What happens when you pair an OCD, 'neat freak', photographer with a sloppy, cigar smoking, sports writer?
You have The Odd Couple, of course.
Based off of the play by Neil Simon, The Odd Couple introduces us to Felix Unger (played by Tony Randall) and his friend Oscar Madison (played by Jack Klugman) and asks the question...."Can two divorced men share an apartment without driving each other crazy?"
The answer, I guess, was.....maybe?
The Odd Couple ran on ABC from from 1970 to 1975. Strangely enough, it was cancelled after every season, but then picked up again after the high summer re-run numbers.
If you liked to laugh, what wasn't to love? You had neat freak Felix, who like things orderly and clean and you had Oscar Madison who just didn't care. Oscar's room looked like a tornado had tore through it and smelled like cigar smoke. Felix, on the other hand, had a room that looked like it had just been photographed for Better Homes and Gardens.
This show always made me laugh and was one of the first to make me realize just what a "sitcom" was supposed to be. I'd always get perturbed about the crazy situations that came up..."But Mom, why doesn't Felix just tell Oscar to clean out his own ashtrays instead of doing it behind his back?"
"That just wouldn't be funny, dear."
"Oh..."
It took a while for me to develop my sense of humor....some might say it's still yet to fully develop.
Honorable Mentions: The Outer Limits, Once Upon a Time, On The Rocks
Tune in tomorrow to find out why I am not a number....
15 comments:
I forgot that Penny Marshall was in it. She's had quite the career.
What a classic... AMAZING show. Fantastic chemistry between Klugman and Randall..
I remember Penny Marshall as his secretary!
Felix was so annoying, even watching him. Still, I watched the Odd Couple every week. I always liked how in the end of each show, Felix and Oscar came together somehow.
The View from the Top of the Ladder
Oh... I have not a single guess as to what that means for tomorrow.
@Alex: She has, actually. I guess it never hurts to have a relative in the biz, either :)
@Michael: Agreed and I think that's what was the reason for a lot of the show's success....regardless of ratings.
@Su-sieee: LOL..yeah, he was OCD before it was "cool"
@Andrew: Oh, come on....think British....
Another one I watched religiously in re-runs as a kid. I guess my soul just didn't take to the "MTV Generation" !!
Good choice. It was a classic. If I may add an honorable mention...One Day at a Time. Another fun sitcom.
I never watched the odd couple but I loved The Outer Limits.
I used to watch this show with my mom. Wasn't it on around the same time as Mary Tyler Moore?
Good choice! I didn't know that it was cancelled every season and then revived due to the large numbers garnered during re-runs. M*A*S*H would have been cancelled after its first season had it not soared to the top of the ratings chart during the summer and re-runs. Funny, but you just don't hear that happening any longer... mostly because the networks cancel them 9 episodes in and they never last that long. ::scratches head... some of the best shows only became hits with time... and they don't give a show time anymore... and they wonder why people are turning off the TV... big brains running that operation... end of rant::
Out of all the ones you posted here, the Odd Couple was the only one I've seen! Well, I might have seen one or two episodes of the Outer Limits, but not the others. I watched more Laverne and Shirley than I did Odd Couple. Thanks for the information on it because I didn't know about it being canceled every season and then put back on! I wonder if any other show has had that happen or if they're unique...
You know this was based off one person, with multiple personalities... right? :)
The last episode had the nurse come in the room and ask if he were okay, the response was "yes" they were fine. :) ;)
This was one of my dad's favorite shows when I was a kid. I can still hear him laughing at it. I always thought Felix was hilarious.
Some great writing in that series. I think I heard they're reviving it, but can't remember who the cast will be. Personally, I think it has been done and done well. Let it be.
That show was so much fun. Hooray for honorable mention to ONCE UPON A TIME.
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