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{{short description|1997 American TV series}}
{{short description|1997 American TV series}}
{{Other uses|Head over Heels (disambiguation){{!}}Head over Heels}}
{{Other uses|Head over Heels (disambiguation){{!}}Head over Heels}}
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{{featured article}}
{{featured article}}
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{{Use American English|date=October 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2022}}
{{Infobox television
{{Infobox television
| image = HeadOverHeelsPromotionalImage.png
| image = HeadOverHeelsPromotionalImage.png
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== Premise and characters ==
== Premise and characters ==
Set in [[Miami Beach, Florida|Miami Beach]],<ref name="Source2">{{cite web|url=http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1997-08-26/lifestyle/9708250726_1_esposito-hitz-andrew-dice-clay|title=UPN Goes On The Offensive With Its 2 Foul And Repulsive Sitcoms UPN|last=Boedeker|first=Hal|date=August 26, 1997|website=[[Orlando Sentinel]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180614180246/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1997-08-26/lifestyle/9708250726_1_esposito-hitz-andrew-dice-clay|archive-date=June 14, 2018|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> the series is about the Head over Heels video [[dating agency]], operated by brothers Jack and Warren Baldwin ([[Peter Dobson]] and [[Mitchell Whitfield]], respectively).<ref name="Source9">{{cite web|url=https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/UPN-Stoops-To-Conquer-Good-Taste-2829788.php|title=UPN Stoops To Conquer Good Taste|last=Carman|first=John|date=August 25, 1997|website=[[San Francisco Chronicle]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180723032848/https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/UPN-Stoops-To-Conquer-Good-Taste-2829788.php|archive-date=July 23, 2018|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name="Source1">{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/1997/tv/reviews/head-over-heels-3-1200450610/|title=Head Over Heels|last=Sandler|first=Adam|date=August 26, 1997|website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180614180245/https://variety.com/1997/tv/reviews/head-over-heels-3-1200450610/|archive-date=June 14, 2018|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Portrayed as opposites of one another,<ref name="Source15">{{cite web|url=https://www.deseretnews.com/article/561783/UPN-adds-4-more-sitcoms.html|title=UPN adds 4 more sitcoms|last=Pierce|first=Scott D.|date=May 21, 1997|website=[[Deseret News]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180723032848/https://www.deseretnews.com/article/561783/UPN-adds-4-more-sitcoms.html|archive-date=July 23, 2018|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Warren is more involved in managing the agency than Jack.<ref name="Source2" /><ref name="Source4">{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1997/08/25/upn-fall-scoreboard-1-hit-2-misses/9c678d0f-0658-41dc-a443-b314c7cb1128/|title=UPN Fall Scoreboard: 1 Hit, 2 Misses|last=Shales|first=Tom|date=August 25, 1997|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180723032848/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1997/08/25/upn-fall-scoreboard-1-hit-2-misses/9c678d0f-0658-41dc-a443-b314c7cb1128/|archive-date=July 23, 2018|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> While Jack dates female clients,<ref name="Source9" /><ref name="Source6">{{cite web|url=http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1997-08-25/features/1997237028_1_coolio-clay-hitz|title=UPN specializing in crude sitcoms Previews: If Andrew (Dice) Clay is your cup of tea, you'll gulp down UPN's latest lemons|last=Zurawik|first=David|date=August 25, 1997|website=[[The Baltimore Sun]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180723032848/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1997-08-25/features/1997237028_1_coolio-clay-hitz|archive-date=July 23, 2018|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Warren still loves his estranged wife, who had an affair with a professional football player.<ref name="Source6" />
Set in [[Miami Beach, Florida|Miami Beach]],<ref name="Source2">{{cite web|url=http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1997-08-26/lifestyle/9708250726_1_esposito-hitz-andrew-dice-clay|title=UPN Goes On The Offensive With Its 2 Foul And Repulsive Sitcoms UPN|last=Boedeker|first=Hal|date=August 26, 1997|website=[[Orlando Sentinel]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180614180246/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1997-08-26/lifestyle/9708250726_1_esposito-hitz-andrew-dice-clay|archive-date=June 14, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> the series is about the Head over Heels video [[dating agency]], operated by brothers Jack and Warren Baldwin ([[Peter Dobson]] and [[Mitchell Whitfield]], respectively).<ref name="Source9">{{cite web|url=https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/UPN-Stoops-To-Conquer-Good-Taste-2829788.php|title=UPN Stoops To Conquer Good Taste|last=Carman|first=John|date=August 25, 1997|website=[[San Francisco Chronicle]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180723032848/https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/UPN-Stoops-To-Conquer-Good-Taste-2829788.php|archive-date=July 23, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Source1">{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/1997/tv/reviews/head-over-heels-3-1200450610/|title=Head Over Heels|last=Sandler|first=Adam|date=August 26, 1997|website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180614180245/https://variety.com/1997/tv/reviews/head-over-heels-3-1200450610/|archive-date=June 14, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Portrayed as opposites of one another,<ref name="Source15">{{cite web|url=https://www.deseretnews.com/article/561783/UPN-adds-4-more-sitcoms.html|title=UPN adds 4 more sitcoms|last=Pierce|first=Scott D.|date=May 21, 1997|website=[[Deseret News]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180723032848/https://www.deseretnews.com/article/561783/UPN-adds-4-more-sitcoms.html|archive-date=July 23, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Warren is more involved in managing the agency than Jack.<ref name="Source2" /><ref name="Source4">{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1997/08/25/upn-fall-scoreboard-1-hit-2-misses/9c678d0f-0658-41dc-a443-b314c7cb1128/|title=UPN Fall Scoreboard: 1 Hit, 2 Misses|last=Shales|first=Tom|date=August 25, 1997|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180723032848/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1997/08/25/upn-fall-scoreboard-1-hit-2-misses/9c678d0f-0658-41dc-a443-b314c7cb1128/|archive-date=July 23, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> While Jack dates female clients,<ref name="Source9" /><ref name="Source6">{{cite web|url=http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1997-08-25/features/1997237028_1_coolio-clay-hitz|title=UPN specializing in crude sitcoms Previews: If Andrew (Dice) Clay is your cup of tea, you'll gulp down UPN's latest lemons|last=Zurawik|first=David|date=August 25, 1997|website=[[The Baltimore Sun]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180723032848/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1997-08-25/features/1997237028_1_coolio-clay-hitz|archive-date=July 23, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Warren still loves his estranged wife, who had an affair with a professional football player.<ref name="Source6" />


