History Series / TheNeighbors

-> We came from outer space, and settled in [[{{Joisey}} New Jersey]]
-> We took names like Larry Bird and Jackie Joyner-Kersee
-> Then the humans moved next door and started testing all our limits
-> So sit right down, enjoy the show... [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall we'll be done in 30 minutes]].

-->'''Amber''': [[SarcasmMode Oh good, she bounces.]]

-->'''Dj Jazzy Jeff''': Come on, Kevin, we'll laugh about how we tricked you into thinking we were all coming as alpacas.

-->'''Erik Estrada''': What charity is this for again?
-->'''Carrottop''': I don't know, I just go to all these things.

-->'''Dick''': Oooh! Reba!

''The Neighbors'' is an American television science fiction sitcom airing on [[Creator/AmericanBroadcastingCompany, ABC]] premiering in the Fall 2012 season. The series, set in UsefulNotes/NewJersey, revolves around the Weavers, a dysfunctional family that has relocated to a gated townhouse community called "Hidden Hills". Everything seems very much like the perfect suburban community, except for one difference... everyone in Hidden Hills is an alien. Not as in "crossing the border" alien, but genuine LittleGreenMen aliens from the planet Zabvron. The Zabvronians have adopted as their own the names of sport celebrities, receive nourishment through their eyes and mind by reading books rather than eating, and cry out green goo from their ears. They've been stuck on Earth for 10 years, awaiting instructions to return home.

''The Neighbors'' is an American television science fiction sitcom airing on Creator/{{ABC}}, premiering in the Fall 2012 season. The series, set in UsefulNotes/NewJersey, revolves around the Weavers, a dysfunctional family that has relocated to a gated townhouse community called "Hidden Hills". Everything seems very much like the perfect suburban community, except for one difference... everyone in Hidden Hills is an alien. Not as in "crossing the border" alien, but genuine LittleGreenMen aliens from the planet Zabvron. The Zabvronians have adopted as their own the names of sport celebrities, receive nourishment through their eyes and mind by reading books rather than eating, and cry out green goo from their ears. They've been stuck on Earth for 10 years, awaiting instructions to return home.

* AttentionDeficitOohShiny: Happens to Dick in "It Has Begun." After the titular statement is stated [[spoiler: by his grandfather]], Dick gets distracted by an episode of Series/MalibuCountry.

* CallBack: The show is actually rather good about its continuity, considering it's a sitcom. The fact that Max wants a doll for Christmas [[spoiler: because she's hot]] is a callback to the fact that [[spoiler: he's hitting puberty, a fact mentioned several times before in previous episodes.]] Likewise, the Zabvronian sense of smell comes up a few times.

%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.
* HappilyMarried: Both couples.

* HoistByHisOwnPetard: Larry refuses to get Dick an antfarm and won't listen to anyone saying otherwise... because he already got Dick an antfarm. To maintain the surprise, Larry is pretty mean even for him and he even gets in a reverse-WhatTheHellHero speech to Debbie. It looks like he'll be a KarmaHoudini when... [[spoiler: during his reveal to Dick, Jackie rolls in the antfarm. Which prompts Dick to thank Jackie much to Larry's chagrin.]]

* INeedAFreakingDrink: Debbie in response to [[spoiler: Marty playing in the ballpit Larry got him for Christmas.]]

** "It Has Begun" has Larry basically describe the structure of the current episode... right down to the time the show ends (9 PM EST). Later in the episode, when discussing [[spoiler: his desire to stay on Earth to his father who wants to evacuate Hidden Hills]], he measures the time in seasons before correcting himself into years.

* NamedAfterSomebodyFamous: ''All'' the Zabvronians. They believed that humans worshiped athletes, and so took their names. Justified in that though the Zabvronians read a lot so you'd expect them to know better, they don't know how human literature works and so they ended picking up the literature that's mass printed and popular. Which means pop culture magazines and the like. [[spoiler: Jackie's Zabvronian name is Debbie Callahan. Debbie Callahan is the name of the female cop from the ''Film/PoliceAcademy'' series. We also meet a Commander Bill who has no need for a human name either.]]

