3rd Rock from the Sun: Season 1

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Mixed or average reviews based on 26 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 38 Ratings

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7.6

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7.6	Your Score
7.6	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 38 Ratings

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3rd Rock From The Sun

Now Playing: 3rd Rock From The Sun

Season Details & Credits

NBC | Season Premiere Date: January 9, 1996

Starring: Kristen Johnston, Wayne Knight, John Lithgow

Summary: "As many intelligent people know, aliens are all around us. This is a story of a band of four such explorers. In order to blend in, they have assumed human form. This is the High Commander [Dick]. He has assembled an elite team of experts: A decorated military officer [Sally], a seasoned intelligence specialist [Tommy] and [Harry], well,"As many intelligent people know, aliens are all around us. This is a story of a band of four such explorers. In order to blend in, they have assumed human form. This is the High Commander [Dick]. He has assembled an elite team of experts: A decorated military officer [Sally], a seasoned intelligence specialist [Tommy] and [Harry], well, they had an extra seat."3RD ROCK FROM THE SUN is an inspired half-hour comedy series farcically dealing with the human condition set in the fictional city of Rutherford, Ohio. This gentle-hearted series stars John Lithgow as the High Commander of an investigative team sent to Earth on a mission to learn everything about humans and their so-called advanced civilization. Described by its producers as "Carl Sagan meets the Marx Brothers," 3RD ROCK has a clever, distinct point of view seen through the extraterrestrial team who has no other worldly powers except absolute truthfulness. Dick (John Lithgow, Don Quixote), Harry (French Stewart, Love Stinks), Sally (Kristen Johnston, Austin Powers) And Tommy (Joseph Gordon-Levitt, 10 thing I Hate About You), arrive in our world completely innocent, while equipped with superior intelligence to analyze every experience. This bizarre vantage point of an innocent seeing everything for the first time is the comic framework from which to satire the human condition and American society, to look at all of the injustices and absurdities and humorously point them out to us. 3RD ROCK cuts through our taboos and traditions with a childlike inquisitive logic and an impeccably paced humorous twist. We the viewers see ourselves in 3RD ROCK, and we see ourselves as the aliens.The humor of 3RD ROCK is always twisting the viewpoint to show the angle of an outsider looking in. 3RD ROCK which we know as Earth is the way travellers would look at the world - an insignificant blue speck that is The 3rd Rock from the Sun.Reruns were last seen on ABC Family on April 15, 2005 at 9:00am ET with the episode "The Big Giant Head Returns Again, Part 1" and may return at some other time. Check listings.Ratings:
#22 in the 1995-1996 Season
#27 in the 1996-1997 Season… Expand

Genre(s): Comedy, Science Fiction

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Season 1 Episodes

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S1:E20. See Dick Run
Air Date: May 21, 1996
tbd
S1:E19. Selfish Dick
Air Date: May 14, 1996
tbd
S1:E18. Father Knows Dick
Air Date: May 7, 1996

See all Seasons and Episodes

Metascore

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Critic Reviews

Tom Gliatto

Jun 26, 2013

The show needs work-—why all the breast jokes?-—but [Lithgow and Curtin] don't. Read full review

San Jose Mercury News/Contra Costa Times

Ron Miller

Jun 19, 2013

Moliere it's not, but somehow it works as a sort of energized hybrid of "The Beverly Hillbillies," "Mork & Mindy" and those "Coneheads" sketches Curtin spent so much time in while she was with SNL. [7 Jan 1996]

Barry Garron

Jun 19, 2013

No one will mistake this for cutting-edge comedy but it is well-cast (especially Lithgow) and good-natured enough to please most viewers. [8 Jan 1996]

Miles Beller

Jun 19, 2013

Though Rock can feel heavy and static, jammed with too many dumb jokes about body parts, it is capable of showing a quirky bounce now and again, which is a quality one hopes will be developed as the series establishes itself. [8 Jan 1996]

Ginia Bellafante

Jul 2, 2013

Third Rock's creators, veteran Saturday Night Live writers Bonnie and Terry Turner, have described the show as "Carl Sagan meets the Marx Brothers." In reality, it's Maude meets Mork & Mindy. Read full review

Jonathan Storm

Jun 19, 2013

I counted 14 breast and genital jokes in the three episodes of 3d Rock From the Sun sent out to critics. Some of them (the jokes, that is) seemingly went on for hours. Most would make even a mature 13-year-old cringe. [9 Jan 1996]

Chris Kaltenbach

Jun 19, 2013

It's hard to figure where the makers of "Third Rock" believe they went right. The humor never rises above high-school-lunchroom level, and even then it's not over-the-top enough to make it very appealing. The actors are talented enough -- Lithgow and Curtin certainly have nothing left to prove, and Gordon-Levitt seems to be that rarest of finds, a young actor who knows about timing. What they're doing in this mess is one of those questions for the ages. [9 Jan 1996]

