Nice sit-com, helped through it's first year following married with children, then killed off by Fox putting it into the 9:30 slot facing NBC's Thurdsay lineup containing Seinfeld, Frasier and then ending with Homicide. Nothing would have made it in that time slot, so we have to assume it was sacrificed to make way for one of Fox's brass to introduce one of his other pet projects.
14 Reviews
Inside Out
safenoe17 February 2022
fun premise
SnoopyStyle28 May 2017
Herman Brooks (William Ragsdale) is a lowly fact checker at a publishing house. He works under the encyclopedic Mr. Paul Bracken (Jason Bernard) along with selfish bitch Heddy Newman (Jane Sibbett) and awkward virgin Louise Fitzer (Yeardley Smith). His best friend is sleazy writer Jay Nichols (Hank Azaria). The show goes inside Herman's head with conflicting psyche; Sensitivity (Molly Hagan), Lust (Ken Hudson Campbell), Anxiety (Rick Lawless), and Intellect (Peter Mackenzie).
The premise of inside Herman's head has some good fun. On the other hand, the basic sitcom premise lacks needed romantic possibilities for Herman. I definitely don't want Herman with Louise. Heddy is such a bitch that any relationship is doomed from the start. It's not love-hate. It's just hate-hate. The show tries to put them together a couple times but in general, the coupling is horrible. The odd thing is that there is a perfect partner in the pilot. Connie is sleazy Jay's girlfriend when she falls for Herman. I really like the pilot and the show misses that character. Jay is such an annoying jerk that it actually detracts from my love of Herman. I don't see the friendship in them. The unique premise has some fun but ultimately, the chemistry in the sitcom isn't that good. Jennifer Aniston has a minor role as Herman's little sister.
The premise of inside Herman's head has some good fun. On the other hand, the basic sitcom premise lacks needed romantic possibilities for Herman. I definitely don't want Herman with Louise. Heddy is such a bitch that any relationship is doomed from the start. It's not love-hate. It's just hate-hate. The show tries to put them together a couple times but in general, the coupling is horrible. The odd thing is that there is a perfect partner in the pilot. Connie is sleazy Jay's girlfriend when she falls for Herman. I really like the pilot and the show misses that character. Jay is such an annoying jerk that it actually detracts from my love of Herman. I don't see the friendship in them. The unique premise has some fun but ultimately, the chemistry in the sitcom isn't that good. Jennifer Aniston has a minor role as Herman's little sister.
The high point of Fox's Experimental phase
rlcsljo19 July 2000
When the Fox Network went on the air, it seemed like it was trying to attract viewers with "something different". The result was shows like "Herman's Head".
Although it featured a "Dobie Gillis" like situation--an ambitious bombshell who was "unattainable" and an "ordinary" girl who was sweet, but really loved him, this show added something way out of the ordinary: A "Greek chorus" that revealed his "true" thoughts, instead of Herman giving asides to the camera.
A nice touch was including in the chorus a female to give his "feminine" side.
This nice touch pulled this rather ordinary sitcom out of the muck and gave it a nice spin that worked most of the time.
Its too bad Fox did not keep up this phase, because I believe television would have been much the better for it.
Although it featured a "Dobie Gillis" like situation--an ambitious bombshell who was "unattainable" and an "ordinary" girl who was sweet, but really loved him, this show added something way out of the ordinary: A "Greek chorus" that revealed his "true" thoughts, instead of Herman giving asides to the camera.
A nice touch was including in the chorus a female to give his "feminine" side.
This nice touch pulled this rather ordinary sitcom out of the muck and gave it a nice spin that worked most of the time.
Its too bad Fox did not keep up this phase, because I believe television would have been much the better for it.
Not Built for Longevity
view_and_review21 March 2024
"Herman's Head" was an early Fox program in which a guy named Herman Brooks (William Ragsdale) had four distinct personalities inside his head that we were privy to. The personalities were Sensitivity, played by Molly Hagan, Lust, played by Ken Hudson Campbell, Anxiety, played by Rick Lawless, and Genius, played by Peter Mackenzie. Whenever the camera zoomed into Herman's head we'd see them having a pow-wow or debate where eventually one of the four wins out.