** Becomes a {{Cliffhanger}} when in the last scene Marty [[spoiler: eats part of a message marked "Warning: Invasion Imminent!"]]

* RealMenWearPink: Played with. When Max asks for a Princess Leia doll (emphasize on doll), Marty is worried at first... not that Max might be gay but rather that he won't have anything in common with Max. Marty winds up accepting that Max might have different tastes and standards and so buys Max an entire doll collection. [[spoiler: Turns out, Max just wanted a Leia doll because she's hot.]]

** Max wants a [[Franchise/StarWars Princess Leia]] doll for Christmas. Larry does it one step better. [[spoiler: In itself shouting out to two of the movies when she says "Help me, Max Weaver, you're my only hope"; while at the same time wearing Leia's slave costume from the "Return of the Jedi".]]

** The tag of "You've Lost That Larry Feeling" to ''Film/{{Ghost}}''.

* NamesTheSame: InUniverse: [[spoiler:Jackie's real Zabvronian name is ''Debbie''. Human-Debbie was not aware of this until the season finale.]]

-->'''Bill Nye''': Is this a real show?
-->'''Dick Butkis''': I've been asking myself that for the last two years.
* [[LittleMissSnarker Little Mister Snarker]]: Dick gets his fair share of one-liners in.

* ShesGotLegs: Jackie. It's hard not to notice, given that her wardrobe seems to revolve entirely around short skirts.
-->'''Max''' - Have you seen her in shorts? I just hit puberty.

* HollywoodNerd: Giselle, to a tee, at least in appearance. Interest-wise, she really is a nerd since she's capable of keeping up with Reggie who is an alien OmnidisciplinaryScientist from an advanced spacefaring society.

** Erik Estrada and Carrottop in ''Oscar Party''.

** Noted Science Guy, Mr Bill Nye in ''Close Encounters of the Bird Kind''

-> We took names like Larry Bird and Jackie Joyner Kersee

''The Neighbors'' is an American television science fiction sitcom airing on Creator/{{ABC}}, premiering in the Fall 2012 season. The series, set in New Jersey, revolves around the Weavers, a dysfunctional family that has relocated to a gated townhouse community called "Hidden Hills". Everything seems very much like the perfect suburban community, except for one difference... everyone in Hidden Hills is an alien. Not as in "crossing the border" alien, but genuine LittleGreenMen aliens from the planet Zabvron. The Zabvronians have adopted as their own the names of sport celebrities, receive nourishment through their eyes and mind by reading books rather than eating, and cry out green goo from their ears. They've been stuck on Earth for 10 years, awaiting instructions to return home.

Nothing to do with the Australian soap opera ''Series/{{Neighbours}}'', with Regis Philbin's daytime game show, with Creator/TommyWiseau's [[Series/TheNeighbors2015 sitcom]] for Creator/{{Hulu}}, or the Spanish series ''Series/TheNeighbor'' (in singular). Compare to ''Series/ThirdRockFromTheSun''.[[note]]Which actually gets a ShoutOut in this series.[[/note]]

Nothing to do with the Australian soap opera ''Series/{{Neighbours}}'', or with Regis Philbin's daytime game show, or with Creator/TommyWiseau's [[Series/TheNeighbors2015 sitcom]] for Creator/{{Hulu}}. Compare to ''Series/ThirdRockFromTheSun''.[[note]]Which actually gets a ShoutOut in this series.[[/note]]

* AerithAndBob: Amusingly, all the zabrvonian names we've heard are seemingly similar to English names. It's only Zabvron itself that is unusual.

