Out of Control (TV Series 1984–1985) Poster

(1984–1985)

User Reviews

Review this title
14 Reviews
Sort by:
Filter by Rating:
8/10
random memories of an 80s underrated kids TV show.
neekol2 February 2007
I have more of a faded and fond nostalgic memory of this show. I recall it being the more entertaining shows to watch on Nickelodeon when the network was quite young itself. Remembering Dave Coullier's catch phrase and gestures to "Cut It Out" to Diz's overly expressive hyped-out Cyndi Lauper style and personae always makes me smile. I wish this show was on DVD just so I can see what has been locked away in my memories of childhood t.v.

Not everyone my age remembers this show but those who do always seem to have enjoyed it. It may have appealed to an 8-13 year old age-group on the "network for kids", but you're reading a comment from someone who was mearly 4 when this show first aired in 1984. Maybe that's why I can only think of bits and pieces of that crazy and fun show. (Was it part farce comedy talk show with Dave Coullier as a skinny tie wearing host as well as part sketch comedy?) Regardless, I do remember those outrageous press-on nails, radically dyed hair, pre-1990s Courtney Love mussed up 80s punk make-up, and 1950s style multi-colored tulle dress that Diz wore all the while she failed in standing still and talking calmly in her stand-up. Personally I always thought she was the "Out Of Control" representative on Out Of Control. As for the rest of it, I wish I could describe in as much detail. Nevertheless, it was an entertaining show for the era that I certainly enjoyed as a kid from the 80s.
5 out of 5 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
Classic revolutionary Nickelodeon TV.
DragonMasterHiro15 July 2003
This show was on during Nickelodeon's good days in the 80's. It featured Dave Coulier, now mostly well known from Joey Gladstone on "Full House" and host of "America's Funniest People". It was basically a news show except filled with goofy segments and quirky characters. Sure it had a crappy set and graphic abilities, but it was Dave back when he was funny and Nickelodeon when it was quality. There was also station manager Diz, who had hair and makeup like Cyndi Lauper, and her calling card was a high whistle-pitched scream. Some of the skits on the show were "It's Probably True" dealing with oddities around America, "How Not to Do Things", "Adult Education" (not porno, it's where kids are the teachers) and "Moments in Inventions". Diz also had a segment but I forget what it was called. All I remember is her animated face doing that scream; EEIIIIEEE EEIIIIEEE!

It may not have been the best show, but at least Nick was being creative and original instead of pumping out the garbage it is now. And of course, "CUT IT OUT"!
18 out of 18 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
When, oh when, will this be put on DVD?
ID already taken17 August 2006
Before Full House, Dave Coulier was best known as...Dave Coulier on Out of Control. Being one of Nickelodeon's first shows during its golden years, OOC presented a wacky cast and even wackier segments such as: It's Probably True, Adult Education and a few others I can't remember cause I've not seen it in quite a long time. No DVD, you see.

The series ran for no more than 20 episodes, and was put into heavy circulation well up into the late eighties. One particular segment involved Dave talking about his beloved band, The Burping Chili Men. Wow, I'm surprised that's not a real band, yet. He and the cast even did a few songs, which if my rose-colored memory serves, were actually pretty good.

Nick, either put this on DVD or as God is my witness, I will find someone who has it on VHS to copy it on DVD.
5 out of 5 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
Memories Still Linger
srhnyda11 February 2007
Its 2007, Im about to be 23 and I still remember this TV SHow being on Nickelodeon. This show was apart of my childhood, Dave C. this as well as being Joey on Full House are things from my childhood that stick out. "Come on now, CUT. IT. OUT" This show was amazing, I wish they could make more shows like "Out of Control" and "You can't do that on Television" I mean seriously, I watched these shows for years and i turned out to be fine, its TV! All of these overprotective parents need to chill out. I mean GEEZE, TV should be fun, and be able to get us out of our mundane life for 30 min.

