Name: Zontar
Genre: Comedy
Released: 1981-10-30
Duration: 1 h 6 min
Rating: 8.3
Cast: John Candy, Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy

An extraterrestrial named Zontar uses mind control on the SCTV station helped by Conrad Bain's brother.

A commercial for the American Dental Assoc starts things off but it shows close ups of people's rear ends. Mrs Falbo welcomes guest G. Gordon Liddy with some kids, one of them acts like a Watergate prosecutor.

Guy hires Conrad Bain's brother Bonar (called Hank in this show) for a rip off sitcom Different Folks. Hank is shown communicating with the aliens. Then Bob and Doug argue so much they can't get to their topic. Rick Moranis plays George Carlin in a movie spoof on Annie Hall. He tries to meet women but can only talk in comedy bits.

Then we see the Zontar take over with glowing cabbages making Gus the Security guard and LaRue into zombies. A commercial for an album of convicts singing in choir follows.

Farm Film Report has Big Jim and Billy Sol interview Meryl Streep (O'Hara) before she blows up real good. Moranis is then seen as insult comic Don Rickles in another Annie Hall spoof. Zontar takes over Floyd during the SCTV News, Earl thinks he's drunk again.

Hank Bain is seen on the Different Folks set directed by Larry Siegel, the young kid keeps saying the wrong line (all he can say is "whatchyoo talkin bout"). Dave Thomas then portrays workaholic attorney Ted Gordon.

Sammy Maudlin has a drunk foul mouthed Joan Embrey (O"Hara) on and Natalie Cole guests singing her new song "Nothin But A Fool". Tex and Edna Boil have a commercial about the Prairie. Star Trek actor DeForrest Kelly (Thomas) then appears on Sammy's show plugging his new movie about Julia Child. Zontar takes over all of them except Kelly.

Nerdy Brian Johns (Levy)has a finance show interviewing a rich madam played by Catherine O'Hara. DeForrest then goes to Guy and figures out Hank is behind the alien take over. John Candy plays the bald alien at the end (looking like Marlon Brando in Apocalypse Now).

This is yet another hilarious episode that became a classic.

The comedy genre refers to a category of entertainment that aims to amuse and entertain audiences by using humor, wit, and comedic situations. Comedies are created with the primary intention of eliciting laughter and providing lighthearted enjoyment. They encompass a wide range of styles, tones, and themes, appealing to various tastes and audiences.

Will Ferrell, Angela Grillo, and Lap-Gei Cheung in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)

The SCTV cast and crew falls victim to alien mind control.

John Candy, Natalie Cole, and Joe Flaherty in Zontar (1981)

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Streaming Stars, Then and Now

John Candy, Rick Moranis, Catherine O'Hara, Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, and Dave Thomas in SCTV Network (1981)

Joe Flaherty and Dave Thomas in Zontar (1981)

Andrea Martin and Dave Thomas in Zontar (1981)

Zontar

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