Do You Remember ‘Small Wonder,’ the Bizarre ’80s TV Show About a Robot Daughter?
Small Wonder is one of those shows that could only work in the ’80s. The American comedy science fiction sitcom aired in first-run syndication from September 7, 1985 to May 20, 1989, and followed the Lawson family, who were hiding a pretty big secret: patriarch Ted Lawson was a robotics engineer who secretly built a robot in the form of a little girl, and tried to pass her off as the family’s adopted daughter, Vicki. Of course, keeping her true identity under wraps wasn’t easy, especially with nosy neighbors like Harriet Brindle constantly popping by.
The series was an unexpected hit, especially with kids, and it became even bigger overseas. In fact, it was so popular in some countries that it had to be dubbed into multiple languages, gaining titles like Super Vicky in Italy and Brazil, and La Petite merveille in France.
Much of the show’s humor came from Vicki’s robotic quirks, like her monotone voice, her literal interpretation of everything and her habit of living inside a cabinet in her “brother” Jamie’s room. While critics often called it one of the worst sitcoms ever made, audiences loved it. So in honor of the 40th anniversary of the start of the series, let’s learn some interesting facts about it:
1 Why Edie McClurg left early
Lorimar Television/Everett Collection
Edie McClurg, who played Harriet’s mother Bonnie Brindle, left Small Wonder in the third season to take on a full-time role in Valerie (later The Hogan Family). Rather than recast her, the writers simply wrote Bonnie out and replaced her presence with Brandon Brindle’s outspoken sister, Ida Mae. Interestingly, McClurg still popped up once more in a later episode, giving fans a brief return before Ida Mae fully took over the neighborly meddling.
2 Some big stars reportedly auditioned to play Vicki
20th Century Fox Film Corp./Everett Collection
Reportedly, before Tiffany Brissette was cast, several other young actresses were considered for the role of Vicki including Candace Cameron Bure, who would go on to star in Full House, as well as Taylor Neff and Heather O’Rourke of Poltergeist fame. Can you imagine any of them in the role instead?
3 There was backstage drama between parents
20th Century Fox Film Corp./Everett Collection
According to Everything ’80s Podcast, the young cast generally got along, but their parents didn’t. Tension ran high behind the scenes, to the point where the studio had to hire three separate on-set tutors because the parents couldn’t agree on one. Marla Pennington, who played Joan Lawson, recalled that Brissette’s mother Diane often clashed with producers while advocating for her daughter to have more screen time and opportunities.
4 Vicki’s growth chip
20th Century Fox Film Corp./Everett Collection
One big challenge for the show was explaining Brissette’s growth as she aged. So, they had Ted Lawson installed a “growth chip” in Vicki, allowing her to physically grow like a real child. Behind the scenes, the production team even skipped hiatuses out of fear that the child actors would hit puberty too quickly, which could make the illusion harder to maintain.
5 No toys?
20th Century Fox Film Corp./Everett Collection
Even though Small Wonder was popular with kids, Fox never embraced merchandise or spin-offs. A Halloween costume and a Vicki doll were discussed, but both were scrapped before release. There was even talk of a cartoon series, but it never materialized. To top it off, when the show was canceled in 1989, fans never got a proper finale, leaving Vicki’s story hanging without closure. Would you have purchased Small Wonder merch?
’80s Where Are They Now
March 2023
Who can forget all the great TV shows, movies and music of the ‘80s? See what your favs are up to now!
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