** They come from plants, which results in a a grassy scent about them.

** In the first episode it's established that the Zabrovians gain nourishment by reading. Later, when Larry and Marty are hanging out, Marty is drinking a beer, and Larry is reading a book about mixed drinks.
* CallBack: The show is actually rather good about it's continuity, considering it's a sitcom. The fact that Max wants a doll for Christmas [[spoiler: because she's hot]] is a callback to the fact that [[spoiler: he's hitting puberty, a fact mentioned several times before in previous episodes.]] Likewise, Zabrvonian sense of smell comes up a few times.
** Lampshaded by Amber when one of Debbie's students continually refers to Reggie as a Squirrel, "You can't make a CallBack to a joke that doesn't land."
* CantSpitItOut: Initially Reggie to Amber. Then Amber in regards to Reggie. To be fair, this is a unusual situation in that the two of them are from entirely different planets.

* CelebrityParadox: One wonders why the Zabvrons that look like Creator/GeorgeTakei and Creator/MarkHamill aren't commented on by the humans. That said, since those humans know they're appearance changing aliens, it might not be as big a deal as it would seem.

** Combined with the TheGenerationGap and ImmigrantParents highlighting the matter, Reggie develops from a gawky outsider into a confident comfortable teenager over the course of season one as he settles into life on Earth/among humans. The WhatTheHellHero mini-speech he gives to Amber at the end of season one is very clearly something he would have never done at the start of the series.

-->''Larry'': We came from outer space, and settled in [[{{Joisey}} New Jersey]] / We took names like Larry Bird and Jackie Joyner Kersee / Then the humans moved next duoor and started to test our limits / So sit right down, enjoy the show ... [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall we'll be done in 30 minutes]].

* FirstKiss: [[spoiler:Amuber and Reggie share one in the final moments of Season One. She also learns he has two tongues.]]

** "The One With Interspecies Friends" has a few and also crosses over into ShoutOut's. The title is a reference to Friends which also gets a reference in the opening ("Wait, Courtney Cox did something before Cougar Town?!") as well as a self-deprecating one when Marty suggests watching some network television ("[Watch network tv] on a Friday? Pfft!" - The Neighbors time slot being Fridays).

** In "Thanksgiving is No Shmuck Bait", Jackie and Larry phrase holiday events in sitcom terms. When Jackie's parents show up unexpectedly Larry yells "Cut to commercial!" -- which they do. Ath the end of the show Larry finds out his in-laws are staying after the holiday, Larry whimpers "Oh, my God it's a two-parter!"

* TheNoseKnows: Dick can smell an ant farm. [[MakesSenseInContext Good thing Larry sprayed it with Train scent.]]. Also counts as a Callback to the fact that Zabrvonians have a strong sense of smell.

* OneTrueLove: Played with. On one hand, zabvronians really do have soul mates. On the other hand, just because there is a perfect match doesn't mean someone actually ''wants'' that match.

* PoorCommunicationKills: Larry's father has been trying to communicate with him for a while by [[spoiler:sending messages on pieces of toast. Larry claims to have not gotten them, and this is true because he gave the toaster receiving it to the Webbers.]] Dick lampshades the problem with this method by calling it very inconvenient. Also counts as both a Callback and a BrickJoke since in previous episodes Larry expresses dislike of toasters and Dick is entranced by their new toaster.

* TakeThat: Starting in Season Two, the Zabrovians make several jabs at NBC's The Today Show after ABC's Good Morning America started beating its rival in the ratings.

* TheUnfavorite: Dick Butkus' suggestions in family meetings are frequently shot down almost reflexively by Larry Bird, only for Larry to enthusiastically agree when someone else makes the same suggestion moments later. It may have something to do with the fact that Dick was a surprise while Reggie Jackson, his older brother, was a planned pregnancy. Larry occasionally shows that he does have great amounts of affection for his younger son, it's just that his penchant for grandiose plans frequently involve putting Dick down before a grand reveal. To the point where Dick assumes that it's Jackie Joyner-Kersee who's responsible for the good things in his life.

* {{Yandere}}: Giselle for Reggie. She is able to see through Amber's shell and knows she likes Reggie too and tells her clearly she will not Reggie go.

* {{Cliffhanger}}: See CutShort.
* ComicRolePlay: When Larry and Jackie think their marriage is in a rut, they decide to do some roleplay to spice things up. So they meet in a bar, each as the sexiest person they can think of... which turns out to be each other.
** In TheStinger for the same episode, Reggie and Jane play PizzaBoySpecialDelivery, but completely miss the point and never get to the sex part.

