It's a Living

Since this is such an excellent database, I was surprised at the glaring omission of this show's initial history. "It's a Living" first ran on the ABC network for two seasons before it popped up in syndication three years later. The show always centered around the lives of the waitresses who worked at Above the Top, a posh restaurant in Los Angeles. The five original waitresses were Ann Jillian (Cassie Cranston), Barrie Youngfellow (Jan Hoffmeyer), Gail Edwards (Dot Higgins), Susan Sullivan (Lois Adams), and Wendy Schaal (Vicki Allen). At the end of the 1980-1981 season, Susan Sullivan and Wendy Schaal were gone. Louise Lasser ("Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman") was cast the next year as a new waitress named Maggie McBurney and she lasted for just that season. At this time the show was renamed "Making a Living."

When the show started its run in syndication, it was known as "It's a Living" again and much of the original cast was back. Ann Jillian left after the 1985-1986 season.

Marian Mercer, who played authoritarian supervisor Nancy Beebe, and Paul Kreppel, who played egotistical lounge pianist Sonny Mann, were with the show from the beginning and remained throughout its entire run.

Though it was never as immensely popular in its original run as it could have been, the show was light and humorous with a talented, comedic ensemble cast. I agree with the previous comment regarding Marian Mercer. She is truly an underrated comedienne and anytime she is in a scene it is 100 times funnier. Marian Mercer could read the telephone book and it would be hilarious! (Catch her in the comedy movie "9 to 5" with Jane Fonda, Dolly Parton and Lily Tomlin. She has a secondary role as ditzy Missy Hart; she plays the wife of Dabney Coleman's character, Franklin Hart, the boss who makes life hell for his office staff.) Paul Kreppel was also very funny. I especially liked the sparring between the characters of Nancy and Dot, who disliked each other. Actually, all the waitresses hated Nancy, who was their supervisor, and they were always exchanging verbal barbs with her.

FYI... For you true "TV Trivia" fans, here is an update on the two waitresses who left after the first season. Susan Sullivan went on to star in the CBS prime time serial "Falcon Crest" as Maggie Gioberti for almost its entire run. More recently, she appeared on "Dharma & Greg" as Greg's mother. And let's not forget those Tylenol commercials she did! Wendy Schaal starred for one season (1981-1982) as Mr. Roarke's god-daughter, Julie, on Fantasy Island. She shared hosting duties with Tattoo, played by Herve Villechaize (who was in several Dunkin' Donuts commercials featuring mini donuts--a career highlight, I'm sure!--before he committed suicide). Julie and Tattoo were both replaced in the next and final season by Lawrence, played by Christopher Hewett, who later starred as "Mr. Belvedere" and on and on it goes...

This show had great casting with actors like Paul Kreppel who play Sonny in both series, Marian Mercer, Barrie Youngfellow, the beautiful Ann Jillian, Gail Edwards, Wendy Schall, and Louise Lasser from the Woody Allen films. The show took place in the evening at a posh restaurant in an Los Angeles skyscraper. For a thirty minutes show that aired first in prime time television and later in syndication, it was a memorable and decent show to watch. But it didn't get enough viewers or whatever the reason and was canceled on network television but later resurfaced to syndication which did very well on Saturday afternoon television. I have to say that I always watched it on television during my youth and never understood the networks which canceled fare and attractive television programming in favor of something better or most cases it was worse than expected.

I just found this show on Antenna TV. I remember when it came on in the early 80's because I just had a baby an was at home watching a lot of TV. I believe this is the show that catapulted Ann Jillian's career; for those of you who remember her being a sex symbol. I remember it was changed to Making a Living then back to It's a Living. Susan Sullivan was on Season 1 then left because she started working on Falcon Crest. Never got into the Louise Lasser character. It's a bit cheesy but it was the 80's right?

I have worked in a restaurant for many years. So I enjoy shows that are filmed in them. So I start with watching Alice A diner comedy and then I finish off with Its a living a much more upscale dining. Both shows dealing with issues of the crew members.

Score: 6/10

REVIEW OF SEASONS 1-3 ONLY

There's nothing wrong with this show. It's well-written, funny, well-performed, with fully realized characters. There's nothing about it that makes it special, but there's nothing about it that is sub-par. Watching this made me remember how stale the sitcom formula had become and why shows like Seinfeld were so revolutionary (and took so long to catch fire). Nevertheless, It's a Living is a well-executed, if typical, sitcom.

Gail Edwards, Barrie Youngfellow, Marian Mercer, Paul Kreppel, and Ann Jillian are mainstays of the cast through the 3 full seasons. Ann Jillian, in particular, is fantastic as Cassie Cranston. Marian Mercer is also impeccable as the hostess/manager, Nancy Beebe. And Paul Kreppel, as Sonny Mann, is an incredible talent. Although It's a Living is a perfectly average sitcom, there is an impressive amount of talent on display.

It is unfortunate that Louise Lasser, who joined the cast in Season 2, did not remain--she was a real boost to the cast. Her comedic sensibility was perfect for the Maggie McBurney character. Though I was VERY disappointed that both Susan Sullivan AND Wendy Schaal did not return from Season 1, Louise Lasser was terrific.

In summary, It's a Living is not an outstanding, genre-defining sitcom. It's an average sitcom from the 80s. Your life will be no poorer for having never seen it; however, there's a lot here to like and if you give it a chance it will grow on you.

It's a Living, Seasons 1-3, is currently airing on Tubi. Unfortunately, they only have a handful of episodes from Season 4 and nothing from later seasons.

Score: 6/10

0-3 Don't waste your time 4-6 Good 7-9 Great 10 Outstanding.