History Series / ParkerLewisCantLose

* HighSchoolHustler: Parker Lewis is an iconic example. Parker was also a rather sympathetic example. Many of his schemes are designed to help ''others'' (like getting Kubiak into college, or helping Mikey talk to a girl he likes). That fact that he often benefits himself is just a bonus. He also has lines he won't cross, like altering grades.

%%* ClipShow : This trope was used in the series finale

%%* {{Expy}}: Parker Lewis, of Ferris Bueller.

%%* EndOfSeriesAwareness: This trope is played out in the series finale where Kohler lost the lease to Atlas diner and is about to be pulled down to be replaced by a strip mall.

%%* HammerSpace: Jerry's velcro-lined coat.

%%* HulkSpeak: Kubiak

%%* SittingSexyOnAPiano: Once, during an ImagineSpot.

%%* TyrantTakesTheHelm: Dr Pankow.

** Sometimes drifts into a FiveManBand dynamic: TheHero = Parker, TheLancer = Mikey, TheSmartGuy = Jerry, TheBigGuy = Kube, and with an empty TheChick spot (filled occasionally by Shelly, occasionally by the [[TemporaryLoveInterest temporary love interest]] ).

* CatchPhrase: "Coolness!", "Not a problem," "Synchronise Swatches!" "Food/Eat now!" "Mooomm!"

* DeanBitterman: Miss Musso and Dr Pankow, which the latter is fitting as he is played by the actor who played the ObstructiveBureaucrat foster father Phil Simpson from ''Film/ChildsPlay2''.

* EndOfSeriesAwareness: This trope is played out in the series finale where Kohler lost the lease to Atlas diner and is about to be pulled down to be replaced by a strip mall.

* HammerSpace: Jerry's velcro-lined coat.

* HighSchoolHustler: Parker Lewis is an iconic example.
** Parker was also a rather sympathetic example. Many of his schemes are designed to help ''others'' (like getting Kubiak into college, or helping Mikey talk to a girl he likes). That fact that he often benefits himself is just a bonus. He also has lines he won't cross, like altering grades.
* HulkSpeak: Kubiak

* LamarckWasRight: The Reunion episode.

* {{Nerd}}: Jerry is one of these in the biggest way... and a doormat.
* NoFourthWall : The characters in the show break the fourth wall a lot
* OperationBlank

* RebusBubble

* SittingOnTheRoof: In later seasons.
* SittingSexyOnAPiano: Once, during an ImagineSpot.
* SpiritualSuccessor: To ''Ferris Bueller's Day Off.''
* SubordinateExcuse: Frank Lemmer and Miss Musso.

* TyrantTakesTheHelm: Dr Pankow.

''Parker Lewis Can't Lose'' was a sitcom on Creator/{{Fox}}, running from [[TheNineties 1990 to 1993]]. It centered around a good-hearted (but low-scrupled) HighSchool wheeler-dealer and his two associates, and the scams, cons and manipulations that they got away with (mostly) day to day. It starred Corin Nemec, now known for playing Jonas Quinn, the former TropeNamer for SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute on ''Series/StargateSG1''.

--> '''Parker:''' "[[StarWars I sense a disturbance in the force.]]"

* AchillesInHisTent

* AnnoyingYoungerSibling: Shelly Lewis

* BagOfHolding: Jerry's trenchcoat.

* TheBGrade: Jerry Steiner

* ClipShow : This trope was used in the series finale
* ChuckCunninghamSyndrome: Lemmer, after season 2.

* TheDragon: Frank Lemmer.
* EmbarrassingMiddleName: "''...Lloyd?!''"
* {{Expy}}: Parker Lewis, of Ferris Bueller.

* GrandFinale : The series finale in the third season has a ClipShow with a EndOfSeriesAwareness and a SavingTheOrphanage trope on the atlas diner plot except [[spoiler:[[DownerEnding our heroes failed]]]]

* EndOfSeriesAwareness : this trope is played out in the series finale where Kohler lost the lease to Atlas diner and is about to be pulled down to be replaced by a strip mall

* EndOfSeriesAwareness : this trope is played out in the series finale where Kohler lost the lease to Atlas diner and is about to be pulled down to replaced by a strip mall

* GrandFinale : The series finale in the third season has a ClipShow with a EndOfSeriesAwareness and a SavingTheOrphanage trope on the atlas diner plot except [[DownerEnding our heroes failed]]

* GrandFinale : The series finale in the third season has a ClipShow with a EndOfSeriesAwareness and a SavingTheOrphanage trope on the atlas diner plot except [[spoiler:DownerEnding our heroes failed.]]

In later seasons, the show's title was truncated to simply ''Parker Lewis.'' In one episode the title character has such unusually bad luck that the main title credit was changed to ''Parker Lewis Can't Win.''

''Parker Lewis Can't Lose'' was a sitcom on Creator/{{Fox}}, running from [[TheNineties 1990 to 1993]]. It centered around a good-hearted (but low-scrupled) HighSchool wheeler-dealer and his two associates, and the scams, cons and manipulations that they got away with (mostly) day to day. It starred Corin Nemec, now known for playing the former TropeNamer for SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute on ''Series/StargateSG1''.

It was clearly influenced by the classic teen movie ''Film/FerrisBuellersDayOff'' -- much more so than the movie's TV adaptation; many consider ''Parker Lewis Can't Lose'' to be the SpiritualSuccessor to the ''Ferris Bueller'' film. ''Parker Lewis Can't Lose'' actually had ''lower'' ratings than ''Ferris Bueller'', but the Fox network was still in its early years and thus had lower expectations, allowing ''Lewis'' to outlast ''Bueller'' by two seasons.

----

* TakeThat: Soon after the ''Ferris Bueller'' series was cancelled, the season finale "Parker Lewis Can't Win" ended with the camera pulling back to reveal [[BreakingTheFourthWall the film crew and the set layout]], along with rows of chairs. Two boys sit near the back in shadow:

* TakeThat: Soon after the ''Ferris Bueller'' series was cancelled, one episode ended with the camera pulling back to reveal the episode (still running) on a movie screen in a small theater. In the theater are two people, Parker Lewis and a teenage boy hidden in shadows. Parker turns to the other boy and says, "See, Ferris? That's how it's supposed to be done."

''Parker Lewis Can't Lose'' was a sitcom on the {{Creator/FOX}} network, running from [[TheNineties 1990 to 1993]]. It centered around a good-hearted (but low-scrupled) HighSchool wheeler-dealer and his two associates, and the scams, cons and manipulations that they got away with (mostly) day to day. It starred Corin Nemec, now known for playing the former TropeNamer for SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute on ''Series/StargateSG1''.

''Parker Lewis Can't Lose'' was a sitcom on the {{Fox}} network, running from [[TheNineties 1990 to 1993]]. It centered around a good-hearted (but low-scrupled) HighSchool wheeler-dealer and his two associates, and the scams, cons and manipulations that they got away with (mostly) day to day. It starred Corin Nemec, now known for playing the former TropeNamer for SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute on ''Series/StargateSG1''.

* ImGoingToDisneyland: Parodied. When Larry Kubiak finds out he has actually met his weight loss goals and can stay on the football team Parker asks:

* ConspiracyTheory:
--> Come on, Frank! Everyone knows you have the missing eleven minutes of the Watergate tapes!

In later seasons, the show's title was truncated to simply ''Parker Lewis''. In one episode the title character has such unusual bad luck that the main title credit was changed to ''Parker Lewis Can't Win''.