That Girl: At the Drop of a Budget

That Girl: At the Drop of a Budget
ABC
October 16, 1969
Sitcom
DVD
C+

Sigh.  At least when Ann would have Lucy-esque adventures in the first season or two, like her toe in the bowling ball, it was done with some degree of plausibility and humor.  But this time Ann is hypnotized by a dentist, played by Monty Hall, and she becomes a shopaholic.  Dig the cheesy "Donald piecing things together" montage to see how unrealistic this has all gotten.  Not sharkbait, but not exactly classic TV either.  Still, the episode is notable for a couple guest stars who went on to become minor characters on other shows:  Gino Conforti, better known as Felipe on Three's Company, makes his first appearance as Nino, while Will Mackenzie, who plays the Fiance on the soap opera, would later marry Carol on The Bob Newhart Show.

Ticket Seller Mari Oliver was Girl #1 on the "chicken" episode. TG producer Sam Denoff appears as Dudley Moss.   This is Ed Scharlach's penultimate TG script, while it's Warren Murray's first of three.