Who's the Boss?: Reconcilable Differences

Who's the Boss?: Reconcilable Differences
ABC
March 31, 1987
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Glazer, Guylas, Mandel, and Meyers co-wrote this story where Tony finds an efficient British woman to help out at Angela's office, but Mona comes to resent the woman and her efficiency.  John Welsh, who was "Big Earl" on What's Happening!!, appears as the client Mr. Perkins

What's Happening!!: Dwayne's Debate

What's Happening!!: Dwayne's Debate
ABC
April 21, 1979
Sitcom
DVD
C+

I considered giving this Sally Wade story a B- or even a B, partly because of some of the guest cast (see below), and partly because of the basic premise, but there are too many flaws.  To begin with, it's another episode where Snake is again clumsily substituted for the absent Rerun, although at least his role is smaller than last time.  I have more of an issue with the tag, which not only has Little Earl's crush at its most nauseating (these sort of one-sided crushes get old fast, even when there's no age difference, see Urkel, if you must), but with its "older woman" line it feels like it drifted over from  the landlady episode.  Furthermore, the mockery of Dwayne's opponent, especially by Shirley, goes too far.  Still, I like how Dwayne realizes he's not the best candidate.

Greg Morris returns as Dwayne's councilman father, with Betty Bridges, who'd recently guested on son Todd's Diff'rent Strokes, playing Dwayne's mother.  LaNette Hardiman, who was Delores before, is Lisa here.  Richard Couture appears at both Rob's Place and the school auditorium.  And it's nice to see Fritzi Burr back as Miss Collins.\
\
This is the 900th program I've reviewed for the '70s.  With only about eight months to go, I don't  know if we'll hit 1000, but we'll certainly come close.

What's Happening!!: First Class Coach

What's Happening!!: First Class Coach
ABC
April 7, 1979
Sitcom
DVD
C+

This Moore & Stevens story has Dwayne as substitute coach for Little Earl's basketball team while Big Earl is busy with policework.  This is one of the episodes that supports my theory that Big Earl is a single dad, either divorced or widowed.

Justin Dana, who plays Bobby, would turn up over a decade later on Roseanne as Matthew.  And as always, it's nice to see Sparky Marcus, 11 at this point and playing Danny.  For some reason, Shirley is missing, and it seems like Rob got her lines at the soda shop.

What's Happening!!: The Eviction

What's Happening!!: The Eviction
ABC
March 9, 1979
Sitcom
DVD
C+

Joanne Pagliaro wrote the teleplay based on a story by a writer with only one other credit.  Mrs. Watson has sold the building to Mr. Logan (Hal Williams, who had appeared as three different characters on That Girl and who at this point was about six years away from 227).  When the tenants try to organize, Raj and Rerun are evicted, until Shirley and Dee do a better job of organizing.  I might've gone with a B-, but I didn't find any of the other tenants (Big Earl included) interesting or funny.  I do like that that one record, with music heard on other episodes, keeps playing.

Richard Lee-Sung, who often appeared on M*A*S*H, plays Mr. Wing.

What's Happening!!: Shirley's Fired

What's Happening!!: Shirley's Fired
ABC
February 23, 1979
Sitcom
DVD
B-

This episode feels a bit de ja vu, but at least everyone is giving it their all.  Rob hires a klutzy waitress, Liz (Judy Pace, who'd previously played Nurse Jennings), and when Shirley tries to quit, Rob fires her.  Then it looks like Liz is stealing from the till, but it's of course a misunderstanding.  Note that if it's embarrassing to watch twelve-year-old-but-passing-for-eleven Susan Olsen sing "On the Good Ship Lollipop," it's really embarrassing to watch thirteen-year-old-but-passing-for-fourteen Danielle Spencer sing it, although at least they didn't make her wear the Shirley Temple costume.

Customer Freeman King was a Police Officer before.

