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Baby Bob
Series premiere print advertisement
GenreSitcom
Created byMichael Saltzman
Written by
  • Steve Baldikoski
  • Bryan Behar
  • Jared Bush
  • Norm Gunzenhauser
  • Stephen Lloyd
  • Tom Palmer
  • Michael Saltzman
  • Dan Signer
Directed by
Starring
Voices ofKen Hudson Campbell
ComposerJon Ehrlich
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes14 (5 unaired)
Production
Executive producerMichael Saltzman
Producers
  • Steve Baldikoski
  • Bryan Behar
  • Stephen C. Grossman
CinematographyRon Vargas
Editors
Running time30 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkCBS
ReleaseMarch 18, 2002 (2002-03-18) –
June 20, 2003 (2003-06-20)

Baby Bob is an American sitcom television series that premiered on CBS as a midseason replacement on March 18, 2002, and aired two seasons through June 20, 2003. The Baby Bob character had previously been on television since February 2000, appearing in commercials for FreeInternet.com.[1] While actual infants played Bob, the effect to make him look like he was talking was achieved through computer editing.

Synopsis

The series centered on first-time parents Walter Spencer (Adam Arkin) and his wife Lizzy (Joely Fisher), and their six-month-old baby Bob (voiced by Ken Hudson Campbell). After discovering that their son can talk like an adult, Walter decides that they must keep it a secret. Lizzy, however, wants to show off Bob's talking skills, especially to her mother Madeline (Holland Taylor), who constantly brags about her other grandchildren. Supporting cast members included Elliott Gould as Walter's father Sam, and Marissa Tait as Bob's babysitter Teala.

Cast

Episodes

Series overview

SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
16March 18, 2002 (2002-03-18)April 22, 2002 (2002-04-22)
28June 6, 2003 (2003-06-06)June 20, 2003 (2003-06-20)

Season 1 (2002)

No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected by [2]Written byOriginal air dateProd.
code [2]		US viewers
(millions)
11"First Words"Rob SchillerMichael SaltzmanMarch 18, 2002 (2002-03-18)00115.62[3]
22"Mommy & Me"John FortenberryNorm GunzenhauserMarch 25, 2002 (2002-03-25)00214.18[4]
33"The Tell-Tale Art"Rob SchillerStephen LloydApril 1, 2002 (2002-04-01)00312.92[5]
44"The Other Side"John FortenberryMichael SaltzmanApril 8, 2002 (2002-04-08)00412.90[6]
55"House of the Rising Son"Rob SchillerTom PalmerApril 15, 2002 (2002-04-15)00510.71[7]
66"Talking Babies Say the Darndest Things"John FortenberryBryan Behar & Steve BaldikoskiApril 22, 2002 (2002-04-22)00610.82[8]

Season 2 (2003)

No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected by [2]Written byOriginal air dateProd.
code [2]		US viewers
(millions)
71"Rush Lim-Bob"Rob SchillerDan SingerJune 6, 2003 (2003-06-06)0136.00[9]
82"Don't Pass Me By"John FortenberryMichael SaltzmanJune 13, 2003 (2003-06-13)0085.13[10]
93"Reality Bites"Rob SchillerNorm GunzenhauserJune 20, 2003 (2003-06-20)TBA4.64[11]
104"Footloose, Infancy Free"TBDTBDUnaired (Unaired)TBAN/A
115"Boys Will Be Girls"TBDTBDUnaired (Unaired)009N/A
126"You Don't Know Jack"TBDTBDUnaired (Unaired)011N/A
137"Vegas Baby"TBDTBDUnaired (Unaired)012N/A
148"Let's Go to the Videotape"TBDTBDUnaired (Unaired)014N/A

Reception and cancellation

Baby Bob as Quizno's television pitchman

The series was panned by critics but premiered to strong ratings and placed 15th in its first week.[12] Baby Bob wrapped its first season, consisting of six episodes, in April 2002 with CBS planning a second season of thirteen episodes. However, CBS decided to shift its programming budget to its new series My Big Fat Greek Life and cut the second season order for Baby Bob to eight episodes. The second season of Baby Bob remained unaired for over a year until CBS aired the episodes in summer 2003.[13]

After the show's run ended, the Baby Bob character returned to television in a series of commercials for Quizno's.[14]

In 2002, TV Guide ranked Baby Bob number 14 on its '50 Worst TV Shows of All Time' list.[15]

References

  1. ^ Freeinternet.com Scores User Surge
  2. ^ a b c d From the United States Copyright Office catalog: "Public Catalog - Copyright Catalog (1978 to present) - Basic Search [search: "Midnight Caller"]". United States Copyright Office. Retrieved 2017-06-21.
  3. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (March 18–24)". The Los Angeles Times. March 27, 2002. Retrieved April 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  4. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (March 25–31)". The Los Angeles Times. April 3, 2002. Retrieved April 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  5. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (April 1–7)". The Los Angeles Times. April 10, 2002. Retrieved April 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  6. ^ Jasik, Mike (April 17, 2002). "Ratings skid in flush of pre-sweep reruns". Media Life Magazine. Archived from the original on April 19, 2002. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
  7. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (April 15-21)". The Los Angeles Times. April 24, 2002. Retrieved April 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  8. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (April 22-28)". The Los Angeles Times. May 1, 2002. Retrieved April 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  9. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (June 2–8)". The Los Angeles Times. June 11, 2003. Retrieved April 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  10. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (June 9–15)". The Los Angeles Times. June 18, 2003. Retrieved April 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  11. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (June 16–22)". The Los Angeles Times. June 25, 2003. Retrieved April 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  12. ^ Jasik, Mike (2002-03-27). "Puzzling success of CBS's 'Baby Bob'". Medialife Magazine. Archived from the original on 2009-04-26. Retrieved 2009-04-15.
  13. ^ Sullivan, Brian Ford (2003-05-23). "'BABY BOB' RETURNS TO CBS". The Futon Critic. Retrieved 2009-04-15.
  14. ^ Schneider, Michael (2007-03-01). "ABC developing 'Cavemen'". Variety. Archived from the original on 2009-04-26. Retrieved 2009-04-15.
  15. ^ TV Guide Book of Lists. Running Press. 2007. pp. 180. ISBN 978-0-7624-3007-9.

External links

source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby_Bob

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