Editing According to Jim (section)

=== Development ===
''According to Jim'' was created by [[Tracy Newman]] and [[Jonathan Stark (actor)|Jonathan Stark]]. The sitcom was produced by [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]'s in-house production company and Newman/Stark, Suzanne Bukinik Entertainment and Brad Grey Television. Filming occurred at the [[CBS Studio Center]] in Los Angeles. It was originally announced in May 2001 under the title ''The Dad'',<ref>''Scripps Howard News Service'', May 2001 [https://groups.google.com/g/alt.culture.us.1970s/c/-dE4FtzSnTU/m/7VcBGdGOFC8J]</ref> with the pilot being shot sometime in mid-2001.<ref>https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/FALL-TV-PREVIEW-Rating-the-new-shows-John-2879261.php</ref><ref name="eonline"/> In July 2001, the show's title was changed from ''The Dad'' to ''According to Jim''.<ref name="eonline">''[[E! Online]]'', July 2001 []</ref>

Belushi, besides playing Jim, directed 30 episodes and is credited as executive producer.

Belushi's fictional character Jim's band in the series is the real-life [[House of Blues]] band The Sacred Hearts, for which Jim Belushi often sings lead.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jimbelushi.ws/the-sacred-hearts-band/|title=The Sacred Hearts|access-date=October 27, 2018|archive-date=October 28, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181028035113/http://www.jimbelushi.ws/the-sacred-hearts-band/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==== Influences ====
Belushi says he set the show's trademark tone back in the show's 2001 pilot.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ajc.com/entertainment/celebrity-news/according-jim-wraps-its-run/mq6E1E1KBKkooK8mCnkS6J/|title=According to Jim wraps his run|newspaper=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |access-date=October 27, 2018|archive-date=October 28, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181028033736/https://www.ajc.com/entertainment/celebrity-news/according-jim-wraps-its-run/mq6E1E1KBKkooK8mCnkS6J/|url-status=live}}</ref>

"The original script called for Jim to go to the wife and apologize," he recalls. "I said to the writers, 'Why do we have to do a show where the guy is going to apologize at the end of every episode? Was he really wrong? He's contrite, sure. But isn't he just being a man?'"

In an interview, Jim Belushi explained that the show many times directly reflected his actual life. Quite a few episodes were experiences taken directly from Belushi's home. Most of the episodes were taken from experiences inside the writers' homes, too. He adds:<ref name="fame10.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.fame10.com/entertainment/7-things-you-didnt-know-about-according-to-jim/|title=7 things you didnt know about According to Jim|date=April 7, 2017|access-date=October 27, 2018|archive-date=October 28, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181028033706/https://www.fame10.com/entertainment/7-things-you-didnt-know-about-according-to-jim/|url-status=live}}</ref>

{{quote|"Every show is based in somebody's reality. Whether it's [co-stars] Larry's, or mine, or Courtney's, or the writers'. Because it was a relationship show about a family, everyone would bring in their experiences as a family, and we would do shows around them."}}

==== Family names ====
[[Surname|Last names]] were never really addressed for the entire run of the show. None of the main characters did get a last name until Season 4 when [[Kimberly Williams-Paisley]]'s character Dana married Dr. Ryan Gibson (played by [[Mitch Rouse]]). She became Dana Gibson with their marriage. Only guest characters had first and last names in most cases.<ref name="fame10.com"/>