If any of the cast from this show ever read this, "THANK YOU! from the bottom of my heart."
3 out of 3 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
Now if only we can get bootleg tapes...
ID already taken30 January 2004
...we can have this placed on bootleg DVDs. One would think that since a lot of the 18-30 range, having an incredible amount of disposable income, that Nick would say, "Hey, we can make a profit!" and put some of the classics on dvd. This was Dave Coulier before Full House working with a wonderful cast that didn't believe kids were sans brain cells. Who didn't want a hurry up machine to speed up test time and to slow down recess or travel to exotic tourist traps. My personal favorite episode has the ever popular song. "Burping Chili Men". My God, why isn't that a single! Now taking medication...very sleepy...zzzz.
3 out of 3 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
Fun, wacky humor. A favorite show of my childhood.
geezerbill5 April 2004
I grew up in the 80s, and "Out Of Control" was definitely one of my favorite shows as a child. The cast worked so well together, and the writing was great. It was just such a wacky, fun show to watch. There were a lot of skits, lots of in-between animation not unlike "Monty Python's Flying Circus", weekly segments, tours of restaurants and factories, and a few crazy one-time characters. Even as an adult, I still laugh when I think back about some of the jokes they did.

The main set was made to look like a TV studio. Dave Coulier (who used his real name for his character, and would years later wind up in the show "Full House") was usually seen sitting at his desk like a late show host. His repeated catch phrase was "Cut. It. OUT!". Hern Burferd (Marty Shiff) was the on-the-street, hard-nose news reporter. He always wore a gray hat, sometimes with an attached card that read "PRESS", but he'd occasionally wear other verbs instead ("PULL", "PUSH", etc.). By the way, there's a great 2001 interview with Schiff somewhere online.

Diz was a character of pure madness, and definitely my favorite. Always looking punked-out with outrageous 80s clothes and too much make-up, she was the loudest character in every sense. One of her signatures was her high-pitched whistle-scream. The other main characters, Waldo and Angela, were not featured as prominently as the others, but were part of the show none the less. Angela "Scoop" Quigley(sp?) was another reporter, and Waldo was the studio's handyman and inventor (and like "Where's Waldo?" and the Waldo character of the then-popular Van Halen Video "Hot For Teacher", Waldo had thick geeky glasses). There was also HaHa, the speaking computer and joke machine of the show.

Even though it's been almost 20 years since I've seen it, I have SO many vivid memories of this show. But the frequent sketches included:

  • The "Hurry Up" machine, which would speed up time itself. In each show they'd read a fictional letter from a child, requesting a "Hurry Up" to get some boring activity over with ASAP (getting a hair cut, doing chores, being in school, etc.) With a flick of the switch, they'd show clips of these events in fast-motion.


  • "It's Probably True", where they'd usually go to some crazy landmark, visit some world-record breaker, etc.


  • "How [Not] To Do Things". As the name implies, these were instructional documentaries with extremely bad advice.


  • "Twisted Fairy Tales", where Diz would recite, as fast as she could, some classic fairy tale but with her own twist to the story.


  • The show would usually end with "Let's Eat", where they'd visit an eccentric restaurant or food-related factory. At the end, Dave would present the owner with a gold "Let's Eat" trophy, complete with mechanically chattering teeth attatched to the top.


Some of the one-time guests I remember were Fred Newman, the author of "Mouth Sounds" who holds a sound-making contest with Dave, and stand-up comedian Bruce Baum who claimed to collect artifacts of the great stars. (He has a deflated inner tube which he tries to pass off as Rocky Balboa's belt, and a dirty white gardening glove as being the glove of Michael Jackson.)

I know I'm not the only child of the 80s who religiously tuned into this show. Surprisingly, I think only 26 episodes were made. Surely they can cram this on to a couple of DVDs. C'mon Nick, give us a DVD!
10 out of 10 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
One of Nick's all time greats
benchley25 August 2003
While it may not be as well remembered by my generation as "You Can't Do That on Television," "Out of Control" was just as big a part of Nick's "Golden Age" of programming. While it would be a few years until I was of age to stay up late enough to learn that the opening spot light on the curtain, and Dave's intro was a spoof on "The Tonight Show," it didn't matter. This show was simply downright fun!

I'll never forget an episode where Dave goes to a japanese restaurant and learns all about sushi. Now being 24, sushi has become a phenomenon within my lifetime, and so at the time this show was on it was still very much a foreign concept to alot of people, and especially me! I'm sure everyone remembers what a stink was made in "The Breakfast Club" over having sushi for lunch. To make a long story short-when I finally DID try sushi, all I could think of was this show and how I finally did something that seemed so cool and, well "Out of Control!"

