If you're bored like me with every single cam sitcom produced in the last 20 years, you will adore "He & She." It ran one year for only 26 episodes, but so, so ahead of its time. It foreshadows the golden sitcom era that will come from folks like Norman Lear and MTM. In fact, one of the show runners on this gem is Allan Burns who co-created MTM. The sophistication on this gem is so real that you can almost touch it.
The premise is simple. Richard Benjamin plays the cartoonist who draws Jet Man. He and wife Paula Prentiss live in Manhattan with ready access to the fire house next door. The building super spends most of the season fixing the front door. And Dick and Paula ooze such warmth and sexuality.
Speaking of which, Jack Cassidy plays Jet Man and is the forerunner of Ted Baxter. He also plays the role with such subtle nuances that hint at him being perhaps the first gay TV character.
"He and She" got Emmy nominations for acting and won the award for writing and directing. It should have been a clean sweep. Not only was the show ahead of its time, but CBS didn't know where to schedule it. The comedy ended up running right after "Green Acres." Two completely different audience flows. Had it premiered four years later, "He and She" would have run for eight seasons.
This has been a great visitation. Recently, I saw Richard Benjamin at a screening. I told him I was patiently waiting for a second season.
"I'm going to go home and tell Paula you said that."
Dinner last night: BLT from Mendocino Farms.
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