Who's the Boss?: Her Father's Daughter

Who's the Boss?: Her Father's Daughter
ABC
February 6, 1990
Sitcom
DVD
B-

While I like aspects of this episode, it feels like less than the sum of its parts.  We get insights into such relationships as Sam and Bonnie, Sam and Tony, Tony and Angela, and Mona and Jonathan, but it doesn't feel like it all jells.  Tony chaperones Sam's class during Winter Break in Florida, and Angela goes along to distract him.  Sam and Bonnie meet two guys that Sam realizes are sleazes and she tries to protect Bonnie.  (One of them, Tim, is played by Steve Burton, who was a nicer guy as Evie's boyfriend Chris on Out of This World.)  Meanwhile, Mona tries to help Jonathan ask girls out on the phone.  Ernie the water man is referred to but not seen.

Danza again co-directed with Gail L. Bergmann.

Who's the Boss?: Hell on Wheels

Who's the Boss?: Hell on Wheels
ABC
November 17, 1987
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Angela causes a couple accidents that put Tony in a wheelchair.  As amends, she decides to stay home and take care of him and the house, but his perfectionism makes her hire a young nurse, Doreen (27-year-old Jennifer Runyon, who was then on Charles in Charge and who would be Cindy in A Very Brady Christmas).  Doreen is a klutz and not too bright, so Tony learns to appreciate Angela.  Todd Starks, who's Matt here, would later be a Hardhat.

Who's the Boss?: Older Than Springtime

Who's the Boss?: Older Than Springtime
ABC
March 3, 1987
Sitcom
DVD
B

Alan Mandel wrote this story where Tony dates Casey, an athletic 22-year-old who works for a fashion designer.  Angela tries to get the account, including by dressing young.  (Her outfit is great but the makeup and hair are horrific as they could be only in the late '80s.)  She wants to sell the fashions to women her age, but she doesn't realize that "young girls" don't want to dress like their mothers.

Meanwhile, Tony finds it hard to keep up with Casey.  And he ogles Angela's legs when her face is hidden by a newspaper.  They both definitely express jealousy and attraction in this episode, which features a fantasy dream sequence to "Bluebirds Stepping Out."  And they tease each other about their ages, although Tony must know she's two years older than he is, because of "Anthony & Ingrid."  I might've gone with a B+ but the script, like Angela, tries a little too hard to be "with it," especially in its references to pop music.

This is another episode Danza co-directed with Bergmann.

Who's the Boss?: Forgive Me, Tony

Who's the Boss?: Forgive Me, Tony
ABC
December 2, 1986
Sitcom
DVD
C+

This episode was co-written by three people who didn't contribute to any of my other shows, which may explain why, while not awful, it does feel somewhat off.  Or maybe it's that Danza and Bergmann co-directed again.  Anyway, Sam has a fight with her "best friend" Bonnie.  (So much for Marci, who was mentioned an episode or two ago and who has been Sam's best friend for a couple years.)  Sam dares Tony to make up with his childhood frenemy, Mickey Callahan (Joe Regalbuto, who would return in a different role at the end of the season).  It turns out that Mickey is now a priest, but one with a temper, and he ends up punching Tony.  (I've yet to see Regalbuto in a role where he didn't play a jerk, but then I've never watched much of Murphy Brown, so maybe he was nicer there.)

Frank Pesce's second of four roles on the show is a Workman.  Billy Beck, who was Councilman Diggs on That Girl, plays Hank here.  I'm surprised that this is the only show I have with the once ubiquitous Nedra Volz, who plays Ethel and who was probably best known as the middle maid on Diff'rent Strokes.  And, yes, that's Lyle Talbot of Plan Nine from Outer Space and other B-movies as Ralph.

Who's the Boss?: Junior Executive

Who's the Boss?: Junior Executive
ABC
January 7, 1986
Sitcom
DVD
C+

In this Eichen & Steinkellner story, Sam is now a cheerleader and she has to buy at least five uniforms.  Angela offers her a Saturday job as "Girl Friday."  At first, Angela and Sam enjoy working together, but then Sam's shallow friends-- Bonnie (Shana Lane-Block), Julia (Angela Lee), Marci Ferguson (Nicole Eggert), and Robin Fraser (Tonya Crowe)-- point out that she's missing all the fun Saturday activities, including seeing popular boy Chad McCann.  (A character often referred to from this point out, but not often seen.)  They encourage her to screw up so Angela can fire her, which Angela reluctantly does.  Sam feels guilty, especially when her dad is mad at Angela.  With prodding from Mona, she tries to explain, but Angela misunderstands and rehires her.  Sam realizes that being responsible is more important than the dubious lessons her friends offer, but the friends still bug me.  (Not to mention, if she can't work for Angela, how will she pay for her cheerleading uniforms?)  Note that this is one of the episodes where Tony's identity merges with Sam's, as when he's happy "we made the squad," and how personally he takes Angela firing her.

Howard Stevens returns as Howie Mendelson and does a little Groucho impression.  As with the previous episode, a cast member, this time Danza, co-directs with Bergmann.  This is the 400th program from the '80s I've reviewed.

Who's the Boss?: Tony the Nanny

Who's the Boss?: Tony the Nanny
ABC
December 17, 1985
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Ellen Guylas wrote this story where Tony's Uncle Aldo Micelli (Vito Scotti in his first of two appearances, although he'd be referred to in a third) sends Ana, his youngest daughter of eight, from Italy to America for an arranged marriage.  Angela disapproves but Tony says his parents had an arranged marriage.  He comes around to Angela's viewpoint when he hears how old-fashioned the prospective groom is.

Note that Aldo is worried who will take over his business, which suggests that, one, he has no sons, and two, none of the older daughters are married.  Also, at this point he can't speak English and Tony's Italian is very rusty.  (Ana is bilingual.)  Oh, and, yes, Jonathan's line, in reply to Sam's wish to marry a man like her dad (which won't happen), "I want to marry a wife like your dad," is ironic in retrospect.

Helmond shares the directing credit with Gail L. Bergmann, who would direct five more.