On Thursdays, I take a detailed and critical look at a TV show. This year, I will be splitting full seasons into two posts. Here's a look at Season 3 (Part 1) of Perfect Strangers!
PERFECT STRANGERS: SEASON THREE
1987-1988
22 episodes
1987-1988
22 episodes
The third season of Perfect Strangers takes the show in a new direction with a lot of changes for the show that will propel it for the rest of its run. While I think all these changes were necessary and lead to better things for the show, it's a little bit of a rough start as the show seems to take some time to get its footing with the new setting and characters though, again, they are better. This season actually graded out to one of the lowest for me but led to better things. As I mentioned before, I was watching Perfect Strangers for the first time during these episode guides so they are real-time reactions (this opening recap, however, was done after seeing the entire series).
Starring
Bronson Pinchot as Balki Bartokomous (22 episodes)
Mark Linn-Baker as Larry Appleton (22 episodes)
Jo Marie Payton as Harriette Winslow (15 episodes)
Melanie Wilson as Jennifer Lyons (13 episodes)
Rebecca Arthur as Mary Anne Spencer (13 episodes)
31. Sexual Harassment in Chicago (10/7/87)
An executive at the paper comes on to Balki and he has to convince Larry that he's been sexually harassed.
This is a truly bizarre episode with a truly bizarre guest performance from Holland Taylor as a sexually charged executive. It's a very clunky way to try to tackle sexual harassment. I'm sure they thought they were being progressive by having it be a powerful woman coming onto Balki when it's much more often powerful men as the culprits. But then it was also played for laughs at times with a cartoonish performance from Taylor. The whole thing vacillates between feeling heavy-handed and feeling icky. It's just strange.
RATING: 1.5/10
32. Taking Stock (10/14/87)
Balki gets stock in his favorite cereal company but then gets upset when he finds out they make false promises to their customers.
Season three seems to have a hard time finding its mojo through the early episodes. This is probably the best episode yet in the young season but it's certainly nothing special. It's nice to see Balki back to being his righteous self without being in a weird situation like he was in the previous episode. There's some good physical comedy when Balki comes flying back into the office after being escorted out by security guards and a funny line from Balki at the end of the episode.
RATING: 6.5/10
33. Your Cheatin' Heart (10/28/87)
Balki and Jennifer are working together to get Larry a new typewriter as a surprise but Larry thinks they are sneaking around.
Although Larry calls his suspicions an affair, is it really an affair when it's between two single people? That was my biggest thought during the episode. It's a pretty standard misunderstanding episode and surprise, surprise, it's Larry who ends up looking like a chump. The episode is fine but continues the slump of the show just feeling somewhat lazy. The show has always pretty much dabbled in standard sitcom plots but they don't seem to be having as much fun with it this season.
RATING: 5/10
34. The Horn Blows at Midnight (11/4/87)
Balki is convinced that a psychic has predicted Larry's death and becomes very worried.
This is the strongest entry to date of the uneven season even though its rooted in a pretty silly plot: that Balki is convinced Larry is going to die. It's a topic that services both characters' strengths and relationship to each other. This is the most life I've seen from Bronson Pinchot in awhile with more hints of the goofy sweetness we saw in seasons one and two. The evening with the girls has some funny moments as well. It's not a perfect episode, but it feels more sure of itself than recent entries.
RATING: 7.5/10
35. The Karate Kids (11/11/87)
Larry and Balki decide to take karate classes after getting beat up in a bar fight.
This episode is pretty annoying. I've never had any real interest in karate so that doesn't help but the episode is not aided by a long and obnoxious scene where Balki and Larry take lessons with an over the top performance from Bill M. Ryusaki as the instructor. The scene that follows with Larry and Balki practicing on each other is pretty childish. And the best scenes are probably the ones at the bar and those really don't play well. This episode just doesn't work at all and I don't think it's just my bias against karate.
RATING: 1.5/10
36. Night School Confidential (11/18/87)
After Balki ends up with counterfeit merchandise, he and Larry pose as hoods to try to catch the criminals.
Episodes like that make it quite clear that perhaps the TV show that Perfect Strangers shares the most DNA with is Laverne & Shirley, which of course is a descendant of I Love Lucy. I'm not saying Perfect Strangers is as good as Laverne & Shirley and of course neither one is in the ballpark of Lucy, but there's certainly some overlap. There are some funny moments here especially when they finally have the confrontation and it's a good one for Balki and Larry to really team up.
