Normal, Ohio
{{short description|American television sitcom}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox television
| image =
| image_alt =
| caption =
| genre =
| creator = Bonnie Turner and Terry Turner
Bob Kushell
| based_on =
| developer =
| writer =
| director =
| creative_director =
| presenter =
| starring = John Goodman
Joely Fisher
Anita Gillette
Orson Bean
Mo Gaffney
Charles Rocket
| judges =
| voices =
| narrated =
| theme_music_composer =
| opentheme =
| endtheme =
| composer = Ben Vaughn
Jeff Sudakin
| country = United States
| language = English
| num_seasons = 1
| num_episodes = 12 (7 aired, 5 unaired episodes) + 1 unaired original alternative pilot
| list_episodes =
| executive_producer = Marcy Carsey
Caryn Mandabach
Tom Werner
| producer =
| editor =
| cinematography =
| camera = Multi-camera
| runtime = 30 minutes
| company = Bonter Productions
Carsey-Werner Company
| network = Fox
| first_aired = {{start date|2000|11|1}}
| last_aired = {{end date|2000|12|13}}
| related =
}}
Normal, Ohio is an American television sitcom aired on Fox from November 1 to December 13, 2000. The show stars John Goodman as William "Butch" Gamble, a gay man returning to his Midwestern home town. The cast also includes Joely Fisher, Anita Gillette, Orson Bean, Mo Gaffney and Charles Rocket. The title is a reference to Sherwood Anderson's Winesburg, Ohio.
Overview
The original concept for the series was an Odd Couple–style situation comedy called Don't Ask, with Goodman as "Rex", sharing his West Hollywood apartment with college friend David (Anthony LaPaglia). Although the pilot was well-received, creators Bonnie and Terry Turner felt that the premise was not strong enough for an ongoing series. LaPaglia's character was written out and the series was relocated to Ohio.Tropiano, Stephen (2002). The Prime Time Closet: A History of Gays and Lesbians on TV. New York, Applause Theatre and Cinema Books. {{ISBN|1-55783-557-8}}. p. 252
The show was most notable for the divisions it exposed regarding American culture's view of homosexuality. Gamble is an average blue collar bear-type gay man, with many traits typical of American masculinity, including a love of football and beer, and very few of the traits stereotypically associated with gay men. Nevertheless, his sexuality itself was signified in part by isolated moments of more stereotypically gay behavior, such as singing snippets of Broadway show tunes and helping his sister to color her hair, that were seemingly at odds with the way his character was presented most of the time. As a result, some media outlets dismissed Goodman's role as unrealistic.{{cite web
|last = Maitra
|first = Rob
|title = Getting Back to Normal
|publisher = PopMatters
|url = http://www.popmatters.com/review/normal-ohio/
|accessdate = June 24, 2009
|url-status = dead
|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20140117011518/http://www.popmatters.com/review/normal-ohio/
|archivedate = January 17, 2014
}}
Goodman won the People's Choice Award for Best Actor in a New Comedy Series, but up against the second half hour of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, it flopped in the Nielsen ratings. Twelve episodes of the series were made, but only seven were aired before its cancellation.
Goodman appeared on the cover of TV Guide's 2000 Fall Preview issue, along with three other actors starring in new sitcoms: Geena Davis, Bette Midler and Michael Richards. The magazine proclaimed them a "fab foursome", but none of the shows was a hit. (In the 2001 Fall Preview issue, the 2000 cover was re-printed with thought balloons over the actors' heads, with Goodman's saying, "Even I didn't buy me as a gay dad!")
Cast
- John Goodman as William "Butch" Gamble
- Anita Gillette as Joan Gamble
- Joely Fisher as Pamela Gamble-Miller
- Greg Pitts as Charlie Gamble
- Julia McIlvaine as Kimberly Miller
- Cody Kasch as Robbie Miller
- Orson Bean as Bill Gamble
- Mo Gaffney as Elizabeth
- Charles Rocket as Danny
Episodes
{{Episode table
|background =
|overall = 5
|title = 22
|director = 20
|writer = 30
|airdate = 15
|prodcode = 8
|country = US
|episodes =
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 1
| Title = Homecoming Queen
| DirectedBy = Philip Charles MacKenzie
| WrittenBy = Bonnie Turner and Terry Turner & Bob Kushell
| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2000|11|1}}
| ProdCode = 101
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor =
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 2
| Title = Foreign Affairs
| DirectedBy = Phillip Charles MacKenzie
| WrittenBy = Gregg Mettler
| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2000|11|8}}
| ProdCode = 104
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor =
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 3
| Title = Caught on Tape
| DirectedBy = Phillip Charles MacKenzie
| WrittenBy = Jimmy Aleck & Jim Keily
| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2000|11|15}}
| ProdCode = 106
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor =
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 4
| Title = A Thanksgiving Episode
| DirectedBy = Phillip Charles MacKenzie
| WrittenBy = Miriam Trogdon
| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2000|11|22}}
| ProdCode = 102
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor =
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 5
| Title = Buyer's Remorse
| DirectedBy = Phillip Charles MacKenzie
| WrittenBy = Brad Walsh & Paul Corrigan
| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2000|11|29}}
| ProdCode = 103
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor =
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 6
| Title = Working Girl
| DirectedBy = Phillip Charles MacKenzie
| WrittenBy = Lynnie Greene & Richard Levine
| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2000|12|6}}
| ProdCode = 108
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor =
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 7
| Title = Just Another Normal Christmas
| DirectedBy = Phillip Charles MacKenzie
| WrittenBy = John Schwab
| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2000|12|13}}
| ProdCode = 107
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor =
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 8
| Title = Pamela's New Boyfriend
| DirectedBy = Phillip Charles MacKenzie
| WrittenBy = Bob Nickman
| OriginalAirDate = Unaired
| ProdCode = 105
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor =
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 9
| Title = Forgotten, But Not Gone
| DirectedBy = Philip Charles MacKenzie
| WrittenBy = Brad Walsh & Paul Corrigan
| OriginalAirDate = Unaired
| ProdCode = 109
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor =
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 10
| Title = The Favorite
| DirectedBy = Phillip Charles MacKenzie
| WrittenBy = Kira Arne
| OriginalAirDate = Unaired
| ProdCode = 110
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor =
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 11
| Title = He Always Get His Man
| DirectedBy = Phillip Charles MacKenzie
| WrittenBy = Gregg Mettler
| OriginalAirDate = Unaired
| ProdCode = 111
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor =
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 12
| Title = Charlie's Gamble
| DirectedBy = Phillip Charles MacKenzie
| WrittenBy = Jimmy Aleck & Jim Keily
| OriginalAirDate = Unaired
| ProdCode = 112
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor =
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 0
| Title = Don't Ask (Unaired Alternative Pilot)
| DirectedBy = David Trainer
| WrittenBy = Bonnie Turner and Terry Turner
| OriginalAirDate = Unaired
| ProdCode =
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor =
}}
}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.carseywerner.net/normal_en.htm Normal, Ohio @ Carsey-Werner]{{dead link|date=January 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
- [http://www.carseywerner.com/shows_about.php?showid=19 Carsey-Werner - Normal Ohio]
- {{IMDb title|0247090}}
- {{Epguides|NormalOhio|Normal, Ohio}}
Category:2000 American television series debuts
Category:2000 American television series endings
Category:2000s American multi-camera sitcoms
Category:2000s American LGBTQ-related sitcoms
Category:American English-language television shows
Category:Gay-related television shows
Category:Television series by Carsey-Werner Productions
Category:Television shows set in Ohio
Category:Television series created by Bonnie and Terry Turner