The Television Flop Jennifer Aniston Starred In Before Friends

Jennifer Aniston would become one of NBC’s biggest stars as Rachel Green on “Friends,” but the path to fame isn’t always smooth. One of her bumps along the way (besides starring in the ridiculous horror comedy “Leprechaun”), was her role in a television adaptation of John Hughes’ ’80s classic “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” Aniston was perfect for the role of Jeannie, Ferris’ sister, taking over from Jennifer Grey, who played that character in the film. Aniston’s low, deadpan voice, pouty mouth, and sighs of exasperation perfectly captured Jeannie’s sourpuss attitude and frustration with Ferris’ antics — namely his uncanny ability to charm everyone he comes across and his nimble ways of wriggling out of trouble. She’s a great fit for the role, but the television show itself? Well, it’s not so great. It’s bizarre, even.

“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” the best John Hughes film ever made, focuses on the best day ever during senior year — one final celebration before its characters Ferris, Cameron, and Sloan face the humdrum of adulthood. However, to make the story work for a TV series, the writers had to go backward, taking us to Ferris’ junior year to explore the daily life of the smooth-talking, fun-loving teenage rascal. This concept didn’t last long, since the series ended up getting canceled just a few months after its debut with only 13 episodes aired. The reviews were poor, with the Ottawa Citizen calling the series a “high school horror” that deserves a “failing grade.” It just didn’t have the magic spark of the movie, existing in a strange parallel universe where this version of Ferris was not, as the Boston Globe memorably put it, “the kind of high-schooler that other kids would want to hang with” but the kind that “other kids would want to hang.”

The series attempts something that could have been clever if the lead actor, Charlie Schlatter, didn’t have such a twerpy presence. Schlatter has none of Matthew Broderick’s swagger and boyish charm, instead coming off like a know-it-all class clown who’s more irritating than funny. In this strange, upside-down Ferris Bueller world, the original John Hughes movie exists and is based on Schlatter-as-Ferris’ life. He complains about the movie and even disparages Matthew Broderick for playing himself, going so far as to chainsaw his head off a life-size cardboard cutout. “This is television; this is real,” he says. While this meta joke may have seemed like a smart way to start the show — since comparisons were inevitable — it feels unnecessary with all the weird changes from “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” 

Why bother making the television series at all? None of the original actors return, and the setting shifts from Chicago to Santa Monica, taking away the everyday suburban vibe of the original film. Seeing Ferris’ school shenanigans could have been fun to watch, but it all feels routine and inconsequential. The short-lived season revolved around Ferris sparring with Ed Rooney, meeting Sloane, and helping Cameron get a girlfriend. There’s storylines about getting trapped in an elevator with Rooney, wanting to run for student president, and dealing with an annoying grandma. “Ferris Bueller” simply does not have the heart of John Hughes’ film, especially without Matthew Broderick’s magnetic performance. Ferris’ story wasn’t just about joyrides and visiting museums and crashing parades; it was about teenagers struggling with their future, caring for their friends, and dealing with family problems. If you’re oddly fascinated by seeing how rough this early part of Jennifer Aniston’s career was, there are a few clips on YouTube.