Four mismatched aliens are sent to earth to observe humanity and carry out experiments. They take on human form in order to fit in. Dick is the leader of the group and takes a job in the university where he manages to annoy his secretary and fellow worker Sally Allbright all in the first day. The toughest of the team gets the job of being the woman, something he is eminently unsuited for. The eldest member of the team is cast as the school age youth and the fourth member remains the mental case that he always was.

In order to examine the human condition all you have to do is stick an alien in our midst and that'll give you all the scope that you need to make fun of daily human life. 3rd ROCK FROM THE SUN is nothing more than MORK AND MINDY times four. It's loud, it's brash and its rarely subtle in this opening episode, but it's played with gusto by the cast and there are enough jokes for a reasonable hit rate.