Chris Elliott preceded Kevin Can F**k Himself's genre mashup with his 1986 Cinemax comedy special Action Family

Paste Magazine

Elliott's one-off special Action Family is a blend of a 1980s family sitcom -- complete with a laugh track -- and gritty detective drama. "Although it doesn’t have Kevin Can F**k Himself’s crucial social commentary, great acting, or well-written characters, it is absolutely hilarious," says Garrett Martin. "It also felt truly innovative and groundbreaking at the time, at the height of the traditional sitcom’s TV reign, before The Simpsons, Seinfeld or Garry Shandling deconstructed the form."