Small Wonder

When gifted cybernetics engineer Ted Lawson brings a top-secret prototype into his home, his suburban life goes from ordinary to awkward. The prototype is a Voice Input Child Identicant, nicknamed Vicki, built to resemble an eight-year-old. Ted, his wife Joan and their son Jamie agree to pass Vicki off as a real girl while keeping her origins hidden from neighbors and Ted's suspicious boss. Joan adopts a maternal role almost immediately, while Jamie takes advantage of Vicki's obedience to get better grades and to fend off the nosy neighbor Harriet. Episodes mix sitcom setups with oddities of keeping a robot secret.

Small Wonder premiered in 1985, created by Howard Leeds and produced for first-run syndication, running through 1989. Tiffany Brissette, Dick Christie, Marla Pennington and Jerry Supiran anchored the show during its syndicated run, with Emily Schulman appearing as neighbor Harriet.

Although it didn't earn major industry awards or Emmy recognition, Small Wonder gained attention for its unusual premise. It found a loyal audience during syndication, and fan communities later preserved its cult status with conventions, online forums and nostalgia retrospectives, and online video compilations.

Vicki's stiff movements and childlike delivery became a recognizable piece of 80s television imagery, often referenced or parodied in later shows and sketches. The program resurfaces in nostalgia pieces and remains shorthand for kooky family sci-fi, appearing in lists and retrospectives about odd television premises, and occasional Halloween costume nods.

Critics gave mixed reviews, noting the show's simple scripts and cheesy effects but appreciating its light-hearted, family-friendly tone. Audiences, especially children, responded to its humor. The series revisits themes of identity, family dynamics, ethics around technology and the awkwardness of growing up, and it remains a curiosity for TV historians.