The rest of the staff includes two romance counselors: Carmen ([[Eva LaRue]]) and Ian ([[Patrick Bristow]]).<ref name="Source2" /><ref name="Source1" /> A self-identified [[Feminism|feminist]],<ref name="HighBeam7">{{cite web|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4396980.html|title=Dating games fall flat in 'Heels'|last=Grahnke|first=Lon|date=August 26, 1997|website=[[Chicago Sun-Times]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725213543/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4396980.html|archive-date=July 25, 2018|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all|url-access=subscription|via=[[HighBeam Research]]}}</ref> Carmen is a [[PhD]] student studying human behavior and sexuality.<ref name="Source1" /> The bisexual, celibate Ian is frequently questioned about his sexuality,<ref name="Source2" /><ref name="Source9" /> and former stripper Valentina ([[Cindy Ambuehl]]) is a receptionist who is knowledgeable about computers.<ref name="Source1" /><ref name="Source4" /> [[Karen Dior]] and [[Bernie Kopell]] [[Guest appearance|guest starred]] in the series as themselves.<ref name="Journal1" /><ref name="SourceTVGuide2" /> [[Jim Lange]], who Jack had idolized since childhood, also appears in an episode as himself.<ref name="SourceTVGuide2" /><ref name="Book2">[[#Terrace2009|Terrace (2009)]]: p. 657</ref>
The rest of the staff includes two romance counselors: Carmen ([[Eva LaRue]]) and Ian ([[Patrick Bristow]]).<ref name="Source2" /><ref name="Source1" /> A self-identified [[Feminism|feminist]],<ref name="HighBeam7">{{cite web|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4396980.html|title=Dating games fall flat in 'Heels'|last=Grahnke|first=Lon|date=August 26, 1997|website=[[Chicago Sun-Times]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725213543/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4396980.html|archive-date=July 25, 2018|url-status=dead|url-access=subscription|via=[[HighBeam Research]]}}</ref> Carmen is a [[PhD]] student studying human behavior and sexuality.<ref name="Source1" /> The bisexual, celibate Ian is frequently questioned about his sexuality,<ref name="Source2" /><ref name="Source9" /> and former stripper Valentina ([[Cindy Ambuehl]]) is a receptionist who is knowledgeable about computers.<ref name="Source1" /><ref name="Source4" /> [[Karen Dior]] and [[Bernie Kopell]] [[Guest appearance|guest starred]] in the series as themselves.<ref name="Journal1" /><ref name="SourceTVGuide2" /> [[Jim Lange]], who Jack had idolized since childhood, also appears in an episode as himself.<ref name="SourceTVGuide2" /><ref name="Book2">[[#Terrace2009|Terrace (2009)]]: p. 657</ref>


''Head over Heels'' often relies on [[sex comedy]],<ref name="Source2" /><ref name="Source4" /><ref name="Source5" /> leading ''[[The Washington Post]]''{{'}}s [[Tom Shales]] to describe it as a "smutcom".<ref name="Source4" /> Alan Frutkin of ''[[The Advocate (LGBT magazine)|The Advocate]]'' compared the show to the sitcoms ''[[Friends]]'' and ''[[Married... with Children]]''.<ref name="Journal1">{{cite journal|last=Frutkin|first=Alan|date=September 16, 1997|title=The Best Fall Television|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MmMEAAAAMBAJ|issue=742|pages=55|access-date=June 22, 2018|journal=[[The Advocate (LGBT magazine)|The Advocate]]}}</ref> The [[Pilot Episode|pilot episode]] features Warren having sex with a client in his office despite the agency's dating policy,<ref name="Source1" /> and a bikini [[fashion show]].<ref name="Source9" /><ref name="SourceWobbly" /> Storylines in other episodes include Jack using [[Cap'n Crunch]] as an alias in [[chat room]]s to seduce women and Valentina saying she would open the mail topless for [[United States dollar|$]]1,000 a week.<ref name="HighBeam7" /><ref name="Source14" />
''Head over Heels'' often relies on [[sex comedy]],<ref name="Source2" /><ref name="Source4" /><ref name="Source5" /> leading ''[[The Washington Post]]''{{'}}s [[Tom Shales]] to describe it as a "smutcom".<ref name="Source4" /> Alan Frutkin of ''[[The Advocate (LGBT magazine)|The Advocate]]'' compared the show to the sitcoms ''[[Friends]]'' and ''[[Married... with Children]]''.<ref name="Journal1">{{cite journal|last=Frutkin|first=Alan|date=September 16, 1997|title=The Best Fall Television|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MmMEAAAAMBAJ|issue=742|pages=55|access-date=June 22, 2018|journal=[[The Advocate (LGBT magazine)|The Advocate]]}}</ref> The [[Pilot Episode|pilot episode]] features Warren having sex with a client in his office despite the agency's dating policy,<ref name="Source1" /> and a bikini [[fashion show]].<ref name="Source9" /><ref name="SourceWobbly" /> Storylines in other episodes include Jack using [[Cap'n Crunch]] as an alias in [[chat room]]s to seduce women and Valentina saying she would open the mail topless for [[United States dollar|$]]1,000 a week.<ref name="HighBeam7" /><ref name="Source14" />
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[[File:Connie Stevens Washington D.C.jpg|left|thumb|upright|[[Connie Stevens]] was removed from the show due to a "creative change".<ref name="Source7" />|alt=A black-and-white image of a woman with long hair and a low-cut dress. She is smiling toward the camera.]]
[[File:Connie Stevens Washington D.C.jpg|left|thumb|upright|[[Connie Stevens]] was removed from the show due to a "creative change".<ref name="Source7" />|alt=A black-and-white image of a woman with long hair and a low-cut dress. She is smiling toward the camera.]]


