)|Step by Step]]'', to CBS. As part of the deal, Miller-Boyett also received the right to produce a new show, which became ''Meego''.<ref name=goober>{{cite news|title= He's A Goober But CBS Has A Lot Riding On Urkel TV| url= http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1997-07-18/lifestyle/9707170555_1_family-matters-cbs-urkel| work=[[Orlando Sentinel]]| author=Hal Boedeker| date=July 18, 1997| accessdate=October 18, 2012}}</ref>

''Meego'' was unusual among the shows in the CBS Block Party in that it was targeted mainly at children, instead of the whole family. This was a factor in the show's failure; by this point, the show's lead-in, ''Family Matters'', consisted mostly of a cast of young adults, and its lead-out, ''[[The Gregory Hines Show]]'' (the only show on the block with no ties to Miller-Boyett), was also a mostly adult-oriented sitcom.<ref name=goober/> Another factor in the show's failure was its direct competition; ''[[Boy Meets World]]'', the program that aired on TGIF opposite ''Meego'', reached its peak in number of viewers during the 1997–98 season. ''Meego'' was pulled from the air after six episodes.

==Critical reception==
{{expand section|date=August 2014}}
The show received mixed to negative reviews.<ref>[http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1997-09-19/lifestyle/9709180238_1_meego-jerry-maguire-kid `Meego' Is Alien To Adults], ''[[South Florida Sun-Sentinel]]'', September 19, 1997.</ref><ref>[http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-734263.html `Meego': A Cute Above; Meet the Cuddliest of Sitcoms], ''[[The Washington Post]]'' (through [[HighBeam Research]]), September 19, 1997.</ref><ref>[http://articles.nydailynews.com/1997-09-18/entertainment/18054482_1_jerry-maguire-cute-mrs-doubtfire 'Meego' Should've Been No-go], ''[[New York Daily News]]'', September 18, 1997.</ref>

==Home exteriors==
The exteriors of the Parker family home on ''Meego'' had been recycled from an earlier Miller-Boyett series, ''[[On Our Own (1994 TV series)|On Our Own]]''. The footage of the home was filmed in a suburb of [[St. Louis]], where ''On Our Own'' was set. During the entire run of ''Meego'' no location was ever specified as a setting in the storylines.

