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.