Montrose Productions produced ''Head over Heels'' in association with Jeff Franklin Productions and [[Columbia TriStar Television]]. [[Jeff Franklin]] was the show's creator and [[executive producer]].<ref name="Source1" /> Referring to Franklin's work on the sitcom ''[[Full House]]'', Dusty Saunders of the ''[[Rocky Mountain News]]'' wrote: "I still wonder if Franklin isn't ridding himself of a lot of sexual TV frustration, after all those years with fictional giddy family members."<ref name="HighBeam1">{{cite web|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-67748910.html|title=UPN stumbles with 'Head Over Heels'|last=Saunders|first=Dusty|date=August 25, 1997|website=[[Rocky Mountain News]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725213544/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-67748910.html|archive-date=July 25, 2018|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all|url-access=subscription|via=[[HighBeam Research]]}}</ref> [[Andrew Gottlieb]] co-produced the series, and [[Vince Cheung and Ben Montanio]] were consulting producers. Despite being set in Miami Beach, ''Head over Heels'' was filmed in Los Angeles.<ref name="Source1" /> [[Matthew Diamond]] directed three episodes, and [[Amanda Bearse]] and [[Asaad Kelada]] did one episode apiece.<ref name="SourceTVGuide2" /> [[Jonathan Wolff (musician)|Jonathan Wolf]] and Paul Buckley composed the series's music.<ref name="Source1" />
Montrose Productions produced ''Head over Heels'' in association with Jeff Franklin Productions and [[Columbia TriStar Television]]. [[Jeff Franklin]] was the show's creator and [[executive producer]].<ref name="Source1" /> Referring to Franklin's work on the sitcom ''[[Full House]]'', Dusty Saunders of the ''[[Rocky Mountain News]]'' wrote: "I still wonder if Franklin isn't ridding himself of a lot of sexual TV frustration, after all those years with fictional giddy family members."<ref name="HighBeam1">{{cite web|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-67748910.html|title=UPN stumbles with 'Head Over Heels'|last=Saunders|first=Dusty|date=August 25, 1997|website=[[Rocky Mountain News]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725213544/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-67748910.html|archive-date=July 25, 2018|url-status=dead|url-access=subscription|via=[[HighBeam Research]]}}</ref> [[Andrew Gottlieb]] co-produced the series, and [[Vince Cheung and Ben Montanio]] were consulting producers. Despite being set in Miami Beach, ''Head over Heels'' was filmed in Los Angeles.<ref name="Source1" /> [[Matthew Diamond]] directed three episodes, and [[Amanda Bearse]] and [[Asaad Kelada]] did one episode apiece.<ref name="SourceTVGuide2" /> [[Jonathan Wolff (musician)|Jonathan Wolf]] and Paul Buckley composed the series's music.<ref name="Source1" />


During production, [[Connie Stevens]] was set to play the Baldwins' mother in a [[recurring role]].<ref name="Source7" /><ref name="HighBeam2" /> A writer for [[Turner Classic Movies]] described the show as "resurrect[ing] [Stevens's] acting career".<ref name="Source13">{{cite web|url=http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/186790%7C0/Michael-Sullivan/|title=Biography|publisher=[[Turner Classic Movies]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171023222150/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/186790%7C0/Michael-Sullivan/|archive-date=October 23, 2017|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Although [[United Paramount Network]]{{nbsp}}(UPN) had ordered ''Head over Heels'' due to Stevens,<ref name="Source7" /> the network removed her from the project following what it described as "a creative change". In the series's original pilot episode, the mother is the dating agency's original owner who passes it on to her sons.<ref name="Source7" /> A "cavorting bimbo of a mother",<ref name="SourceWobbly">{{cite web|url=http://articles.latimes.com/1997/aug/25/entertainment/ca-25696|title=A Wobbly Start, That's for Sure|last=Rosenberg|first=Howard|date=August 25, 1997|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110520043042/http://articles.latimes.com/1997/aug/25/entertainment/ca-25696|archive-date=May 20, 2011|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> she has a relationship with a Hispanic [[personal trainer]] and frequently talks about having sex with him.<ref name="Source6" /><ref name="HighBeam2" /> References to the dating company's history and the Baldwins' involvement were removed from the series.<ref name="Source7" /> For the second version of the pilot, LaRue was added to the show after her character ([[Maria Santos (All My Children)|Maria Santos]]) was removed from the soap opera ''[[All My Children]]''.<ref name="Source7">{{cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/new-star-sun-roseanne-appearing-3rd-rock-opener-article-1.772968|title=New Star for 'Sun': Roseanne Appearing in '3rd Rock' Opener|date=August 12, 1997|website=[[New York Daily News]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180723032848/http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/new-star-sun-roseanne-appearing-3rd-rock-opener-article-1.772968|archive-date=July 23, 2018|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name="SourcePeople11">{{cite web|url=https://people.com/archive/picks-and-pans-review-talking-with-vol-48-no-10/|title=Picks and Pans Review: Talking With...|date=September 8, 1997|website=[[People (magazine)|People]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180726010543/https://people.com/archive/picks-and-pans-review-talking-with-vol-48-no-10/|archive-date=July 26, 2018|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
During production, [[Connie Stevens]] was set to play the Baldwins' mother in a [[recurring role]].<ref name="Source7" /><ref name="HighBeam2" /> A writer for [[Turner Classic Movies]] described the show as "resurrect[ing] [Stevens's] acting career".<ref name="Source13">{{cite web|url=http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/186790%7C0/Michael-Sullivan/|title=Biography|publisher=[[Turner Classic Movies]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171023222150/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/186790%7C0/Michael-Sullivan/|archive-date=October 23, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> Although [[United Paramount Network]]{{nbsp}}(UPN) had ordered ''Head over Heels'' due to Stevens,<ref name="Source7" /> the network removed her from the project following what it described as "a creative change". In the series's original pilot episode, the mother is the dating agency's original owner who passes it on to her sons.<ref name="Source7" /> A "cavorting bimbo of a mother",<ref name="SourceWobbly">{{cite web|url=http://articles.latimes.com/1997/aug/25/entertainment/ca-25696|title=A Wobbly Start, That's for Sure|last=Rosenberg|first=Howard|date=August 25, 1997|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110520043042/http://articles.latimes.com/1997/aug/25/entertainment/ca-25696|archive-date=May 20, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> she has a relationship with a Hispanic [[personal trainer]] and frequently talks about having sex with him.<ref name="Source6" /><ref name="HighBeam2" /> References to the dating company's history and the Baldwins' involvement were removed from the series.<ref name="Source7" /> For the second version of the pilot, LaRue was added to the show after her character ([[Maria Santos (All My Children)|Maria Santos]]) was removed from the soap opera ''[[All My Children]]''.<ref name="Source7">{{cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/new-star-sun-roseanne-appearing-3rd-rock-opener-article-1.772968|title=New Star for 'Sun': Roseanne Appearing in '3rd Rock' Opener|date=August 12, 1997|website=[[New York Daily News]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180723032848/http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/new-star-sun-roseanne-appearing-3rd-rock-opener-article-1.772968|archive-date=July 23, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="SourcePeople11">{{cite web|url=https://people.com/archive/picks-and-pans-review-talking-with-vol-48-no-10/|title=Picks and Pans Review: Talking With...|date=September 8, 1997|website=[[People (magazine)|People]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180726010543/https://people.com/archive/picks-and-pans-review-talking-with-vol-48-no-10/|archive-date=July 26, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>


