Parker Lewis Can't Lose

Infobox Television
show_name = Parker Lewis Can't Lose


caption = The cast of "Parker Lewis Can't Lose"
show_name_2 = "Parker Lewis"
genre = Sitcom
creator = Clyde Phillips
Lon Diamond
director = Rob Bowman
Thom Eberhardt
Mike Finney
Tucker Gates
Lyndall Hobbs
Mark Jean
Lawrence Jay Lipton
Jeffrey Melman
Larry Shaw
Bryan Spicer
Max Tash
Andy Tennant
starring = Corin Nemec
Troy Slaten
Billy Jayne
Melanie Chartoff
Taj Johnson
Abraham Benrubi
Maia Brewton
Gerrit Graham
country = USA
language = English
num_seasons = 3
num_episodes = 73
list_episodes =
executive_producer = Clyde Phillips
co_exec = David Steve Cohen
Lon Diamond
Robert Lloyd Lewis
Roger S.H. Schulman
Tom Spezialy
Tom Straw
producer = Alan Cross
Russell Marcus
Larry Phillips
Larry Shaw
Bryan Spicer
John Ziffren
sup_producer = Lon Diamond
Robert Lloyd Lewis
Roger S.H. Schulman
channel = FOX
first_aired = September 2, 1990
last_aired = June 13, 1993
imdb_id = 0098888
tv_com_id = 905

"Parker Lewis Can't Lose" is an American teen sitcom that originally aired on the FOX network from September 1990 to June 1993 (three seasons, 73 episodes). During the last season, the series sported the simpler title "Parker Lewis". The series was produced by Columbia Pictures Television (now Sony Pictures Television on reruns) and was strongly influenced by the film "Ferris Bueller's Day Off".

ynopsis

The series depicts the tribulations of the title character Parker Lewis, a Santo Domingo High School student, for whom nothing is impossible. Parker often narrates in shows. Just like his best friends, Jerry Steiner and Mikey Randall and his girlfriend Annie Sloan, his prime concern is achieving and maintaining "coolness" during the turbulent years of puberty. However, their efforts are often thwarted by Parker's little sister, Shelly, and principal Grace Musso. Apart from various aspects of teenage life, embedded in a surreal, living-cartoon-like quality and the clever camera angles and filming techniques (dissolves from one scene to the next were done by ever larger pixels), an episode regularly contains more or less subtle references to movies, politics, and celebrities. The surrealism was toned down in the series' final season. The 3,100 students are called "Flamingos", after their football team.

The TV spinoff "Ferris Bueller", which was directly based on "Ferris Bueller's Day Off", debuted on NBC during the same month, but it only lasted 13 episodes. "Parker Lewis Can't Lose" actually had lower ratings, but the FOX Network was still in its early years and thus had lower expectations.

Characters

Main characters

*Parker Lloyd Lewis (played by Corin Nemec) - Smart guy with a penchant for garish shirts and cutting classes. Parker usually has a plan up his sleeve, and they in turn usually involve outsmarting someone else. Plans put into effect begin with the command: "Synchronise Swatches". Parker is famous for his catch phrase, "not a problem," which he often says when faced with trouble. He and his two "buds" have their high-tech headquarters hidden above the gym. In the final season, Parker finally settled down with one girl, Annie, and appearing more mature and less reliant on his "not a problem" attitude.

*Jerry Steiner (played by Troy Slaten) - Archetypal nerd. In the first two seasons, he wears a trench coat (said to be made by NASA) from which he produces almost any object imaginable, apparently fixed inside with velcro. He addresses everyone by last name, e.g., "Mr. Lewis," "Mr. Randall," and even "Mr. Kubiac," or collectively as "sirs". At the end of the credits of episode 5, Jerry has been stuffed into his locker by Larry Kubiak, causing him to plaintively call out: "Mr. Lewis? Mr. Randall? Mr. Phillips? (Clyde Phillips, the series' creator and executive producer) Hello?" Jerry is also known to sometimes utter "eek!" like a mouse when in danger.

*Michael Patrick 'Mikey' Randall (played by Billy Jayne) - Rock'n'Roll rebel without a cause. By far the most emotionally driven of the trio. He often quotes or paraphrases famous songs (e.g., "To quote Don Henley, this is 'The End of the Innocence'" (episode 2), or suggesting to "Paint It, Black" when Jerry betrays the group's trust.

