One of the Boys (1989 TV series)
One of the Boys | |
---|---|
Genre | Sitcom |
Created by | |
Developed by | Tom Palmer |
Starring | |
Theme music composer | |
Composer | Jonathan Wolff |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 1 |
No. of episodes | 6 |
Production | |
Executive producers |
|
Production companies |
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Original release | |
Network | NBC |
Release | April 15 May 20, 1989 | –
One of the Boys is an American sitcom created by Blake Hunter and Martin Cohan that aired six episodes on NBC from April 15 to May 20, 1989. It was one of only a few United States prime time programs of the 1980s to feature a Latin American woman—María Conchita Alonso—as a leading actress. She plays Maria Conchita Navarro, a Venezuelan immigrant to the United States who begins working in the office of a small construction company and marries its widowed owner, Mike Lukowski (Robert Clohessy). Five production companies, led by Columbia Pictures Television, oversaw filming at Sunset Gower Studios in Hollywood, where delays prevented critics from watching a preview in advance of the premiere. Critical reviews were poor to middling. The mid-season replacement received inconsistent Nielsen ratings and was not renewed for a second season by NBC.
Cast and characters
[edit]The sitcom One of the Boys follows Maria Conchita Navarro (María Conchita Alonso), a Venezuelan immigrant to the United States pursuing the American Dream by leaving her job as a waitress and becoming a bookkeeper at the Lukowski Construction Company in the New York City borough of Queens.[1] The actress and character are similar in name, personality, and country of origin.[2] David Walstad of The Philadelphia Inquirer described Navarro as Alonso's alter ego, The Miami Herald's Juan Carlos Coto deemed her autobiographical,[3] and Alonso said "the character is just like" her.[4] In contrast to the stereotypical portrayal of Latin Americans as poor and uneducated, Navarro is a clever woman with class who speaks English.[2] She is from a well-off family but wants to achieve her goals without their assistance,[5] which is exemplified in her opinionated nature and motorcycle riding.[6] According to Alonso, Navarro is a "full of life, tomboyish, yet feminine" woman.[7] Amy Aquino plays her best friend Bernice DeSalvo,[a] a waitress the actress considered a wisecracker who "has trouble getting dates".[8]
Navarro's love interest is Mike Lukowski (Robert Clohessy), the small business owner of the Lukowski Construction Company and recently widowed father of three boys:[9] 20-year-old Luke Lukowski (Michael DeLuise), 18-year-old Steve Lukowski (Billy Morrissette), and 13-year-old Nick Lukowski (Justin Whalin).[1] Luke works on the company's job sites with foreman Ernie (Dan Hedaya) while Steve and Nick attend school.[10] Mike and Maria's relationship quickly becomes romantic and they wed in the fifth episode.[6]
Background
[edit]Few lead roles existed for Latin American women on late 1980s prime time television in the United States.[11] While I Married Dora—a sitcom featuring a Central American woman who marries her American employer—aired in 1987, it garnered low ratings.[12] Television network NBC sought to expand its comedy programming by broadcasting new series starring Latin Americans such as Alonso, who made her United States television debut on One of the Boys.[13] The Venezuelan singer and actress had received two Grammy Award nominations and starred in the films Moscow on the Hudson (1984) and The Running Man (1987).[14] Alonso was initially averse to acting on television because the films she was doing gave her freedom to explore other opportunities after a couple of months.[7] Following years of rejecting her manager's insistence she enter the field, Alonso signed with television producer Fred Silverman in 1988,[7] who thought she could equal the success Roseanne Barr achieved on Roseanne.[15] Alonso took the lead role in One of the Boys because she saw herself in the lead character[16] and thought she could receive better movie roles afterward.[17]
