The late eighties were a weird time for television. You had a talking puppet from Melmac eating cats on one channel and a girl who could freeze time by touching her index fingers together on the other. That girl was Evie Ethel Garland. If you grew up during that era, the cast of Out of This World probably feels like a group of distant cousins you haven't seen since a 1989 barbecue.
The show’s premise was pure high-concept sitcom gold: a teenager discovers on her thirteenth birthday that her dad isn't just a deadbeat or a traveler, but an alien from the planet Antareus named Troy. While we only ever heard Troy’s voice through a glowing pyramid—voiced by the legendary Burt Reynolds, no less—the physical cast had to carry the heavy lifting of making a show about alien puberty actually watchable. It worked. It ran for four seasons in syndication, which is a massive feat for a show that many critics initially dismissed as "Small Wonder" with better hair.
Maureen Flannigan as the Girl Who Could Stop Time
Maureen Flannigan was the heart of the show. As Evie, she had to navigate the usual "boy-crazy" tropes of the eighties while also making sure her alien powers didn't accidentally out her to the entire town of Marlow, California. Honestly, it’s a tough gig for a young actress. You spend half your time acting against a glowing plastic prop and the other half pretending everyone in the room has frozen perfectly still.
After the show wrapped in 1991, Flannigan didn’t just vanish into the "where are they now" ether. She actually stayed quite busy in the industry. She landed a significant role in the soap opera 7th Heaven as Shana Sullivan. She also appeared in several indie films and guest-starred on shows like ER and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. What's interesting is how she transitioned into more behind-the-scenes work later in her career, focusing on producing. Unlike many child stars of that specific 1980s bubble, she avoided the tabloid scandals. She seemed to just... move on. It’s refreshing.
Donna Pescow: More Than Just a Sitcom Mom
Donna Pescow played Donna Garland, Evie’s mom and the principal of a school for gifted children. Before she was managing an alien-hybrid daughter, Pescow was already a massive star. You probably remember her from Saturday Night Fever as Annette, the girl who just wanted Bobby C to love her. By the time she joined the cast of Out of This World, she was a seasoned pro who grounded the show's sillier elements.
Pescow's career post-Evie has been remarkably consistent. She became a Disney Channel staple for a new generation, playing Eileen Stevens on Even Stevens from 2000 to 2003. Think about that for a second. She provided the maternal foundation for both Maureen Flannigan and Shia LaBeouf. That’s a wild range of TV history to be a part of. She’s also made recent appearances in shows like The Flash and New Girl. She remains one of those "Oh, I love her!" actresses who pops up and immediately makes a scene feel warmer.
👉 See also: The Real Story Behind I Can Do Bad All by Myself: From Stage to Screen
The Men of Marlow: Doug McClure and Joe Alaskey
Let’s talk about the eccentric support system. Doug McClure played Kyle Applegate, the bumbling mayor and former actor. McClure was a genuine Hollywood veteran, famous for The Virginian and a string of 1970s sci-fi adventure movies like The Land That Time Forgot. He brought a certain "old school" gravitas to the show, even when he was the butt of the joke. Sadly, McClure passed away in 1995, not long after the show ended, marking the end of a very specific era of Western and B-movie stardom.
Then there was Beano Froelich.
Joe Alaskey played Beano, Donna’s brother and the guy constantly obsessed with his next meal. It was a trope-heavy role, sure, but Alaskey was a comedic genius. If his face doesn’t ring a bell as much as his voice does, there’s a reason. Alaskey was one of the primary successors to Mel Blanc. He voiced Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Sylvester the Cat for years. He even won an Emmy for his work as Daffy Duck in Duck Dodgers. When he passed away in 2016, the world lost one of the greatest "unseen" talents in the business.
The Voice from the Pyramid: Burt Reynolds
It’s still one of the weirdest trivia facts in sitcom history. Burt Reynolds—the "Smokey and the Bandit" himself—voiced Troy, the alien dad. He was never on screen. He was just a voice coming out of a light-up box. Apparently, Reynolds was friends with the show’s creator and did it as a favor. It gave the show a weirdly high-profile edge. Every week, kids were listening to one of the biggest movie stars of the 70s tell his daughter to do her homework via interstellar radio.
Buzz and Chris: The Teenage Tropes
No 80s show was complete without the "cool guy" and the "nerdy guy."
Buzz Belmondo (played by the actor of the same name, weirdly enough) was the manic, eccentric friend of the family. He was essentially the "Kramer" before Kramer was a household name. Buzz Belmondo stayed active in the comedy circuit for years after.
✨ Don't miss: Love Island UK Who Is Still Together: The Reality of Romance After the Villa
Then you had Chris Fuller, played by Steve Burton. Chris was Evie’s long-term boyfriend and the quintessential jock with a heart of gold. If you don't recognize Steve Burton from this show, you definitely recognize him from General Hospital. He became a daytime television legend as Jason Morgan. He’s won multiple Daytime Emmys and has basically become the face of modern soaps. It’s funny to look back at him in Out of This World with that feathered 80s hair, knowing he’d eventually become one of the most recognizable people on daytime TV.
Why the Show Still Has a Cult Following
There is a specific kind of nostalgia for the cast of Out of This World that differs from the love for Full House or Cheers. It’s a "syndication nostalgia." Because the show wasn't on a major network like NBC or ABC for its full run, it felt like a secret club for kids who stayed home from school or watched TV at 4:00 PM on a Tuesday.
The show dealt with a lot of stuff that felt real to kids, despite the alien bits. The "time freeze" was the ultimate wish-fulfillment. Who wouldn't want to stop the world, fix a mistake, and then restart it? But the chemistry between Flannigan and Pescow kept it from being just a gimmick. They actually felt like a mother and daughter trying to figure out a very strange life.
The show ended abruptly after four seasons. There was a cliffhanger where Troy (the dad) finally came to Earth, but it was actually Donna who ended up going to Antareus. Fans were left hanging forever. There was never a reunion special or a movie to wrap it up. In a world of reboots, this one has remained untouched, which almost makes it more special.
How to Revisit the Series Today
If you're looking to track down the show, it's a bit of a trek. It hasn't had a major streaming release on platforms like Netflix or Hulu. You can occasionally find episodes on YouTube or through obscure DVD sets released in Germany or the UK.
🔗 Read more: Gwendoline Butler Dead in a Row: Why This 1957 Mystery Still Packs a Punch
For those wanting to follow the cast today, here are the best routes:
- Follow Steve Burton on social media or watch General Hospital—he is the most active and visible member of the original group.
- Check out Donna Pescow's guest spots on modern sitcoms; she’s still a master of the craft.
- Look into Maureen Flannigan’s production credits if you’re interested in the "behind the glass" side of the industry.
The legacy of the show isn't just about the alien powers. It’s about that specific, neon-soaked transition from the 80s to the 90s. It was a time when TV was allowed to be profoundly silly without being cynical. The cast of Out of This World represented a wholesome, bizarre, and ultimately charming slice of television history that we probably won't see the likes of again.
If you're feeling nostalgic, look up the intro on YouTube. That theme song—a cover of "Swinging on a Star"—will be stuck in your head for the next three days. Guaranteed. It's a small price to pay for a trip back to Marlow.
Actionable Insight: If you're a fan of 80s and 90s sitcoms, the best way to keep these shows alive is to support official "retro" streaming channels like Pluto TV or Antenna TV, which often license these forgotten syndicated gems. Additionally, checking out the voice work of Joe Alaskey in the Looney Tunes back catalog is a great way to appreciate the talent that made Out of This World more than just a standard teen comedy.