*Grace Musso (played by Melanie Chartoff) - Principal of Flamingo High; Parker's arch-, five foot five, said to be in her mid thirties but actually older. Wants to get Parker expelled. Often breaks the glass on her office door when she makes her distinctive "thumb swoosh" gesture. She has a racy side which is sometimes exposed. She has many secrets which she would rather be kept quiet, such as living in a $600,000 house on a $38,000 a year salary (ep 6), which Parker uses as the necessity arises.

*Shelly Ann Lewis (played by Maia Brewton) - Parker's "other" arch-nemesis: his little sister, who goes to the same school as a freshman. She likes to manipulate teachers and parents to her benefit and tries to get Parker into trouble. Most of the time she is on friendly terms with Jerry and the two seem to end up in a constant relationship at the end of the series. Her favourite saying is: "My brother is a dead man!" whenever she finds an opportunity to bring Parker into an embarrassing situation. She has a tendency to call out "Mom!" when Parker gets one over on her, as seen at the start or end of various programs.

*Martin Lloyd 'Marty' Lewis (played by Timothy Stack) - Parker's father. He owns a video rental store called "Mondo Video" with his wife and is helped by Parker and Shelly on weekends. He tries hard to keep some of the coolness that he had in his own school days when he was a, in his own words: "young hoodlum".

*Judy Lewis (played by Anne Bloom in season 1 and Mary Ellen Trainor in seasons 2-3) - Parker's mother. She can be loving and gentle, but if her family is threatened she is ready for battle.

*Francis Lawrence 'Larry' Kubiac III (played by Abraham Benrubi) - a.k.a. "Kube". 6 ft 7 ins and 270 lbs, he is built like a dinosaur with a brain to match, yet with a surprisingly sweet disposition. While walking, Kubiac causes earth tremors. His favourite line is, "Eat now?" In the series' beginning, he was initially introduced as a pure bully, aggressive and hostile towards other characters, but within a few episodes, his character was quickly changed into a more benign and friendly one, and he quickly became a helpful character who would often help Parker and his friends in their schemes. Later it becomes revealed in a moment of confidence with Parker that Larry is more intelligent than he appears and his dim-witted persona is merely an act.

*Franklin 'Frank' Lemmer (played by Taj Johnson) - Principal Musso's ultra-Republican sidekick and "lapdog" with vampiric tendencies. He has been in school 16 years (ep 9), wears black and seems to have a telepathic connection to the principal. Obsessed with war, strategy and politics. Nixon is his hero. Musso can summon him with a dog whistle. He is able to teleport at will. Seasons 1 & 2 only.

*Annie Faith Sloan (played by Jennifer Guthrie). Parker's love interest from the middle of the second season to the show's end.

Recurring characters

*Dr. Norman Pankow (played by Gerrit Graham) - The principal of El Corrado High School with a doctorate in penology. Musso's primary adult rival and a devote of the sculpting of bonsai trees. As tough as Musso is, Pankow is regarded as far, far worse. Seasons 1 & 2.

*Nick Comstock (played by Paul Johansson) - Manager of the Atlas Diner during the second season. He is very attractive and possesses a supernatural ability to help people with their problems, often dishing out sage advice to Parker.

*Bradley 'Brad' Penny (played by Harold Pruett) - Appeared in the show's final season. He works as a bricklayer, is athletic and good-looking. Parker sees him as an arch-nemesis but Brad often only wants to be friends though misunderstandings come between them. Shelly is intrigued by him.

*Coach Hank Kohler (played by John Pinette). Joining during the show's final season, Hank Kohler served as a father figure for Larry Kubiac and the new owner of the Atlas Diner, which he finally loses in the show's final episode, "The Last Supper." He is obsessed with Grace Musso, who is completely repulsed by him.

