I first saw That Girl repeated in a daytime slot during school holidays in the early 1980s in Australia. I was first attracted to the show as Siegfried from Get Smart (Bernie Kopell) was in it... He was in the first scene I saw. I soon realised Ann and Donald were the leads but still enjoyed the series.
I loved the cool retro look of the show - especially Ann's hairstyles, constant new outfits, and elaborate makeup. Her neat apartment seemed really cool and the New York setting and depiction of the writing and acting worlds seemed very sophisticated.
Years later I discovered the Mary Tyler Moore show which became a big favourite of mine. I then bought seasons 2 and 5 of That Girl from a DVD discount bin. Often when one of these shows is discussed, the other will be mentioned. Usually That Girl is said to be the first series with an independent woman as the lead. Too bad she isn't really that independent. Donald helps her out of nearly every one of the crazy misunderstandings that happen through each episode. And if Ann really pays for that apartment and all those clothes that is a major suspension of disbelief given she does a string of casual little jobs and bit part acting assignments - usually getting fired or giving up each new job by the end of the episode. The series plays more like her father Lew pays the rent - I mean he often drops in like he owns the place even though he supposedly runs a restaurant in upstate New York.
Donald meanwhile runs a car and has his own apartment in Manhattan, wears lots of nice new clothes, and is constantly taking Ann for meals out. I mean how much do magazine writers really earn?
Most episode stories are very thin with much padding and repetition, and the same story ideas resurface again and again (Lew disapproves of Donald, Ann's latest menial job with a mean boss, some other misunderstanding). The show looks great and the leads are very appealing but the writing and characterisation is light years from the Mary Tyler Moore show.
Bernie Kopell is mostly wasted too. He was really funny in one episode where his character went out and got drunk.
I loved the cool retro look of the show - especially Ann's hairstyles, constant new outfits, and elaborate makeup. Her neat apartment seemed really cool and the New York setting and depiction of the writing and acting worlds seemed very sophisticated.
Years later I discovered the Mary Tyler Moore show which became a big favourite of mine. I then bought seasons 2 and 5 of That Girl from a DVD discount bin. Often when one of these shows is discussed, the other will be mentioned. Usually That Girl is said to be the first series with an independent woman as the lead. Too bad she isn't really that independent. Donald helps her out of nearly every one of the crazy misunderstandings that happen through each episode. And if Ann really pays for that apartment and all those clothes that is a major suspension of disbelief given she does a string of casual little jobs and bit part acting assignments - usually getting fired or giving up each new job by the end of the episode. The series plays more like her father Lew pays the rent - I mean he often drops in like he owns the place even though he supposedly runs a restaurant in upstate New York.
Donald meanwhile runs a car and has his own apartment in Manhattan, wears lots of nice new clothes, and is constantly taking Ann for meals out. I mean how much do magazine writers really earn?
Most episode stories are very thin with much padding and repetition, and the same story ideas resurface again and again (Lew disapproves of Donald, Ann's latest menial job with a mean boss, some other misunderstanding). The show looks great and the leads are very appealing but the writing and characterisation is light years from the Mary Tyler Moore show.
Bernie Kopell is mostly wasted too. He was really funny in one episode where his character went out and got drunk.