Nikki (TV series)

Nikki is an American sitcom television series that aired on The WB from October 9, 2000, to January 27, 2002. Nikki was a starring vehicle for Nikki Cox, who had previously starred in another WB sitcom, Unhappily Ever After, which ran for five seasons. Looking to capitalize on Cox's popularity, Bruce Helford created a sitcom that featured her as the title character.[1]

Nikki
GenreSitcom
Created byBruce Helford
Starring
ComposerEd Alton
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes41 (6 unaired) (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
  • Michael Curtis
  • Bruce Helford
  • Bob Myer
  • Deborah Oppenheimer
Producers
  • Heather MacGillvray
  • Linda Mathious
CinematographyWayne Kennan
Editors
  • Larry Harris
  • Pam Marshall
  • Tucker Wiard
Camera setupMulti-camera
Running time2224 minutes
Production companies
DistributorWarner Bros. Television Distribution
Release
Original networkThe WB
Picture format480i (SDTV)
Original releaseOctober 9, 2000 (2000-10-09) 
January 27, 2002 (2002-01-27)

Synopsis

Cox portrays Nikki White, a Las Vegas showgirl living in Las Vegas with her husband Dwight White (Nick von Esmarch), a professional wrestler. The couple is portrayed as working class, attempting to follow their passions while finding fame and fortune in Las Vegas. Also in the cast are Nikki's best friend and fellow dancer Mary (Susan Egan), and Dwight's boss Jupiter (Toby Huss). Also a recurring character were Dwight's mother Marion (Christine Estabrook), who is angry with Nikki for "luring" her son into a marriage and away from a safe, secure job with a future as a tax attorney; Ken and Alice Gillespie (Todd Robert Anderson and Jacqueline Heinze), Nikki and Dwight's conservative neighbors;

In season one, each episode started with a musical number, where Nikki and her fellow showgirls at "the worst casino in Las Vegas" perform a dance. Their costumes included Godzilla, cockroaches (dancing to "We Are Family"), brides who remove their dresses and veils to reveal red devil costumes and horns, and once she appeared as the severed head of Marie Antoinette. In the second episode of season two, Nikki loses her job when the casino is sold.

Similar to Murphy Brown, all of the episodes in season one, plus some in season two, have a different song be the theme song, while Nikki performed a dance routine. However, in season two, the theme song changed to a standardized intro, to a remixed version of "She's a Lady" by Tom Jones.

Cast

Main

Recurring

Notable guest stars

Carrie Ann Inaba, Cris Judd, Lane Napper, and Nancy O'Meara appeared in multiple episodes as dancers and in various minor roles.

Production

In July 1999, The WB placed a straight-to-order series from The Drew Carey Show co-creator Bruce Helford as a vehicle for Unhappily Ever After and Norm co-star Nikki Cox.[2] Nikki was formally ordered to series in May 2000, and was placed on The WB's fall lineup for a Sunday Night comedy block.[3]

On October 31, 2000, The WB ordered a full 22-episode season of Nikki.[4] The network renewed the show for a 22-episode second season at its upfronts in May 2001.[5][6] However, in January 2002, the network pulled the series, and shut down production after only 19 episodes. Six episodes were left unaired in the United States.[7]

Episodes

Series overview

SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
122October 9, 2000 (2000-10-09)May 20, 2001 (2001-05-20)
219October 14, 2001 (2001-10-14)January 27, 2002 (2002-01-27)

Season 1 (2000–01)

No.
overall
No. in
season
Title[8]Directed byWritten byOriginal air date
11"Fierce"Gerry CohenBruce HelfordOctober 8, 2000 (2000-10-08)
22"Humiliated"Gerry CohenScott BuckOctober 15, 2000 (2000-10-15)
33"Topless"Gerry CohenLaura Perkins BrittainOctober 22, 2000 (2000-10-22)
44"No Sex, No Mary, No Title"Gerry CohenJill SolowayOctober 29, 2000 (2000-10-29)
55"Won't You Beat My Neighbor?"Shelley JensenBill DiamondNovember 5, 2000 (2000-11-05)
66"The Next Step"Steve ZuckermanRich Amend & Stephen MarlinNovember 12, 2000 (2000-11-12)
77"The Ex Factor"Gerry CohenRich Amend & Stephen MarlinNovember 19, 2000 (2000-11-19)
88"Stealing Nikki"Shelley JensenRachel PowellNovember 26, 2000 (2000-11-26)
99"The Crybaby Who Stole Christmas"Shelley JensenBen Wexler & Laura Perkins BrittainDecember 17, 2000 (2000-12-17)
1010"Bottoms Up"Gerry CohenAmanda LesterJanuary 7, 2001 (2001-01-07)
1111"The Jupiter and Mary Chain"Steve ZuckermanBen WexlerJanuary 14, 2001 (2001-01-14)
1212"Let it Ride"Shelley JensenScott Buck & Jill SolowayJanuary 21, 2001 (2001-01-21)
1313"Dream Weaver"Gerry CohenMaria EspadaFebruary 4, 2001 (2001-02-04)
1414"Fallback"Shelley JensenBen WexlerFebruary 11, 2001 (2001-02-11)
1515"Cheerleader of Doom"Shelley JensenTom MartinFebruary 18, 2001 (2001-02-18)
1616"I'll Kick Your Ass"Joe RegalbutoKirk J. Rudell & Rachel PowellFebruary 25, 2001 (2001-02-25)
1717"One Wedding and a Funeral"Steve ZuckermanRich Amend & Stephen MarlinApril 1, 2001 (2001-04-01)
1818"Dwight and Nikki and Ken and Alice"Steve ZuckermanBen WexlerApril 8, 2001 (2001-04-08)
1919"Schisler's List"John FullerKirk J. RudellApril 29, 2001 (2001-04-29)
2020"And the Winner Is..."Shelley JensenRick NyholmMay 6, 2001 (2001-05-06)
2121"Love at First Dwight"Steve ZuckermanTom MartinMay 13, 2001 (2001-05-13)
When one of Nikki's old high school friends visits, Dwight finds out that Nikki did not like him at first, and only saw him as a ticket to Las Vegas. Meanwhile, Jupiter hires Mary to try the wrestlers for the calendar shoot.
2222"Family Lies"Steve ZuckermanKirk J. RudellMay 20, 2001 (2001-05-20)