"Herman's Head" didn't last that long and rightfully so. It was a show built for cool, not longevity. Plus I remember thinking, "How are Hank Azaria and Yeardley Smith able to do this show and 'The Simpsons.' "
"Herman's Head" didn't last that long and rightfully so. It was a show built for cool, not longevity. Plus I remember thinking, "How are Hank Azaria and Yeardley Smith able to do this show and 'The Simpsons.' "
Awesome, bitch
chew_e_eggs27 May 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Okay, basically this show is awesome. Now, I've only seen about 50 shows, but from what I have seen, it's golden. Never will you find a better TV show, because of Herman's wit, intelligence, and sarcasm. Now, I realize some people may not be into that kind of stuff, but if you are, this is the show for you. I cried for days when it ended, and I'm sure some other people did, too. Its basically about a very young fact checker(Herman) that is constantly getting into dilemmas, yet the plot is so realistic that it seems as if it could happen to anyone, and it can! The show is very funny in my opinion, but it has serious matters, as in all good comedy shows. I'm giving it a 10 because it is so funny.
One of my All-Time favorite shows
Steviereno17 October 2012
Yeah, 10 stars. This quirky show had me blurting soup out of my nose once - after that I didn't dare eat soup while watching it, ever again. I have enjoyed reading the earlier user reviews, and everything they said about how funny it was I agree with. Mr Bracken would come out and say some of the most absurd things, but then would spout out facts like the script writers wrote them for him (LOL). Heddy was so hot, I would liked to have been Herman, but I would have shut up the girl and scared dude i his head. Lust would have won out, and why not? Heddy was so totally hot. Jane Sibbett played her to perfection. Jay was as shallow and callous as they could make him, and that was fine with me; it set up lots of funny scenes. I agree with some here about Louise - I thought she was also hot in her way. But the funniest character on the show was Mr Crawford. The way he couldn't get Herman's name right was always a hoot, and then he got himself into such ridiculous situations. I wish they had spun him off - a show based on him would have been hilarious. This is one show I totally wish they would put on the air SOMEWHERE. I loved it. Herman's Head and Northern Exposure.
Someone said Herman was a flat character, but that isn't possible, since he did have the four characters in his head and he was alternately devilish (read: horny) and angelic. At the same time, the least funny person on Seinfeld was Jerry. He was just a grounding character so everyone crazy around him would have a touchstone to (semi-) reality. Herman was the same.
10 stars out of 10. Heck, ten stars out of 5! I loved this show.
Someone said Herman was a flat character, but that isn't possible, since he did have the four characters in his head and he was alternately devilish (read: horny) and angelic. At the same time, the least funny person on Seinfeld was Jerry. He was just a grounding character so everyone crazy around him would have a touchstone to (semi-) reality. Herman was the same.
10 stars out of 10. Heck, ten stars out of 5! I loved this show.
Funny and interesting
ojfernandez-0505431 December 2020
the good ones always get cancelled
kayebtoyz6 October 2002
When friends and I sit around discussing the fall of TV I always bring this show up. Some remember it, and others are clueless. Fox has let some good shows slip away and I never understand why. This show was funny. I'm glad that I'm not the only one that wished that it hadn't been canceled so soon or hoped that at some time or other it would have been picked up in syndiciation. Is there anything that people without the "anonymous voting tv monitors" can do to stop these kind of atrocities?
A great show,and very unique.
Paul-30828 June 2003
An excellent comedy that I watched religiously.I think I saw every episode.The tension between Heddy and Herman was so thick.....and the occasional interruption by know it all Bracken was a good "break".The ever so Lisa Simpson-ish Louise was a very unique charmer,in her own way....but those 4 people in Hermans Head.....you always looked forward to seeing them pop up...There has been no program like it....before or after.The opening segment was much better in the early episodes,it was more an upbeat,alive music...sorta got you jumping..
It was one of Fox's best
morrowman214 January 2004
When this show first came out, I watched it almost every weekend and I thought that the plot of the show was very interesting. The show had a very interesting plot to it, What goes through a person's mind when they are thinking. My friends and I would sit down and watch it and laugh our selves silly. I was very disappointed to see it get canceled. I wish Fox or some other network would show the re-runs,
but so far I have not seen it on any network since fox canceled the series back in 1994.
but so far I have not seen it on any network since fox canceled the series back in 1994.
good show gone... where?
sailor_mercury_3216 March 2001
this show was so freakin' cool. it was one of the many gems that fox let slip into the cracks (family guy, critic, are others). this truly was a breath of fresh air. it makes you think. about when tv was good. or maybe just this show was good. whatever the case, it isn't on anymore, and i think 's a shame.
