Who's the Boss?: Diet in Cell Block 11

Who's the Boss?: Diet in Cell Block 11
ABC
February 24, 1987
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Howard Meyers wrote this episode where Nick has been released from prison and now plans to publish a diet book.  Tony finds out that Nick has plagiarized from someone who's about to be released from Death Row.  Nick and Mona flirt but she's recently (a few days ago) started seeing someone and it's relatively serious for her.  The more interesting flirtation occurs in the tag, where Angela is trying to write a romance novel since she owes her publisher friend a manuscript.  Tony and Mona mock her writing, until Mona has her and Tony act out the embrace she described, to the studio audience's delight.

James Coco would die the day after this episode aired, with his character's death dealt with on a future episode.

Who's the Boss?: The Proposal

Who's the Boss?: The Proposal
ABC
February 17, 1987
Sitcom
DVD
B+

Ellen Guylas wrote this story where Angela thinks that Geoffrey is going to propose but he, having counted the 116 days of their relationship, wants them to get a timeshare together.  When he realizes what she expected, he eagerly proposes marriage.  Mona, who says she's been trying to hide her contempt, is not happy about this.

Tony's attitude is harder to read.  It's clear he doesn't want Angela to marry Geoffrey, but he can pretend, even to himself, that it's just that he doesn't think Geoffrey is right for Angela and she doesn't love Geoffrey.  He may on some level see himself as a concerned platonic friend.  But there's a subtext that he's in love with Angela himself.

As for Angela, I've never been able to fully read her attitude towards Geoffrey.  She often seems tense around him, not in a sexual tension sense, but as if she can't relax around him.  She likes him and finds him special, and she perhaps has convinced herself she should marry someone she seemingly has a lot in common with.  But she clearly doesn't love him.  As for her feelings towards Tony, I think on some level she's beginning to suspect she's in love with him, but not that he is with her.  (That will take much longer.)

Jonathan remains neutral about Geoffrey and he understandably sees Tony as the one to do father-son-like activities with.  I think he would've been OK with the marriage but only if Tony didn't go away, as he likely would've.  In the end, with help from Tony, who's nudged by Mona, Angela gently rejects Geoffrey and they agree their relationship is over.  The path might seem clearer for Tony and Angela now, but of course their path never runs smooth.

Who's the Boss?: Raging Housekeeper

Real-life boxer Thomas Hearns as a buff typist named Wilbur.

Who's the Boss?: Raging Housekeeper
ABC
February 10, 1987
Sitcom
DVD
C

Aldredge, Bustany, and Mandel wrote this story where, as a fundraiser for two Parents Associations, Tony ends up in a boxing match.  Of course, Danza had spent several seasons portraying a boxer on Taxi, but the twist here is that Tony Micelli fought and badly lost a match at 16.  I'm not crazy about sports episodes, although this one is notable for its use of the song "Just One Look" and flashbacks.  Also, we find out that Tony M. is a Taurus, like Tony D.

Richard Foronjy, who was Artie Berkowitz on The Bob Newhart Show and a nameless Sergeant on M*A*S*H, plays Syd.  Janet MacLachlan, who was Mrs. Cavendish on What's Happening!!, plays Brooklyn PTA President, Melva Allen.  John Del Regno returns as Philly Fingers, although it's unclear if he has kids and is a member of the PTA or if he just drove Melva up to Connecticut.  This is Dori Brenner's last appearance as Wendy Wittener, who on this episode mentions her husband Herb the dentist, implies they seldom have sex, and says that Tony is her fantasy.

Who's the Boss?: Hit the Road, Chad

Who's the Boss?: Hit the Road, Chad
ABC
February 3, 1987
Sitcom
DVD
B+

Howard Meyers wrote this episode that both uses its special guest star well and sheds new light on Angela and Sam's relationship.  Sam's boyfriend
Chad McCann* (Scott Grimes understandably in his last appearance on the show) writes a song about her called "Always a Friend."  Both Tony and Mona like it, the latter playing it at work, where none other than Ray Charles drops in to listen.  Unfortunately, Sam catches Chad kissing another girl at school.  When Angela wants to use Ray's version of the song in a commercial, Sam gets upset, thinking that Angela's business is more important to her than Sam is.  She tells Jonathan to shut up so Angela, after trying to reason with her, orders her to her room.  She exclaims, "You're not my mother!"  Tony comes in and upholds Angela.

