You would think that since this show laid the groundwork for "Designing Women," and was a scathing spoof of '80s prime-time dramas, some network would pull it out of the vaults. It was, however, very different in tone and style than its successor...
The Becks were a cut-throat, rich, Southern family who recently lost their patriarch, Big Guy. As a stipulation of Big Guy's "video" will, in order to acquire his wealth, the family had to live together at the family mansion and "cohabitate in love, peace and harmony" with one another -- and with Big Guy's recently revealed illegitimate son, trashy RV salesman Wild Bill Westchester ("and his lovely and whimsical wife, Bootsy"). This did not bode well with Big Guy's whiny son, Marshall, Marshall's domineering wife, Carlotta, or Big Guy's second (trophy) wife, gold-digger Kathleen. Although Marshall and Carlotta didn't particularly like Kathleen, "nothing brings enemies together like greed." Mother B was Big Guy's first wife (mother to Marshall and Stanley), a loopy nursing-home-runaway. Stanley was Big Guy's other son (and the object of Kathleen's affection), the only normal one in the family, who had invested his money wisely and didn't need any of Big Guy's anyway.
The result was comedic gold. Dixie Carter, Delta Burke and Michael Lombard were hilarious as they devoured the scenery while conspiring to get Big Guy's cash. Nedra Volz was hysterical as the senile mother who spouted off whatever came to her mind ("Anyhow, I'm senile, half my teeth are gone - I don't care if you date goats!"). Ann Wedgeworth was brilliantly cast as the insipidly stupid country hick who thought she was smart (after all she had read the encyclopedia from A-Y!). Jerry Hardin was great as Wild Bill, a smooth talking southern dork. Charles Frank as the down-to-earth ladies man (who was often seen in a bubble-bath sporting a cowboy hat) was fantastic. And Slim Pickens was delightful as goofy Big Guy (though Forrest Tucker, who took over the role when Pickens was too ill to continue, was a little too sedate in the part). The writing was clever (though sometimes dated today) and the cast had an incredible chemistry.
So what happened? CBS happened. It debuted as the #1 show, but CBS quickly bumped it around the schedule before dropping it altogether. What should have been a long-running hit was quickly reduced to a 15-episode memory. In one way, that's perhaps a good thing or "Designing Women" wouldn't have come to be. In another way, it's a horrible shame, since this was truly a great show. With the success of DW, it's surprising that Columbia has just left it sitting in the vaults -- more than a curio, it's a gem in a sea of rocks (since many '80s sitcoms were the latter) and tapes are extremely difficult to come by, even from TV collectors...
The Becks were a cut-throat, rich, Southern family who recently lost their patriarch, Big Guy. As a stipulation of Big Guy's "video" will, in order to acquire his wealth, the family had to live together at the family mansion and "cohabitate in love, peace and harmony" with one another -- and with Big Guy's recently revealed illegitimate son, trashy RV salesman Wild Bill Westchester ("and his lovely and whimsical wife, Bootsy"). This did not bode well with Big Guy's whiny son, Marshall, Marshall's domineering wife, Carlotta, or Big Guy's second (trophy) wife, gold-digger Kathleen. Although Marshall and Carlotta didn't particularly like Kathleen, "nothing brings enemies together like greed." Mother B was Big Guy's first wife (mother to Marshall and Stanley), a loopy nursing-home-runaway. Stanley was Big Guy's other son (and the object of Kathleen's affection), the only normal one in the family, who had invested his money wisely and didn't need any of Big Guy's anyway.
The result was comedic gold. Dixie Carter, Delta Burke and Michael Lombard were hilarious as they devoured the scenery while conspiring to get Big Guy's cash. Nedra Volz was hysterical as the senile mother who spouted off whatever came to her mind ("Anyhow, I'm senile, half my teeth are gone - I don't care if you date goats!"). Ann Wedgeworth was brilliantly cast as the insipidly stupid country hick who thought she was smart (after all she had read the encyclopedia from A-Y!). Jerry Hardin was great as Wild Bill, a smooth talking southern dork. Charles Frank as the down-to-earth ladies man (who was often seen in a bubble-bath sporting a cowboy hat) was fantastic. And Slim Pickens was delightful as goofy Big Guy (though Forrest Tucker, who took over the role when Pickens was too ill to continue, was a little too sedate in the part). The writing was clever (though sometimes dated today) and the cast had an incredible chemistry.
So what happened? CBS happened. It debuted as the #1 show, but CBS quickly bumped it around the schedule before dropping it altogether. What should have been a long-running hit was quickly reduced to a 15-episode memory. In one way, that's perhaps a good thing or "Designing Women" wouldn't have come to be. In another way, it's a horrible shame, since this was truly a great show. With the success of DW, it's surprising that Columbia has just left it sitting in the vaults -- more than a curio, it's a gem in a sea of rocks (since many '80s sitcoms were the latter) and tapes are extremely difficult to come by, even from TV collectors...