By N.S.
From early 1988-1991, I religiously watched thirtysomething, a brilliant if liberal dramedy produced by Ed Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz about two youngish couples and neighbors, in which the men are best friends and business partners in a small, failing, advertising agency. The show aired at 9 p.m. on Tuesday or Thursday on ABC, and was followed, for most of its run by China Beach, which we also watched religiously. Because the men in Zwick-Herskovitz' best series were always failing small businessmen, I have always suspected that Zwick, Herskovits, or both was the son of a failed, small businessman.
Whereas other supposedly creative people did experimental work as a shtick, Zwick and Herskovitz and their brilliant stable of writer-producers could make a hilarious or moving episode out of experimentation. One episode was told backwards, beginning at the end. More than one episode had fantasy episodes within a character's dream.
Another special apsect to Zwick and Herskovitz' best shows was their depiction of religious experiences, which they took very seriously.
One of the most brilliant single episodes of any TV drama I've ever seen was called “The Mike Van Dyke Show,” which was that year's Christmas episode. Although Michael Steadman was a Jew, and his wife, Hope, was a gentile, they had agreed that religion was no object. But God had something else in mind.
While his wife, Hope, sleeps next to him, late one night, Michael Steadman zombies out in front of the TV, which broadcasts a most unusual show. In it, Michael comes home and trips over his little child's toys in the living room, and wears a Botany 500 suit and hat, just like the opening to the original Dick Van Dyke Show.
A little, old man (played by the great Jack Gilford) shows up at the offices of the TV comedy show for which Michael is the head writer (again, just like the Dick Van Dyke Show). He's only wearing his union suit, because he was robbed of his Santa suit. And the man insists, like in Miracle on 34th Street, that he is really Santa Claus. But why does Santa speak with a Jewish accent?
One evening during Chanukah, Michael accompanies his sexy, female cousin (Melanie Mayron) to her shule. Alone, while he waits on his cousin, he walks into the office, where the rabbi (again Gilford!) confronts him with all sorts of sneeringly posed, rhetorical questions.
A couple of evenings later, Michael again accompanies his cousin to the shule. But this time, he runs into a thirtyish couple, instead of the old rabbi. Michael mentions the funny, old man to them, but neither they nor his cousin has any idea who he's talking about.
When I watched the show, I was living with a “nice, Jewish girl” (NJG) who was supposed to marry me (we discussed what we would name our first son), and launched my own soon-to-fail small business, my magazine, A Different Drummer. I began watching thirtysomething just after having met the NJG, and she moved out shortly after the series' last new episode aired. My favorite TV series were dying at the same time that my personal life was.
It wasn't until many years later that I realized the significance of Zwick and Herskovitz calling their production company, “Bedford Falls,” and having the actors sing, “And dance by the light of the moon.” Bedford Falls, New York, was where George Bailey and Mary Hatch lived, and where Mary sang “Buffalo Gals” to him.
The character I identified with, Elliott Krieger, was played by Busfield. Elliott wasn't as tall or as handsome as his friend and partner, Michael Steadman (Ken Olin), so he had to struggle with everything. People sometimes disrespected him.
“Timothy Busfield turns himself in on child sex abuse charges, says he 'did not do anything wrong'”
“the actor and director faced an arrest warrant by albuquerque, new Mexico, police for two counts of alleged criminal sexual contact of a minor and child abuse.”
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/timothy-busfield-turns-himself-in-child-sex-abuse-1236471566/#
“thirtysomething opening and closing credits and theme song” (possibly from the premiere)
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