CORPORATE LINE: One of the most entertaining sitcoms of the ‘80s is back as all 22 Season One episodes, including the hilarious pilot, of Charles in Charge come to DVD for the first time ever. Tag along with teen idol Scott Baio (Happy Days) as he takes on the role of live-in helper at the Pembroke household and soon discovers he needs a little help of his own! Between his college friend Buddy (Willie Aames), his girlfriend Gwendolyn and the three mischievous Pembroke kids, Charles has a lot to learn about growing up when the household – and his love life – are spiraling out of control. Joining Scott Baio are huge rising stars including Meg Ryan, Christina Applegate and Matthew Perry. And now, fans can see even more of Charles with an exclusive preview episode from Season 2 with Charles’s new family, the Powells!
THE REVIEW:
After watching the first disc it was obvious how silly each episode was—and yet that silly sweetness made the show fun. I didn’t see Charles In Charge when I originally ran. I caught it years later in reruns and found it funny—mostly because of Willie Aames, Charles’ dopey sidekick. Aames time and again upstages everyone on the show.
The show is hokey and it has a lot to do with the era. Most of use remember how silly the family shows were at the time. Think of how squeaky clean The Cosby Show was during the ‘80s. Charles in Charge has the same innocence and G-rated humor.
The cast was good. Everyone knows Scott Baio. The kids are funny—even though the sons can occasionally come off as amateurish. The one son is the wise-guy, the girl who is cute but nerdy, and then there is the son who is into aliens and sci-fi.
There are 22 episodes. The standouts are the “Pilot.” I actually saw the pilot in reruns and never realized it was the pilot. “Extracurricular Activity” finds Charles helping the kids figure out what after-school activities to get involved in. “War” finds Charles in the middle of battle between the boys while he tries to get alone time with Jane, played by Meg Ryan.
THE EXTRAS:
“The Great 80s TV Flashback” – Is a shameless Universal promotion of their other ‘80s shows—including Charles In Charge. It would have been fun to see what the cast is up to today and get their thoughts on the show.
FRANKLY: Charles in Charge definitely appeals to those who are already fans. That’s not to say someone couldn’t buy it and enjoy the series. If you judge the show by today’s standards it will definitely come off like an afternoon special. There is humor for kids and adults the same—but if you cringe at the television equivalent of cotton candy this will not appeal to you.
+ Charlie Craine
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.