What's Happening!!: Dwayne's Dream

What's Happening!!: Dwayne's Dream
ABC
February 16, 1979
Sitcom
DVD
C+

This Joanne Pagliaro episode is predictable but cute, with a few ironic-in-retrospect aspects.  Dwayne gets a job as a concessions vendor (cue the Carter peanut jokes) and of course wants to quit school and work full-time, till he has a dream set 30 years in the future.  Bear in mind, the characters are supposed to be in their 40s or 50s, but they look like they're at least 60.  Then the Earls hear Dwayne screaming in his sleep, so they talk to him, and then he has another dream, this time where he's the American President.  (Yes, a black president in 2009, who knew?)  Meanwhile, Rerun, who's head of ABC in both dreams, compliments "Baba Wawa" on her interview with "Fidel," little knowing that in real life Castro would leave office in 2008.  Not to mention that Shirley Hemphill would die in '99, and Fred Berry in '03.

Richard Couture makes another appearance at Rob's/Shirley's diner and actually gets a line.

What's Happening!!: Positive Identification

What's Happening!!: Positive Identification
ABC
December 21, 1978
Sitcom
DVD
C+

This first of two WH stories by Bill Box and Dick Westerschulte never gets past its formula feel, from the Christmas burglary to the overuse of the catchphrase of the burglar, Willie Spencer (Stu Gilliam, who previously played Gary).  Still, I like Shirley as Mrs. Claus.

Wendell Wright, who plays the Sergeant that believes in astrology, had recently been Rodney Raisin on Soap.

What's Happening!!: The Landlady

What's Happening!!: The Landlady
ABC
November 16, 1978
Sitcom
DVD
B

This story, which is not only one of the better episodes of the relatively weak last season but one of the better ones of the series, turns out to be the only one written by Dee Caruso (male) and Gerald Gardner, who co-wrote the amazing Gilligan's Island episode "The Producer."  This isn't on that level of course, but it does more with the predictable idea of Raj developing a crush on the title character than you'd expect.

Rerun, who we know from a previous episode is a page at ABC, refuses to cross the picket line when the cameramen go on strike.  The landlady, Mrs. Watson (Hope Clarke, who had given another solid but very different performance as the estranged but reconciling daughter of Dee's cranky old friend from the Negro leagues), not only is understanding about the rent being late, but she befriends 19-year-old [sic] Roger, who reminds her of her late husband.  He's had at least two crushes on slightly older women, and now he not only thinks that a romance is developing between him and a 35-to-40-year-old, but he starts trying to act older.  His friends gently (well, Dee not so much) try to set him straight, with the one-on-one talk with Shirley, who incorporates an extra memorably (the guy isn't credited), both funny and sweet.  We know Raj is in for a fall, even before Mrs. Watson and her date show up to take him to the ballet, but the performances here add more realism and sensitivity than I expected.

LaNette Hardiman, who plays Delores, would return as Lisa.  This is the 800th program I've reviewed from the '70s, with over a year to go.

What's Happening!!: Shirley's Cookies

Hmm....

What's Happening!!: Shirley's Cookies
ABC
November 9, 1978
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Everyone loves the title sweet, so a fast-talking con artist tells Shirley she could be another Well-Known Jones, i.e. Famous Amos.  It's up to the gang to get her out of the contract.  The Earls aren't too annoying in this one, and Big Earl does some impressive tongue-twisters.

Leland Smith returns as The Snake.  Larry Gilman, who plays Sylvester, was a GI on M*A*S*H.  This is the only WH script Ken Hecht wrote, although he would do one for Three's Company.

What's Happening!!: The Creep Detective

What's Happening!!: The Creep Detective
ABC
November 2, 1978
Sitcom
DVD
C+

This Ted Bergman story introduces John Welsh and David Hollander as new neighbors Big Earl and Little Earl.  The former is the title character, not so much a "creep" (and, yes, I know it's a pun on Cheap Detective) as mildly annoying, with his habit of nicknaming people.  His nine-year-old son is also mildly annoying, with his instant crush on Dee.  But the real trouble-makers are Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence (Ric Mancini, who'd appeared on M*A*S*H and The Bob Newhart Show, and Carol DeLuise, who'd be Marcia Brady's future mother-in-law), who ask Rerun to watch their silverware, which turns out to be stolen cameras and tape recorders.