Duet

Duet was a wonderful program. It was cute without being sappy or saccharine. Who could forget their first date with a married couple in the middle of an argument? The cause of their argument was about family life. In the middle of it all, the dates try to compose themselves while the other couple are ready for combat at each other. They try to compose some normal conversation. In the end of their first date, the younger couple sit in the first seat while the older couple reunite the passion. It was all about passion and discovering one another. It was better than Mad about You then and is now. Duet was Fox's first show about relationships. I loved the casting of Alison LaPlaca and Chris Lemmon (Jack Lemmon's son) as the arguing couple. Jodi Thelen has a great role as Mary Page Keller's sister in the series. Mary Page Keller and her co-star Matthew/Mitchell Lawrence (They're identical twins and actors). Lawrence plays a struggling writer while Keller plays a caterer. They meet at a wedding of course in the first episode. They had a great opening segment. It's a shame that shows do not have the quality it once had like it did then.

Charming show that lost it's way ... it's idea is to tell the story of a couple from the time they meet, start their relationship, and so forth. The two leads were cute, the supporting cast amusing sidekicks, and it was overall an enjoyable little show. I don't quite recall, but perhaps the writing went downhill when their relationship reached a certain point before the "Mad About You" stage, or perhaps just the ratings. Either way, it was revamped as "Open House," an inferior product and soon was gone.

It was enjoyable for as long it lasted, all the same.

I remember DUET as being part of the new Fox network in '87, along with Tracey Ullman, Werewolf, and...hmmm..can't remember the other. DUET was canceled well before its time! The casting was great and the chemistry between the two leads (Laurance & Keller) was excellent. I also remember the spin-off, OPEN HOUSE. LaPlaca was incredibly funny on Duet, the writing for Open House wasn't up to par and didn't do her (or Lemmon) justice. OPEN HOUSE also featured Ellen Degeneres! I dunno, there was just something warm and charming about DUET. I don't use "warm and charming" often, that's for sure! Perhaps TV Land will have a "lost shows" weekend and show it.

This was a decent show that ended too soon. I believe it was one of the earliest sitcoms on the FOX Network back in the late 1980's. The main couple had their share of drama. There was a storyline where Ben asked his girlfriend to move in with him, but she refused, which caused a problem in their relationship. It was also revealed during this storyline that the girlfriend had a drinking problem which she took up again due to relationship pressures. The girlfriend had a goofy, but loveable sister (shades of "Rhoda"). The secondary couple on this show were a lot of fun--a self-absorbed Hollywood studio executive and her husband who sold patio furniture until he quit to follow his passion, playing piano. Unfortunately, a sequel was made spotlighting the Hollywood exec (she had lost her job and went into real estate) that didn't go over as well.

"Duet," a unique little sitcom dealing with the ups-and-downs of love and courtship on a date-by-date basis, benefited from some sharp writing and likable leads, especially Ms. Keller, who never achieved success commensurate with her talent. I wholeheartedly agree that someone, anyone, should rerun this or put it out on a DVD. (The less said about the spin-off "Open House," the better.) It would take a hard heart indeed not to be captivated by this buried treasure.