Normal, Ohio

Normal, Ohio is an American television sitcom aired on Fox in 2000. The show stars John Goodman as William "Butch" Gamble, a gay man returning to his Midwestern home town. The cast also includes Joely Fisher, Anita Gillette, Orson Bean, Mo Gaffney and Charles Rocket.

Cast
John Goodman as William "Butch" Gamble

Anita Gillette as Joan Gamble

Joely Fisher as Pamela Gamble-Miller

Greg Pitts as Charlie Gamble

Julia McIlvaine as Kimberly Miller

Cody Kasch as Robbie Miller

Orson Bean as Bill Gamble

Mo Gaffney as Elizabeth

Charles Rocket as Danny

Overview
The original concept for the series was an Odd Couple-style situation comedy called Don't Ask, with Goodman as "Rex", sharing his West Hollywood apartment with college friend David (Anthony LaPaglia). Although the pilot was well-received, creators Bonnie and Terry Turner felt that the premise was not strong enough for an ongoing series. LaPaglia's character was written out and the series was relocated to Ohio.

The show was most notable for the divisions it exposed regarding American culture's view of homosexuality. Gamble was an average blue collar bear-type gay man, with many traits typical of American masculinity, including a love of football and beer, and very few of the traits stereotypically associated with gay men, and yet his sexuality itself was signified in part by isolated moments of more stereotypically gay behavior, such as singing snippets of Broadway show tunes and helping his sister to color her hair, that were seemingly at odds with the way his character was presented most of the time. As a result, some media outlets dismissed Goodman's role as unrealistic.

Goodman won the People's Choice Award for Best Actor in a New Comedy Series, but, up against the second half hour of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, it flopped in the Nielsen ratings. Twelve episodes of the series were made, but only seven were aired before its cancellation.

Goodman appeared on the cover of TV Guide's 2000 Fall Preview issue, along with three other actors starring in new sitcoms: Geena Davis, Bette Midler and Michael Richards. The magazine proclaimed them a "fab foursome", but none of the shows was a hit. (In the 2001 Fall Preview issue, the 2000 cover was re-printed with thought balloons over the actors' heads, with Goodman's saying, "Even I didn't buy me as a gay dad!")

Production Companies

 * Bonter Productions
 * The Casey-Werner Company

Length
30 minutes

GoAnimate in Real Life Channel
FOX Broadcasting Company

Aspect Ratio
480i (4:3 SDTV)

Episodes
Writers: Bonnie Turner & Jerry Turner, Director: David Trainer Writers: Jimmy Aleck & Jim Keily, Director: Philip Charles MacKenzie Writers: Bob Kushell, Bonnie Turner & Jerry Turner, Director: Philip Charles MacKenzie Writer: Gregg Mettler, Director: Philip Charles MacKenzie Writer: Miriam Tragdon, Director: Philip Charles MacKenzie Writers: Paul Corrigan & Brad Walsh, Director: Philip Charles MacKenzie Writer: John Schwab, Director: Philip Charles MacKenzie Writers: Lynnie Greene & Richard Levine, Director: Philip Charles MacKenzie Writer: Bob Nickman, Directed by: Philip Charles MacKenzie Writers: Paul Corrigan & Brad Walsh, Directed by: Philip Charles MacKenzie Writer: Kira Arne, Directed by: Philip Charles MacKenzie Writer: Gregg Mettler, Director: Philip Charles MacKenzie Writers: Jimmy Aleck & Jim Keily, Director: Philip Charles MacKenzie
 * 1) Pilot - November 1, 2000
 * 1) Caught on Tape - November 8, 2000
 * 1) Homecoming Queen - November 15, 2000
 * 1) Foreign Affairs - November 22, 2000
 * 1) A Thanksgiving Episode - November 29, 2000
 * 1) Buyer's Remorse - December 6, 2000
 * 1) Just Another Normal Christmas - December 13, 2000
 * 1) Working Girl - January 10, 2001
 * 1) Pamela's New Boyfriend - January 10, 2001
 * 1) Forgotten, But Not Gone - January 17, 2001
 * 1) The Favorite - January 17, 2001
 * 1) He Always Gets His Man - January 24, 2001
 * 1) Charlie's Gamble - January 24, 2001