Who's the Boss?: Mona Gets Pinned

Who's the Boss?: Mona Gets Pinned
ABC
October 30, 1984
Sitcom
DVD
B

This is the first of twelve WtB stories written by Ellen Guylas, who did eleven for Three's Company.  As with 3'sC, there's a misunderstanding, in this case about who Mona's "new beau" is.  Angela thinks it's the sixty-something man in her study group, but it's actually 20ish Jason Franklin (Dean Butler who was 28 at the time and in between his gigs as husbands to Laura Ingalls and the new Gidget).  Angela, whom Mona describes as "a young fogy," disapproves because of the age difference.*  Tony, who knows how important Angela's opinion is to Mona, is in his mediator role here, although definitely more on Mona's side.  This is, by the way, the first episode where I noticed him using the nickname of "Mone."

It is also definitely the episode with the most audience reaction so far.  From Mona's outfits to characters making strong declarations, there's a lot to respond to.  And of course there's the "curfew" scene when the not-yet-family waits for Mona to come home.  (She's "burned down her apartment" and is temporarily staying with Angela, so the stakes are higher than if they were living apart.)  Mona calls them "the Moral Majority," and the characters (and probably actors) have fun with the role-reversal.  The scene is capped by Jonathan finding Mona's pin on the back of her sweater, implying at least second base with Jason.  However, we are not yet in the slutty!Mona days, when she'd think nothing of dating a college guy.  This is a milder Mona and it's notable that, here in the first season, she and Angela have an easier time talking about their feelings and bonding than they will later.

Bill Erwin was the Reverend in The Brady Girls Get Married and his role as Jason's elderly father Ted is his first of three on WtB.


*We never find out Mona's age, but here we learn that she dropped out of college to get married.  I think she's 19 or 20 years older than Angela, making her in her mid 50s here.