* ThemeTuneCameo: A recent episode that starts with [[spoiler:Reggie thinking Amber is getting back together with him]]. Larry tries to alleviate the awkward silence by singing the opening theme.

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: "Honey, you know you're the hottest milf in the kid's class."
** More than a couple of plays off of Dick's name.
** When the show had its airing on Disney Channel, despite [[{{Bowdlerise}} Bowlderization]] to cover up any swear, they still kept in somewhat risque things for the channel like the [[CampGay extremely gay stereotype alien]] at Thanksgiving (though somewhat killing the joke by censoring his elongated 'Bitches!') and Marty trying to calm Debbie down with some white wine.
** "I don't play a lot of instruments so I don't know what a skin flute is."
** In ''Good Debby Hunting'' Marty gives Debbie a Dick in a Box.
** In a somewhat Fridge/Brick kind of way, Dick being attractive to insects when we learn that Zabvronians are plant based and the males carry the babies. Dick is about the age when he'd start going through puberty and insects help pollinate plants so...
** In ''Good Debbie Hunting'' Amber explains to Larry and Jackie that ''Grease'' sends the wrong message when Sandy changes her whole being to get her man, then realizes she herself is doing the same thing.
-->'''Amber''': "Oh crap, I just Sandy-ied myself!
-->''' Larry''': "I'll get a paper towel!"
** "Holy suger!"
** When [[spoiler::Larry]] gets pregnant, it is noted that Zabvronians have never given birth while in human form, and the question "Which hole will it come out of?" is brought up [[RunningGag repeatedly]].

* CelebrityParadox: One wonders why the Zabvrons that look like George Takei and Mark Hamill aren't commented on by the humans. That said, since those humans know they're appearance changing aliens, it might not be as big a deal as it would seem.

** In "I Believe I Can Drive", a random pair of Zabvronians drive by in one of their golf carts. The sound that plays is that of the ships from WesternAnimation/TheJetsons. In the same episode, Danica [=McKellar=] from ''Series/TheWonderYears'' as an actress that Larry Bird feels could do anything. As it turns out, outside of acting Danica is a writer, mathematician, and scholar among other things.

* NamedAfterSomebodyFamous: ''All'' the Zabvronians. They believed that humans worshiped athletes, and so took their names. Justified in that though the Zabvronians read a lot so you'd expect them to know better, they don't know how human literature works and so they ended picking up the literature that's mass printed and popular. Which means pop culture magazines and the like. [[spoiler: Jackie's Zabvronian name is Debbie Callahan. Debbie Callahan is the name of the female cop from the PoliceAcademy series. We also meet a Commander Bill who has no need for a human name either.]]

Nothing to do with the Australian soap opera ''Series/{{Neighbours}}'', or with Regis Philbin's daytime game show, or with Creator/TommyWiseau's [[Series/TheNeighbors2015 sitcom]] for Creator/{{Hulu}}. Compare to ''Series/ThirdRockFromTheSun''.[[note]]Which actually gets a ShoutOut in this series.[[/note]] Despite an initially rocky start, the show picked up enough positive reviews in the latter half of the first season to earn a second season. [[FridayNightDeathSlot On Fridays]]. A fact which has not gone unnoticed by the show itself, as the FridayNightDeathSlot trope is referenced several times in season two...

Which turned out to be true, as it was abruptly axed after 2 seasons, despite a third clearly being planned.

* TheCastShowoff
** Not strictly, but Jackie seems to get into a lot of situations where she has to use a variety of accents.
** Both Marty and Larry can sing and play the guitar.

* OnlyBarelyRenewed: For its second season. And cancelled after that. Some fans have tried to get CBS interested in picking up the show with a more compatable lead in like ''Series/TheBigBangTheory''.

* CrossOver: With ''[[DragonsDen Shark Tank]]'' which follows it on ABC's Friday Night Lineup.