In 1999, Disney decided it was time to bring back a 1960s sitcom about a lovable alien who shacks up with a newspaper reporter. It wasn’t the most convincing reboot idea the studio ever had, but Disney pushed ahead with “My Favorite Martian” anyway. Unfortunately, the movie made just over half its budget back and has — like the sitcom on which it was based — been mostly forgotten.
“My Favorite Martian” became America’s first fantasy sci-fi sitcom when it debuted in 1963, beating more well-known examples of the format such as “Bewitched” and “I Dream of Jeannie.” “Mister Ed” had arrived two years prior and introduced the concept of a fantastical character being thrown into an otherwise standard sitcom setup (i.e. a talking horse living with an architect in his suburban home). But “My Favorite Martian” was the first sitcom to feature a human-looking being with fantastical powers. As such, it remains one of the most significant and quietly influential sitcoms in TV history.
The movie version, however, was neither significant nor influential. Disney brought in Christopher Lloyd and Jeff Daniels to lead this ill-advised reboot, which debuted in February 1999 and ended up making back just $36.8 million against a $65 million budget. What was the plan here? Well, “My Favorite Martian” was conceivably one of several ‘60s sci-fi shows that deserved a modern reboot. The problem was that the film wasn’t any good.
My Favorite Martian was an ill-fated remake of a beloved sitcom
The original version of “My Favorite Martian” is one of the best sci-fi sitcoms that takes place on Earth. It stars Bill Bixby as Los Angeles Sun reporter Tim O’Hara, who discovers the crashed spaceship of a 450-year-old Martian anthropologist (Ray Walston). With the alien’s ship completely wrecked, Tim invites him to stay in his garage apartment, where the Martian quickly establishes himself as the wacky yet genial figure of “Uncle Martin.” The pair agree to keep Uncle Martin’s identity a secret while he tries to repair his ship, but they end up forming a bond that ultimately lasts for three seasons and 107 episodes.
“My Favorite Martian” episodes revolved around Uncle Martin’s lack of familiarity with human customs, his incredible powers, and outlandish adventures that saw Tim and his alien pal using time machines and anti-gravity wristbands. The show also featured some esteemed guest stars, including a young Tom Skerritt who appeared in the 1963 episode “Mrs. Jekyll and Hyde.” “My Favorite Martian” also welcomed “Gilligan’s Island” star Alan Hale Jr., who appeared on an episode of the show the same year he set sail on his fateful voyage on the S.S. Minnow.
The sitcom came to an end in 1966, and 33 years later Disney decided it was time to give it another go. This time, however, the studio tried to reinvent the property as a family friendly big-screen adventure along the lines of “Flubber,” which was itself based on a 1960s sci-fi comedy and had been distributed by Disney’s Buena Vista Pictures in 1997. “My Favorite Martian,” however, was nowhere near as successful as that Robin Williams-led comedy.
My Favorite Martian was not a favorite among critics
“My Favorite Martian” the movie is directed by Donald Petrie of “Mystic Pizza” and “Miss Congeniality” fame. It stars Jeff Daniels as Tim O’Hara, a news producer who, like in the original show, encounters a downed spacecraft while driving. In this version, however, the recently-fired O’Hara sees this discovery as a way to make it back into the news business. Christopher Lloyd plays The Martian, who follows Tim home and ends up staying. While Tim initially plans to expose his new friend and regain his job, he grows fond of Uncle Martin. When SETI starts hunting the pair, they have to work together to evade capture and get Uncle Martin back to his home planet.
Original Uncle Martin actor Ray Walston plays Armitan/Neenert in the film, a fellow Martian who became stranded on Earth years prior. This was a nice little full circle moment as it marked Walston’s last theatrical film role prior to his death in 2001. Unfortunately, the film wasn’t quite the tribute it could have been.
Aside from barely making half its budget back, “My Favorite Martian” earned a 14% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes. Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times praised Walston for his “crisp wit and blithe sense of whimsy,” which according to the critic was “otherwise lacking in this loser.” Roger Ebert was slightly kinder, calling the movie “clever in its visuals,” but “labored in its audios, and noisy enough to entertain kids up to a certain age.” Otherwise the reviews were pretty damning, with Derek Adams of Time Out calling the film simply “Dire.” Needless to say this was not one of the best sci-fi movies of 1999. You can see for yourself as the movie is available to watch on Disney+.