Zero in condotta

Since Hollywood has ravenously consumed nearly every "classic" television series and regurgitated them into "big screen" treatments, time has come for "lost" series and failed pilots to become adapted for film.

I became a fan of "Square Pegs" when it was playing in re-run in 1986-87. I was particularly fond of Sarah Jessica Parker as the "ugly duckling" -- you just knew she was a thinly veiled babe waiting to bust out. And speaking of babes, Jamie Gertz ("Still Standing") is hotter than 20 years ago!! Yikes!

In a better, more original, "alternative" universe, "Square Pegs",not "Saved by the Bell", would have ran for 4 or 5 years and be available on DVD. The good die young.

For those of us who remember the golden decade that was the 1980's,then you may remember the short-lived series from the early 1980's starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Jami Gertz. During its run,SQUARE PEGS,was the hippest teen show of its day. Created by former Saturday Night Live writer Anne Beatts(who based the show on her own experiences as a high school student)this show had some great writing,funny and outrageous characters,tubular new wave music and fashions that came out during the height of the MTV generation. So,what is there not to like? This was however an early vehicle for both Sarah Jessica Parker and Jami Gertz who would go on to bigger and better things in their careers,but since the show slipped into oblivion,was never to be heard from again....until 2004 when TV Land resurrected this show from the television graveyard of lost shows and aired it as a marathon. And it hasn't been seen since. Historically,and in perspective,TV shows about teen and high school life have short-life spans. For example shows like "James at 15","The White Shadow","Welcome Back,Kotter","Lucas Tanner", not to mention other great teen shows like "The Bronx Zoo","The Marshall Chronicles","Saved By The Bell","Freaks and Geeks","Boston Public",and "Beverly Hills,90210" were brilliant depictions along with classic shows like "Dobie Gillis","The Patty Duke Show","Room 222", "Mister Novak","The Headmaster","Karen",and "Gidget" along the lines of shows dealing with the subject matter involving teens.

"Square Pegs",premiered on CBS-TV on September 27,1982 and ended its run on March 7,1983 producing 20 episodes. The show during the start of the 1982-1983 season premiered on Monday nights on the network's powerhouse Monday night line-up which included "Newhart","M*A*S*H", "One Day At A Time",and the groundbreaking police drama "Cagney and Lacey"(which replaced "Lou Grant" after six seasons). When it premiered it went opposite the competition alongside the variety-reality series "That's Incredible!"(ABC),and the powerhouse drama "Little House On The Prairie"(NBC). When "Square Pegs" left in 1983,CBS replaced with the action-packed adventure series "Scarecrow and Mrs.King".

Getting back to SQUARE PEGS,the show not only introduced Sarah Jessica Parker and Jami Gertz,but also Tracie Nelson(the daughter of fame actor and rocker Rick Nelson)and Merritt Butrick. The show also broke ground as well that featured high school students playing themselves and also featured teenagers in the leads,and not some twenty or thirtysomething with a Shakespearan accent from the British theater playing a some kid. This was also a series that both some great musical guests like Devo and The Waitresses(who sang the show's theme song). And speaking of guest stars that appeared on this show which included the talent Bill Murray,and the not so talented Steve Sax,Father Guido Sarducci,and some TV legends like Tony Dow(aka Wally from Leave It To Beaver),and Don Grady(aka Robbie from My Three Sons). As you watch the series from the 1982-83 season,this was a show that came out in the midst of the MTV generation along with some of the music,clothing,catch phrases,video games and much more.

SQUARE PEGS was the hippest teen show of the time. Great writing, funny characters, tubular new-wave music and fashions--what was not to like? Something, because the show vanished after one or two seasons. An early vehicle for Sarah Jessica Parker that seems to have garnered a cult following and much acclaim at the time(ROLLING STONE did an article on the show and creator Ann Beatts), it has since slipped into oblivion. Historically, TV shows about teen and high school life have short runs, but why couldn't Nick At Nite do a Teen Weekend or something, run SQUARE PEGS and all the other great teen shows like JAMES AT 15, THE BRONX ZOO, THE MARSHALL CHRONICLES AND FREAKS AND GEEKS, along with old school shows like ROOM 222 and DOBIE GILLIS.

This quirky high school comedy was very popular with the handful who saw it.

Oddly, I always found Jami Gertz to be strangely attractive here as Muffy Tepperman, the quintessential self-centred, bitchy, asinine, somewhat vacuous prima donna of a Jewish princess.

Merritt Butrick played Johnny Slash, the non-conformist anti-hero. We were all very much surprised to see him pop up as Captain Kirk's clean-cut son in "The Wrath of Khan". An incredible transformation that was.

This one always had a good ensemble feel. All of the characters had an appealing screwiness to them which, subjectively, made this show the most realistic high school programme of its day, in its own peculiar way.

Sort of a "Northern Exposure" for the misfit adolescent crowd.

This show's one season coincided with my freshman year of high school, so I could relate to it big-time. It's a good candidate for resurrection on DVD, in my humble opinion(please, oh please!). I don't remember too much about the actual episodes, just bits and pieces(it's been 21 years since I last saw it). Again, let us all hope that Square Pegs gets released on DVD.