It's Your Move

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

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?"

This show could have lasted a little longer, only if the producers made an annoucement before each episode aired saying. "What you see in this show is just for pure laughs, and never to be copied in real life". But because they did'nt the show got cancelled quickly. A very funny show, nothing like The Cosby Show, Family Ties, and Growing Pains. The star of the show was Jason Bateman playing Matthew Burton, a cool fourteen year old, living with his clueless mother(Caren Kaye) and selfish sister(Tricia Cast). Matthew was quite a scheamer, and felt he could get away with anything. That all changes when his mom starts dating Norman Lamb(David Garrison) a strugling writer. Matthew does'nt like him, and tries to think up a scheam to get rid of him. But he's in for a big surprise, when Norman proves he's just a bigger scheamer then him. Jason Bateman and David Garrison both had comic chemistry. But there charm could'nt save the show. Because the producers where afraid that kids would start copying Matthew's antics. Like some of those family shows when the kids try to pull a fast one, but they always get caught in the end. But this show was cool, because Matthew rarely got caught, only once by his mother, only twice by Norman. The show was fun to watch and it deserved a little better, then what it got.

While he was playing Ricky Schroeder's wiseacre buddy in "Silver Spoons" he showed a knack for one-upping his cast mates. This gave him a chance to BE number 1.

The show is dated beyond belief now. The sweaters and the early 80's new wave clothes might make even blind men cringe now. But the humor was dead on target.

Bateman owned this show. He was not only the eye, but the whole hurricane. He may remind people of a teen version of Hawkeye from M*A*S*H. His feathers never ruffled despite the problems he got into.

The puns and one-liners were non-stop as well. Made every episode full of those groaning laughs. I can't figure why it didn't succeed. But I'm glad Jason did.

DVD release???

I think that the producers of !It's Your Move" are missing out on a great opportunity because it is still not available on DVD. If it was to be released in this format, then I would certainly buy it. Another character not very often mentioned was the janitor of the flats where they all lived. Ernie Sabella played this man, Mr Donatelli, (I think that was his name) a most revolting person who hated Mathew Burton intensely. Every time they could, they exchanged insults at an alarming rate. "So that the flies can shower" was only one of the jibes from Burton to Donatelli. This sequence still makes me laugh when ever I think about it. As everyone else says, (well, most people) it is a pity that it is no longer shown. Rather strange when other shows get constant re-runs and do not have such biting humour. I would give this show full marks, even though it first aired such a long time ago.