Production
[edit]Tom Palmer developed the series while Silverman executive produced it with creators Blake Hunter and Martin Cohan,[18] who worked on the ABC television series Who's the Boss?[5] Bob Ezrin and Michael Tavera wrote the theme music while Jonathan Wolff composed other sound effects,[19] and Castle Bryant Johnsen designed the title sequence.[20] ELP Communications, Stiefel-Philips Entertainment, The Fred Silverman Company, Hunter-Cohan Productions, and Columbia Pictures Television managed the show's production.[19]
Originally scheduled to start in late February 1989,[15] filming began in mid-March before an audience at Sunset Gower Studios in Hollywood.[21] Episode tapings occurred on Tuesdays following six days of rehearsals.[22] Script issues plagued production, and the premiere was filmed again one week before its broadcast.[11] To prevent viewers from thinking of her as "another actress trying to sing", Alonso kept her singing career separate from the show and does not sing in it.[7]
Episodes
[edit]No. | Title [23] | Directed by | Written by [24] | Original air date | U.S. viewers (millions) | Rating/share (households) [b] | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "The Meeting" | Will Mackenzie[20] | Teleplay by : Tom Palmer Story by : Blake Hunter & Martin Cohan & Tom Palmer | April 15, 1989[27] | 23.7[27] | 16.3/29[27] | |
Mike hires Maria as a bookkeeper at his construction company. She gets acquainted with Luke, Steve, and Nick at their home.[26] | |||||||
2 | "The Dance" | Unknown | Lawrence Gay & Michael DiGaetano | April 22, 1989[29] | 14.4[29] | 10.6/22[29] | |
Mike receives an award at a banquet but attends with another woman instead of Maria. She attends with another man, and they regret not going together.[28] | |||||||
3 | "The Date" | John Whitesell[31] | Dava Savel | April 29, 1989[32] | 12.9[32] | 9.4/19[32] | |
Mike and Maria get robbed on their first date. Luke, Steve, and Nick arrive at a bar to save Mike after he gets in a fight.[30] | |||||||
4 | "The Proposal" | Unknown | Gina Wendkos | May 6, 1989[34] | 17.0[34] | 12.1/22[34] | |
Luke, Steve, and Nick attend a baseball game while Mike and Maria have a romantic dinner. When the sons arrive back home early, they find Mike and Maria's relationship has become intimate.[33] | |||||||
5 | "The Wedding" | Unknown | Richard Albrecht & Casey Keller | May 13, 1989[36] | 18.3[36] | 12.7/26[36] | |
Mike and Maria get married. She quits her job at the company because Mike refuses to let her become the only woman on his construction crew.[35] | |||||||
6 | "Maria Conchita Lukowski" | John Whitesell[38] | Richard Albrecht & Casey Keller | May 20, 1989[39] | 14.7[39] | 10.5/21[39] | |
Luke dislikes Maria moving in to the Lukowski house.[37] |
Broadcast history
[edit]One of the Boys received little publicity before its premiere; the production delays prevented critics from watching a preview.[11] A mid-season replacement for NBC in the 1988–89 United States television season, the show would air a second season starting in September 1989 if its trial run was well-received.[40] The sitcom debuted at 9:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 15, 1989, following The Golden Girls in what The Palm Beach Post described as a "solid gold ratings spot".[41] It then moved up to 8 p.m. for two weeks[42]—"a much more difficult ratings spot" according to the Wisconsin State Journal[43]—taking the regular time slot of 227.[11] The last three episodes aired at 8:30 p.m. leading into The Golden Girls.[44] Aside from NBC, the program aired on BCTV in the Canadian province of British Columbia.[45]