RATING: 7/10
37. Future Shock (11/25/87)
When Jennifer announces that she is considering moving to Los Angeles for a promotion, Larry dreams about what life would be like without her and decides to tell her how he feels.
I'm mixed on dream sequence episodes in general but this is actually a pretty funny one that seems like it took an awful lot of effort, especially in the hair and makeup department. There are some really funny moments in the dream, particularly how refined Balki has become including a spin on his catchphrase substituting "absurd" for "ridiculous." It's a great showcase for Bronson Pinchot to show his comedic range. I also enjoyed old Larry more than young Larry. Mark Linn-Baker gives an understated but funny performance.
RATING: 8.5/10
38. Couch Potato (12/2/87)
Larry and Balki get cable TV and Balki becomes obsessed with the TV.
After a pretty adventurous episode preceded it, this one is pretty safe and standard with a very 80s plot of becoming obsessed with Cable TV. There are a couple funny moments (notably Balki's performance of the I Dream of Jeannie theme song) but overall, it just seems like a little bit too thin of a plot to devote an entire episode to. If this was a sitcom today, it would be one of several plots in a comedy episode and then it would work fine. it is notable for being the first episode to include Belita Moreno in a new role. She was Mrs. Twinkacetti in the first two seasons but now is office worker Lydia. Clearly the producers liked her more than Ernie Sabella.
RATING: 3/10
Starring
Bronson Pinchot as Balki Bartokomous (22 episodes)
Mark Linn-Baker as Larry Appleton (22 episodes)
Jo Marie Payton as Harriette Winslow (15 episodes)
Melanie Wilson as Jennifer Lyons (13 episodes)
Rebecca Arthur as Mary Anne Spencer (13 episodes)
Belita Moreno as Lydia (6 episodes)
Sam Anderson as Sam Gorpley (3 episodes)
F.J. O'Neil as Mr. Wainright (1 episode)
29. All the News That Fits (9/23/87)
Both Larry and Balki get dream jobs at the Chicago Chronicle but Balki's boss tries to fire him.
Season three kicks off with a new theme song and a revamp in some ways. Mr. Twinkacetti is gone (thank goodness) and Larry then Balki both have jobs at the Chicago Tribune as well as an unmentioned new apartment. Of course we meet a new sleazy boss in this episode in Sam Gorpley so that must be the show's thing. The more notable new addition in this episode is Jo Marie Payton as Harriette Winslow. Of course, Payton will go on to spinoff as that same character in Family Matters eventually. This episode is a little bit clunky as the show sets up a new direction but it was needed.
RATING: 5.5/10
30. Weigh to Go, Buddy (9/30/87)
Larry panics when he realizes he has gained seven pounds and attempts to lose the weight quickly.
Perfect Strangers really hit every sitcom trope in the book. Here's a weight loss episode and it unfolds much in the same way it did on I Love Lucy more than thirty years earlier. This episode feels more like it was from the previous season with nothing about the newspaper mentioned. Maybe it was held over from the previous season? Either way, it also has Larry resorting to a childish character again as his worst character attributes are on full display here. This sort of plot felt a little tired right after the show took a new turn.
RATING: 3/10
Both Larry and Balki get dream jobs at the Chicago Chronicle but Balki's boss tries to fire him.
Season three kicks off with a new theme song and a revamp in some ways. Mr. Twinkacetti is gone (thank goodness) and Larry then Balki both have jobs at the Chicago Tribune as well as an unmentioned new apartment. Of course we meet a new sleazy boss in this episode in Sam Gorpley so that must be the show's thing. The more notable new addition in this episode is Jo Marie Payton as Harriette Winslow. Of course, Payton will go on to spinoff as that same character in Family Matters eventually. This episode is a little bit clunky as the show sets up a new direction but it was needed.
RATING: 5.5/10
30. Weigh to Go, Buddy (9/30/87)
Larry panics when he realizes he has gained seven pounds and attempts to lose the weight quickly.
Perfect Strangers really hit every sitcom trope in the book. Here's a weight loss episode and it unfolds much in the same way it did on I Love Lucy more than thirty years earlier. This episode feels more like it was from the previous season with nothing about the newspaper mentioned. Maybe it was held over from the previous season? Either way, it also has Larry resorting to a childish character again as his worst character attributes are on full display here. This sort of plot felt a little tired right after the show took a new turn.
RATING: 3/10
31. Sexual Harassment in Chicago (10/7/87)
An executive at the paper comes on to Balki and he has to convince Larry that he's been sexually harassed.