International

*In Argentina it aired on Canal 2, in the afternoons.
*In Australia, the show aired on Channel 9
*In Austria, the show aired on ORF1.
*In Belgium, the show aired on the official Flemish television channels (BRT1 and BRT2, now called Eén and Canvas) with multiple reruns.
*In Brazil, the show aired on Rede Record
*In Canada, the show aired on Global TV.
*In Chile, the show aired on Canal Trece
*In Colombia, the show aired on Canal Uno.
*In Costa Rica it aired on Repretel Channel 6 and Channel 11.
*In Denmark, it aired on TV2
*In El Salvador it aired on Channel 6.
*In Finland, it aired on Kolmoskanava.
*In France, the show aired on TF1, and later France 3.
*In Germany, the show aired on Pro 7.
*In Greece and Cyprus, it aired on ANT1
*In Hungary, the show aired first on M1 and years later on TV2.
*In Iceland it aired on Sjónvarpið as "Skálkar á skólabekk" (Rogues in school)
*In Israel, the show aired on Cable Channel 6 and later on Cable Channel 3.
*In Italy it aired on Telemontecarlo
*In Kenya, it aired on Kenya Television Network (KTN)
*In Mexico, the show aired on XHGC-TV Canal 5
*In the Netherlands, the show aired on NCRV.
*In New Zealand, the show aired on TV2.
*In Norway, it aired on NRK as a part of the show Go' Elg
*In Peru, the show aired first on Frecuencia Latina (Canal Dos).
*In the Philippines, the show aired on RPN 9.
*In Poland, the show aired first on Canal+, then on TVP2.
*In Portugal, the show aired first on TVI and years later on SIC Radical.
*In Slovakia, the show aired on TV Markíza.
*In Spain, the show aired on Canal Sur, TV3, Canal 9, ETB 1, TVG and years later on Cuatro
*In Sweden, the show aired on SVT, as 'Parker Lewis'
*In Switzerland, the show aired on SRG.
*In Turkey and North Cyprus, it aired on CNBC-e
*In the UK, the show first aired on BSB Channel Galaxy before moving to SKY One and later on Toonami. The series never made it to terrestrial television.
*In Uruguay it aired on Canal 4.
*In Venezuela the show aired on Venevision

Cultural references

* Alternative rock band Fall Out Boy released a song entitled "Parker Lewis Can't Lose (But I'm Gonna Give It My Best Shot)." on their first album "Fall Out Boy's Evening Out With Your Girlfriend". The song boasts the lyrics: "In the meantime/just talking to my shoes converse with my Converse/at least they hear a word I say"
* The Western name for a common pig character in early "Sonic the Hedgehog" video games is Porker Lewis.
* At the end of the first season finale episode, "Parker Lewis Can't Win," two figures observing the "PLCL" set say: "So that's how they do it!" "C'mon, Ferris, let's get out of here." (A reference to the short run of the rival "Ferris Bueller" on NBC).
* Early in episode 44 during the crowd scene, a banner can be seen as a sign to the viewing audience that reads, "Thank you for not watching Eerie, Indiana." "Eerie, Indiana" was an NBC program on opposite "PLCL" during 1991-1992.
* In the Sci-Fi TV movie "S.S. Doomtrooper" which starred Corin Nemec as Captain Malloy, one of the soldiers on his team is named Parker Lewis.
* On the mixtape "Fear and Loathing in New Orleans", rapper Curren$y makes reference to the show with the line "Spitta can't lose, cause the boy is Parker Lewis!"
* In the song "Hip Hop Hooray" by Naughty By Nature, the main character is referenced in the line "Fools get foolish neither them or Parker Lewis knew us."

Episodes

eason 1 (1990–1991)

