Read an oral history of MTV's Remote Control

The A.V. Club

"Part of the cable channel’s first wave of non-video-centric shows, Remote Control skewered vintage pop culture with its 'mom’s basement' style set, cigarette smoking commentators, and questions about everything from physics to The Brady Bunch—or a combination thereof," says Marah Eakin. "Contestants slouched in brightly colored Barcaloungers, were pelted with snacks between questions, and got pulled backward through breakaway walls upon elimination. Host Ken Ober (who died in 2009) held court with an everyman sneer alongside announcer Colin Quinn, while comedians like Adam Sandler and Denis Leary popped in to ask questions in guises such as 'Stud Boy' or legendary animal trainer Gunther Gebel-Williams. It made both no sense and total sense."