== Episodes ==
== Episodes ==
Line 64: Line 66:
|DirectedBy = [[Matthew Diamond]]
|DirectedBy = [[Matthew Diamond]]
|WrittenBy = [[Jeff Franklin]]
|WrittenBy = [[Jeff Franklin]]
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1997|8|26}}<ref name="SourceTVGuide2">{{cite web|url=https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/head-over-heels/episodes/201910/|title=Episodes|website=[[TV Guide]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725215039/https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/head-over-heels/episodes/201910/|archive-date=July 25, 2018|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1997|8|26}}<ref name="SourceTVGuide2">{{cite web|url=https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/head-over-heels/episodes/201910/|title=Episodes|website=[[TV Guide]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725215039/https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/head-over-heels/episodes/201910/|archive-date=July 25, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|Viewers = 2.99<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41386194/the-los-angeles-times/|title=National Nielsen Viewership|date=September 4, 1997|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|department=Calendar Weekend|page=44|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
|Viewers = 2.99<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41386194/the-los-angeles-times/|title=National Nielsen Viewership|date=September 4, 1997|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|department=Calendar Weekend|page=44|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
|ShortSummary = Although Warren Baldwin institutes a policy banning Head over Heels employees from dating clients, he is unable to adhere to it himself.
|ShortSummary = Although Warren Baldwin institutes a policy banning Head over Heels employees from dating clients, he is unable to adhere to it himself.
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[[File:Actor Patrick Bristow.jpg|right|thumb|upright|[[Patrick Bristow]] plays a bisexual man on ''Head over Heels'', one of 30 U.S. shows in the 1997–1998 television season with an LBGT character.<ref name="HighBeam6" />|alt=A black-and-white image of a man with short dark hair and a sweater with a white shirt underneath. He is looking toward the camera.]]
[[File:Actor Patrick Bristow.jpg|right|thumb|upright|[[Patrick Bristow]] plays a bisexual man on ''Head over Heels'', one of 30 U.S. shows in the 1997–1998 television season with an LBGT character.<ref name="HighBeam6" />|alt=A black-and-white image of a man with short dark hair and a sweater with a white shirt underneath. He is looking toward the camera.]]


UPN ordered three new sitcoms for the 1997–1998 television season: ''Head over Heels'', ''[[Hitz]]'', and [[Good News (TV series)|''Good News'']].<ref name="Source16">{{cite web|url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1997-05-21/lifestyle/9705200218_1_upn-claude-brooks-wb|title=UPN: Three New Shows, 'Clueless'|last=Jicha|first=Tom|date=May 21, 1997|website=[[Sun-Sentinel]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180723033935/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1997-05-21/lifestyle/9705200218_1_upn-claude-brooks-wb|archive-date=July 23, 2018|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> They were part of the network's decision to expand its prime-time schedule to four nights a week.<ref name="Source8">{{cite web|url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1997-05-21/news/9705210122_1_three-new-comedy-series-hitz-united-paramount-network|title=UPN Expanding Prime-time Offerings|date=May 21, 1997|website=[[Chicago Tribune]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151019171302/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1997-05-21/news/9705210122_1_three-new-comedy-series-hitz-united-paramount-network|archive-date=October 19, 2015|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Although UPN targeted its programming at African-American audiences, ''Head over Heels'' does not feature a black actor.<ref name="HighBeam2">{{cite news|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-736467.html|title=UPN Trots Out Three New Sitcoms; 'Clueless' Joins Next Month|last=Hill|first=Michael E.|date=August 24, 1997|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725213544/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-736467.html|archive-date=July 25, 2018|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all|url-access=subscription|via=[[HighBeam Research]]}}</ref> Network president Dean Valentine denied accusations from "industry observers" that he was "abandoning the black audience or turning down projects featuring black stars and producers".<ref name="HighBeam3">{{cite web|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4411189.html|title=UPN denies giving up on its black viewers|last=Braxton|first=Greg|date=December 20, 1997|website=[[Chicago Sun-Times]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313055006/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4411189.html|archive-date=March 13, 2016|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all|url-access=subscription|via=[[HighBeam Research]]}}</ref>
UPN ordered three new sitcoms for the 1997–1998 television season: ''Head over Heels'', ''[[Hitz]]'', and [[Good News (TV series)|''Good News'']].<ref name="Source16">{{cite web|url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1997-05-21/lifestyle/9705200218_1_upn-claude-brooks-wb|title=UPN: Three New Shows, 'Clueless'|last=Jicha|first=Tom|date=May 21, 1997|website=[[Sun-Sentinel]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180723033935/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1997-05-21/lifestyle/9705200218_1_upn-claude-brooks-wb|archive-date=July 23, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> They were part of the network's decision to expand its prime-time schedule to four nights a week.<ref name="Source8">{{cite web|url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1997-05-21/news/9705210122_1_three-new-comedy-series-hitz-united-paramount-network|title=UPN Expanding Prime-time Offerings|date=May 21, 1997|website=[[Chicago Tribune]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151019171302/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1997-05-21/news/9705210122_1_three-new-comedy-series-hitz-united-paramount-network|archive-date=October 19, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> Although UPN targeted its programming at African-American audiences, ''Head over Heels'' does not feature a black actor.<ref name="HighBeam2">{{cite news|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-736467.html|title=UPN Trots Out Three New Sitcoms; 'Clueless' Joins Next Month|last=Hill|first=Michael E.|date=August 24, 1997|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725213544/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-736467.html|archive-date=July 25, 2018|url-status=dead|url-access=subscription|via=[[HighBeam Research]]}}</ref> Network president Dean Valentine denied accusations from "industry observers" that he was "abandoning the black audience or turning down projects featuring black stars and producers".<ref name="HighBeam3">{{cite web|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4411189.html|title=UPN denies giving up on its black viewers|last=Braxton|first=Greg|date=December 20, 1997|website=[[Chicago Sun-Times]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313055006/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4411189.html|archive-date=March 13, 2016|url-status=dead|url-access=subscription|via=[[HighBeam Research]]}}</ref>


