Stark Raving Mad (TV series)

Shalhoub stars as odd horror novelist Ian Stark, who is obsessed with practical jokes, and whose first book Below Ground was a best seller. Neil Patrick Harris is Stark's reluctant editor Henry McNeeley, who has a variety of phobias and possibly obsessive–compulsive disorder.

On January 10, 2000, the sitcom won a People's Choice Award for Favorite New Television Comedy Series. The sitcom premiered on September 23, 1999, and was officially cancelled by NBC on April 15, 2000, despite being ranked 19th among all programs with an average of 15.5 million viewers,{{cite web|author=Quotenmeter.de - Das Online-Fernsehmagazin |url=http://www.quotenmeter.de/cms/?p1=n&p2=9946&p3= |title=US-Jahrescharts 1999/2000 |publisher=Quotenmeter.de |date=2002-05-30 |accessdate=2020-08-24}} as it held poor retention rates from its lead-in, Frasier, and was consistently beaten by Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? in the same timeslot.

• Tony Shalhoub as Ian Stark
• Neil Patrick Harris as Henry McNeeley
• Eddie McClintock as Jake Donovan
• Dorie Barton as Tess Farraday
• Heather Paige Kent as Margaret 'Maddie' Keller (this role was originally to be played by Jessica Cauffiel who appeared in several early cast photos)

• Harriet Sansom Harris as Audrey
• Chris Sarandon as Cesar
• Dina Waters as Katherine 'Kit' Yate
• Kellie Waymire as the other Tess, Tess Farraday's co-worker in the museum

{{Series overview

| infoA = Rank

| infoB = Viewers
(in millions)

| color1 = #12110D

| episodes1 = 22{{efn|Episodes 19-22 unaired during original run.}}

| start1 = {{Start date|1999|9|23}}

| end1 = {{End date|2000|7|13}}

| infoA1 = 19

| infoB1 = 15.5

}}

{{notelist}}

{{Episode table |background=#12110D |overall= |title= |director= |writer= |airdate= |prodcode= |viewers= |episodes=

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 1

| ProdCode = 1ADM79

| Title = Pilot

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1999|9|23}}

| DirectedBy = James Burrows

| WrittenBy = Steven Levitan

| Viewers = 18.62{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/41321901/the-los-angeles-times/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (Sept. 20–26)|date=September 29, 1999|work=The Los Angeles Times|access-date=June 23, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}{{free access}}

| ShortSummary = Henry McNeely gets a promotion he doesn't want. He's now the editor for the eccentric horror novelist Ian Stark. Ian's practical jokes are done at the expense of Henry.

| LineColor = 12110d

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 2

| ProdCode = 1ADM01

| Title = The Man Who Knew Too Much

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1999|9|30}}

| DirectedBy = Ted Wass

| WrittenBy = Alan Kirschenbaum

| Viewers = 19.52{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/41309444/the-los-angeles-times/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (Sept. 27–Oct. 3)|date=October 6, 1999|work=The Los Angeles Times|access-date=June 23, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}{{free access}}

| ShortSummary = Trying to pull another joke on Henry, Ian learns things he did not want to know about Henry's girlfriend.

| LineColor = 12110d

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 3

| ProdCode = 1ADM03

| Title = Sometimes a Fritter Is Just a Fritter

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1999|10|7}}

| DirectedBy = Ted Wass

| WrittenBy = David A. Goodman

| Viewers = 17.58{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/41320606/the-los-angeles-times/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (Oct. 4-10)|date=October 13, 1999|work=The Los Angeles Times|access-date=June 23, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}{{free access}}

| ShortSummary = Henry's misunderstanding of a change of a name of a character in Ian's manuscript ruins Ian's morning routine of fritters and long walks.

| LineColor = 12110d

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 4

| ProdCode = 1ADM05

| Title = Four Colds and a Funeral

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1999|10|14}}

| DirectedBy = Gail Mancuso

| WrittenBy = Eric Zicklin

| Viewers = 17.03{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/41320334/the-los-angeles-times/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (Oct. 11-17)|date=October 20, 1999|work=The Los Angeles Times|access-date=June 23, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}{{free access}}

| ShortSummary = Henry accidentally kills a man named Professor Huggles (a character obviously inspired by Dr. Seuss)

| LineColor = 12110d

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 5

| ProdCode = 1ADM06

| Title = The Lyin' King

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1999|10|21}}

| DirectedBy = Gail Mancuso

| WrittenBy = Brian Buckner & Sebastian Jones

| Viewers = 18.38{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/41300202/the-los-angeles-times/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (Oct. 18-24)|date=October 27, 1999|work=The Los Angeles Times|access-date=June 23, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}{{free access}}

| ShortSummary = During Halloween, Ian helps Henry to pay back his cousin Lori for an old prank she pulled on him, while Maddie's date may or may not be a humpback for real.

