The American Girls

I remember all the hype given the show. Okay - if you don't want to call it a "Charlie's Angels ripoff," you must at least acknowledge that the show would not have been greenlighted were it not for "Jiggle TV." I remember seeing the promo ad in TV Guide (is that even sold anymore?), with the main characters posed to look vibrant, girly-sexy and "commercial." Well - I'm GAY so of course I was into the whole "glamour-girls-on-an-adventure" show.

Well, the show may have been better-written, better-plotted than "Charlie's Angels," but it was nowhere as much fun.

That's why these "American Girls" are but a forgotten footnote in the history of 80s TV.

Well, they were NOT a "Charlie's Angels" ripoff. There were "girl group" adventures in TV much earlier than "Charlie's Angels" was even imagined. Even before TV, there were such adventures in literary form. And for the times they were aired in, they deserve at least twice the e ranking of "C. Angels". They had a PLOT for every episode, what the so watched"Angels" had not, not even in their most recent movie version. A plot must have a beginning, middle and end, something "Angels'" writers very often neglected. Plus, the stories might not be great, but there was storytelling skill there - what one might not find in 49 out of fifty "Angels" stories. The actresses also could give a basic performance - While the "Angels" just walked the catwalk.

This series was also shown in England, circa 1981.

I have very vague memories of it being shown by the BBC late at night, with some girls driving around in a van. But, it was renamed as "Have Girls Will Travel" for some reason, that name seems to make more sense. If my memory serves, it was quite watchable nothing to shout about, but like many series of the era, it has been forgotten...

Except by die-hard TV fans.

This series was also shown in England, circa 1981.

I have very vague memories of it being shown by the BBC late at night, with some girls driving around in a van. But, it was renamed as "Have Girls Will Travel" for some reason, that name seems to make more sense. If my memory serves, it was quite watchable nothing to shout about, but like many series of the era, it has been forgotten...

Except by die-hard TV fans.

This show came out at the height of the popularity of Charlie's Angels and will always be remembered as nothing but a cheap imitation. The only difference was that there were only two girls on this show as opposed to three. Also, the acting from the two leads had nowhere near the chemistry that the Angels had. I just bet that Priscilla Barnes doesn't put this show on her resume, unlike the show that helped make her famous, "Three's Company".

They filmed some of this show in Phoenix which was, at that time, a right to work state.I guess it was cheaper to film there than in Hollywood. The show was not great, but not terrible either. Co-stars like William Prince added a touch of class to the proceedings,directors like Lee Philips did a good job,and the two stars, if not up to Helen Hayes in acting talent, had great looks and were very charming. I think the whole series only ran six months at the most, but it was fun while it lasted.

Would love to find video copies as I appeared, (in a minuscule part!),in one of the episodes. Unhappily, this was a couple of years before the advent of the VCR so, as far as I know, no copies are available.