''Head over Heels'' was one of 30 U.S. programs that season to feature a gay, lesbian or bisexual character through its inclusion of Ian.<ref name="HighBeam6">{{cite web|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-19684419.html|title=TV finds more room for gays; GLAAD says record 30 gay characters will be featured in new and returning shows. (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, 1997–98 season)|date=August 18, 1997|website=[[Broadcasting & Cable]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725213544/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-19684419.html|archive-date=July 25, 2018|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all|url-access=subscription|via=[[HighBeam Research]]}}</ref> About the character's sexuality, Patrick Bristow said he has "a rich, rich and spotted past".<ref name="HighBeam2" /> Sociologist [[Suzanna Danuta Walters]] wrote that Ian and Josh Nicolé Blair (in the sitcom ''[[Veronica's Closet]]'') represented a trend in which "homosexuality is a [[running gag]]", and characters were in denial about their sexuality.<ref name="Book1">[[#Walters2003|Walters (2003)]]: p. 117</ref>
''Head over Heels'' was one of 30 U.S. programs that season to feature a gay, lesbian or bisexual character through its inclusion of Ian.<ref name="HighBeam6">{{cite web|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-19684419.html|title=TV finds more room for gays; GLAAD says record 30 gay characters will be featured in new and returning shows. (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, 1997–98 season)|date=August 18, 1997|website=[[Broadcasting & Cable]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725213544/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-19684419.html|archive-date=July 25, 2018|url-status=dead|url-access=subscription|via=[[HighBeam Research]]}}</ref> About the character's sexuality, Patrick Bristow said he has "a rich, rich and spotted past".<ref name="HighBeam2" /> Sociologist [[Suzanna Danuta Walters]] wrote that Ian and Josh Nicolé Blair (in the sitcom ''[[Veronica's Closet]]'') represented a trend in which "homosexuality is a [[running gag]]", and characters were in denial about their sexuality.<ref name="Book1">[[#Walters2003|Walters (2003)]]: p. 117</ref>


Airing after ''Hitz'',<ref name="Source2" /> ''Head over Heels'' was broadcast on Tuesdays at 9:30{{nbsp}}pm{{nbsp}}[[Eastern Time Zone|EST]];<ref name="Source1" /> it was originally scheduled for 8:30{{nbsp}}pm.<ref name="Source15" /><ref name="HighBeam1" /> The series had a [[TV-PG]]{{nbsp}}parental rating<ref name="Source10">{{cite web|url=http://www.southcoasttoday.com/article/19970826/News/308269933|title='Hitz': New UPN sitcom has feet of (Andrew Dice) Clay|date=August 26, 1997|website=[[The Standard-Times (New Bedford)|The Standard-Times]]|access-date=July 22, 2018}}</ref> for suggestive language and sexual situations;<ref name="HighBeam7" /> the ''[[Deseret News]]''{{'}}s Scott Pierce felt that it should have received a [[TV 14|TV-14]] rating for its sexual content.<ref name="Source14">{{cite web|url=https://www.deseretnews.com/article/579171/UPN-premieres-3-new-sitcoms.com|title=UPN premieres 3 new sitcoms|last=Pierce|first=Scott|date=August 25, 1997|website=[[Deseret News]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180723033935/https://www.deseretnews.com/article/579171/UPN-premieres-3-new-sitcoms.com|archive-date=July 23, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> The series attracted a weekly average of 2.3{{nbsp}}million viewers.<ref name="Source5" /> It tied with [[Alright Already (TV series)|''Alright Already'']] as the lowest-performing show (tracked by [[Nielsen Holdings]]) of the season. The overall viewing figures for both shows was 2.7{{nbsp}}million viewers.<ref name="Source12">{{cite magazine|url=http://ew.com/article/1998/05/29/what-ranked-and-what-tanked/|title=What ranked and what tanked|date=May 29, 1998|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180712024225/http://ew.com/article/1998/05/29/what-ranked-and-what-tanked/|archive-date=July 12, 2018|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
Airing after ''Hitz'',<ref name="Source2" /> ''Head over Heels'' was broadcast on Tuesdays at 9:30{{nbsp}}pm{{nbsp}}[[Eastern Time Zone|EST]];<ref name="Source1" /> it was originally scheduled for 8:30{{nbsp}}pm.<ref name="Source15" /><ref name="HighBeam1" /> The series had a [[TV-PG]]{{nbsp}}parental rating<ref name="Source10">{{cite web|url=http://www.southcoasttoday.com/article/19970826/News/308269933|title='Hitz': New UPN sitcom has feet of (Andrew Dice) Clay|date=August 26, 1997|website=[[The Standard-Times (New Bedford)|The Standard-Times]]|access-date=July 22, 2018}}</ref> for suggestive language and sexual situations;<ref name="HighBeam7" /> the ''[[Deseret News]]''{{'}}s Scott Pierce felt that it should have received a [[TV 14|TV-14]] rating for its sexual content.<ref name="Source14">{{cite web|url=https://www.deseretnews.com/article/579171/UPN-premieres-3-new-sitcoms.com|title=UPN premieres 3 new sitcoms|last=Pierce|first=Scott|date=August 25, 1997|website=[[Deseret News]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180723033935/https://www.deseretnews.com/article/579171/UPN-premieres-3-new-sitcoms.com|archive-date=July 23, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> The series attracted a weekly average of 2.3{{nbsp}}million viewers.<ref name="Source5" /> It tied with [[Alright Already (TV series)|''Alright Already'']] as the lowest-performing show (tracked by [[Nielsen Holdings]]) of the season. The overall viewing figures for both shows was 2.7{{nbsp}}million viewers.<ref name="Source12">{{cite magazine|url=http://ew.com/article/1998/05/29/what-ranked-and-what-tanked/|title=What ranked and what tanked|date=May 29, 1998|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180712024225/http://ew.com/article/1998/05/29/what-ranked-and-what-tanked/|archive-date=July 12, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>