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7.6

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User Reviews

manningn15

May 12, 2019

This show is hilarious. The writing and screenplay are terrific and extremely hilarious. The cast give stupendous performances especially John Lithgow, French Stewart, Kristen Johnston, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jane Curtin, and Simbi Khali. I love the theme music and all of the music in theThis show is hilarious. The writing and screenplay are terrific and extremely hilarious. The cast give stupendous performances especially John Lithgow, French Stewart, Kristen Johnston, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jane Curtin, and Simbi Khali. I love the theme music and all of the music in the show it is fantastic. This is a A+ comedy tv show.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

ydnar4

Nov 13, 2015

3rd Rock from the Sun is a classic comedy overall and is one of the most recognizable 1990's sitcoms. Its creators eventually created That 70's show. It does have enough of an original premise that it doesn't fall into a cheap sitcom formula. I love the set of this show, they suit the3rd Rock from the Sun is a classic comedy overall and is one of the most recognizable 1990's sitcoms. Its creators eventually created That 70's show. It does have enough of an original premise that it doesn't fall into a cheap sitcom formula. I love the set of this show, they suit the characters that they place in them. The character bring a different type or humour considering they are not human, just aliens disguised as humans, John Lithgow was an actor that I had always found to be versatile but I was shocked how funny he is in this show. French Stewart offers some great laughs in his most notable role of his career. Kristen Johnston is also noteworthy in a role that would go on to earn her 2 Emmy awards. Jane Curtin offers some relief as most sensible character in the cast. The show is also responsible for introducing Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who has now become one of the biggest actors right now.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

eTurkey

Mar 23, 2012

A classic 90's sitcom that is indisputably out of this world. '3rd Rock from the Sun' is quite funny which is everything you ever desire from a television comedy and the first season does not disappoint for the most part. The storylines are fun and lighthearted and each of the regular andA classic 90's sitcom that is indisputably out of this world. '3rd Rock from the Sun' is quite funny which is everything you ever desire from a television comedy and the first season does not disappoint for the most part. The storylines are fun and lighthearted and each of the regular and recurring characters are introduced at a style and pace which doesn't saturate the home viewers. The gags themselves aren't for everybody though; some viewers might even be put off by the basic jokes which aren't exactly new but are still comical.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

drlowdon

Apr 8, 2020

3rd Rock from the Sun followed the Solomons, an investigative team of aliens sent to Earth on a mission to pose as an ordinary family and learn about humans and their civilisation. There are signs that the show was still finding it’s feet throughout this first season, but thanks in large3rd Rock from the Sun followed the Solomons, an investigative team of aliens sent to Earth on a mission to pose as an ordinary family and learn about humans and their civilisation. There are signs that the show was still finding it’s feet throughout this first season, but thanks in large part to its talented cast (lead by the always brilliant John Lithgow) this first season made for an entertaining watch. Much of the comedy was mined from the aliens misunderstanding of everyday things we just take for granted, and with a little bit of slapstick thrown in on top, every episode raised at least a few laughs.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Seasons & Episodes

53

Series Overview
Season 6

tbd
- Season 6 Overview
  Air Date: October 24, 2000
Season 5

tbd
- Season 5 Overview
  Air Date: September 21, 1999
Season 4

tbd
- Season 4 Overview
  Air Date: September 23, 1998
Season 3

tbd
- Season 3 Overview
  Air Date: September 24, 1997
Season 2

tbd
- Season 2 Overview
  Air Date: September 22, 1996
Season 1

52
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: January 9, 1996
- tbd
  S1:E20. See Dick Run
  Air Date: May 21, 1996
- tbd
  S1:E19. Selfish Dick
  Air Date: May 14, 1996
- tbd
  S1:E18. Father Knows Dick
  Air Date: May 7, 1996
- tbd
  S1:E17. Assault With A Deadly Dick
  Air Date: April 30, 1996
- tbd
  S1:E16. Dick Like Me
  Air Date: April 23, 1996
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  S1:E15. I Enjoy Being A Dick
  Air Date: April 21, 1996
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  S1:E14. The Dicks They Are A-Changin'
  Air Date: April 9, 1996
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  S1:E13. Angry Dick
  Air Date: April 2, 1996
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  S1:E12. Frozen Dick
  Air Date: March 26, 1996
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  S1:E11. The Art of Dick
  Air Date: March 19, 1996
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  S1:E10. Truth or Dick
  Air Date: March 12, 1996
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  S1:E9. Ab-Dick-ted
  Air Date: March 4, 1996
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  S1:E8. Body & Soul & Dick
  Air Date: February 27, 1996
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  S1:E7. Lonely Dick
  Air Date: February 20, 1996
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  S1:E6. Green-Eyed Dick
  Air Date: February 13, 1996
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  S1:E5. Dick, Smoker
  Air Date: February 6, 1996
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  S1:E4. Dick Is From Mars, Sally Is From Venus
  Air Date: January 30, 2000
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  S1:E3. Dick's First Birthday
  Air Date: January 23, 1996
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  S1:E2. Post Nasal Dick
  Air Date: January 16, 1996
- tbd
  S1:E1. Brains and Eggs
  Air Date: January 9, 1996