Brains and Eggs

"Brains and Eggs" is thepilot episodeof theAmericansitcom3rd Rock from the Sun. The episode, which originally aired onNBCon January 9, 1996, depicts anextraterrestrialresearch expedition coming to Earth in the guise of what they think is a typical human family.
In the town of Rutherford, Ohio, the aliens appear in their human forms aboard a1963 Rambler convertible. The High Commander has become family patriarchDick Solomon, the Security Officer is his sisterSallyand  the Information Officer (who is actually the oldest of the aliens) has becomeTommy, Dick's teenage son. Another alien, who has no obvious purpose yet, has taken on the form of Dick's brotherHarry.
The first discovery they all make is that none of them can swivel their heads around a hundred and eighty degrees and thus cannot lick their backs. Shortly thereafter, Dick scrounges up a job as a physics professor at nearby Pendelton State University and the aliens rent a loft apartment fromMrs. Mamie Dubcek, who remains their landlady for the rest of the series. At work, Dick becomes smitten withDr. Mary Albright, ananthropologyprofessor with whom he shares an office.
When he accidentally upsets Mary, he discovers emotions, of which the aliens previously had no knowledge. Intrigued and confused by the concept, Dick takes the family to a party at thedean's house, where he apologizes to Mary there and she somewhat returns his affections. He later tells the rest of his crew that humans must be more complex than they ever thought and decides they will remain on Earth to further study thehuman condition. The rest of the aliens believe he actually wants to stay due to hisinfatuationwith Mary, but Dick has his way since he is High Commander.
Reviews of the pilot were mixed and it was criticized for its abundant sex jokes, which were seen as "cheap".TheDaily News of Los Angelesreported that "as terrific asLithgowis in his first weekly series, the show arrives dressed as one colossalbreastjoke."Some critics compared the series to the short-livedChamps, which debuted on the same day.
The episode was watched by 23 million viewers.
The sets seen in this episode are markedly different from those used later in the show's run. For instance, the Solomons' loft apartment does not have a staircase and the room is instead entered through the door that would later lead to Dick's bedroom. In Dick and Mary's office, Dick has the desk that would later become Mary's andvice versa. Also, most of theset dressingin the office is different and it is entered through the door that later leads to Nina's office. The sets were altered in "Truth or Dick", the next episode to be filmed, and they remained largely unchanged for the remainder of the show's run.
This episode is actually the second version of the pilot to be filmed. Originally, Dick's love interest was to be a secretary, but, after the first pilot, it became apparent to the show's producers that the aliens bounced off everything and that "straight" comic foils were required. The love interest was subsequently rewritten to be a fellow professor and a new character,Nina Campbell, became the secretary. Nina was added since it was thought that an "edge in the office" was needed.Jane CurtinandSimbi Khalijoined the cast two weeks after the rest of the regulars.