''Head over Heels'' was the first casualty of the 1997–1998 season.<ref name="Source5">{{cite web|url=https://www.eonline.com/news/35274/upn-clubs-head-gumbel-s-got-droopy-eye|title=UPN Clubs "Head"; Gumbel's Got Droopy "Eye"|last=Ryan|first=Joal|date=October 3, 1997|website=[[E! News]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180614180248/https://www.eonline.com/news/35274/upn-clubs-head-gumbel-s-got-droopy-eye|archive-date=June 14, 2018|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name="Source11">{{cite web|url=https://people.com/archive/worst-of-tube-vol-48-no-26/|title=Worst of Tube|date=December 29, 1997|website=[[People (magazine)|People]]|access-date=July 22, 2018}}</ref> Although 13 episodes were ordered,<ref name="Source5" /> only eight were broadcast.<ref name="SourceTVGuide2" /> Despite reports that the series would air through November,<ref name="Source5" /> its final episode was shown on October 28, 1997.<ref name="SourceTVGuide2" /> Dobson and Whitfield appeared in all eight episodes, Bristow appeared in seven, and Ambuehl and LaRue appeared in four.<ref name="SourceTVGuide1">{{cite web|url=https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/head-over-heels/cast/201910/|title=Cast|website=[[TV Guide]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725215039/https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/head-over-heels/cast/201910/|archive-date=July 25, 2018|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
''Head over Heels'' was the first casualty of the 1997–1998 season.<ref name="Source5">{{cite web|url=https://www.eonline.com/news/35274/upn-clubs-head-gumbel-s-got-droopy-eye|title=UPN Clubs "Head"; Gumbel's Got Droopy "Eye"|last=Ryan|first=Joal|date=October 3, 1997|website=[[E! News]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180614180248/https://www.eonline.com/news/35274/upn-clubs-head-gumbel-s-got-droopy-eye|archive-date=June 14, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Source11">{{cite web|url=https://people.com/archive/worst-of-tube-vol-48-no-26/|title=Worst of Tube|date=December 29, 1997|website=[[People (magazine)|People]]|access-date=July 22, 2018}}</ref> Although 13 episodes were ordered,<ref name="Source5" /> only eight were broadcast.<ref name="SourceTVGuide2" /> Despite reports that the series would air through November,<ref name="Source5" /> its final episode was shown on October 28, 1997.<ref name="SourceTVGuide2" /> Dobson and Whitfield appeared in all eight episodes, Bristow appeared in seven, and Ambuehl and LaRue appeared in four.<ref name="SourceTVGuide1">{{cite web|url=https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/head-over-heels/cast/201910/|title=Cast|website=[[TV Guide]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725215039/https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/head-over-heels/cast/201910/|archive-date=July 25, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>


== Critical reception ==
== Critical reception ==


The series received negative reviews from television critics; according to ''[[E! News]]''{{'}}s Joal Ryan, it was known as the "Worst New Show of the Season" during its debut.<ref name="Source5" /> Criticism was primarily directed at its sexual humor,<ref name="Source2" /><ref name="Source9" /><ref name="Source14" /><ref name="Source11" /> such as a ''Deseret News'' writer criticizing its "tasteless, vulgar jokes about sexual performance, orgasms and bodily functions".<ref name="SourceDeseretNewsMoreandMore">{{cite web|url=https://www.deseretnews.com/article/580396/UPN-is-making-changes-but-not-enough.html|title=UPN is making changes but not enough|date=September 1, 1997|website=[[Deseret News]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180726010542/https://www.deseretnews.com/article/580396/UPN-is-making-changes-but-not-enough.html|archive-date=July 26, 2018|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Citing it as one of season's worst half-hour shows, the ''Rocky Mountain News''{{'}}s Dusty Saunders described ''Head over Heels'' as an unsuccessful attempt to emulate ''Friends''.<ref name="HighBeam1" /> Howard Rosenberg of the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' dismissed the show as "the mother of all asinine sitcoms [and] a show with as much weight as a G-string".<ref name="SourceWobbly" /> ''Head over Heels'' did receive some positive remarks.<ref name="Source1" /><ref name="Source4" /> Despite calling the show a miss for UPN, Tom Shales wrote that its humor was not as "ugly and vicious" as the sitcom ''Hitz''; he also praised Patrick Bristow's [[scene stealer]] and Valentina's technological aptitude as "a cute touch".<ref name="Source4" /> The [[opening titles]] received praise from Adam Sandler of [[Variety (magazine)|''Variety'']], who described it as "stylish and provocative" and comparable to those for the crime drama ''[[Silk Stalkings]]''.<ref name="Source1" />
The series received negative reviews from television critics; according to ''[[E! News]]''{{'}}s Joal Ryan, it was known as the "Worst New Show of the Season" during its debut.<ref name="Source5" /> Criticism was primarily directed at its sexual humor,<ref name="Source2" /><ref name="Source9" /><ref name="Source14" /><ref name="Source11" /> such as a ''Deseret News'' writer criticizing its "tasteless, vulgar jokes about sexual performance, orgasms and bodily functions".<ref name="SourceDeseretNewsMoreandMore">{{cite web|url=https://www.deseretnews.com/article/580396/UPN-is-making-changes-but-not-enough.html|title=UPN is making changes but not enough|date=September 1, 1997|website=[[Deseret News]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180726010542/https://www.deseretnews.com/article/580396/UPN-is-making-changes-but-not-enough.html|archive-date=July 26, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Citing it as one of season's worst half-hour shows, the ''Rocky Mountain News''{{'}}s Dusty Saunders described ''Head over Heels'' as an unsuccessful attempt to emulate ''Friends''.<ref name="HighBeam1" /> Howard Rosenberg of the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' dismissed the show as "the mother of all asinine sitcoms [and] a show with as much weight as a G-string".<ref name="SourceWobbly" /> ''Head over Heels'' did receive some positive remarks.<ref name="Source1" /><ref name="Source4" /> Despite calling the show a miss for UPN, Tom Shales wrote that its humor was not as "ugly and vicious" as the sitcom ''Hitz''; he also praised Patrick Bristow's [[scene stealer]] and Valentina's technological aptitude as "a cute touch".<ref name="Source4" /> The [[opening titles]] received praise from Adam Sandler of [[Variety (magazine)|''Variety'']], who described it as "stylish and provocative" and comparable to those for the crime drama ''[[Silk Stalkings]]''.<ref name="Source1" />


