121: Weirdest Episode Ever: The Terror of Zombie Sandy Duncan

“Nightmare on Oak Street” (November 23, 1987)

We had to break format to do it, but at long last, we are talking about The Hogan Family… a.k.a. Valerie, a.k.a. Valerie’s Family. And yes the history of how this one sitcom had three different names is explained, but more to the point we ask why a show that killed off its title character would choose to confront its young viewers just a few weeks later with zombie horror — and worst of all, the Zombie Sandy Duncan.

The Associates, the lawyer sitcom starring Martin Short and created by Hogan Family creator Charlie Hauck is, after all, available on YouTube.

Jaime Weinman’s 2008 Maclean’s piece on why Valerie Harper left the show provided many details in my recapping on the incident.

Buy the first issue of Drew and Glen’s new comic anthology, Beyond Sunset.

Go shop at our TeePublic store!

Episode artwork designed by Ian O’Phelan.