Soldato Benjamin

Throughout the 1960's and 1970's, the unfunny sitcom was a staple of network television. Shows like "Family Affair" and "The Brady Bunch" laid it on thick with the laugh track, but no jokes ever emerged and nothing funny ever happened in them. They were the television equivalent of the "Family Circus" comic strip.

Coming along in 1981, after Mary Tyler Moore, Mash and All in the Family seriously raised the bar on TV comedy, Private Benjamin was a throwback to those earlier sitcoms. Based on an actually funny movie, the series strained hard, with an omnipresent laugh track, to make Judy Benjamin's klutzy mistakes look like they were high comedy. Hal Williams and Eileen Brennan were pulled in from the movie, but just seemed strained in the series. Brennan in particular seemed like she was SCREAMING ALL THE TIME.

Lorna Patterson, coming off the truly funny movie Airplane, is cute but adds nothing to the mix.

They don't make 'em like this anymore, thank goodness.

My mom and I really enjoyed this show; especially Eileen Brennan's character as Captain Lewis. I haven't seen this show since reruns in the 80s and would love to watch this hilarious show again and again. What I enjoyed the most of this show is the interaction between Private Benjamin and Captain Lewis as Benjamin attempts to evade the watchful eye of Captain Lewis. Please bring this delightful comedy to DVD. All seasons combined!!!!

All I'm here for tonight is to say that I'd rather like to see this one again. This week I've been watching MAJOR MOVIE STAR with Jessica Simpson, and it falls short of Goldie Hawn's PRIVATE BENJAMIN in many ways. I have only vague memories of the TV- series, but I think that too could kick sand into the 'more major movie' that really just should have been a whole lot more, it if was to be a major improvement.

Reading the reviews here, I do believe my objective here is entirely useless. No amount of nagging can resurrect something that has clearly been written off even by the few of you who remember it and bothered to correspond. Downloading attempts can't get to first base as the target doesn't even exist, except for the montage. The TV series' fans are all deserters. Standing alone, with no American backing me up,I can do naught but surrender and raise the white flag. My platoon's wiped out. Lorna's PRIVATE BENJAMIN cannot be saved, it falls to viewer apathy.

Really, was it as bad as you're making it out to be? There is considerably worse junk floating out there gobbled up by you ingrates.

This series suffered from poor writing and Blah direction which probably explains why it has never shown up again since its demise.

Lorna patterson is passable as Private benjamin but nothing special...And none of the gags in any of the episodes were ever above par.....The show was sweet natured enough...but thats really about it

Oh and what ever happened to Lorna anyway???

I enjoyed the movie, and the series wasn't half-bad for an 80s sitcom. Sure, it wasn't Cheers but so what. It was funny and I enjoyed watching this alongside Donahue.