Critics disliked the show's characters and called the female characterizations [[Sexism|sexist]].<ref name="Source6" /><ref name="HighBeam7" /> David Zurawik of ''[[The Baltimore Sun]]'' singled out Valentina and the Baldwins' mother as examples of the series's poor representation of women. He was critical of the sexualization of Valentina, and the fact that the Baldwins' mother is defined through her relationship to her boyfriend.<ref name="Source6" /> Sandler and the ''[[Los Angeles Daily News]]''{{'}}s Keith Marder felt that the show's characters relied on clichés.<ref name="Source1" /><ref name="HighBeam5">{{cite web|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-83878851.html|title=Season's Best, Worst Shows|last=Marder|first=Keith|date=September 14, 1997|website=[[Los Angeles Daily News]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725213544/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-83878851.html|archive-date=July 25, 2018|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all|url-access=subscription|via=[[HighBeam Research]]}}</ref> Marder summed up the series as "a mess of ridiculous caricatures and poor taste".<ref name="HighBeam5" />
Critics disliked the show's characters and called the female characterizations [[Sexism|sexist]].<ref name="Source6" /><ref name="HighBeam7" /> David Zurawik of ''[[The Baltimore Sun]]'' singled out Valentina and the Baldwins' mother as examples of the series's poor representation of women. He was critical of the sexualization of Valentina, and the fact that the Baldwins' mother is defined through her relationship to her boyfriend.<ref name="Source6" /> Sandler and the ''[[Los Angeles Daily News]]''{{'}}s Keith Marder felt that the show's characters relied on clichés.<ref name="Source1" /><ref name="HighBeam5">{{cite web|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-83878851.html|title=Season's Best, Worst Shows|last=Marder|first=Keith|date=September 14, 1997|website=[[Los Angeles Daily News]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725213544/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-83878851.html|archive-date=July 25, 2018|url-status=dead|url-access=subscription|via=[[HighBeam Research]]}}</ref> Marder summed up the series as "a mess of ridiculous caricatures and poor taste".<ref name="HighBeam5" />


== References ==
== References ==

Revision as of 01:00, 28 October 2022

For other uses, see Head over Heels.

Head over Heels
An image of multiple characters—three men and two women—as they pose in front of a blue/white background. The words "Head Over Heels" appear at the bottom of the image in black text. The image of the cast is in a blue frame.
Promotional image
GenreSitcom
Created byJeff Franklin
StarringPeter Dobson
Mitchell Whitfield
Eva LaRue
Cindy Ambuehl
Patrick Bristow
ComposersPaul Buckley
Jonathan Wolff
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes8 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producerJeff Franklin
ProducersPamela Putch
Andrew Gottlieb
Vince Cheung and Ben Montanio
Production locationsLos Angeles, California
Camera setupMulti-camera
Running time30 minutes
Production companiesJeff Franklin Productions
Columbia TriStar Television
Original release
NetworkUPN
ReleaseAugust 26 (1997-08-26) –
October 28, 1997 (1997-10-28)

Head over Heels is an American television sitcom created by Jeff Franklin that aired on United Paramount Network (UPN) from August 26 to October 28, 1997. The series is set in the eponymous video dating agency based in Miami Beach, Florida, and run by brothers Jack and Warren Baldwin (played by Peter Dobson and Mitchell Whitfield, respectively). The remainder of the cast consists of their employees, played by Eva LaRue, Patrick Bristow, and Cindy Ambuehl. Connie Stevens was initially cast as the Baldwins' mother, but never appeared in the show after the pilot was rewritten. Andrew Gottlieb was a co-producer, and Vince Cheung and Ben Montanio were consulting producers.

The sitcom was the lowest-performing series tracked by Nielsen Holdings for the 1997–1998 television season. Since UPN primarily marketed its programming to African-American audiences, critics questioned the show's lack of a black main character. With its inclusion of Ian, Head over Heels was one of 30 U.S. programs to feature a gay, lesbian or bisexual character that television season. It received a negative response from commentators, who criticized its sex comedy and characters.

