History Series / HardTimeOnPlanetEarth

* AmusinglyAwfulAim: After Jesse joins the USA Army, Corporal Curtis takes him to see the Bravo Team who are engaged in target practice. Their poor aim prompts Curtis to comment that the target is the safest place in the camp.

* CatchPhrase: Whenever something goes wrong.

* CutShort: The series was cancelled after 13 episodes If Jesse ever made it home, we never saw it.

** In the first episode yet-nameless protagonist breaks into a house and spends the night watching TV. This gives him sufficient command of English and some wrong ideas about human behavior. This misinformation leads him into trouble several times, which is PlayedForLaughs. But he quickly learns from mistakes.

The protagonist (Martin Kove) is a genetically-engineered elite warrior of an interstellar alien civilization. He has an excellent war record, but was unable to adjust to peaceful life, ultimately being apprehended for rebellion against the ruling council. The penalty for his actions is death, but in recognition of his previous heroic service, he is instead sentenced to exile on the primitive planet UsefulNotes/{{Earth}}, where he will exist in a human body and help the natives until he learns the value of restraint and compassion.

''Hard Time on Planet Earth'' is a 13-episode comedic SF series. Produced by [[Creator/TouchstonePictures Touchstone Television]], first aired on CBS in 1989 as a mid-season replacement.

The protagonist (Martin Kove) is a genetically-engineered elite warrior of an interstellar alien civilization. He has an excellent war record, but was unable to adjust to peaceful life, ultimately being apprehended for rebellion against the ruling council. The penalty for his actions is death, but in recognition of his previous heroic service, he is instead sentenced to exile on the primitive planet Earth, where he will exist in a human body and help the natives until he learns the value of restraint and compassion.

!!Hard Trope son Planet Earth:

* CutShort: The series was cancelled after 13 episodes, and Jesse never made it home.

* LineOfSightName: The protagonist stole some clothes with a name "Jesse". When the woman he rescued thought that was his name and started calling him Jesse, he decided to go along with that. He never bothered to get a surname.
* MistookTheDominantLifeform: Sort of. Control does realize that humans are the dominant species of Earth, but keeps mistaking various mechanisms for sentient beings (often in positions of authority, like traffic light commanding everybody on the street). He gets offended or frustrated when they "ignore" him.
* OneDialogueTwoConversations: Jesse, especially in the early episodes, takes and means everything too literally.

* StatusQuoIsGod: In the episode "Something to Bank On", Jesse accidentally steals $200,000 cash from ATM machines and becomes a most wanted person by the police, his facial composite sketch appearing in the news. He is eventually arrested (while trying to bring back the money he stole), but escapes from custody. At the end, he decides to flee and become a fugitive of justice. However, Control hacks the LAPD computer system and deletes every record they had about Jesse, so, by the next episode, he is back to his usual routine, and his troubles with the law are completely forgotten.

The protagonist (played by Martin Kove) is a genetically-engineered elite warrior of an interstellar alien civilization. He has an excellent war record, but was unable to adjust to peaceful life, ultimately being apprehended for rebellion against the ruling council. The penalty for his actions is death, but in recognition of his previous heroic service, he is instead sentenced to exile on the primitive planet Earth, where he will exist in a human body and help the natives until he learns the value of restraint and compassion.

For the duration of the sentence, the exile is supervised by Control -- a small CGI floating robot resembling a mechanical eye -- who evaluates the exile's behavior, files regular reports, gives information about Earth (usually hilariously incorrect), and provides comic relief.

The exile falls in the middle of nowhere not too far from Los Angeles, breaks into a closed gas station, learns some English from TV and a children's picture-book, steals some work clothes with the name "Jesse", gets chased by police and rescues a woman who almost drove off a cliff. She thinks "Jesse" is his name, and [[SureLetsGoWithThat he plays along]].

!!''Hard Time on Planet Earth'' provides examples of

The protagonist is an alien genetically-engineered elite military officer. He has proven himself worthy during the war, for which he was created, but poorly adjusted to peaceful life and committed some unmentioned violent crimes. In recognition of his previous deeds he is sentenced to exile to a backward planet Earth. He shall live there in a weak human body (still quite strong by Earth standards) and help the natives until he reforms.

For the duration of the exile he is supervised by Control -- a small CGI floating robot resembling a mechanical eye. He evaluates the prisoner's behavior, files regular reports, gives information about Earth (usually hilariously incorrect) and provides comic relief. Not that the series was very serious.

So the exile (played by Martin Kove) falls in the middle of nowhere not too far from Los Angeles, breaks into a closed gas station, learns some English from TV and a children's picture-book, steals clothes with the name "Jesse", gets chased by police and rescues a woman, who almost drove off a cliff. She thinks "Jesse" is his name, [[SureLetsGoWithThat he plays along]].

In the first episode Jesse is familiarizing himself with Earth and trying to recover a lost pendant that powers his body, while running from police. Next one has Jesse and Control inadvertently robbing an ATM and losing the money, then trying to return them. In subsequent episodes Jesse usually gets some odd job, meets someone in need of help and tries to help.

