Before assuming I hate Chris Elliott, understand that I did enjoy his surreal and often dopey series "Get a Life" which came out two years after this failed TV pilot. It think it's mostly because although Chris behaved strangely in both shows, "Get a Life" was usually clever and funny. As for "Action Family", it has a few clever elements but makes little of them because I just didn't find it funny or professional looking...and I can only assume the folks who rejected the show felt pretty much the same.
The show is almost like two separate shows. On one hand, Chris plays a private eye and on the others he's a dopey dad with a goofy family...complete with one of the most god-awful laugh tracks I have ever heard. Because of this, it makes the show come off like it THINKS it's really funny and clever....but it just isn't. The plot, if you care, is about a serial killer as well as Chris and the wife trying to make their awful children happy.
The bottom line is that some of the weird surreal ideas did later make their way to "Get a Life"...so perhaps it's good Elliott got to try and fail and learn from it. Overall, horribly unfunny and stupid.
The show is almost like two separate shows. On one hand, Chris plays a private eye and on the others he's a dopey dad with a goofy family...complete with one of the most god-awful laugh tracks I have ever heard. Because of this, it makes the show come off like it THINKS it's really funny and clever....but it just isn't. The plot, if you care, is about a serial killer as well as Chris and the wife trying to make their awful children happy.
The bottom line is that some of the weird surreal ideas did later make their way to "Get a Life"...so perhaps it's good Elliott got to try and fail and learn from it. Overall, horribly unfunny and stupid.