And as I mentioned in my status update the other day, Wendie Malick is such a poor man's Christine Baranski.

That may be true...but I still adore Wendie, I can watch her read the phone book and still find her amusing.

Already, though, I think Suzanne Martin would be wise to take a cue from Bob Newhart's shows and make Valerie Bertinelli the straight man (er, woman) and sort-of audience advocate, allowing her character to react to the others' antics the way we would since, IMO, Jane Leeves, Wendie Malick and Betty White are the real stunners here.

Absolutely. Valerie would succeed playing the straight man to Leeves, Malick and White.

Wendie was very good in Dream On, in a part which wasn't much like the typical Baranski role. Wendie's had a lot of work over the years she has helped make more interesting. She was great with Jane Curtin on Kate & Allie.

Funny thing is, Wendie guested on an episode of Cybil, I believe. That was a show that Baranaski made better all by herself, Cybil Shepperd be damned! I wish she would do another sitcom, I don't know why she's doing a show like The Good Wife.

Edited June 24, 201015 yr by Y&RWorldTurner

I love this show. I thought this week was better than last week, but both weeks were great to me. I think a lot of people went into it expecting something great. I didn't go in with any expectations...the promos just looked good. And I like it. Not a lot on TV keeps my attention these days. I either watch movies and TV shows from my DVD collection or movies and a few series on Showtime, Starz, etc. Nothing new has kept my attention in a long time...this has made me want to come back.

And TV Land has to be happy esp. if this week turns out okay. I know I was reading somewhere last year that they were really struggling and the audience they have been losing over the last few years has been worse than many of the other cable networks. I think maybe that is why they were experimenting with the reality shows.

Anyway I understand the person who said they were mad at TV Land. I almost didn't tune in myself. I have not watched them since they failed to give Farrah Fawcett a marathon last year when she died. She was the TV star and not Michael Jackson. VH1 and MTV yes they should have given him a marathon, but TV Land should have been the one to honor Farrah. Charlie's Angels was on TV Land for many years. They really ticked me off with that one. This show is still the only time I tune in.

Anyway I understand the person who said they were mad at TV Land. I almost didn't tune in myself. I have not watched them since they failed to give Farrah Fawcett a marathon last year when she died. She was the TV star and not Michael Jackson. VH1 and MTV yes they should have given him a marathon, but TV Land should have been the one to honor Farrah. Charlie's Angels was on TV Land for many years. They really ticked me off with that one. This show is still the only time I tune in.

They did do a marathon of Charlie's Angels in memory of Farrah. I remember WGN America did one over two nights, and then it was announced that TV Land would air a couple of episodes one night, too. I watched all of them.

Funny thing is, Wendie guested on an episode of Cybil, I believe. That was a show that Baranaski made better all by herself, Cybil Shepperd be damned! I wish she would do another sitcom, I don't know why she's doing a show like The Good Wife.

She would be awesome in an AbFab-esque show.

She would be awesome in an AbFab-esque show.

Funny you mention that, her character on Cybil was based on AbFab's Joanna Lumley!

They did do a marathon of Charlie's Angels in memory of Farrah. I remember WGN America did one over two nights, and then it was announced that TV Land would air a couple of episodes one night, too. I watched all of them.

Yes it ran early in the morning.....not in primetime. I watched those 2 little episodes too.

Michael Jackson got primetime and quite a long marathon. I remember Steve and I talking about it. And there was quite a stir on Facebook about it as well esp. on the Farrah page at the time.

What they considered a marathon of 2 episodes didn't even compare to what they gave Michael Jackson. As I said the man should have gotten his due, but by the name alone TV Land of which Farrah had been a big part of Farrah should have been given more credence.

It was to me the same as if one of the big soap opera legends died on the same day as a big movie actor and SoapNET did a marathon of movies starring the movie star who had never even appeared in a soap and gave the soap legend a little mention.

It just really soured me on TV Land.

Yes it ran early in the morning.....not in primetime. I watched those 2 little episodes too.

Michael Jackson got primetime and quite a long marathon. I remember Steve and I talking about it. And there was quite a stir on Facebook about it as well esp. on the Farrah page at the time.

What they considered a marathon of 2 episodes didn't even compare to what they gave Michael Jackson. As I said the man should have gotten his due, but by the name alone TV Land of which Farrah had been a big part of Farrah should have been given more credence.

It was to me the same as if one of the big soap opera legends died on the same day as a big movie actor and SoapNET did a marathon of movies starring the movie star who had never even appeared in a soap and gave the soap legend a little mention.

It just really soured me on TV Land.

I'm sure it was a primetime thing because they also aired an episode or two of the reality show she did for them a couple of years ago. A lot of channels did Farrah stuff, I remember even BET made room in their schedule to show a movie she did with a mostly black cast.

They could have done a whole lot more, though, I agree. I remember when John Ritter died in '03, they did a whole day's worth of his shows and guest appearances, including many shows they weren't regularly airing then. It was a very nice thing because you really got to see how versatile an actor he was. TV Land could have definitely gotten a temporary license to do The Burning Bed and some of Farrah's other dramatic TV movies, but alas. They don't do things like that anymore, and it sucks. Their idea of paying tribute to Aaron Spelling was to air his guest appearance on I Love Lucy in place of the regularly scheduled Lucy episode...at like 9am. Ridiculous. That could/should have easily been a weekend of programming.

The show was way down from last weeks 5 million, but still did great with 3.4 million (which is terrific for TVland)

http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/06/24/wednesday-cable-ratings-hot-in-cleveland-way-down-still-good-top-chef-dog-the-bounty-hunter-more/55279

Thought this ep was better than pilot. Looks like they're going in direction someone mentioned above of making Bertinelli the straight man (although she's such a cutie). Surprised how quickly she was shoved to the back in this ep it seems.

Thought they dove into the well too quickly with Leeves' character already having revealed the secret from her past like that. That's not a one-off sitcom-type storyline, unless they're going somewhere with it. And I hope they're not, because this is a traditional old-school sitcom, not a serialized one like began in the nineties. BTW, loved Leeves ever since Throb in the mid-80's through Murphy Brown, then Frasier.

Also settled White's character a bit. She had great lines but no solid "character" other than cranky maybe in the pilot. Loved that Leeves was able to zing back a bit better in this ep.

LOL, poor man's Baranski. True.

Still think this could gel nicely...

It's an okay show. Betty White is the best part, I love it when she calls the other ladies hookers. I did notice in the pilot that Valerie seemed mesmerized by Betty White in just about every scence but wasn't as bad in the second episode.

Funny thing is, Wendie guested on an episode of Cybil, I believe. That was a show that Baranaski made better all by herself, Cybil Shepperd be damned! I wish she would do another sitcom, I don't know why she's doing a show like The Good Wife.

Christine Baranski is doing The Good Wife because it films in New York and pays great! Work really dried up for Baranski after Cybill, it was only after Mamma Mia that the great offers came back to her. A steady gig on a prime time drama, at 58, is impossible to turn down. The money she makes from it is her financial security which allows her to do the Broadway that she loves.

Wendie Malick is really quite similar to Baranski on a work level, they're both gigging actresses who brighten up every project they're in.

Edited July 7, 201015 yr by DaytimeFan

I thought last weeks episode was hilarious...Jane Leeves, Wendy Malik, and Betty White are HILARIOUS! Valerie Bertinelli is a good actress, but I just don't take her as the comic genius type.

I thought last weeks episode was hilarious...Jane Leeves, Wendy Malik, and Betty White are HILARIOUS! Valerie Bertinelli is a good actress, but I just don't take her as the comic genius type.

Valerie actually reminds me a lot of Lindsay Price.