# Pilot - Introduces characters. Mikey splits with Parker after a girl he likes (played by Milla Jovovich) kisses Parker. Kube decides to kill them both for damaging his lunch.
# Operation Kubiak - Parker arranges a press conference for Kube where he reveals to the Nation that he cannot do basic math. He is in very deep trouble with Kube and Musso unless Parker can get Kube to pass a math test in 4 days.
# Power Play - New boy Matt Stiles arrives and takes over Parker's place in everything, becoming the most popular boy in school. Even Jerry hands in his coat and glasses (he doesn't need glasses, it seems) and becomes Stiles' second man. Features a Ferris Bueller reference.
# Parker Lewis Must Lose - The vote for Class President is coming up and Parker decides Becky Grant deserves to win. The problem is the way the students feel, even if he dropped dead, Parker Lewis is sure to win the vote.
# Close, But No Guitar - Mikey hits a low spot and drops out of school to become a musician. Appearances by Ziggy Marley and Kool Moe Dee. Features another Ferris Bueller reference.
# G.A.G. Dance - The "Girls Ask Guys" dance is coming up and Parker gives the guys and gals a talk on confidence so that Tracy Lee will ask him to the dance. But she doesn't and everyone gets a date but Parker. This is the first time Jerry partners with Shelly.
# Love's a Beast - Mikey's secret admirer is driving him wild while Parker is in a week's detention as Musso has found he has been dodging the first period (a recurring theme) all term.
# Saving Grace - A surprise school inspection and Parker accidentally gets Musso demoted. The new Principal, Dr. Pankow (Gerrit Graham) runs the school like a high security prison, with Kube as his second. The buds decide to get Musso back by playing on Pankow's weakness as a control freak. Shelly uses the alias: Shelly Nemec.
# Musso & Frank - Musso is trying to fix Frank up with her niece (Andrea Elson). Parker fixes him up with another girl instead who turns out to be the niece. In return, Frank has to help Jerry through a test about President Nixon (a hero of Frank's). Frank now wants out of the relationship so Parker has to persuade Musso to end it.
# Deja Dudes - The 1970 school reunion. A time capsule buried and to be opened contains evidence that Parker's father jello-ed Musso which could mean serious trouble for Parker, as his son. Martin Lewis and his two buds were a 1970 version of Parker and his buds, and Parker finds coolness runs in the family.
# Radio Free Flamingo - The buds find a hidden pirate radio station which in 1969 broadcast to the school before being shut down by the Principal of the day and Musso. They start it up again but Musso wants it closed down.
# Science Fair - Jerry has a history of losing at Science Fairs. Ms Musso has a bet with Pankow (now Principal of rival, El Corrado High) that her school will win the fair, then as Jerry's invention goes wrong, that her school will lose the fair.
# Teacher, Teacher - Everyone likes poetry teacher Miss Donnelly (Penny Johnson) but one too many of Parker's tricks makes her leave, turning students against him. The Kube is booked for a fight with the equally huge Luke McDonald.
# Rent-a-Kube - After a number of thefts at Mondo Video, Parker hits on the idea of hiring Kube (now 280 lbs) as a security guard. However Kube takes the job too seriously and scares all the customers off so Parker is given the job of firing him. Jerry falls for a girl who likes Mikey, so he changes his image to that of Mikey. Ozzy Osbourne appearance.
# Heather the Class - Shelly joins the school bad girl group "The Vogues" and loses her best friend, Annie. Kube is too heavy for a wrestling match so Musso blackmails the buds into helping him lose weight. They get him down to 340 lbs.
# Jerry: Portrait of a Video Junkie - Kube needs Jerry's help with geography but Jerry is spending all his time on video games so Parker and Mikey have to cure him. Also Musso's mother arrives.
# Splendor in the Class - The buds break up when Parker's new girlfriend takes control of his life.
# The Human Grace - Parker helps Musso fall in love with Norman Pankow then finds out he's just using her. The episode ends with her earning Parker's respect. "Weird Al" Yankovic appearance.
# Citizen Kube - Kube wins $2,000,000 and everyone but the buds take advantage of him. He quickly spends all the money and is left with an unpaid bill for $9,978. Guest Taime Downe.
# Randall Without a Cause - Randall gets restless and joins a biker gang who wreck a garden to even a score. The garden belongs to Musso and Mikey ends up in jail, unwilling to give away the names of the others. Also a running gag with Kube ordering a mountain of food at a drive thru.
# Jerry's First Date - Jerry is beset by many insecurities on his first date, some of which come from his future self. Parker and Mikey try to help him but Musso and Frank are after them.
# Against the Norm - Dr Pankow returns and begs Musso for a job. She still has a soft spot for him but all he wants is revenge on her.
# King Kube - As a joke, Jerry gets Kube elected Prom King. When Shelly spills the beans that it's a joke and everyone is laughing at him, Kube decides to leave Santo Domingo. Kube gets a girlfriend (Eileen). Musso meets Donny Osmond.
# Teens from a Mall - Most of the episode takes place in the SD Mall. Mikey works at (Hot) "Dog on a stick" as a counterman. Jerry is looking for a part-time job there. Musso is a shopaholic. Parker has found the girl of his dreams. Also, Shelly is convinced Frank is a vampire (which would surprise no one).
# My Fair Shelly - The biggest party of the school year is coming up and Shelly doesn't have a date so she puts the squeeze on Parker (over an old IOU) to find her one. The guy turns out to be a jerk and she ends up with Jerry.
# Parker Lewis Can't Win - The last day of school for Parker is his worst day ever, mainly thanks to Shelly. All turns out well thanks to caretaker Augie (Ray Walston). Ends with camera pulling back and showing the set, director, etc.

