Ellen: A Penney Saved

Ellen: A Penney Saved
ABC
March 13, 1996
Sitcom
DVD
B

This is the first of two Ellen stories written by Jennifer Fisher, who apparently is not Joely's sister.  We find out that Audrey's parents, Jack and Lily Penney (Barry Corbin, who played Sgt. Joe Vickers on M*A*S*H fifteen years ago, and the so perfectly cast it's eerie Carol Kane), are eccentric millionaires.  She's tried to be independent, but Ellen succumbs when the Penneys offer $100,000 to keep Buy the Book afloat and Audrey employed.  At this point, Audrey is still in a long-distance relationship with Ron Palillo, "TV's Horshack," but Joe, who's been fighting off her crush all season, would be happy to marry for money.  However, he's got competition from "Freddie 'Boom-Boom' Washington, the wrong Sweathog."  (Hilton-Jacobs, who was 42 at this point, had aged really well by the way.)  I might've gone with a B-, but the sets, including Lily's redecoration of the bookstore, kick this up to a B.

Spence does not appear in this episode, not that I miss him.