You Wish (TV series)

You Wish is an American fantasy sitcom television series created by Michael Jacobs, that ran from September 26, 1997 to June 19, 1998. It started as part of ABC's TGIF programming on Friday nights for the fall of 1997, along with Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, Boy Meets World, and Teen Angel.

You Wish
Genre
Created byMichael Jacobs
Starring
ComposerRay Colcord
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes13 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producerMichael Jacobs
Producers
  • Mitchell Bank
  • Jeffrey C. Sherman
EditorMarco Zappia
Camera setupMulti-camera
Running time30 minutes
Production companies
DistributorBuena Vista Television
Release
Original networkABC
Original releaseSeptember 26, 1997 (1997-09-26) –
July 24, 1998 (1998-07-24)

Synopsis

Just as Sabrina, the Teenage Witch was considered a 1990s version of Bewitched, You Wish was a 1990s version of I Dream of Jeannie. In this sitcom, a genie lives with a family, instead of a single man.

In the show's pilot episode (in which the proposed series was still known under a working title of Genie[1]), Gillian Apple (Harley Jane Kozak) and her two children, Mickey Apple (Alex McKenna) and Travis Apple (Nathan Lawrence) visit a rug shop where they meet the owner, Madman Mustafa (John Rhys-Davies). There they buy a rug, where they unexpectedly release a genie (John Ales), who has been imprisoned for 2,000 years. The genie's name is simply "Genie", although in the first episode Gillian refers to him as "Steve from Canoga Park", an alias he later uses. Jerry Van Dyke was introduced to the show in the third episode as Genie's Grandpa Max (thus, Van Dyke was simultaneously appearing on two TGIF series, You Wish and Teen Angel at the same time as different characters).

Cast

Production

Crossovers

Although the series made a total of 13 episodes, it was taken off after the seventh episode, "Genie Without a Cause." This episode, which aired on November 7, 1997, was part of a night-long TGIF retro crossover, which started with Sabrina. Sabrina made a time ball, which Salem swallowed and caused the time period to be the 1960s. Salem then crossed over to Boy Meets World, turning it into the 1940s, then this series to the 1950s and then to Teen Angel to the 1970s.

Cancellation

You Wish was a ratings failure, ranking 92nd for the season[2] and was cancelled after seven episodes. Reruns from the first season of Sabrina the Teenage Witch were added to the TGIF lineup to fill the empty slot for the remainder of the season. The remaining six unaired episodes of the series were burned off in May and June 1998, filling the slot of its fellow new TGIF series, Teen Angel, after that show was canceled.

Episodes
No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
1"Pilot"David TrainerMichael JacobsSeptember 26, 1997 (1997-09-26)
Gillian Apple accidentally releases a genie from a rug where he's spent 2,000 years in captivity.
2"Jillions of Gillians"Jeff McCrackenMichael Craven & Richard ChildsOctober 3, 1997 (1997-10-03)
The Genie clones Gillian, leading to a competition to determine which of the two Gillians will take charge of the family.
3"The Big Ride"Jeff McCrackenSusan Estelle JansenOctober 10, 1997 (1997-10-10)
The Genie's 50,000-year-old grandfather pays a visit and it's learned he must be decommissioned because of his waning powers.
4"Mind Games"Jeff McCrackenStephen Sustarsic & David SilvermanOctober 17, 1997 (1997-10-17)
The Genie gives Gillian the power to read minds, which she uses to learn that Mickey is keeping cigarettes in her purse.
5"A Real Don Juan"Jeff McCrackenDaniel Paige & Sue PaigeOctober 24, 1997 (1997-10-24)
The Genie creates a romantic suitor for Gillian, while Mickey enters a talent contest at school.
6"Halloween"Jeff McCrackenSteve PepoonOctober 31, 1997 (1997-10-31)
On Halloween, the Genie learns what it's like to be human, while his grandpa brings Frankenstein to life.
7"Genie Without a Cause"Jeff McCrackenJeffrey ShermanNovember 7, 1997 (1997-11-07)

The Apples become a stereotypical family and the Genie a rebellious beatnik when a time warp sends them to the 1950s.

Note: This episode is part three of a time-travel themed crossover with Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, Boy Meets World and Teen Angel that begins on "Inna Gadda Sabrina", continues on "No Guts, No Cory" and concludes on "One Dog Night".
8"Future Shock"Jeff McCrackenLinda Mathious & Heather MacGillvrayMay 22, 1998 (1998-05-22)
The Genie and his grandpa must rely on fate when they lose their ability to predict the future and Travis learns to believe in himself.
9"All in the Family Room"Jeff McCrackenLinda Mathious & Heather MacGillvrayMay 29, 1998 (1998-05-29)
Gillian uses mementos to redecorate the family room, while Travis uses the Genie's time travel portal to run away to a pirate ship.
10"Welcome to the Dollhouse"Jeff McCrackenDaniel Paige & Sue PaigeJune 5, 1998 (1998-06-05)
The Genie shrinks Gillian and can't bring her back to her normal size, so his grandpa takes her to a genie celebration to fix the problem.
11"The Bad Influence"Jeff McCrackenJeffrey ShermanJune 12, 1998 (1998-06-12)
With the Genie's help, Mickey learns how much of a wild teen Gillian used to be. In the meantime, the Genie has a clumsy apprentice to train.
12"Bride and Prejudice"Jeff McCrackenAndrew Nicholls & Darrell VickersJune 19, 1998 (1998-06-19)
The Genie's fiancee shows up after 2,000 years of waiting and demands their arranged marriage take place, but Gillian gets in the way.
13"Gift of the Travi"Jeff McCrackenDaniel Paige & Sue PaigeJuly 24, 1998 (1998-07-24)
On Christmas, the Genie grants a wish for each of the Apple children, Travis's being that every day were Christmas.

Reception

TV Guide called the series "Hammy, artificial, and altogether excruciating".

References
  1. Hal Boedeker (July 18, 1997). "He's A Goober But CBS Has A Lot Riding On Urkel TV". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved October 18, 2012.
  2. http://www.thetvratingsguide.com/1991/08/1997-98-ratings-history.html
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