For people who seem surprised at how awful Nickelodeon has become, and how shows like this are long gone-just consider the source. Nick was created by MTV, which at the time was also hip, original, and above all entertaining. Now neither one is even a shadow of it's former self.

At least we still have memories of a great show like "Out of Control!"
9 out of 9 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
I loved it!!!
asherjdoak16 January 2003
This show is one of several reasons why I watched Nickelodeon when I was a kid. I used to laugh my head off regularly whenever it was on. My favorite segment was "How NOT To Do Things". One particular episode took place at a bowling alley. The guy forgot to let go of the ball and was pulled down the lane, his fingers still in the holes, I might add. That was hilarious! My fiancee liked this show, too, and one bit she remembers is the "Hurry-Up", which, for some reason, didn't ring a bell for me. I wish this show were still on!
8 out of 8 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
CUT IT OUT!!!
gonzoriffic16 May 1999
This show was part of what I consider the "golden age" of the Nickelodeon cable channel, along with shows like "Live Wire", "You Can't Do That On Television", "Pinwheel", and "Turkey TV". Dave Coulier (known as "Joey" on the unfunny sitcom "Full House") was the host, as well as the voice of Ha-Ha, the comedy computer that spat out jokes on little ribbons of paper. The show had animation, as well as several very entertaining segments like "It's Probably True", in which Dave would visit strange places or people in various parts of the country.
5 out of 5 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
One of Nick's Best
conANDav-215 August 1999
Maybe it was just that I grew up on this show and shows like "Hi Honey, I'm Home", "Hey Dude", and "You Can't Do That on Television", but "Out of Control" was one of Nickelodeon's best shows. I loved it whenever I watched it. Now, if I turn to Nick, I get boring cartoons that all look alike and more and more "Rugrats". There aren't any live action shows, the kind that made Nickelodeon what it is. If anyone out there happens upon an old videotape of Out of Control or some other cable channel decides to run it, you have to watch it! And, just to bring it up, Dave Coulier is much funnier in this role than as "Joey Gladstone".
4 out of 4 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
One of my Favorites
anniebell197729 August 2003
This was one of the great shows on Nick before it became really comercial. It was fun and interesting, and actually made you think. I think that the kids today would be more creative if they had more shows like this one on tv. If anyone from NICK reads these, Please get this back on TV. I would really like for my nieces & nephews to see this.
3 out of 3 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
I Thought I Was the Only One
bennykenobi5 July 2000
Holy s**t! This was a great show. Does anyone remember the one where Dave went to the St. Louis Museum of miniatures, and was putting the little shoes on his fingers and walking around that little house. I don't know how I remember that. I am only 15 years old, and I was probably only a sprout when I saw that. I would give my right testicle for some crazy network to bring back that show. I have been reduced to tears looking back on these old memories. Oh cut- it- out..!
5 out of 6 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
Well, I was in my 30's when this show was on Nickelodeon, and I LOVED IT!!!
pjjones23 August 2006
I used to tape Out of 'Control' and watch it later so I could replay some of my favorite parts. In fact, up until just a few years ago I still had a VHS cassette with several episodes on it. But I pitched it when I was moving. I've regretted the heck out of that maneuver. Good, clean, funny, and quirky entertainment, and all of the regulars had such distinct personalities.

To this day if I see someone become the beneficiary of some enviable bit of fortune, I find myself exclaiming Diz's exaggerated, "Luuuuuuuckeeee!!!"

Maybe I was a bit old for it. But I'm older than that now and if the show were still on the air I'd be watching it.
4 out of 5 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
That Haunted House Episode, How can I forget
Beatle-228 June 1999
I often wonder what happened to poor Dave to be so helpless to submit himself to those evil twins on full house. I loved Out of Control and all that it had to ofer. It gave an absoulte craziness to thousands of kids who didnt really understand what they were watching. I still pray every night for a "hurry up" machine and wonder where in the world is Dizz. I worked on my high school Journalism Staff and I once got to cover a story off campus. I made myself a "press" hat just like the one the guy on Out of Control had. I loved this show and I can't wait until someone brings it back.
2 out of 3 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

See also

Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews


Recently Viewed