Angela goes ahead with the plan, but she feels guilty when Sam cries over Ray's rendition (on a rented piano in the house).  Sam reveals that the song reminds her of her friendship with Angela.  It's a genuinely moving moment, well played by the entire cast.  And I like Mr. Charles's playful demeanor in the show, and how he's not just there to be gushed over.  (As Sinatra arguably is in a later episode.)  As I said in my review of his Midnight Special appearance, I'm not a fan, but I really enjoy his acting and singing here.

Beau Billingslea, who plays Dave, would return later in the season as a Chef.  This is the 1000th show I've reviewed for ABC, which will continue to be a major factor, even as we move into a more cable-dominant era.


*Sam's love life remains confusing.  What happened to Todd?  Does she have multiple boyfriends?  Admittedly, it won't be till Jesse comes along that she goes steady.  And yet she gets upset about him "cheating on her."

It's Garry Shandling's Show: Grant's Date

It's Garry Shandling's Show: Grant's Date
Showtime
January 30, 1987
Sitcom
DVD
B

Ed Solomon, Jeff Franklin (who did a couple Bosom Buddies scripts and who here does his first of three for IGSS), and Patricia Rust (writing her first of two for IGSS) collaborated for this story that's similar to but more playful than the recent Who's the Boss? one about Tony driving Jonathan on his first date.  Grant is 12 rather than about 10 and he's interested in Kim (described by Garry as the oldest 12-year-old he's ever met and in fact played by 15-year-old Priscilla Weems around the time she had a recurring role on Designing Women).  Garry chaperones and chauffeurs the two of them on their first date, in a golfcart, which is still the largest vehicle at the drive-in.  (Arguably, this scene is a Brady Bunch parody, although a ninja film plays rather than a Western.)  Just as Jenny fell for Tony, Kim falls for Garry, until Grant steals the car to impress her.  It's a nice showcase for Nemes (Grant and Garry argue over who the episode is about) and for once Garry isn't blamed for things going awry.

Who's the Boss?: Tony the Patchmaker

Who's the Boss?: Tony the Patchmaker
ABC
January 27, 1987
Sitcom
DVD
B

Cinnamon & Wengrod wrote this episode whose title puns on the earlier "Tony the Matchmaker."  When an accident totals Geoffrey's Porsche, which Angela is looking after while her boyfriend is in Boston for work, they have a falling out.  Tony, who has shoulder angel and devil, decides to patch things up.  He doesn't like Geoffrey and there are moments where he seems to be jealous, if not fully aware of it, like when he later walks in on Geoffrey telling Angela, "I love you."  But he wants Angela's happiness, and that seems to be Geoffrey.  Mona clearly doesn't want Angela to get back together with Geoffrey, and she's very annoyed with Tony.  The moment when Angela realizes that Tony knows, while Geoff doesn't, that she prefers pink roses to red is an almost-lightbulb moment.  But mostly she and Tony are not examining their own feelings too closely at this point, partly but not entirely because of Geoffrey.

It's Garry Shandling's Show: Garry Met a Girl Named Maria

It's Garry Shandling's Show: Garry Met a Girl Named Maria
Showtime
January 23, 1987
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Ed Solomon's first of eight IGSS stories, collaborating with Janis Hirsch on her second of two, kicks off the return of the series after a hiatus (as Garry notes in his opening monologue).  Although it has some nice touches, like the map during the credits and the characters bursting or threatening to burst into song, I don't think it's aged as well as the episodes we looked at previously.  To some extent, it's a parody of the "regular character considering marrying a female illegal alien to prevent her being deported" plot, as Garry fully acknowledges, and I think naming her Maria (as was the name on What's Happening!! and Three's Company, while it was Angelina on Welcome Back, Kotter) is a nod to this trope that would reach its ultimate expression in that fall's series I Married Dora, on of course ABC.  But the stereotypes (not just Latino but gay) are presented without much finesse and the "Lou Gehrig" joke gets dull with repetition.

Tony Plana, whose TV debut was as Amid on What's Happening!!, plays Maria's brother Jorge.  Richard Karron, who was an Officer on Three's Company, is again a Priest on this show.  Assistant Director Peter Barth again appears as himself.  And Barbara Cason, who was a Nurse on Mork & Mindy and Miss Fritzinger in The Brady Girls Get Married, makes her third appearance as Garry's mother Ruth.