| LineColor = 12110d

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 6

| ProdCode = 1ADM04

| Title = Fish out of Water

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1999|11|4}}

| DirectedBy = Ted Wass

| WrittenBy = Jeffrey Richman

| Viewers = 16.17{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/41313745/the-los-angeles-times/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 1-7)|date=November 10, 1999|work=The Los Angeles Times|access-date=June 23, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}{{free access}}

| ShortSummary = Everyone is at Audrey's dinner party where a fish needs to be put back into the tank.

| LineColor = 12110d

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 7

| ProdCode = 1ADM07

| Title = Engaged to Be Engaged

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1999|11|11}}

| DirectedBy = Gail Mancuso

| WrittenBy = Gayle Abrams

| Viewers = 15.04{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/41320730/the-los-angeles-times/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 8-14)|date=November 17, 1999|work=The Los Angeles Times|access-date=June 23, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}{{free access}}

| ShortSummary = Henry tries to make a commitment to Tess.

| LineColor = 12110d

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 8

| ProdCode = 1ADM09

| Title = The Stalker

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1999|11|18}}

| DirectedBy = Ken Levine

| WrittenBy = Steven Levitan

| Viewers = 15.23{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/41306447/the-los-angeles-times/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 15-21)|date=November 24, 1999|work=The Los Angeles Times|access-date=June 23, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}{{free access}}

| ShortSummary = Ian's obsessed fan wants to take Henry's place.

| LineColor = 12110d

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 9

| ProdCode = 1ADM08

| Title = The Dance

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1999|12|2}}

| DirectedBy = Gail Mancuso

| WrittenBy = Steven Levitan

| Viewers = 14.71{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/41301051/the-los-angeles-times/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 29-Dec. 5)|date=December 8, 1999|work=The Los Angeles Times|access-date=June 23, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}{{free access}}

| ShortSummary = Tess attempts to fix up Ian and Maddie.

| LineColor = 12110d

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 10

| ProdCode = 1ADM02

| Title = Coffin to Go

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1999|12|9}}

| DirectedBy = Ted Wass

| WrittenBy = Lynnie Greene & Richard Levine

| Viewers = 16.99{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/41321675/the-los-angeles-times/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (Dec. 6-12)|date=December 15, 1999|work=The Los Angeles Times|access-date=June 23, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}{{free access}}

| ShortSummary = Ian discovers that the funeral place accidentally sold him a coffin with a corpse in it.

| LineColor = 12110d

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 11

| ProdCode = 1ADM10

| Title = Christmas Cheerleader

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1999|12|16}}

| DirectedBy = Michael Lembeck

| WrittenBy = David A. Goodman

| Viewers = 20.85{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/41319068/the-los-angeles-times/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (Dec. 13-19)|date=December 22, 1999|work=The Los Angeles Times|access-date=June 23, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}{{free access}}

| ShortSummary = Tess tries to cheer up Christmas for a bunch of social outcasts.

| LineColor = 12110d

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 12

| ProdCode = 1ADM11

| Title = The Crush

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2000|1|6}}

| DirectedBy = Michael Lembeck

| WrittenBy = Eric Zicklin

| Viewers = 18.80{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/41316129/the-los-angeles-times/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 3-9)|date=January 12, 2000|work=The Los Angeles Times|access-date=June 23, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}{{free access}}

| ShortSummary = Ian has a crush on a woman, but Jake cannot be trusted with letters.

| LineColor = 12110d

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 13

| ProdCode = 1ADM12

| Title = My Bodyguard (a.k.a. Guarding Tess)

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2000|1|13}}

| DirectedBy = Steven Levitan

| WrittenBy = Gayle Adams

| Viewers = 15.79{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/41381605/the-los-angeles-times/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 10-16)|date=January 19, 2000|work=The Los Angeles Times|access-date=June 23, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}{{free access}}

| ShortSummary = Henry, Ian and Tess get mugged. Ian head-butts the mugger and saves the day. Henry soon feels sexually inadequate when he learns that Ian's heroics caused Tess to have an erotic dream about Ian. Ian sets up a similar incident, designed to make Henry look like a hero in Tess' eyes.

| LineColor = 12110d

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 14

| ProdCode = 1ADM15

| Title = The Hypnotist

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2000|2|3}}

| DirectedBy = Michael Lembeck

| WrittenBy = Alan Kirschenbaum

| Viewers = 15.58{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/41314523/the-los-angeles-times/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 31-Feb. 6)|date=February 9, 2000|work=The Los Angeles Times|access-date=June 23, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}{{free access}}

| ShortSummary = Ian professes to be a hypnotic expert and the situation gets out of hand. Note: Ian claims to have once suffered from OCD, but cured it with hypnosis. Tony Shalhoub would later find success in Monk, playing a detective with OCD.

