Heaven Help Us

This expensive Spelling blending of "Love Boat" and "Fantasy Island" was already out-of-date when produced in 1994. The concept was so tired - parade a bunch of "retired" older TV actors through predictable romantic plots - that the producers switched gears in mid-stream, and populated the remaining episodes with many of Spelling's younger talent pool.

Filmed in San Antonio, and taking advantage of its beautiful locations for the first few episodes, the series abruptly began to avoid any defining geography or landmarks of the location. If a second season had been produced, the series would have moved to LA, site of most Spelling projects.

The syndicated show never managed to get much attention, although all 13 episodes were aired. Leads John Schneider and Ricardo Montalban perform with their usual professionalism.

The plot is bizarre - a newlywed couple crashes their small, twin-engine plane into the downtown San Antonio Marriott Riverwalk (using actual name and location), and then live as "assisting angels," under the guiding influence of Montalban.

A lost footnote in the careers of several well-known TV performers.

I was able to get copies of eight episodes recently. It's not hard to understand why this one flopped -- it was desperately in need of better writers. The plots were full of holes and too often strayed in the direction of the corny. And Ricardo Montalban is not a favorite of mine, though I suppose he did his best with what he was given.

However, the show definitely had its upside as well. The two main characters were thoroughly likable and the concept was intriguing (there are far worse ways to spend the afterlife than hanging out in a nice hotel suite with John Schneider, after all :-) ). Schneider and Melinda Clarke had great chemistry, and their romantic scenes were always the highlight. They convincingly played that rarity on TV, a fun and passionate married couple. For that alone, I wish the show could have found some better writers and lasted longer.

(By the way, watch for Elly Schneider, John's wife, in a small role as a woman being counseled in "The Badge." She does a very good job!)