eason 2 (1991–1992)

# Father Knows Less - There is a contest to build a toast maker with students and a parent. Mikey's father ran out on him 6 months ago and his mother is juggling two jobs. Also he is helping a delinquent boy, so is under pressure. Guest: Ken Osmond in a take-off of Leave It to Beaver with the Lewis family.
# A Walk on the Dark Side - We find out that Shelly's trouble with Parker stems from having to live in her popular brother's shadow. Laughed at in her attempt to become a cheerleader, Shelly joins the school bad guys, the Darksiders and is heading towards expulsion.
# Full Mental Jacket - Parker and Mikey try to wean Jerry off of his all purpose jacket. Just as Jerry starts getting bad withdrawal symptoms, Frank steals the jacket.
# Future Shock - When he can't decide on what he wants to be when he leaves school, Parker cannot decide on a class schedule either and becomes indecisive.
# The Undergraduate - Parker falls for an older woman, his English teacher. A first; he gets good advice from his sister who is worried about where it will lead.
# Stormy Mikey - Mikey has an important test coming up but a new girlfriend (Stacy Haiduk) is trying to get him to sign up with her father (Sonny Bono) and become a professional musician.
# Fat Boy and Little Man - Kube is hopeless with tactics on the football field so 110lb Jerry is put in the team to help him win.
# Aging Gracefully - Musso is upset because she has reached 40 and Dr. Pankow wonders how he can exploit it. Jerry has a new computer and there is a parody of the HAL rebellion scene from the film, "2001".
# The Parker Chronicles - Frank has stolen Parker's audio diary and promises to read excerpts from it at the tenth anniversary celebration of Kube being at school (since 1981). When Parker stalls, Mikey says: "This is only a half hour show, man." Don Yemano appearance.
# Rock 'n' Roles - Devotion to the rock star "Jezebel" has taken over Shelly's life. Meanwhile, Frank is off so Kube gets his job as monitor but is only interested in monitoring student's food.
# Loves Handles - Parker arranges a computer date with "Teen Queen" who turns out to be a homely girl but he feels guilty and doesn't want to upset her by dropping her. Musso is after another pay grade and has Jerry tutoring her. Frank seems to have a crush on Musso.
# Boy Meets Girl - Parker meets Annie Sloan and it's love at first sight but he fears losing her. When he asks her to go steady, their relationship looks like breaking up.
# Raging Kube - Told as a fairy (Flamingo) tale. Girlfriend, Eileen makes Kube promise not to fight again. Mafia wannabe Don Yemano (Tony Nittoli) takes advantage of this and terrorises the school. Kube finally decides to fight him but admits to Parker he doesn't know how to fight.
# Tower of Power - Mr Tower is a tyrannical history teacher. For the first time, we see Frank in class. Normally brilliant at history, he suffers under Tower and becomes friends with Parker.
# Obscene and Not Heard - Dr Pankow has appointed himself as the head of the "Decency Committee" and starts censoring the music people listen to. Parker's father stands up to him.
# Goodbye Mr. Rips - Jim Ripperton is an inspiring biology teacher and everyone likes him. But with a baby on the way, he can no longer survive on a teacher's salary so decides to leave for a better paid job. The students try to get him to stay.
# Civil Wars - After 18 years of perfect marriage, Parker's mum goes back to school and the Lewis's come close to splitting up. Jerry comes to stay with the Lewis family for a week. Family Ties parody.
# Glory Daze - School hero Ronny Ray Rasmusun returns to school to accept an "Alumni of the Year" award. He decides to stay to finish a paper and graduate. Parker finds out he is a phony and Musso is worried since he was once her love interest. In the show Ronny gets a box from his old locker which has the singing frog in a box from the cartoon One Froggy Evening. Parker says he is glad some adults are watching the show.
# Boy Meets Girl II - Parker agonises to the TV audience about his relationship with Annie. Musso threatens Mikey and Jerry with an Eerie, Indiana TV marathon. Cassandra Peterson appears as Elvira.
# Dance of Romance - Love is in the air, even for Frank so he decides to get some lessons from Nick, not knowing that Nick is being rejected by the music teacher. Stars Juliet Landau.
# When Jerry Met Shelly - Parker is horrified to find that Jerry wants to date his sister and suspects she is using Jerry to get at him. He finally has to admit that Shelly is growing up.
# Geek Tragedy - When a young girl geek (Terri) who idolises Jerry, is let down by him and goes to the place geeks go when they are forgotten, Jerry goes there to rescue her. Appearances in titles by eight stars from Beverly Hills, 90210.
# Money Talks - Mikey is always short of cash because he refuses to work for anyone (see season 1, ep 24). He meets a girl and takes a job at the Atlas diner to help him pay for dates but he lets Nick down and is fired. Parker asks Mikey if he wants to borrow his (loud) shirt but he says he is not that desperate. Some face morphing and the P word is used twice.
# Home Alone with Annie - Parker's parents are away at a convention and his sister is out which gives him a chance to be alone with Annie for the first time. Unfortunately everyone turns up, then the furniture vanishes.
# Diner '75 - A trainload of toxic waste derails and traps everyone in the diner. Also features the villain; The Chameleon.

