That Girl: Help Wanted

That Girl: Help Wanted
ABC
October 20, 1966
Sitcom
DVD
B

This is Tom and Helen August's first of six TG scripts, as well as the introduction of Bernie Kopell as Donald's coworker Jerry Bauman.  It's a good start for them all, as well as an interesting look at what happens to Ann and Donald's relationship when she fills in as his secretary.  Perhaps because it's written by a couple, it comes across as balanced and fair, with faults on both sides, and the resolution is very sweet.  Also, the twist in the tag is progressive for its time.  Note that Donald and Ann go to a Japanese restaurant, which, as the DVD commentary for Down with Love points out, was a common motif in '60s movies, and this is a very cinematic television show.

Ogden Talbot was a customer on another episode and is the Messenger here.  Yuki Tani would return as a Waitress.

That Girl: Anatomy of a Blunder

That Girl: Anatomy of a Blunder
ABC
October 6, 1966
Sitcom
DVD
B

This episode, the first by Carl Kleinschmitt and the only one by Dale McRaven (although he would write for Mork & Mindy among other shows), is the first TG episode where everything clicks.  It wisely focuses on the older and younger couples, as a series of mishaps delay Donald first meeting Ann's parents.  Each individual event is plausible, although the string of all of them isn't.  This was one of those '60s shows that I remember watching as a kid in the '70s and forming my first impression of contact lenses from, and yes, Ann "breaks" one (now impossible).  A couple other signs of those times: they're unable to call her parents from the road, and she's never seen his ankles before, although they've been dating awhile.

That Girl: I'll Be Suing You

That Girl: I'll Be Suing You
ABC
September 29, 1966
Sitcom
DVD
C+

This is the first of eight TG episodes Peggy Elliott and Ed Scharlach co-wrote and it has an odd structure that promises to pay off for the viewer, much like Ann's rambling story-telling promises the judge.  Ann and a sewing-machine salesman are counter-suing each other over a traffic accident.  We see, during her perspective, that he ogles a girl and then walks right into Donald's car, which she's driving while conveying a rubber tree plant.  (It's a long story.)  She has a surprise witness but then when he finally shows up, she doesn't ask him for any details; it's supposed to be enough that he's a priest.  (Shouldn't he still give specific evidence?)  Ann wins the case, but I'm not convinced that we needed all this.  Still, the reference to Candid Camera is cute, and it's interesting to see Donald enter Ann's bedroom, although the scene is quite innocent.

James O'Rear, who's the Bailiff here, would later play a Clerk.  A.G. Vitanza, who's the Shoe Man, would later be Herbie.  

That Girl: Never Change a Diaper on Opening Night

The uncredited baby, now about 50.

That Girl: Never Change a Diaper on Opening Night
ABC
September 22, 1966
Sitcom
DVD
C+

The first of five TG episodes written by Milton Pascal, this has Ann torn between babysitting for the neighbors-- with a mustache-less Dabney Coleman introduced as Judy's husband Leon the obstetrician-- and auditioning for an insufferable but apparently brilliant acting teacher, Jules Benedict played by Billy De Wolfe.  While it's nice to see Ann working on her career and I appreciated the moments where she stands up for herself, I was getting so irritated with everyone that I wished it was an episode about Ann & Donald or Ann and her parents.

That Girl: Goodbye, Hello, Goodbye

"It's your father."

That Girl: Goodbye, Hello, Goodbye
ABC
September 15, 1966
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Ann leaves home for New York but soon finds herself caught in the middle of an argument between her parents, who've been well recast as Lew Parker and Rosemary DeCamp.  The episode also features Ronnie Schell as her agent Harvey Peck.  And it properly introduces Bonnie Scott as neighbor Judy.  So in some ways it's more of a "first" episode than the previous two.  I like the touches like Ann repainting her table and trying to settle into her first apartment.

J.B. Larson, who's the Studio Usher here, would play an Assistant Producer on another episode.  Byron Morrow, who's Mr. Corcoran here, would be Officer Ben Cooper later.  Ogden Talbot, who plays a customer here, would be a messenger later.

That Girl: Don't Just Do Something, Stand There

Communication difficulties

That Girl: Don't Just Do Something, Stand There
ABC
September 8, 1966
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Ann and Donald meet-cute when she sells him a stick of gum (5 cents!), but complications ensue, because of a roll-top desk and a perfume commercial that involves a fake kidnapping.  (Ann doesn't seem to have an agent at this point, and she could really use one, considering the casual negotiation for her role, with the salary and expectations pretty fuzzy.)  As Marlo Thomas explains in the cute pre-closing-credits bit, this aired slightly before the official start of the Fall Season and she hoped that we'd all tune in the next week to see how Ann ended up leaving her parents' home and moving to New York.  I'm not sure why this aired first, except perhaps because the producers or ABC recognized the chemistry between Thomas and Bessell and hoped that that would draw in viewers.

Jerry Fogel would later play three other characters in the series and Burt Taylor two more, while Luana Anders, who's Shirley here, would be Beryl later.  But Ed Peck, who's Sam, would play four more characters!  Jack Goode, who plays the slimy Mr. Rudolph, would return as Mr. Handley.  And Bonnie Scott is introduced as neighbor Judy Bessemer, although her character isn't really explained at this point.  Arnold Margolin and Jim Parker would co-write five more TG episodes, while Bob Sweeney would direct six more.