It's Your Move

This was an unbelieveably funny show. Unfortunately, as with most cutting edge shows, it ran into some criticism and was not allowed to reach its full potential. When they were forced to tone it down in the second season, it lost its edge. But it could very well be in the top five for premier seasons for any sitcom.

Possibly the most underrated show since 'Frank's Place', It's Your Move was phenomenonly funny. Tricia Cast, David Garrison and Caren Kaye could all be replaced, but it was Bateman's show, through and through. The relationship between Matthew Burton, his mother, Caren Kaye, and the man who dates her who lives across the hall, David Garrison, could have in time become much more sharper and defined. Tricia Cast was Matthew's sister, Julie, and just as much a victim of his shenanigans as Garrison was. But still she was his sister and could be just as sinister as he was, yet he wasn't overly cruel to her. I always remembered one moment when Matthew was exchanging barbs with Julie, her female friend Sheila, and their dates, two football players. As Matt left, he recognized the four of them as thus, "Ladies (you think he means the two girls), . . .Sheila (obviously now implying Sheila was not a female, but the jocks were). His subtlety and their blank expressions was hilarious. Yet the funniest was the two parter Dregs of Humanity. Again, like Franks Place, It's Your Move could not be left alone and was yanked around, till the audience grew weary of trying to find it. Dregs of Humanity became the victim of that act, as two episodes near the end of the season, the ratings dropped and the first time Dregs aired, part two was deleted the following week for a special coverage, politics or something! I waited back through all the episodes and had to keep up with where the show was airing as it kept getting shuffled around until I finally found and saw part two. Even today I have to tell people what happened when they say "Do you remember a show with Jason Bateman and that guy off Married With Children? Whatever became of the Dregs of Humanity?" Then, yes, there was the burglars stealing the furniture episode too, when Matt and Norman did go on a gameshow. Too, too funny. The battle of wits in this show has not been surpassed since. It wasn't crudely offensive either.

This is a lost show. If it should ever air somewhere, try to record it and keep it. And then you can ask yourself "What happened?"

See David Garrison before "Married With Children"! Wow this show was the BEST! This was my favorite show in the 80's; I wish someone would show reruns. I think it was just too clever for the critics, and the viewers. But hey what do I know, I was only 11?

I own all the episodes of this UNFORGETTABLE 80's show. I saw it once or twice when USA re-ran it in 92 and couldn't get it out of my mind so i desperately found a way to purchase it...long story. Anyway, Jason Bateman as Mathew Burton is a crafty, smart ass that (if I wasn't 4 years old when this show was out) would have been in love with! There's just something about those polo shirts and colored sweatshirts and that shady smile of his that turn me on! LOL, back to the rest of the cast....Eli (who i know on a personal basis) is an adorable clutz and also a great juxtaposition to Matt's conniving, shrewd ways. He is in love with Matt's big sis, the popular cheerleader/slut Julie, who is a cute 80's girl who gives her brother a run for his money with some petty fights and snide remarks. The mom, Caren Kaye, is rather flighty and unaware of her children's un-innocence but she has her place in the show and if Norman Lamb (Steve from married with children...another favorite show of mine!) loves her, than golly gee I love her too! Norman is also hilarious. Him and Matt carry out the greatest rivalry in television history--at least in this reviewer's opinion. In closing, let me just say, if you haven't seen the "Dregs of Humanity" episode, you haven't lived. "Bones lives in the fast lane."

Norman: "So how are the ladies?" Tombstone: "Who cares. They're just objects of lust. We cast them aside. We're THE DREGS!" enough said. BOW DOWN TO THIS (sniff sniff) ONE SEASON WONDER 80's GEM OF A SITCOM!!!to think they let trash like gimme a break, webster, etc go on for 5 seasons and "It's Your Move" gets shafted after one...what a sick and twisted world we live in!

This show was too far ahead of its time to make it. Matthew Burton was a smart-ass14 year old with an IQ that seemed to rival Einstein's. He was constantly pulling off schemes that would make the CIA jealous. His clueless mother thought, as usual, that he was a saint, but his closely scheming sister knew better, though that didn't protect her from his antics.

His arch-nemesis was a neighbor that his mother was dating named Norman. Norman, while geekly on the outside was the ultimate schemer. 'You can't kid the kidder. Everyone knows that the first rule of the underhanded is to always look behind you!' Matthew's schemes were, in fact, so perfect that the moronic censors saw fit to annihilate the show by turning it into a 'life lesson' sit-com <is that an oxy-moron?>. Remember the episode where Eli <Matt's best, stupid friend> saves the soccer game? Very shortly after the change from wicked cool smart-ass to 'teach me son' character happened, the show was canceled. Not surprising if you've seen the show. The dregs of humanity will go down in history as one of the all-time greatest scams in TV history. Too bad FOX Network wasn't around a bit sooner. This show could have put Married With Children to shame.

Satori