It Takes Two

I remember It Takes Two as being a very funny show! The one standout for me was the Picardo episode! When the disgruntled Picardo takes hostages at the hospital (waiting for the plastic surgeon whom he felt botched his face job), I was on the floor with one of the elderly Billie Bird's scattered, backhanded reassurances to him: "You're not homely. Why, in a certain light, you're almost plain!"

"It Takes Two" was a mild sitcom designed as a vehicle for the interesting pairing of Richard Crenna and Patty Duke (Astin), though it is usually remembered now as the first regular series roles for Anthony Edwards and Helen Hunt. For such a sensational cast, the show itself was nothing special: it was well-acted and looked good, but wasn't all that funny or interesting. The grandmother of the house, played by Billie Bird, was hysterical, though might offend a Gray Panther--she was clearly a senile stereotype. I think the producers thought assembling a Grade-A cast was enough to ensure a long run, but as many have learned before and since, it just isn't so.

When I first watched the Cosby Show, I was reminded of this show, and I thought the Cosby Show had ripped off the concept. One of the reasons I liked this show was that both parents had a career, which was a new concept for me as a kid. Here's the setup, in case it doesn't sound familiar yet: Dad's a doctor, mom's a lawyer, teen-aged kids are living their own lives, only in Chicago, not Brooklyn. But Billie Bird was the heart of the show with all the humor of a lady too old to care anymore.

Of course, there was no adorable five-year-old like Rudy, but this show had a much more big-city feel than the Cosby Show. I'd like to see Nick-At-Nite bring it back, so we could see what was considered groundbreaking for the '80s.