You Can't Do That on Television

Overview

You Can't Do That on Television is a Canadian television program that first aired locally in 1979 before airing internationally in 1981. It featured pre-teen and teenaged actors in a sketch comedy format. Each episode had a theme. The show was notable for launching the careers of many performers, including Alanis Morissette, and writer Bill Prady, who would write and produce shows like The Big Bang Theory, Gilmore Girls and Dharma and Greg.

The show was produced by and aired on Ottawa's CTV station CJOH-TV. After production ended in 1990, the show continued in reruns on Nickelodeon through 1994, when it was replaced with the similar All That. The show is synonymous with Nick, and was at that time extremely popular, with the highest ratings overall on the channel. The show is also well known for introducing the network's iconic slime.

The program is the subject of the 2004 feature-length documentary, You Can't Do That on Film, directed by David Dillehunt.

Episodes

S01E01 Live!

February 3, 1979 30 min
The main plot for this episode is unknown, but it featured a Panasonic radio as a prize for one of the phone-in competitions, as most of the episodes from this 1979 season. This episode also...

S01E02 Shoestring

February 10, 1979 30 min
Tim constantly tries to get a date with Cindy, but keeps looking like a fool, losing her to Jim and David. To add insult to injury, he keeps being forced into wearing a dress…and he...

S01E03 Nickel and Dime

February 17, 1979 30 min
The main plot for this episode is unknown, but it featured kids' jokes and opinions filmed at the Winterloo slide at Ottawa's N.A.C.

S01E04 Peanuts

February 24, 1979 30 min

S01E06 Ottawa Director

March 10, 1979 30 min
Only one scene remains in existence from this episode. In the scene Tim is the dungeon and is told not to pull the chains. He does not listen and gets slimed.

S01E07 St. Patrick's Day

March 17, 1979 30 min
Lisa keeps scheming to get Bradfield slimed, but her plans keep backfiring and result in her getting slimed several times.

S01E08 Backstage

March 31, 1979 30 min
The show is back on live after spending the previous week taping a show for network television.

S01E09 Executive Washroom

April 7, 1979 30 min
The network executives have a party on the set and leave money behind. When the cast goes to pick it up, Ross quickly confiscates the cash, claiming it is useless play money. Mr. Dime and...

S01E10 Boring

April 14, 1979 30 min
Features kids' jokes filmed the week before at the Bayshore Shopping Mall in Ottawa.

S01E11 Straitjackets

April 21, 1979 30 min

S01E12 Local Show

April 28, 1979 30 min

S01E13 Sore Foot

May 5, 1979 30 min
The shows sees its last of Mr. L. Dime and all the CJOH jokes.

Cast

Christine McGlade
Les Lye
Adam Greydon Reid
Adam Greydon Reid
Lisa Ruddy
Alasdair Gillis
Ruth Buzzi
Ruth Buzzi
Klea Scott
Klea Scott
Alanis Morissette
Alanis Morissette
Matthew Godfrey
Vanessa Lindores
Vik Sahay
Vik Sahay
Abby Hagyard

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