Inappropriate joke in Small Wonder (1985)?

Submitted by BleedBluePunk t3_10hm804 in television

If you're unfamiliar with series, the father, Ted, works at a robotics factory and secretly created android Vicki (Voice Input Child IdentiKit). She masquerades as a little girl to everyone outside of the family.

In this scene, Ted's co-worker and neighbour, comes over to show Ted his (much less-advanced) robot on which he's been working.

The Robot and Vicki shake hands, and Vicki goes haywire, moving her leg and hands up uncontrollably.

Ted quips, "It must be the magnet, it's turning her on."

Vicki was already on, so this line had to be a sexual innuendo. Otherwise, it would make more sense to say, "it keeps turning her off and on."

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6Skgzf_ruY

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As I'm writing this, I found the full episode, and it confirms it. The very last line of the show is Vicki saying, "Rodney [the robot] is cute. He turns me on."

https://youtu.be/zVfzQ4baEAg?t=1249

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Is it just me or is it creepy a sitcom would make sexual arousal jokes about a robot who's supposed to look like a 9 year old girl played by a 9 year old actress? Eek!

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muldoonjp88 t1_j59813a wrote

Yo why are you watching a 1985 kids sitcom?

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DataRikerGeordiTroi t1_j59ct42 wrote

this show is kinda good & weird for its time. Not a must see, but worth a few episodes watch. It always gave me kinda bad vibes tho. Hollywood when ppl were on yay (early 80s) is a trip.

The other really weird 80s kids sitcom is called Out of This World and it's worth a watch. Its so weird and I'm glad it got made. Its Saved By The Bell but with Aliens. I love it.

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whatifniki23 t1_j59bct5 wrote

I remember it was on at 3:00 or 3:30 in the afternoon on Saturdays in my area. Such a weird time. But I would watch JT because my grandma would be waiting for this dance competition show to start… I think it was called Dance Fever and it aired on Saturdays at 4:00. Boy does time fly… and I’m getting old.

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smesch83 t1_j598pxk wrote

I'm sure it was intentional and it was normal for the time, the trope is called "parental bonus" and/or "getting crap past the radar."

really lewd-thinking writers had their fingers all over these scripts, and we should really look for Prince.

Edit.: for prints. finger prints.

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CogitatorX t1_j5bvzj3 wrote

You should start a letter writing campaign to get the show cancelled and ruin the careers of all involved. Then you can brag about your accomplishments at the next Puritans With Too Much Time on Their Hands meeting.

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BleedBluePunk OP t1_j5htg1i wrote

Where's the bias coming from? When I make a post I'm thinking I'm a blank slate each time. It seems like there's a bias here.

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RelationRealistic t1_j5afh4z wrote

Jeezus Chreese, if this ain't the reddits of all reddits. I'm gonna look back 40 years to find one line in a very low rated show and post a me too backlash on the television subreddit. Touch some grass OP.

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BleedBluePunk OP t1_j5hyqf3 wrote

Oh no silly, I was watching the first season of the series anyway and it happened to just be there while I was on Reddit anyway. Why's that actually important though?

I didn't realise that asking if a particular sexual joke directed at a minor was inappropriate sparked a cognitive bias in people. To me, it's like asking "is this bush look a different than the other 3 bushes?"

Would you have responded the same way if I said, "Is this scene really bad acting in Will and Grace?"

I don't see how or why this is a thing to get defensive over. I don't know where this is coming from, because I don't share your life experiences. To me, it's an objective and literal question. "Is this a weird joke, yes or no?"

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olddicklemon72 t1_j599h67 wrote

The phrase “turned on” has had multiple meanings over the years. Obviously there’s the implication of sexual arousal but it’s also meant “high” as well as simply “excited”.

That ambiguity is likely what got it past censors.

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muldoonjp88 t1_j5981ly wrote

Yo why are you watching a 1985 kids sitcom?

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DataRikerGeordiTroi t1_j59crqr wrote

Hollywood when ppl were on yay (early 80s) is a trip.

Worth watching a few episodes. Its genuinely weird

It kinda always gave me bad vibes.

The show from that era worth watching is called Out of This World.

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BleedBluePunk OP t1_j599578 wrote

That's a really strange question. That's akin to asking a reviewer on Rotten Tomatoes why they watched a kids movie. Anyway, I used to watch this after school when I was a kid. It came on right before "Out of this World" where the girl talks to her dad who is an alien through a diamond-like vase that sits on her nightstand. It's a family sitcom, in the same vein as Family Matters, Growing Pains, Family Ties, Step by Step, etc.

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muldoonjp88 t1_j59dyia wrote

I was just busting your balls. I’m 45. I watched that show everyday as a kid.

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DataRikerGeordiTroi t1_j59cnnk wrote

I agree that the people asking this are kinda strange. Why you watch TV show? Like what?

Small wonder is creepy AF and its giving epstein-- but Out of This World is GOD TIER and not to be missed.

Also - Hollywood in the 1980s was absolutely insane and drug riddled & problematic af. Are you really asking why nasty inappropriate jokes were made 40 years ago? Its cuz the screenwriter hadn't slept in like 3 days. Everything from that time is sleazy & grody af.

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DataRikerGeordiTroi t1_j59fclj wrote

I just want to go on record as saying this show in general is creepy AF & gives VERY bad vibes & i hope the kids working on it were safe & cared for & not exploited or hurt.

But its always given me very bad vibes.

The OPPOSITE of this show is Out of This World and i stan it. It was so good.

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ContributionDry2252 t1_j598idq wrote

Never heard of such a series

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BleedBluePunk OP t1_j598q8w wrote

It's basically M3gan. In the pilot, the main character works at a robotics factory and creates an advanced android with synthetic skin that looks human much to the boss's dismay.

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ContributionDry2252 t1_j59a14l wrote

That's apparently a very new movie, not available here yet. Thanks for the heads-up.

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