| LineColor = 12110d

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 15

| ProdCode = 1ADM16

| Title = Therapy

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2000|3|2}}

| DirectedBy = Sheldon Epps

| WrittenBy = Eric Zicklin

| Viewers = 12.91{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/41303577/the-los-angeles-times/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 28-March 5)|date=March 8, 2000|work=The Los Angeles Times|access-date=June 23, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}{{free access}}

| ShortSummary = Ian and Henry go to a therapist. After the session Henry wants to know what the therapist told about him. Ian lies that she thinks Henry is paranoid.

| LineColor = 12110d

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 16

| ProdCode = 1ADM18

| Title = Secrets and Lies

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2000|3|9}}

| DirectedBy = David Lee

| WrittenBy = Jeffrey Richman

| Viewers = 11.66{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/41380249/the-los-angeles-times/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (March 6–12)|date=March 15, 2000|work=The Los Angeles Times|access-date=June 23, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}{{free access}}

| ShortSummary = A Yale student turns up some shocking secrets about where Ian was nearly twenty years ago.

| LineColor = 12110d

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 17

| ProdCode = 1ADM21

| Title = The Grade

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2000|3|16}}

| DirectedBy = Steven Levitan

| WrittenBy = Brian Buckner & Sebastian Jones

| Viewers = 12.55{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/41380846/the-los-angeles-times/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (March 13–19)|date=March 22, 2000|work=The Los Angeles Times|access-date=June 23, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}{{free access}}

| ShortSummary = Ian helps Maddie by writing a book report for her, but then is furious when her professor only gives her a "B".

| LineColor = 12110d

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 18

| ProdCode = 1ADM17

| Title = The Pigeon

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2000|7|13}}

| DirectedBy = Sheldon Epps

| WrittenBy = Joe Piscatella & Craig A. Williams

| Viewers = 6.68{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/41380537/the-los-angeles-times/|title=National Nielsen Viewership (July 10–16)|date=July 19, 2000|work=The Los Angeles Times|access-date=June 23, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}{{free access}}

| ShortSummary = Ian accidentally knocks a pigeon's nest filled with eggs off his balcony's ledge. Later he becomes paranoid, thinking the mother pigeon is back with vengeance.

| LineColor = 12110d

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 19

| ProdCode = 1ADM13

| Title = He's Gotta Have It

| OriginalAirDate = Unaired

| DirectedBy = Joyce Gittlin

| WrittenBy = Lynnie Greene & Richard Levine

| Viewers =

| ShortSummary = Tess' sister visits and Ian becomes uncontrollably attracted to her.

| LineColor = 12110d

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 20

| ProdCode = 1ADM14

| Title = Dog Gone

| OriginalAirDate = Unaired

| DirectedBy = Gail Mancuso

| WrittenBy = Brian Buckner & Sebastian Jones

| Viewers =

| ShortSummary = Henry loses Edgar, and when he finds him, new problems arise.

| LineColor = 12110d

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 21

| ProdCode = 1ADM19

| Title = The Psychic

| OriginalAirDate = Unaired

| DirectedBy = Jeff Melman

| WrittenBy = Dana Gould

| Viewers =

| ShortSummary = The gang gets their fortunes read.

| LineColor = 12110d

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 22

| ProdCode = 1ADM20

| Title = The Big Finish

| OriginalAirDate = Unaired

| DirectedBy = Robert Egan

| WrittenBy = Richard Levine & Lynnie Greene

| Viewers =

| ShortSummary = Henry tries to retrieve Ian's latest manuscript.

| LineColor = 12110d

}}

}}

In some countries the series was renamed: Loco enloquecido (Latin America),Canal Fox - Tandas Comerciales (6 feb. 2000) https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=WL48F336ACFA093FBB&feature=player_detailpage#t=422 at 7:07 Stark, loco de atar (Spain), Splitter Pine Gal (Norway), Kreisi kynäniekka (Finland) and "En förläggares mardröm" (Sweden).

{{Reflist}}

• [http://starkravingmad.tktv.net/ TKtv info]
• {{IMDb title|0210455|Stark Raving Mad}}
• {{Epguides|StarkRavingMad|Stark Raving Mad}}

{{People's Choice Award for Favorite New TV Comedy}}

Category:1999 American television series debuts

Category:2000 American television series endings

Category:1990s American multi-camera sitcoms

Category:2000s American multi-camera sitcoms

Category:Television shows set in New York City

Category:American English-language television shows

Category:Television series by Steven Levitan Productions

Category:Television series by 20th Century Fox Television

Category:Television shows about writers

Category:NBC sitcoms