Cute memories
mk72314 April 2003
I was too young when I watched this show to really give a true critical assessment of it, but it definitely entertained me. Most of the jokes went over my little head, but the ones I did get were quite funny to me. I remember being especially disgusted by the character that represented Herman's lust and a bit annoyed by the feminine character in his brain. It was a clever idea, and I wish that it had a longer run.
I Think You'll Love Herman, He Has a Mind Just Like Yours !
elshikh430 October 2008
For unexplained reason, this was being aired at nearly 3 AM on our national television. Maybe they had no empty time for a sitcom like it. Or maybe that was the perfect time for a sitcom about mind! Anyway, that gave me the chance to follow it peacefully in the depth of the night like a special treat, particularly when it was airing daily.
This is simply about Herman and his mind. His mind's residents are maybe the rarest group of characters in sitcom history; Angel (Sensitivity), Animal (Lust), Wimp (Anxiety), Genius (Intellect). You have to love a funny facing to your own thinking like this. I'm sure, it is the closest of what (Sigmund Freud) might have wanted from a sitcom!
I was waiting for any scene that got (Yeardley Smith) in it. As (Louise) the sidekick, she was totally adorable; her magical voice, miniature features, perfect attitude, and tender charisma, all agglutinated me to my seat every single episode to enjoy her presence and performance. The best thing was that she smartly knew how to make you laugh at her and sympathy with her in the same time. The mind's inhabitants were beautifully selected, constantly comic and in harmony. On the contrary, (William Ragsdal), as the title character, was flat, being the less talented amongst all the good cast.
While the main idea was genius, was it ready to continue?! I mean the appearance of all our minds' rulers in conflict and discussion all the way was great imagination and cute fun apart, but with not many renewals, the show adhered to the same formula of having something happens to Herman, then some jokes about it from the crazy bunch in his head. That made the 4 "head" characters imprisoned in the same place, and case, just about every time!
Although cancellation is not always well news, but I think that helped the show to be a fine memory without any malformation or desperate desire to be on air by any cost. I read that if the show got a fourth season, there was going to be a second set of head characters introduced! Thank God that that didn't happen. It's like adding a new "girl" car in the last season of (Knight Rider) beside the "male" car (K. I. T. T) because of some weariness hit it badly. Well, I believe every show has hypothetical age before its inevitable expiration date. And 3 seasons were enough age for (Herman's Head) before any possible dullness!
This was a wonderful original sitcom. The writers pulled it off as a light comedy with exceptional perspective. It was amazing that it managed to survive for 71 episodes (at first, it looked like the ones that last for only 13!). And it was good also to stop at that number; otherwise, we would have hated Herman, his Head, and their writers!
This is simply about Herman and his mind. His mind's residents are maybe the rarest group of characters in sitcom history; Angel (Sensitivity), Animal (Lust), Wimp (Anxiety), Genius (Intellect). You have to love a funny facing to your own thinking like this. I'm sure, it is the closest of what (Sigmund Freud) might have wanted from a sitcom!
I was waiting for any scene that got (Yeardley Smith) in it. As (Louise) the sidekick, she was totally adorable; her magical voice, miniature features, perfect attitude, and tender charisma, all agglutinated me to my seat every single episode to enjoy her presence and performance. The best thing was that she smartly knew how to make you laugh at her and sympathy with her in the same time. The mind's inhabitants were beautifully selected, constantly comic and in harmony. On the contrary, (William Ragsdal), as the title character, was flat, being the less talented amongst all the good cast.
While the main idea was genius, was it ready to continue?! I mean the appearance of all our minds' rulers in conflict and discussion all the way was great imagination and cute fun apart, but with not many renewals, the show adhered to the same formula of having something happens to Herman, then some jokes about it from the crazy bunch in his head. That made the 4 "head" characters imprisoned in the same place, and case, just about every time!
Although cancellation is not always well news, but I think that helped the show to be a fine memory without any malformation or desperate desire to be on air by any cost. I read that if the show got a fourth season, there was going to be a second set of head characters introduced! Thank God that that didn't happen. It's like adding a new "girl" car in the last season of (Knight Rider) beside the "male" car (K. I. T. T) because of some weariness hit it badly. Well, I believe every show has hypothetical age before its inevitable expiration date. And 3 seasons were enough age for (Herman's Head) before any possible dullness!
This was a wonderful original sitcom. The writers pulled it off as a light comedy with exceptional perspective. It was amazing that it managed to survive for 71 episodes (at first, it looked like the ones that last for only 13!). And it was good also to stop at that number; otherwise, we would have hated Herman, his Head, and their writers!
See also
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