It sounds like the beginning of a joke but, what do you get when you mix a beloved dog with a young prince from another planet and a robot? Why, Benji, Zax and the Alien Prince, of course.

The premise of the show was that an alien boy and his robot, Zax, were refugees from their home planet. Now on earth, they were being stalked by a group of henchman, dispatched from their home planet by the evil ruler who wanted the prince returned to him. Luckily, the duo had a secret weapon, an amazing dog they befriended. Only Benji could save the day and keep them safe from capture. 

Benji had already made a name for himself in the business, first appearing on the sitcom, Petticoat Junction, in the 60s before embarking upon a successful solo career as a movie star. And for his efforts, he was inducted into the Animal Hall of Fame. Flash forward to 1983 and the lovable mutt (well, actually a facsimile – this particular Benji was actually the daughter of the original) finally got his own Saturday morning show along with his alien and cyber friends. The series was short-lived, but certainly an original premise that is unlikely to be repeated.