The Los Angeles Times Syndicate deemed the premiere's performance as one of the top 20 highest-rated prime time programs in the week it aired "respectable".[46] After the second episode only made the top 50, Tom Green of USA Today said the show's ratings "results haven't been that good".[47] The six episodes ranked 17th, 49th, 55th, 42nd, 37th, and 48th, respectively.[48] NBC canceled One of the Boys on May 15, 1989, as it announced a schedule for the 1989–90 television season.[49] According to Alonso, it was not renewed because the network "didn't think it would be a long-running hit".[50] Clohessy remarked their "on-screen relationship ... would have kept evolving" if a second season were filmed,[23] and Aquino's character would have assumed the role of bookkeeper at the company.[40]
Critical reception
[edit]One of the Boys's concept and writing were subject to critical commentary. King Features Syndicate's Steven H. Scheuer and Don Davies of the Wisconsin State Journal considered both aspects ordinary.[51] According to Variety, the series simply "reintroduce[s] the theme of the single parent raising his kids".[52] A writer for The Kingston Whig-Standard thought the program was predictable because they felt Mike and Maria seemed destined for marriage by the end of the first episode.[53] Hester Riches of the Vancouver Sun said it was "certainly not worth staying home Saturday night to catch".[54]
Critics also commented on Alonso's acting. Scheuer stated she was funnier than her script,[55] and Riches remarked she makes the show "genuinely funny".[54] According to Davies, Alonso "manages switcheroos on tired plotlines".[43] In contrast, Variety considered her enthusiasm unconvincing.[52]
References
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ Sources differ regarding the surname of Aquino's character.Brooks & Marsh (1999) and Leszczak (2016) list it as "DeSalvo" while Polson (1989) gives "DiSalvo".
- ^ "Rating" represents the percentage of American households with a television watching an episode during any given minute of its broadcast while "share" represents the percentage of American households with a television in use watching an episode during any given minute of its broadcast.[25]
Footnotes
[edit]- ^ a b Brooks & Marsh 1999; Coto 1989.
- ^ a b Walstad 1989; Coto 1989; Koltnow 1989.
- ^ Walstad 1989; Coto 1989.
- ^ Crockett 1989.
- ^ a b Coto 1989.
- ^ a b Brooks & Marsh 1999.
- ^ a b c d Walstad 1989.
- ^ Polson 1989; Brooks & Marsh 1999.
- ^ Brooks & Marsh 1999; Leszczak 2016; Coto 1989; Walstad 1989.
- ^ Brooks & Marsh 1999; Leszczak 2016.
- ^ a b c d Lomartire 1989.
- ^ Coto 1989; Green 1989; Los Angeles Times 1988.
- ^ Lomartire 1989; Daily Press 1989; Crockett 1989.
- ^ Green 1989; Walstad 1989.
- ^ a b Beck 1989.
- ^ Crockett 1989; Walstad 1989.
- ^ Coto 1989; Green 1989; Crockett 1989.
- ^ "The Meeting" 1989, opening and closing credits; Leszczak 2016.
- ^ a b "The Meeting" 1989, closing credits; Leszczak 2016.
- ^ a b "The Meeting" 1989, closing credits.
- ^ Leszczak 2016; Walstad 1989; Roush 1989.
- ^ Parga 1989.
- ^ a b Leszczak 2016.
- ^ Writers Guild of America West.
- ^ Welch 2019.
- ^ "The Meeting" 1989.
- ^ a b c USA Today 1989a.
- ^ Snyder 1989.
- ^ a b c USA Today 1989b.
- ^ "The Date" 1989.
- ^ "The Date" 1989, closing credits.
- ^ a b c USA Today 1989c.
- ^ Los Angeles Times Syndicate 1989.
- ^ a b c USA Today 1989d.
- ^ The Sacramento Bee 1989; The Indianapolis Star 1989.
- ^ a b c USA Today 1989e.
- ^ Rapid City Journal 1989.
- ^ UCLA Film and Television Archive.
- ^ a b c USA Today 1989f.
- ^ a b Polson 1989.
- ^ Lomartire 1989; Walstad 1989; USA Today 1989a.
- ^ USA Today 1989b; USA Today 1989c.
- ^ a b Davies 1989.
- ^ USA Today 1989d; USA Today 1989e; USA Today 1989f.
