| Get a Life | |
|---|---|
&sq=&lang=&file=File:Get_a_Life_Series.jpg) Region 1 DVD cover of the complete series | |
| Genre | Sitcom Black comedy Farce |
| Created by | Chris Elliott Adam Resnick David Mirkin |
| Starring | Chris Elliott Sam Robards Robin Riker Elinor Donahue Bob Elliott Taylor Fry Brady Bluhm Brian Doyle-Murray |
| Theme music composer | R.E.M. |
| Opening theme | "Stand" |
| Composer | Stewart Levin |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 35 (+1 unaired pilot) (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | David Mirkin |
| Producers | David Latt Chris Elliott Adam Resnick Steve Pepoon |
| Production locations | Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California Colonial Street, Backlot, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Production companies | Elliottland Productions Mirkinvision New World Television (1990–1991) TriStar Television (1991–1992) |
| Original release | |
| Network | Fox |
| Release | September 23, 1990 – March 8, 1992 |
| Infobox instructions (only shown in preview) | |
Get a Life is a television sitcom that was broadcast in the United States on the Fox Network from September 23, 1990, to March 8, 1992. The show stars Chris Elliott as a 30-year-old paperboy named Chris Peterson. Peterson is a charmless, oblivious and irresponsible manchild who lived in an apartment above his parents' garage (Elliott's parents are played by Elinor Donahue and his real-life father, comedian Bob Elliott), and often wrecks havoc on their lives and the people around them. The opening credits depict Chris Peterson delivering newspapers on his bike to the show's theme song, "Stand" by R.E.M.
The show was a creation of Elliott, Adam Resnick (like Elliott, a writer for Late Night with David Letterman), and writer/director David Mirkin (former executive producer/showrunner for Newhart and later for The Simpsons). Mirkin was executive producer/showrunner of the series and also directed most of the episodes. Notable writers of the series included Charlie Kaufman, screenwriter of Being John Malkovich; and Bob Odenkirk, co-creator of Mr. Show with Bob and David and Tenacious D.
The show was unconventional for a prime time sitcom, and many times the storylines of the episodes were surreal. For example, Elliott's character actually dies in twelve episodes. The causes of death included being crushed by a giant boulder, old age, tonsillitis, stab wounds, gunshot wounds, falling from an airplane, strangulation, getting run over by cars, choking on cereal, and simply exploding. For this reason, it was a struggle for Elliott and Mirkin to get the show on the air. Many of the executives at the Fox Network hated the show and thought it was too disturbing. They also found Elliott's character to be too unlikeable and insane.[1]
After only two VHS/DVD volumes were released, Shout! Factory released the complete series on September 18, 2012 – the first time all of the show's episodes were made commercially available.