Stay Tuned (1992)

50% of critics liked it
(12 reviews)
48% of users liked it
(7,907 ratings)

John Ritter and Pam Dawber star as Roy and Helen Knable, a suburban American couple having marital problems. Roy has become a couch potato, and a resentful Helen wants him to ditch the remote. When the demonic Spike (Jeffrey Jones) offers Roy a deal on the ultimate satellite TV system, Roy doesn't… More John Ritter and Pam Dawber star as Roy and Helen Knable, a suburban American couple having marital problems. Roy has become a couch potato, and a resentful Helen wants him to ditch the remote. When the demonic Spike (Jeffrey Jones) offers Roy a deal on the ultimate satellite TV system, Roy doesn't realize that he's just signed away his soul. Roy and Helen are sucked into their own television, where they endure a gauntlet of Hellish television shows such as "Northern Overexposure" and "I Love Lucifer." When their kids Darryl (David Tom) and Diane (Heather McComb) realize that their parents are on the twisted television, they set out to rescue them. Among other elements, Stay Tuned contains an original cartoon short by Looney Tunes legend Chuck Jones. The film was the debut of writing team Tom S. Parker and Jim Jennewein, who would stay in the wacky comedy genre with a whopping four major releases in 1994. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 28 min.
Directed By: Peter Hyams
Genres: Comedy

In Theaters: Aug 14, 1992 Wide
On DVD: May 23, 2000
Studio: Warner Home Video

Critic Reviews

Steve Crum, Video-Reviewmaster.com
As a 1992 state of the art video sci-fi satire, not bad.
Chuck O'Leary, Fantastica Daily
Has its moments...a second-rate screenplay is given a first-rate treatment by underrated director/cinematographer Peter Hyams.
Karina Montgomery, Cinerina
not john's best work
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
Stay Tuned is a harmless little comedy...

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Wahida K

RI.P John Ritter. It is a nice movie with some LOLs scenes. Also an interesting I dea what if you suddenly get stucked in TV.
Jason O

"Stay Tuned" is a great one of a kind movie. Roy Knable (John Ritter) and Helen Knable (Pam Dawber) are captured inside a television set after they are mischievously tricked by a salesman named Spike (Jeffrey Jones). Roy and Helen have to find a way to survive 24 hours of… More
"Stay Tuned" is a great one of a kind movie. Roy Knable (John Ritter) and Helen Knable (Pam Dawber) are captured inside a television set after they are mischievously tricked by a salesman named Spike (Jeffrey Jones). Roy and Helen have to find a way to survive 24 hours of the hellish Tv by completing several tasks and finding a television screen in whatever situation that they are currently in. Their journey inside the television will take them to many places and adventures such as Star Trek: The Next Generation, The French Revolution, a game show, and even a cartoon where they are both rats. "Stay Tuned" is a hilarious comedy movie. It's funny just about the whole time. John Ritter, Pam Dawber, and Jeffrey Jones all put on great performances. If you like innovative and hilarious comedy movies, I recommend getting "Stay Tuned." The movie never gets old no matter how many times you see it, so you might be staying tuned longer than you think. NOTE: That was my Amazon review from the year 2000. Always thought this was an awesome retro'ish and innovative movie for its time, and still love it.
Lafe F

John Ritter and Pam Dawber take a trip through television Hell (Jeffrey Jones is the Devil) to rescue their children. It's hilarious and has several parodies of popular television programs. My favorite was the crash-test dummy testing.
Dean M

Great fun of a shamefully over-looked knocked out satire on TV. I really like the couple mouses and a robot cat cartoon scene. John Ritter's hilarious and that memories him back to his old TV series - 'Two's Company' in that movie.
Sarah P

It was slightly amusing, but probably not something I would watch again.
alan j

inventive and creative..biting satire of tv idiocy today...caustic and dark..but Ritter and Dawber soften the sharp edges..

Read all 6 featured audience ratings

Cast

            John Ritter as Roy Knable

            Pam Dawber as Helen Knable

            Jeffrey Jones as Spike

            David Tom as Darryl Knable

            Heather McComb as Diane Knable

            Bob Dishy as Murray Seidenbaum

            Joyce Gordon as Mrs. Seidenbaum

            Eugene Levy as Crowley

            Erik King as Pierce

            Steve Adams as "30 Something to Life"

            Captain Lou Albano as Ring Announcer

            Susan Blommaert as Ducker

            Julie RitterLinda Bond as "Yogi Beer"

            Don Calfa as Wetzel

            Kristen Cloke as Velma

            John Bear Curtis as Torpedo #2

            Jimi de Filipis as Garth

            Indrani de Souza as Dancer

            Sandy Denton as Pepa

            Ken Douglas as Skeletal Worker

            Todd Duckworth as "3 Men and Rosemary's Baby"

            Serge Houde as "Yogi Beer"

            Cheryl James as Salt

            P. Lynn Johnson as "Silencer of the Lambs"

            Ken Kramer as Innkeeper

            David Longworth as Peasant

            Gordon Masten as Executioner

            Kevin McNulty as "30 Something to Life"

            Shane Meier as "Yogi Beer"

            Faith Minton as Mrs. Gorgon

            Don Pardo as Game Show Announcer

            Alan C. Peterson as Wrestling Referee

            Michael Puttonen as Nobleman

            John Pyper-Ferguson as "30 Something to Life"

            Roselyn Royce as "Three's Company Spoof"

            Gianni Russo as Guido

            Salt-N-Pepa as Rap Artist

            Lynn Stalmaster
            
            Jerry Wasserman as Cop

            Dale Wilson as Guy Squirly

            Robert Wisden as "3 Men and Rosemary's Baby"

            Peter Yunker as "3 Men and Rosemary's Baby"

            Laura Harris as Girlfriend #1

            Terry Lewis as Max Hell Man

            Bill Croft as Torpedo

            Rebecca Toolan as Crying Widow

            Colleen Winton as Anchor Woman

            Michelle Anton Allen
            
            Karen Hazzard
            
            Jonathon Pallone as Heavy Set Guard

            Dave "Squatch" Ward as Peasant

            George Gray as Mr. Grogan

            Michael Hogan as Duane

            Heather Mc Comb
            
See full cast