This is a truly bizarre episode with a truly bizarre guest performance from Holland Taylor as a sexually charged executive. It's a very clunky way to try to tackle sexual harassment. I'm sure they thought they were being progressive by having it be a powerful woman coming onto Balki when it's much more often powerful men as the culprits. But then it was also played for laughs at times with a cartoonish performance from Taylor. The whole thing vacillates between feeling heavy-handed and feeling icky. It's just strange.
RATING: 1.5/10
Balki gets stock in his favorite cereal company but then gets upset when he finds out they make false promises to their customers.
Season three seems to have a hard time finding its mojo through the early episodes. This is probably the best episode yet in the young season but it's certainly nothing special. It's nice to see Balki back to being his righteous self without being in a weird situation like he was in the previous episode. There's some good physical comedy when Balki comes flying back into the office after being escorted out by security guards and a funny line from Balki at the end of the episode.
RATING: 6.5/10
33. Your Cheatin' Heart (10/28/87)
Balki and Jennifer are working together to get Larry a new typewriter as a surprise but Larry thinks they are sneaking around.
Although Larry calls his suspicions an affair, is it really an affair when it's between two single people? That was my biggest thought during the episode. It's a pretty standard misunderstanding episode and surprise, surprise, it's Larry who ends up looking like a chump. The episode is fine but continues the slump of the show just feeling somewhat lazy. The show has always pretty much dabbled in standard sitcom plots but they don't seem to be having as much fun with it this season.
RATING: 5/10
34. The Horn Blows at Midnight (11/4/87)
Balki is convinced that a psychic has predicted Larry's death and becomes very worried.
This is the strongest entry to date of the uneven season even though its rooted in a pretty silly plot: that Balki is convinced Larry is going to die. It's a topic that services both characters' strengths and relationship to each other. This is the most life I've seen from Bronson Pinchot in awhile with more hints of the goofy sweetness we saw in seasons one and two. The evening with the girls has some funny moments as well. It's not a perfect episode, but it feels more sure of itself than recent entries.
RATING: 7.5/10
35. The Karate Kids (11/11/87)
Larry and Balki decide to take karate classes after getting beat up in a bar fight.
This episode is pretty annoying. I've never had any real interest in karate so that doesn't help but the episode is not aided by a long and obnoxious scene where Balki and Larry take lessons with an over the top performance from Bill M. Ryusaki as the instructor. The scene that follows with Larry and Balki practicing on each other is pretty childish. And the best scenes are probably the ones at the bar and those really don't play well. This episode just doesn't work at all and I don't think it's just my bias against karate.
RATING: 1.5/10
After Balki ends up with counterfeit merchandise, he and Larry pose as hoods to try to catch the criminals.
Episodes like that make it quite clear that perhaps the TV show that Perfect Strangers shares the most DNA with is Laverne & Shirley, which of course is a descendant of I Love Lucy. I'm not saying Perfect Strangers is as good as Laverne & Shirley and of course neither one is in the ballpark of Lucy, but there's certainly some overlap. There are some funny moments here especially when they finally have the confrontation and it's a good one for Balki and Larry to really team up.
RATING: 7/10
37. Future Shock (11/25/87)
When Jennifer announces that she is considering moving to Los Angeles for a promotion, Larry dreams about what life would be like without her and decides to tell her how he feels.
I'm mixed on dream sequence episodes in general but this is actually a pretty funny one that seems like it took an awful lot of effort, especially in the hair and makeup department. There are some really funny moments in the dream, particularly how refined Balki has become including a spin on his catchphrase substituting "absurd" for "ridiculous." It's a great showcase for Bronson Pinchot to show his comedic range. I also enjoyed old Larry more than young Larry. Mark Linn-Baker gives an understated but funny performance.
RATING: 8.5/10
38. Couch Potato (12/2/87)
Larry and Balki get cable TV and Balki becomes obsessed with the TV.
After a pretty adventurous episode preceded it, this one is pretty safe and standard with a very 80s plot of becoming obsessed with Cable TV. There are a couple funny moments (notably Balki's performance of the I Dream of Jeannie theme song) but overall, it just seems like a little bit too thin of a plot to devote an entire episode to. If this was a sitcom today, it would be one of several plots in a comedy episode and then it would work fine. it is notable for being the first episode to include Belita Moreno in a new role. She was Mrs. Twinkacetti in the first two seasons but now is office worker Lydia. Clearly the producers liked her more than Ernie Sabella.
RATING: 3/10
Tomorrow: The Friday Five - the Top 5 TV news stories of the week!
Next Thursday: A look at Season 3 (Part 2) of Perfect Strangers!
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