eason 3 (1992–1993)

# Flamingo Graffiti - Parker has a new hair style and decides to make a name for himself by blowing up the new coach's lunchbox (to the Mission Impossible tune). Brad Penny gets blamed and at the end when Parker is going to spend the night with Annie, he KO's Parker with one punch, so another opportunity lost.
# Cape Flamingo - Brad wants to be friends with Parker, but Parker ruins it with his paranoia. Also Parker's birthday and Mikey moves house.
# The Kiss - Shelly is fed up with being seen as a little girl and dreams of going out with Brad and kissing him. Parker tries to stop her.
# Summer of '92 - Annie is away for the weekend and 16 year old Parker and Mikey go to a rave with two (older) college girls and then go back to their place afterwards. Will Parker succumb to temptation? Guest Michael Dorn.
# Love is Hell - Annie turns out to be better than Parker at dispensing love advice. Jerry sets up a firework display reading "Love is Shelly" but the S and Y stop, so the title. Musso sings a duet with Kohler but loves the piano player, so Kohler finds solace with another woman.
# Jerry's Journey - Jerry hangs out with Brad and his gang. He has his first drink, some more drinks and ends up drunk.
# Beauty and the Kube - Summer holidays are over and back to school. Kube turns out to be good with kids so helps Annie in daycare at school. Attention from her makes Kube think she is in love with him but he is due for a let down. Show has Beauty and the Beast scenes as well as My Three Sons. Kube says he: "speak like Tarzan".
# Hungry Heart - The coach finds another woman to love and Musso rejoices but it looks like it might not last.
# Lewis and Son - Powderkeg Video open up a store locally and gives Mondo Video a hard time. Parker loses his social life as the business tries to keep going and his father decides to work for the competition.
# Kohler Buys the Diner - Kohler's mother dies and leaves him lots of money so he buys the diner. However he has always been under the thumb of his mother and father, Harrison (William Schallert) and it quickly becomes a failure with no diners and no staff.
# Parker's Got a Brand New Car - Parker gets a sports car instead of the family model his father wanted him to buy. His father tries it and puts a dent in it, a dent which Parker later thinks he put in it.
# An Unmarried Musso - Musso falls for Parker's rich uncle Bill and he dreads having her as an aunt. But while Musso is checking out wedding dresses, Bill tells Parker it is just a fling. If Musso finds out, she'll take it out on Parker.
# Educating Brad - Brad joins an English class to be near a girl he likes and overshadows Parker in class.
# The Love Bug - Annie avoids Parker and he thinks she is falling out of love with him.
# Write or Die - Mikey hasn't written his assignment for Creative Writing class and is in trouble if it is not written by next morning. His friends rally around him but Mikey doesn't seem interested. Among storylines suggested is Mikey Can't Lose, based on seasons 1 & 2 of this show but Annie complains it is too cartoony. Also a Santo Domingo 60609 (their zipcode?) based on Beverly Hills 90210. Show ends with Mikey doing imitation of a Stephen J. Cannell show ending.
# The Bitch is Back - Parker is having one of the best days of his life when Mikey turns up with this week's love of his life, Stacy Snyder. She was Parker's first big love two years ago until she walked out on him one day without explanation. Now he fears the same will happen with Mikey.
# Musso: a Wedding - Musso meets old boyfriend Kevin O'Brien who is now divorced and they get on well together. Musso does get married, twice, but....
# A Night to Remember - Junior Prom Night. Parker arranges for a room with Annie but Shelly has got someone to take her there so Parker has to keep an eye on her, and fails. Carrie parody.
# Boys Night In - Parker and Mikey try to make Jerry more mature and after a boring session at home, take him to a strip club.
# Senior Jerry - Jerry has done so well at school he is put into a Senior class, but on his first exam, the straight A student gets a B+ . Jerry decides to drop out of school and become a bricklayer with Brad. Both Jerry's parents here are doctors. In tanoy announcements at the start; "Pearce and McIntyre report to O.R." and later; "The movie for tonight is..." (from M*A*S*H)
# The Rocky Kohler Picture Show - The students have a "movie madness" night when they send up an old horror film. They invite Kube, then Kohler, but Kohler makes himself unwelcome so they drop him and Kube leaves with him. Kohler feels that he is stopping Kube from mixing with people his own age so tries to distance himself from Kube.
# The Last Supper - Kohler has lost the lease to the Atlas diner and it is due to be pulled down. Show is full of clips from earlier shows, connected by a juke-box and ends with lights being turned out in the empty diner.