Season 2 (2001–02)

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected by[9]Written byOriginal air dateProd.
code[9]
231"Technical Knockup"Gerry CohenBen WexlerOctober 14, 2001 (2001-10-14)227153
A trip to the doctor leads to Nikki discovering she has a limited time to have a baby.
242"Vaya Con Nikki"Shelley JensenKirk J. RudellOctober 21, 2001 (2001-10-21)227156(?)
When Nikki is laid off after the casino is sold, she is forced to resort to being a waitress. One of her new friends, Stacy (Danielle Fishel), attempts to create a rift between her and Mary.
253"A Rock and a Hard Place"Shelley JensenRick NyholmOctober 28, 2001 (2001-10-28)227152
264"Superhero Blues"Shelley JensenAlicia Sky VarinaitisNovember 4, 2001 (2001-11-04)227157
When a businessman (Drew Carey) buys out the wrestling organization, Dwight finds himself out of a job and tries to get it back. Meanwhile, Nikki and Mary compete to get a role in a music video, but have to find a way to leave their jobs at a comic book convention first.
275"My Best Friend's Day Care"Gerry CohenGigi McCreeryNovember 11, 2001 (2001-11-11)227158
286"Home Sweet Homeless"Gerry CohenHeather MacGillvray & Linda MathiousNovember 18, 2001 (2001-11-18)227159
297"Take This Job and Love It"Shelley JensenMichael BornhorstNovember 25, 2001 (2001-11-25)227161
308"Gimme Shelter"Bob KoherrAmanda LasherDecember 9, 2001 (2001-12-09)227160
319"Milli Vanikki"Gerry CohenScott Buck & Les FiresteinDecember 16, 2001 (2001-12-16)227154
3210"Through Thick and Thin"Shelley JensenHeather MacGillvray & Linda MathiousJanuary 6, 2002 (2002-01-06)227162
3311"To Your Grave"Shelley JensenRick NyholmJanuary 13, 2002 (2002-01-13)227163
3412"Nikki Can't Wait for Dwight's Birthday"Amanda BearseMichael BornhorstJanuary 20, 2002 (2002-01-20)227164
3513"She Was a Job-Jumper"Shelley JensenBen WexlerJanuary 27, 2002 (2002-01-27)227165
3614"Welcome to the Rest of Your Life"Shelley JensenMichael Curtis & Rick NyholmUnaired227168
3715"Uneasy Rider"John FullerAlicia Sky VarinaitisUnaired227167
3816"My Two Left Feet"
"Gotta Dance"
Gerry CohenDavid GrubstickUnairedTBA
3917"GED Off My Back"Gerry CohenJohn N. HussUnaired227169
4018"Working Girl"Shelley JensenKirk J. RudellUnaired227151
4119"Portrait of the Wrestler as a Young Man"Shelley JensenKirk J. RudellUnaired227166

Syndication

The show currently airs in the Netherlands on Comedy Central Family, MTV3 Sarja in Finland, and Kanal 9 in Sweden.

References

  1. Ramin Zahed (October 6, 2000). "Review: 'Nikki'". Variety. Retrieved 2016-08-11.
  2. Josef Adalian (July 21, 1999). "Frog web, WBTV synch on synergy". Variety. Retrieved 2016-08-11. Kellner and WB Entertainment prexy Susanne Daniels backed up the positive words with definitive action, formalizing a 13-episode commitment to a fall 2000 laffer to be created and exec produced by Bruce Helford (“The Drew Carey Show”) with Nikki Cox (“Unhappily Ever After”) as star.
  3. Michael Schneider; Josef Adalian (May 16, 2000). "'Felicity' survives as WB plays it safe". Variety. Retrieved 2016-08-11.
  4. Josef Adalian (October 31, 2000). "'Nikki' scores 9 more at WB table". Variety. Retrieved 2016-08-11.
  5. Brian Lowry (May 14, 2001). "Networks Fine-Tuning Fall Lineups". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2016-08-11. The WB... Two new sitcoms--"Men, Women and Dogs," with comic Bill Bellamy, and "Off Center," a buddy comedy from the producers of the movie "American Pie"--will join "The Steve Harvey Show" and "Nikki" on Sunday nights.
  6. John Consoli (May 14, 2001). "The WB Playing For Laughter". Adweek. Retrieved 2016-08-11. ...the returning second-year show Nikki...
  7. Josef Adalian (January 22, 2002). "WB nixes 'Nikki' in its 2nd season". Variety. Retrieved 2016-08-11. Nineteen segs will be produced, down from the 22 the Frog had ordered from Warner Bros. Television... A total of 41 episodes will have been produced when the show wraps.
  8. From the United States Copyright Office catalog: "Public Catalog - Copyright Catalog (1978 to present) - Basic Search [search: "Nikki : episode"]". United States Copyright Office. Retrieved 2016-08-11.
  9. From the United States Copyright Office catalog: "Public Catalog - Copyright Catalog (1978 to present) - Basic Search [search: "Nikki : no."]". United States Copyright Office. Retrieved 2016-08-11.
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