- ^ The Province 1989.
- ^ USA Today 1989a; Los Angeles Times Syndicate 1989.
- ^ Green 1989; USA Today 1989b.
- ^ USA Today 1989a; USA Today 1989b; USA Today 1989c; USA Today 1989d; USA Today 1989e; USA Today 1989f.
- ^ Sonsky 1989; Screen International 1989.
- ^ Telgen & Kamp 1993.
- ^ Davies 1989; Scheuer 1989.
- ^ a b Variety 1989.
- ^ The Kingston Whig-Standard 1989.
- ^ a b Riches 1989.
- ^ Scheuer 1989.
Citations
[edit]- Beck, Marilyn (January 9, 1989). Written at Hollywood, California. "Smothers Brothers turn down CBS offer". Features. The Courier-Journal. Louisville, Kentucky. Tribune Media Services. p. C3. ISSN 1930-2177 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Bright spots for No. 3 ABC". Life. USA Today. McLean, Virginia. May 10, 1989. p. 3D. ISSN 0734-7456. ProQuest 306210811.
- Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle (1999). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946–present (7th ed.). New York, New York: Ballantine. pp. 761–762. ISBN 0-345-42923-0. LCCN 99-90712. OCLC 964242138. OL 9531978M. LCC PN1992.18.B68 1999.
- "CBS squeaks by into second". Life. USA Today. McLean, Virginia. April 19, 1989. p. 3D. ISSN 0734-7456. ProQuest 306176608.
- Coto, Juan Carlos (April 17, 1989). "Alonso breaks the mold on TV's One of the Boys". Miami Herald. p. 11B. ISSN 0898-865X – via Newspapers.com.
- Crockett, Lane (April 15, 1989). "She's just One of the Boys". Television. The Times. Shreveport, Louisiana. p. 6C – via Newspapers.com.
- "The Date". One of the Boys. Season 1. Episode 3. April 29, 1989. NBC.
- Davies, Don (April 29, 1989). "NBC's Saturday now rivaling Thursday lineup". TV/Entertainment. Wisconsin State Journal. Madison, Wisconsin. p. 5B. ISSN 0749-405X – via Newspapers.com.
- "Everybody loved ABC's "Baby"". Life. USA Today. McLean, Virginia. May 24, 1989. p. 3D. ISSN 0734-7456. ProQuest 306198690.
- Green, Tom (April 27, 1989). Written at Beverly Hills, California. "Alonso, flirting with sitcom stardom". Life. USA Today. McLean, Virginia. p. 3D. ISSN 0734-7456. ProQuest 306176144.
- "Highlights". Life/Style. The Indianapolis Star. May 13, 1989. p. B-4. ISSN 1930-2533 – via Newspapers.com.
- Koltnow, Barry (April 13, 1989). "Art follows life for Maria Alonso". Show. Orange County Register. Anaheim, California. p. K1. ISSN 0886-4934 – via NewspaperArchive.
- Leszczak, Bob (2016). Single Season Sitcoms of the 1980s: A Complete Guide. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. pp. 122–123. ISBN 978-0-7864-9958-8. LCCN 2016015439. OCLC 953597255. LCC PN1992.8.C66 L475 2016.
- Lieb. (April 26, 1989). "One of the Boys". Television Reviews. Variety. Vol. 335, no. 1. Los Angeles, California. p. 200. ISSN 0042-2738. ProQuest 1438497879.
- Lomartire, Paul (April 15, 1989). "One of the Boys aims to fill prime-time TV void for Latins". Accent. The Palm Beach Post. p. 7D. ISSN 1528-5758 – via Newspapers.com.
- "The Meeting". One of the Boys. Season 1. Episode 1. April 15, 1989. NBC.
- "NBC sweeps top 11 spots". Life. USA Today. McLean, Virginia. May 17, 1989. p. 3D. ISSN 0734-7456. ProQuest 306203436.