Trivia

* Actor Seth Green originally auditioned for the role of Jerry Steiner, but lost out to Troy Slaten. Presumably this is also where he met Abraham Benrubi, with whom he appeared in "Without a Paddle", and who is also a frequent guest voice actor on Green's Adult Swim show "Robot Chicken"
* The theme for every high-school dance in the show was "Remember The 80s".Fact|date=July 2007
* Larry Kubiac's first name is actually Francis, as revealed by his younger brother Bobby in the pilot episode. Larry's first name appears again twice in "The Parker Chronicles" (S2 Ep9) when Grace Musso, and then Frank Lemmer announce the "Kubospective Ceremony". Bobby never appeared in any other episode of the show. Kubiac is referred to several times by his full name later in the series: Francis Lawrence Kubiac. Francis Lawrence is the real name of Gidget, and is one of many references to sitcoms from the 50s and 60s present in the show.
* Parker shares his middle and last name with Robert Lloyd Lewis, one of the show's producers.
* "Sloan," the last name of Parker's girlfriend, is almost identical to the first name of Ferris Bueller's girlfriend Sloane in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off", the movie on which the show is thematically based.
*"Grace," the first name of Principal Musso is shared by Ed Rooney's secretary Grace in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off"
* In one episode, "Married... With Children" star David Faustino had a cameo appearance wearing a Polk High t-shirt in a cut-away gag about Ms. Musso's disciplinary policies extending beyond the school's jurisdiction.
* In one episode, Parker Lewis pulls a Debbie Gibson's "Out of the Blue" 12" EP into frame, saying that life is just as sweet and wonderful as a "Debbie Gibson record".
* In one episode, when faced with a troubling day, Parker looks at the camera and says to the viewers, "I wonder if Ferris Bueller has days like these."

DVD release

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment currently has no plans to release the show on DVD at this time, possibly due to music clearance issues. Both Corin Nemec and Abraham Benrubi have expressed an interest in seeing the show released, and it is currently one of Sony's most-requested TV titles for release.

In a recent interview, Corin Nemec said that he and Shout! Factory had approached Sony about obtaining the rights for a DVD release, but they declined the offer, because they were unwilling to share the profits with an outside entity. According to Nemec, it was to be a comprehensive release, and he was to be involved in producing the supplementary materials, including interviews with cast members and audio commentaries. The project is currently on an indefinite hold, presumed cancelled.

Award nominations

External links

*imdb title|id=0098888|title=Parker Lewis Can't Lose
*Tv.com show|id=905|title=Parker Lewis Can't Lose
* [http://www.televisiontunes.com/Parker_Lewis_Cant_Lose.html Parker Lewis Theme - TelevisionTunes.com]