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Almost Perfect

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Almost Perfect
GenreSitcom
Created byKen Levine
David Isaacs
Robin Schiff
Written bySue Herring
George McGrath
Robin Schiff
Directed byAndy Ackerman
Stan Daniels
Victor Fresco
Kim Friedman
Leonard R. Garner Jr.
David Lee
Ken Levine
Philip Charles MacKenzie
Gail Mancuso
Jeffrey Melman
Alan Myerson
Thomas Schlamme
Rob Schiller
StarringNancy Travis
Kevin Kilner
Chip Zien
Matthew Letscher
David Clennon
Lisa Edelstein
ComposerBruce Miller
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes34 (6 unaired)
Production
Executive producersDavid Isaacs
Ken Levine
Robin Schiff
ProducersLarina Adamson
Robin Chamberlin
Linda Teverbaugh
Michael Teverbaugh
Camera setupMulti-camera
Running time30 minutes
Production companiesRobin Schiff Productions
(1996)
(season 2)
Levine & Isaacs Productions
Paramount Network Television
Original release
NetworkCBS
ReleaseSeptember 17, 1995 (1995-09-17) –
October 30, 1996 (1996-10-30)

Almost Perfect is an American sitcom television series that aired on CBS from September 17, 1995, until October 30, 1996. Starring Nancy Travis, Kevin Kilner, David Clennon, Matthew Letscher, and Chip Zien, the series focused on the professional life of the female executive producer of a television cop show, her witty, zany staff which doubled as her family, and initially, how she balanced her high-powered role with that of her newfound romance with a busy assistant D.A. The series was created by Ken Levine, David Isaacs and Robin Schiff, and produced by Levine & Isaacs Productions and Robin Schiff Productions (in season two only), in association with Paramount Network Television.

Levine and Isaacs were previously known for their work as writers and producers on Cheers, as well as Wings airing on NBC. Like the latter shows, Almost Perfect featured a tight-knit ensemble aspect between the cast, which in this case was formed by the production staff of the fictional cop show (as opposed to the Cheers ensemble being that of bar employees and patrons, and Wings group being airport terminal employees).

Synopsis

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Almost Perfect starred Nancy Travis as Kim Cooper, a television writer on the (fictional) hit show Blue Justice (a parody of NYPD Blue) who had just been promoted to executive producer. Kim was a prototypical "gotta-have-it-all" young professional; she took pride in being a strong female figure who had risen in the ranks above her mostly male staff. She was headstrong, witty, and had a good sense of direction when it came to the creative matters of Blue Justice, but her personal life was another story.

In the process of working up to her promotion, Kim had struggled to find Mr. Right; many past boyfriends were needy, and eventually unaccepting of Kim's busy schedule. Then she met Mike Ryan (Kevin Kilner), a district attorney. Kim had run into him at a restaurant when she mistook him for the blind date she was supposed to meet, who ended up standing her up. Mike was instantly taken by Kim, and convinced her to have dinner with him, which she did—but not before she quizzed him to make sure he wasn't going to be as shallow as her exes. Before either of them knew it, they were both off on a hot and heavy affair. Both brought extreme pressures to the relationship, mostly due to their high-powered, high-pressure, time-consuming professions.

As Kim learned to juggle her hot career and even hotter, very promising new romance, she received support and camaraderie from her staff at Blue Justice. Heading the writing team was energetic, neurotic Gary Karp (Chip Zien), a veteran of many cop shows who had hoped to become executive producer, but who now had to accept the fact that he was answering to someone ten years younger than him. Gary's attempts to gain more responsibility and edge into Kim's level of importance were always slapstick and comical, and his sexist attitudes often got him into trouble with Kim and his colleagues—but he always meant well. Rob Paley (Matthew Letscher) was the gentle, naive farm boy-turned-Hollywood writer who always gave the more idealistic points of view, and was probably the most neutral to Kim's ascent to executive producer. Neal Luder (David Clennon) was the spaced-out hippie of the group whose ideas and advice were scarily on target occasionally, amid being far removed from reality most of the time. Having something of a colorful career before becoming a TV writer, Neal once worked as a roadie for the Osmond Family in the 1970s.

The series (not the portrayed fictional program) was cancelled only four episodes into its second season.[1]

Cast

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Actor Role
Nancy Travis Kimberly "Kim" Cooper
Kevin Kilner Mike Ryan
David Clennon Neal Luder
Matthew Letscher Rob Paley
Chip Zien Gary Karp

Episodes

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Series overview

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SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
124September 17, 1995 (1995-09-17)April 22, 1996 (1996-04-22)
210October 9, 1996 (1996-10-09)October 30, 1996 (1996-10-30)

Season 1 (1995–96)