The rating of the show never went high and it was canceled after the 13th episode. Critics panned it for unoriginality and [[ProductPlacement showing Disneyland]]. Still, it is fondly remembered by many. Mostly by people who saw it in their early teens.

* HumansAreUgly: In the pilot, Control tells Jesse, when he first sees his human face in the mirror, that human creatures are despicable and hideous. Jesse doesn't find Earth women attractive; or maybe he's trying to avoid any commitment.

* MistookTheDominantLifeform: Sort of. Control does realize that humans are the dominant species of Earth, but keeps mistaking various mechanisms for sentient beings (often in positions of authority, like traffic light commanding everybody on the street). He gets offended or frustrated when they ignore him.
* NoodleIncident: We never learn exactly what crimes Jesse committed to get exiled to Earth.

** Control, on the other hand, continues to watch TV, takes everything literally and often comes with weird theories. Completely wrong, but making perfect sense in context.
* WalkingTheEarth: Jesse never stays anywhere for long. Each episode is set in a different place and with different people. He doesn't want authorities to learn who he is, among other things.

-->'''Control:''' Negative outcome. Not. Good.

The rating of the show never went high and it was canceled after the 13th episode. Critics panned it for unoriginality and [[ProductPlacement showing Disneyland]]. Still, it is fondly remembered by many. Mostly by people, who saw it in their early teens.

!! The series has examples of

--> '''Control:''' Negative outcome. Not. Good.

* HumansAreUgly: In the pilot, Control tells Jesse, when he first sees his human face in the mirror, that human creatures are despicable and hideous.
** Jesse doesn't find Earth women attractive. Or maybe he's trying to avoid any commitment.

* SerkisFolk: Control.

* TaughtByTelevision / AliensStealCable: In the first episode yet-nameless protagonist breaks into a house and spends the night watching TV. This gives him sufficient command of English and some wrong ideas about human behavior. This misinformation leads him into trouble several times, which is PlayedForLaughs. But he quickly learns from mistakes.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: In the pilot episode, Jesse has a life-preserving crystal he wears in his neck, under his shirt - losing it means death to him. It's an important plot point in the pilot, however, it's never mentioned again afterwards.
** In fact, whenever we see Jesse bare-chested in later episodes, he does not wear the crystal. In the "Battle of the Sexes" episode, Danielle, who's from the same species as Jesse, did not have a crystal either.

* HumansAreUgly: Jesse doesn't find Earth women attractive. Or maybe he's trying to avoid any commitment.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: In the pilot episode, Jesse has a life-preserving crystal he wears in his neck, under his shirt - losing it means death to him. It's an important plot point in the pilot, however, it's never mentioned again afterwards.

* CoolAndUnusualPunishment: The whole idea of sending criminals to a primitive but not too savage place. As Control remarks in ''Rodeo'' episode, TheWildWest wouldn't have been a punishment for Jesse.

* ProductPlacement: ''Losing Control'' episode is set in Disneyland. Critics loved to hate it.

* WalkingTheEarth: Jesse never stays anywhere for long. Each episode is set in a different place and with different people. He doesn't want authorities to learn who he is, among other things.

--> Control: Negative outcome. Not. Good.

* WalkingTheEarth: Jesse never stays anywhere for long. Each episode is set in a different place and with different people. He doesn't want authorities to learn who he is, among other things.

** LikeAFishTakesToWater: But Jesse adapts pretty fast.

''Hard Time on Planet Earth'' is a 13-episode comedic SF series. First aired on CBS in 1989 as a mid-season replacement.

* TaughtByTelevision: In the first episode yet-nameless protagonist breaks into a house and spends the night watching TV. This gives him sufficient command of English and some wrong ideas about human behavior. This misinformation leads him into trouble several times, which is PlayedForLaughs. But he quickly learns from mistakes.

* ETGaveUsWiFi / ImportedAlienPhlebotinum: Averted. Exiles are not allowed to teach natives things they should discover centuries later. One of the reasons Jesse doesn't want to be caught.

''Hard Time on Planet Earth'' is a 13-episode SF series. First aired on CBS in 1989.

The protagonist is an alien genetically-engineered elite military officer. He has proven himself worthy during the war, for which he was created, but poorly adjusted to peaceful life and committed some unmentioned violent crimes. In recognition of his previous deeds he is sentenced to an exile to a backward planet Earth. He shall live there in a weak human body (still quite strong by Earth standards) until he reforms.

For the duration of the exile he is supervised by Control -- a small floating robot resembling a mechanical eye. He evaluates the prisoner's behavior, files regular reports, gives information about Earth (usually hilariously incorrect) and provides comic relief. Not that the series was very serious.

The protagonist is an alien genetically-engineered elite military officer. He has proven himself worthy during the war, for which he was created, but poorly adjusted for peaceful life and committed some unmentioned violent crimes. In recognition of his previous deeds he is sentenced to an exile to a backward planet Earth. He shall live there in a weak human body (still quite strong by Earth standards) until he reforms.