==Episodes==
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
! style="background:#6991FF; color:#FFFFFF; textalign:center;"| Episode number
! style="background:#6991FF; color:#FFFFFF; textalign:center;"| Title
! style="background:#6991FF; color:#FFFFFF; textalign:center;"| Directed by
! style="background:#6991FF; color:#FFFFFF; textalign:center;"| Written by
! style="background:#6991FF; color:#FFFFFF; textalign:center;"| Original air date
! style="background:#6991FF; color:#FFFFFF; textalign:center;"| Production code
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber=1
| Title= Pilot
| DirectedBy= [[Joel Zwick]]
| WrittenBy= Ross Brown
| ProdCode=475121
| OriginalAirDate={{start date|1997|09|19}}
| ShortSummary= Meego is made temporary babysitter for the Parker kids after his spaceship crashes in their backyard and he waits for repairs to be completed, but quickly finds himself growing attached to them and questioning his return home.
| LineColor=6991FF
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber=2
| Title= Love and Money
| DirectedBy= [[Richard Correll|Rich Correll]]
| WrittenBy= Larry Kase & Joel Ronkin
| OriginalAirDate={{start date|1997|09|26}}
| ProdCode=466552
| ShortSummary= Meego gets his first pay check, but still has a lot to learn about money; Maggie interrupts her studies to watch Trip and his friend play street hockey. ''[[Family Matters]]'' star Jaleel White has an uncredited cameo in his Steve Urkel character.
| LineColor=6991FF
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber=3
| Title=The Truth About Cars and Dogs
| DirectedBy= Rich Correll
| WrittenBy= Shelly Landau
| OriginalAirDate={{start date|1997|10|03}}
| ProdCode=466551
| ShortSummary= Maggie tries to tell her dad that the family nanny is an alien. Meanwhile, Meego goes on a date with the Parkers' next door neighbor; and Edward helps Alex build a model car for a derby. Jaleel White makes a second cameo appearance.
| LineColor=6991FF
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber=4
| Title= It's Good to be King
| DirectedBy= Rich Correll
| WrittenBy= Bill Bryan
| OriginalAirDate={{start date|1997|10|10}}
| ProdCode=466553
| ShortSummary= When Meego hears that Trip is no longer required to study to pass history now that he's the star of the basketball team, which is coached by the history teacher, he gives his own lesson. He shrinks the teacher/coach and leaves him guarded by watchdog Barkley, while he substitutes - as King George III. Meanwhile, Edward and Alex plan a fishing trip.
| LineColor=6991FF
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber=5
| Title=Fatal Attraction
| DirectedBy= Rich Correll
| WrittenBy= Allison M. Gibson
| OriginalAirDate={{start date|1997|10|17}}
| ProdCode=466554
| ShortSummary=Trip learns a valuable lesson after he takes Meego's magic wrist device and uses it to trick a popular girl into believing that he's the boy of her dreams. He initially enjoys the attention but changes his mind when his new "girlfriend" Brooke begins shadowing him and hanging on his every word. Meanwhile, Meego plays poker with Edward and some interns.
| LineColor=6991FF
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber=6
| Title=Halloween
| DirectedBy= Joel Zwick
| WrittenBy= Cary Okmin
| OriginalAirDate={{start date|1997|10|24}}
| ProdCode=466556
| ShortSummary=Maggie finds out that her secret admirer will be arriving incognito at her Halloween party and enlists Meego's aid in unmasking the mystery man, while he tends to spooky tasks of his own when he sets out to give Trip a scare.
| LineColor=6991FF
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber=7
| Title=Mommy 'n' Meego
| DirectedBy= Rich Correll
| WrittenBy= Bill Bryan
| OriginalAirDate=Unaired
| ProdCode=466559
| ShortSummary=On Meego's first attempt to phone his alien mom, he ends up reaching three Gilligan's Island castaways instead: Gilligan, Mary Ann and the Professor, still stranded after 35 years! While he continues his quest for a direct line to Marmazon 4.0, Trip, Maggie, and Alex try to keep his origins a secret from their suspicious and cranky grandmother.
| LineColor=6991FF
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber=8
| Title=Magic Parker
| DirectedBy= Rich Correll
| WrittenBy= Larry Kase & Joel Ronkin
| OriginalAirDate=Unaired
| ProdCode=466557
| ShortSummary=Alex tricks Meego into helping him show off in front of Marcus. Maggie tries to get him to help set up Edward on a date, but while waiting for Alex to finish his martial arts lesson, he meets two other nannies (Erika & Theresa) and asks if they are available, but finds out they are "aliens." Misunderstanding them, he assumes they are from a different planet.
| LineColor=6991FF
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber=9
| Title=Liar, Liar
| DirectedBy= Joel Zwick
| WrittenBy= Shelly Landau
| OriginalAirDate=Unaired
| ProdCode=466558
| ShortSummary=When Trip lies to get a date with college girl Amanda, Meego embellishes it with his antics. He also encounters snow for the first time.
| LineColor=6991FF
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber=10
| Title=I Won't Be Home for Christmas
| DirectedBy= Rich Correll
| WrittenBy= Cary Okmin
| OriginalAirDate=Unaired
| ProdCode=466562
| ShortSummary=It's Christmas and Meego tries helping out by doing such things as teleporting the Christmas tree into the house (still tied to the roof of the car) and helping Edward get Alex the toy he wants. It is of course the most popular one of the season and in a mad rush at the department store, his wrist device is broken.
| LineColor=6991FF
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber=11
| Title=Saturday Night Fever
| DirectedBy= Rich Correll
| WrittenBy= R. Lee Fleming Jr.
| OriginalAirDate=Unaired
| ProdCode=466555
| ShortSummary=Edward has to go away for the weekend to assist an operation. Meego catches the chicken pox with strange side effects. Trip sneaks out of the house at midnight to go to a illegal rave party and Maggie is fed up with being a 'geek' when she wins the model citizen of the month award for the fifth time running so she tries changing her image.
| LineColor=6991FF
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber=12
| Title=Performance Art
| DirectedBy= Joel Zwick
| WrittenBy= Allison M. Gibson
| OriginalAirDate=Unaired
| ProdCode=466560
| ShortSummary=Meego tries to persuade the kids to take their school field trip to the museum rather than the ice cream parlor. Trip plays sick to get a coveted autograph.
| LineColor=6991FF
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber=13
| Title=Car and Driver
| DirectedBy= Rich Correll
| WrittenBy= R. Lee Fleming Jr.
| OriginalAirDate=Unaired
| ProdCode=466561
| ShortSummary=Trip is desperate to get his driver's license in order to improve his dating prospects.
| LineColor=6991FF
}}
|}

==Awards and nominations==
{|class=wikitable style=text-align:center
!Year!!Award!!Result!!Category!!Recipient
|-
|rowspan=2|1998||rowspan=2|[[Young Artist Award]]s||{{Nom}}||Best Performance by a Young Actor in a Comedy TV Series||Jonathan Lipnicki
|-
|{{Won}}||Best Performance in a TV Comedy Series - Supporting Young Actress||Michelle Trachtenberg
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|0118397}}
* {{tv.com show|meego}}
* {{epguides|Meego|Meego}}

{{MillerBoyett}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Meego (Tv Series)}}
[[Category:1997 American television series debuts]]
[[Category:1997 American television series endings]]
[[Category:1990s American television series]]
[[Category:1990s American comedy television series]]
[[Category:American science fiction television series]]
[[Category:American television sitcoms]]
[[Category:CBS network shows]]
[[Category:English-language television programming]]
[[Category:Fictional extraterrestrial characters]]
[[Category:Television shows set in Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Television shows set in the United States]]
[[Category:Television series by Warner Bros. Television]]

Meego (TV series) - Revision history

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