Who's the Boss?: Yankee-Doodle Micelli

Who's the Boss?: Yankee-Doodle Micelli
ABC
November 22, 1988
Sitcom
DVD
B+

This Wengrod & Cinnamon story has Tony flashing back to memories of his grandfather, with Danza playing Matteo Micelli (father of Matty), and two boys portraying Tony Micelli at 7 and 13.  (One of them, Thomas Ian Nicholas, who plays Little Tony, would become a regular in the American Pie movie series, as Kevin.)  The old-age makeup job on Danza isn't much better than that on Reed and Henderson on The Brady Bunch about fifteen years earlier, but otherwise this is one of the best episodes of the series.

OK, so there are anachronisms (from Mr. Ed being on in the late '50s to Tony's age not matching up to other episodes), but overlooking those as well as the makeup, we see a set of interlocking stories that are emotionally moving, highlighting the grandfather-grandson relationship, as well as the relationship between Tony and Angela.  (Not romantic here, despite Mona's teasing, but definitely close and supportive, and Tony is amazed how well Angela knows him.)  Note that Philly Fingers is mentioned but not shown, and Tony's habit of stealing street signs, referred to previously, here has an unexpected effect.

This is the 100th Who's the Boss? episode to air, and therefore the 100th show for Danza and Light.