[edit]
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date Viewers
(millions)
11"I'm Gregory Peck"Andy AckermanRobin Schiff, Ken Levine & David IsaacsSeptember 17, 1995 (1995-09-17)12.9[2]
22"Now, Where Were We?"UnknownUnknownSeptember 24, 1995 (1995-09-24)11.0[3]
33"Dog Day Afternoon"UnknownUnknownOctober 1, 1995 (1995-10-01)11.5[4]
44"My Way"UnknownUnknownOctober 8, 1995 (1995-10-08)12.6[5]
55"Your Place or Mine?"Philip Charles MacKenzieDrew Vaupen & Phil BakerOctober 15, 1995 (1995-10-15)15.1[6]
66"You Like Me, You Really Like Me"UnknownUnknownOctober 22, 1995 (1995-10-22)12.4[7]
77"The Ex-Files"UnknownUnknownNovember 5, 1995 (1995-11-05)12.0[8]
88"The Lost Weekend: Part 1"UnknownUnknownNovember 19, 1995 (1995-11-19)12.3[9]
99"The Lost Weekend: Part 2"UnknownUnknownNovember 26, 1995 (1995-11-26)13.3[10]
1010"Presumed Impotent"UnknownUnknownDecember 3, 1995 (1995-12-03)12.6[11]
1111"Love Hurts"Philip Charles MacKenzieRobin Schiff & Ken Levine & David IsaacsDecember 10, 1995 (1995-12-10)11.2[12]
1212"Risky Christmas"David LeeDrew Vaupen & Phil BakerDecember 11, 1995 (1995-12-11)14.6[13]
1313"Mind Games"UnknownUnknownJanuary 14, 1996 (1996-01-14)12.0[14]
1414"Overly Meditated"Jeff MelmanRobin Schiff & Ken Levine & David IsaacsFebruary 4, 1996 (1996-02-04)13.5[15]
1515"El Pollo Loco"Stan DanielsRobin Schiff & Ken Levine & David IsaacsFebruary 11, 1996 (1996-02-11)15.3[16]
1616"Auto Neurotic"UnknownUnknownFebruary 18, 1996 (1996-02-18)12.7[17]
1717"A Midseason Night's Sex Comedy"UnknownUnknownMarch 3, 1996 (1996-03-03)15.0[18]
1818"Suites for the Sweet"Alan MyersonRobin Schiff & Ken Levine & David IsaacsMarch 4, 1996 (1996-03-04)14.9[19]
1919"Being Fired Means Never Having to Say You're Sorry"UnknownUnknownMarch 11, 1996 (1996-03-11)15.8[20]
2020"Lights, Camera, Mike?!"Jeff MelmanGeorge McGrathMarch 18, 1996 (1996-03-18)13.8[21]
2121"The Hunted House"UnknownUnknownApril 1, 1996 (1996-04-01)13.4[22]
2222"Moving In: Part 1"UnknownUnknownApril 8, 1996 (1996-04-08)13.1[23]
2323"Moving In: Part 2"UnknownUnknownApril 15, 1996 (1996-04-15)14.8[24]
2424"It's a Wrap!"UnknownUnknownApril 22, 1996 (1996-04-22)13.5[25]

Season 2 (1996)

[edit]
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date Viewers
(millions)
251"The Break-Up"UnknownUnknownOctober 9, 1996 (1996-10-09)12.0[26]
262"Shelf Doubt"UnknownUnknownOctober 16, 1996 (1996-10-16)11.6[27]
273"Good Grief"UnknownUnknownOctober 23, 1996 (1996-10-23)8.6[28]
284"Heaven's Helper"Philip Charles MacKenzieKen EstinOctober 30, 1996 (1996-10-30)8.9[29]
295"Dating for Ratings"TBDTBDUnaired (Unaired)N/A
306"Where No Woman Has Gone Before"TBDTBDUnaired (Unaired)N/A
317"K.I.S.S."Ken LevineMike Teverbaugh & Linda TeverbaughUnaired (Unaired)N/A
328"Gimme Shelter"TBDTBDUnaired (Unaired)N/A
339"The Laws"TBDTBDUnaired (Unaired)N/A
3410"This is What Happens When You Don't Watch PBS"Ken LevineSue HerringUnaired (Unaired)N/A

Broadcast history

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Season Time slot (ET)
1995–96 Sunday at 8:30 pm (episodes 1–11, 13–17)
Monday at 8:30 pm (episodes 12, 18–24)
1996–97 Wednesday at 8:30 pm (episodes 1–3)
Wednesday at 9:00 pm (episode 4)

References

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  1. ^ Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (1999). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows. Ballantine Books. p. 32. ISBN 0-345-42923-0.
  2. ^ Graham, Jefferson (September 20, 1995). "A scrambling CBS slips behind Fox". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
  3. ^ Graham, Jefferson (September 27, 1995). "NBC Sunday starters stumble". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
  4. ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. October 4, 1995. p. 3D.
  5. ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. October 11, 1995. p. 3D.
  6. ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. October 18, 1995. p. 3D.
  7. ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. October 25, 1995. p. 3D.
  8. ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. November 8, 1995. p. 3D.
  9. ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. November 22, 1995. p. 3D.
  10. ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. November 29, 1995. p. 3D.
  11. ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. December 6, 1995. p. 3D.
  12. ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. December 13, 1995. p. 3D.
  13. ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. December 20, 1995. p. 3D.
  14. ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. January 17, 1996. p. 3D.
  15. ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. February 7, 1996. p. 3D.
  16. ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. February 14, 1996. p. 3D.
  17. ^ DeRosa, Robin (February 21, 1996). "Powerhouse Thursday propels NBC". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
  18. ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. March 6, 1996. p. 3D.
  19. ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. March 13, 1996. p. 3D.
  20. ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. March 20, 1996. p. 3D.
  21. ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. March 27, 1996. p. 3D.
  22. ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. April 10, 1996. p. 3D.
  23. ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. April 17, 1996. p. 3D.
  24. ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. April 24, 1996. p. 3D.
  25. ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. May 1, 1996. p. 3D.
  26. ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. October 16, 1996. p. 3D.
  27. ^ DeRosa, Robin (October 23, 1996). "Fox gets major league boost to No. 3". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
  28. ^ Bush, Alan (October 30, 1996). "World Series lineup gives Fox a major win". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
  29. ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. November 6, 1996. p. 3D.
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