* AdoredByTheNetwork: HBO produced ''seven seasons'' of the show despite its consistently low ratings and reviews well below the station's standard. HBO appears to have believed that it targeted a niche audience that otherwise would not subscribe to HBO, although it's widely rumored that Wuhl simply knew the right people at the network.
* KeepCirculatingTheTapes: Despite the show running for ''seven'' seasons and being modestly popular, its only DVD release was a "Best Of" collection that was released in 2001, and only featured 13 episodes from different seasons (but it's very easily acquirable as a $2 discount DVD collection at Walgreens thanks to extreme overprinting). Not only were no episodes from the second or third season featured, but it didn't bother to include the pilot or series finale. There has been no interest from HBO as far as releasing the series for the longest of time, and it was impossible to find online until the entire series was resurfaced on HBO's streaming services and every other place HBO is available as an add-on in '''''2018''''', many years after the show ended.
* RealSongThemeTune: Varies between "I Only Want to Be with You" by Music/DustySpringfield and "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" by Music/FourTops.
* ReferencedBy:
** On ''Series/ThirtyRock'', Liz notes with disgust that Wesley has a parrot named Arliss. In another episode, Kenneth states that 22 years is half the time it felt like ''Arliss'' was on the air.
** In the ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' episode "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS13E10HalfDecentProposal Half Decent Proposal]]", Marge and her sisters are watching [=BHO=] and ''[[Series/SexAndTheCity Nookie in New York]]'' is followed by this.
--->'''Announcer:''' Coming up next on [=BHO=], it's ''Arliss''! (''Patty and Selma scream and scramble for the remote.'')
** ''Series/MadTV1995'' had a sketch mocking the show, citing it how it was [=HBO=]'s redheaded stephchild and even tried to bribe viewers to buy the show's [=DVD=] by including vouchers for a ''Sopranos'' [=DVD=] and ''two five-dollar-bills.''
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