Charlie & Co.

I try not to be too harsh, but this is one time I must make an exception. This show has to be one of the most horrific I can ever remember. I mean, I actually felt physical pain from the one episode I watched. Even then, I didn't make it though the entire 30 minutes. I truly feel sorry for the actors who were cast for this Titanic, especially the late comedian Flip Wilson and famed singer Gladys Knight. The actors, for the most part, were able to move on, thank God. They shouldn't have to be held accountable, and at least they got a check or two for their humiliation. I blame the writers, who are conveniently left off of the credits. I know it was quite embarrassing, but they could at least admit to their mistake. For those of you who can't remember, this was CBS' answer to `The Cosby Show,' and a sorry one it was. I can still hear the rip from `The Cosby Show' cloth in 2002.

I'm sure this show might catch the interest of some die-hard Steve Urkel fans, but don't worry about catching any reruns soon. It won't even make the cut on BET.

I cannot believe that anyone has anything good to say about this show. It was BEYOND bad. Just seeing Gladys Knight trying to act is painful enough (I can't understand why anyone who can sing with such feeling can be such a horrific actor but...) I remember when this show debuted. it was clear that CBS was trying to make it's own Cosby Show clone and even the COs himself mentioned how he felt hurt by his old friend Flip Wilson doing this to him. The writing was pitiful, the acting was from bad to worse and there is nothing memorable (in a good way) about this misfire. Be glad it isn't on any video format and pray it stays that way.

This show wasn't so bad, as the previous reviewer would let you believe, but come on, it was going up against The Cosby Show. I liked it because it focused on more than just the kids in the show and some of the episodes were pretty darn funny.

I remember when CBS and ABC had to have their answer to the huge success of the Cosby Show. CBS brought Flip Wilson and Gladys Knight as a middle class African American show living in an apartment with children played by Jaleel White who became better known as super nerd, Urkel on Family Matters and Kristoff St. John who is on Young and the Restless as Neil Winters. The show also included the wonderful Della Reese. The cast was first rate but the writing was forgettable at best. I don't recall much except that the network was trying to cash in on Cosby's success. Either way, the first rate cast moved on to better themselves.

I had to watch at least the first episode after seeing Flip Wilson promote the show.

Think about that point in tv history - Cosby was seriously big time. Rumor was Cos was going to buy NBC. Flip Wilson appeared on the Tonight Show promoting his new show, Charlie & Co. ("on another network.") Thet spent about four minutes on generic catching up conversation, then Flip introduced his new show and the obligatory fillm clip. Following the clip Johnny Carson gently fielded the idea of the inevitable comparisons to The Cosby Show.

Flip responded the comparisons wouldn't be a problem..."Our show is about a Black family." I thought Johnny would hurt himself cringing and laughing at the same time.

Too bad the funniest line from C&Co was delivered on the Carson show.