- "Notes". Television. The Town Talk. Alexandria, Louisiana. April 15, 1989. p. 6C – via Newspapers.com.
- "On TV tonight". The Morning Report. The Sacramento Bee. May 13, 1989. p. A2. ISSN 0890-5738 – via Newspapers.com.
- "One of the Boys". Writers Guild of America West. Archived from the original on March 6, 2021. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
- Parga, Beatriz (April 17, 1989). "En TV americana con nombre y acento hispanos" [On American TV with Hispanic name and accent]. Galeria [Gallery]. El Nuevo Herald [The New Herald]. Miami, Florida. p. 2C. ISSN 2688-8785 – via Newspapers.com.
- Polson, Mary Ellen (April 23, 1989). "One of the Boys has local ties". Amusements. Star-News. Wilmington, North Carolina. p. 1H – via Google News Archive.
- Riches, Hester (April 20, 1989). "TV priests need more than faith". Television. Vancouver Sun. p. C12. ISSN 0832-1299 – via Newspapers.com.
- Roush, Matt (March 15, 1989). "McLaughlin to brighten NBC's new cable lineup". Life. USA Today. McLean, Virginia. p. 3D. ISSN 0734-7456. ProQuest 306160732.
- "Saturday highlights". TV. The Province. Vancouver, British Columbia. April 28, 1989. p. TV3. ISSN 0839-3311 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Saturday highlights". TV Week. The Indianapolis Star. Los Angeles Times Syndicate. April 30, 1989. p. J29. ISSN 1930-2533 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Saturday picks". TV. Daily Press. Newport News, Virginia. April 16, 1989. p. 51. ISSN 2163-7156 – via Newspapers.com.
- Scheuer, Steven H. (April 29, 1989). "TV tonight". Living. The Town Talk. Alexandria, Louisiana. King Features Syndicate. p. C-5 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Sitcom rewards ABC's faith". Life. USA Today. McLean, Virginia. April 26, 1989. p. 3D. ISSN 0734-7456. ProQuest 306174966.
- Snyder, Howard (April 22, 1989). "Also worth watching". Television. Lexington Herald-Leader. p. B5. ISSN 0745-4260 – via Newspapers.com.
- Sonsky, Steve (May 16, 1989). "NBC peacock struts out muted colors for fall". Living Today. The Miami Herald. p. C1. ISSN 0898-865X – via Newspapers.com.
- "Talkback". Television Times. Los Angeles Times. January 31, 1988. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
- Telgen, Diane; Kamp, Jim, eds. (1993). Notable Hispanic American Women (1st ed.). Detroit, Michigan: Gale Research. pp. 8–11. ISBN 0-8103-7578-8. ISSN 1520-3603. LCCN 99111587. OCLC 988392686. OL 11318924M. LCC E184.S75 N674.
- "TV highlights". Rapid City Journal. May 20, 1989. p. C3 – via Newspapers.com.
- "UCLA Library Catalog Holdings Information". UCLA Film and Television Archive. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
- Written at Los Angeles, California. "US majors show their hands". TV & Video News. Screen International. No. 707. London, England (published June 3, 1989). May 31, 1989. p. 20. ISSN 0307-4617. ProQuest 1014651718.
- Walstad, David (May 7, 1989). "Flirting with TV fame". TV Week. The Philadelphia Inquirer. Hollywood, California. pp. 4–5. ISSN 0885-6613 – via Newspapers.com.
- "We loved CBS' Lucy tribute". Life. USA Today. McLean, Virginia. May 3, 1989. p. 3D. ISSN 0734-7456. ProQuest 306197470.
- Welch, Alex (January 4, 2019). "The Masked Singer adjusts up, SEAL Team adjusts down: Wednesday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on May 1, 2019.
- "Worth a second look". Magazine. The Kingston Whig-Standard. April 22, 1989. ISSN 0839-0754. ProQuest 353330633.