Herman's Head

Herman's Head was a TV series on the FOX network that aired from 1991 to 1994. As FOX was a relatively young network, they were able to experiment with the show's format, allowing for a unique device: whenever Herman, the main character, had an important decision to make, the TV audience would be shown a "Greek chorus" style dramatization of his thought process featuring four actors representing differing aspects of his psyche.

The Psyche

The characters acting out Herman's emotions each represented a different aspect of his personality. As they were supposed to be one-sided, they often were lacking in other areas of their character, which led to frequent squabbles between the individual aspects. The concept of inner conflict within a person is a common psychological concept; it is explored in Sigmund Freud's concepts of Ego, Superego and Id, and Eric Berne's Transactional analysis.

Related Topics:
Sigmund Freud - Ego, Superego and Id - Eric Berne - Transactional analysis

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• Angel represented his sensitivity As the only female character in his brain, Angel also represented his feminine side, and sometimes used this fact to manipulate the male characters. However, she also would express emotions for women that Herman was interested in, and would sometimes use crude language or imagery to underscore the fact that she was still a part of Herman's personality.
• Animal represented his lust or hunger. He was an archetypal fratboy, and possibly derives his name from Animal House.
• Wimp represented his anxiety. He was a paranoid hypochondriac.
• Genius represented his intellect.