The legendary actor and singer Tim Curry passed away in August 2026 at the age of 80, but his career will remain fondly remembered by fans for years to come. While he was best known for his roles in movies like “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” “Clue,” “It,” and “Muppet Treasure Island,” he also appeared on TV from time to time — including a failed sitcom in which he once starred with Annie Potts.
The 1997 series “Over the Top” focused on Simon Ferguson (Curry), an actor who, after being unexpectedly fired from his hit soap opera, is forced to seek shelter with his ex-wife (Potts) at the hotel she manages. Given their rocky past and Simon’s arrogant nature, the show is rife with mix-ups and hijinks as they come to grips with their new status quo.
Although the “Over the Top” cast — which included Steve Carell, Luke Tarsitano, and Marla Sokoloff — gave strong performances, the show garnered less than stellar ratings after premiering on ABC. It was canceled after just a few episodes, torpedoing any chances of the show becoming one of Curry’s memorable TV projects.
Over the Top had poor ratings and reviews
“Over the Top” clearly didn’t connect with audiences the way that ABC execs may have hoped. However, the show had a lot working against it. It was originally scheduled for a September 1997 premiere, but was pushed back to October in order to take advantage of a less busy TV schedule. However, it ended up premiering on the same night as Game 3 of the World Series, which proved to be even worse for ratings.
“Over the Top” also debuted to mixed reviews. While the Los Angeles Times was fond of the first two episodes, and especially Tim Curry’s exceptional comedic performance as Simon, other publications, including Variety and Deseret News – which called the series “utterly dreadful” — weren’t impressed.
Despite the show’s short shelf life, Curry and Potts, who had been friends before being cast, maintained their bond for life. Shortly after Curry’s death, Potts posted an Instagram photo of the pair of them at her wedding; in the caption, she revealed that her former co-star, who served as her best man that day, had also been her neighbor. “He taught me about friendship and cooking and design and gardens,” she wrote. “I taught him how to fish. I am so happy that you are released now….into a most beautiful garden…. I will miss you beyond words.”