Premise and characters

Set in Miami Beach,[1] the series is about the Head over Heels video dating agency, operated by brothers Jack and Warren Baldwin (Peter Dobson and Mitchell Whitfield, respectively).[2][3] Portrayed as opposites of one another,[4] Warren is more involved in managing the agency than Jack.[1][5] While Jack dates female clients,[2][6] Warren still loves his estranged wife, who had an affair with a professional football player.[6]

The rest of the staff includes two romance counselors: Carmen (Eva LaRue) and Ian (Patrick Bristow).[1][3] A self-identified feminist,[7] Carmen is a PhD student studying human behavior and sexuality.[3] The bisexual, celibate Ian is frequently questioned about his sexuality,[1][2] and former stripper Valentina (Cindy Ambuehl) is a receptionist who is knowledgeable about computers.[3][5] Karen Dior and Bernie Kopell guest starred in the series as themselves.[8][9] Jim Lange, who Jack had idolized since childhood, also appears in an episode as himself.[9][10]

Head over Heels often relies on sex comedy,[1][5][11] leading The Washington Post's Tom Shales to describe it as a "smutcom".[5] Alan Frutkin of The Advocate compared the show to the sitcoms Friends and Married... with Children.[8] The pilot episode features Warren having sex with a client in his office despite the agency's dating policy,[3] and a bikini fashion show.[2][12] Storylines in other episodes include Jack using Cap'n Crunch as an alias in chat rooms to seduce women and Valentina saying she would open the mail topless for $1,000 a week.[7][13]

Production

A black-and-white image of a woman with long hair and a low-cut dress. She is smiling toward the camera.
Connie Stevens was removed from the show due to a "creative change".[14]

Montrose Productions produced Head over Heels in association with Jeff Franklin Productions and Columbia TriStar Television. Jeff Franklin was the show's creator and executive producer.[3] Referring to Franklin's work on the sitcom Full House, Dusty Saunders of the Rocky Mountain News wrote: "I still wonder if Franklin isn't ridding himself of a lot of sexual TV frustration, after all those years with fictional giddy family members."[15] Andrew Gottlieb co-produced the series, and Vince Cheung and Ben Montanio were consulting producers. Despite being set in Miami Beach, Head over Heels was filmed in Los Angeles.[3] Matthew Diamond directed three episodes, and Amanda Bearse and Asaad Kelada did one episode apiece.[9] Jonathan Wolf and Paul Buckley composed the series's music.[3]

During production, Connie Stevens was set to play the Baldwins' mother in a recurring role.[14][16] A writer for Turner Classic Movies described the show as "resurrect[ing] [Stevens's] acting career".[17] Although United Paramount Network (UPN) had ordered Head over Heels due to Stevens,[14] the network removed her from the project following what it described as "a creative change". In the series's original pilot episode, the mother is the dating agency's original owner who passes it on to her sons.[14] A "cavorting bimbo of a mother",[12] she has a relationship with a Hispanic personal trainer and frequently talks about having sex with him.[6][16] References to the dating company's history and the Baldwins' involvement were removed from the series.[14] For the second version of the pilot, LaRue was added to the show after her character (Maria Santos) was removed from the soap opera All My Children.[14][18]

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateUS viewers
(millions)
1"One Down"Matthew DiamondJeff FranklinAugust 26, 1997 (1997-08-26)[9]2.99[19]
Although Warren Baldwin institutes a policy banning Head over Heels employees from dating clients, he is unable to adhere to it himself.
2"Gigolo Guy"Matthew DiamondJon RossSeptember 2, 1997 (1997-09-02)[9]3.13[20]
Jack Baldwin is targeted by a photo-studio owner, and Ian's macho brother visits the agency.
3"Game Show Guy"Amanda BearseMark LaVine & Eddie RingSeptember 9, 1997 (1997-09-09)[9]2.71[21]
Warren hosts a game show based on the dating service.
4"Vice Guy"Paul KreppelFran KauferSeptember 16, 1997 (1997-09-16)[9]2.56[22]
Jack encourages his employees to give up their vices for a week.
5"Witness Guy"Matthew DiamondAndrew GottliebSeptember 23, 1997 (1997-09-23)[9]2.92[23]
The agency works with a client who is in the witness protection program.
6"Hot Guy"Paul KreppelDean YoungSeptember 30, 1997 (1997-09-30)[9]3.22[24]
Valentina and Carmen fight over an attractive client.
7"Spider Guy"Asaad KeladaChris BrownOctober 14, 1997 (1997-10-14)[9]2.77[25]
When Warren is hospitalized, Jack is in charge of the agency. His employees are concerned about his unorthodox business practices, including recruiting clients from a retirement home.
8"Reunion Guy"Mark K. SamuelsBob Perlow & Mike BorassiOctober 28, 1997 (1997-10-28)[9]2.89[26]
At their high-school reunion, Warren and Jack try to impress their former classmates by proving that they are successful and desirable.

Broadcast history

A black-and-white image of a man with short dark hair and a sweater with a white shirt underneath. He is looking toward the camera.
Patrick Bristow plays a bisexual man on Head over Heels, one of 30 U.S. shows in the 1997–1998 television season with an LBGT character.[27]

UPN ordered three new sitcoms for the 1997–1998 television season: Head over Heels, Hitz, and Good News.[28] They were part of the network's decision to expand its prime-time schedule to four nights a week.[29] Although UPN targeted its programming at African-American audiences, Head over Heels does not feature a black actor.[16] Network president Dean Valentine denied accusations from "industry observers" that he was "abandoning the black audience or turning down projects featuring black stars and producers".[30]

Head over Heels was one of 30 U.S. programs that season to feature a gay, lesbian or bisexual character through its inclusion of Ian.[27] About the character's sexuality, Patrick Bristow said he has "a rich, rich and spotted past".[16] Sociologist Suzanna Danuta Walters wrote that Ian and Josh Nicolé Blair (in the sitcom Veronica's Closet) represented a trend in which "homosexuality is a running gag", and characters were in denial about their sexuality.[31]

Airing after Hitz,[1] Head over Heels was broadcast on Tuesdays at 9:30 pm EST;[3] it was originally scheduled for 8:30 pm.[4][15] The series had a TV-PG parental rating[32] for suggestive language and sexual situations;[7] the Deseret News's Scott Pierce felt that it should have received a TV-14 rating for its sexual content.[13] The series attracted a weekly average of 2.3 million viewers.[11] It tied with Alright Already as the lowest-performing show (tracked by Nielsen Holdings) of the season. The overall viewing figures for both shows was 2.7 million viewers.[33]

Head over Heels was the first casualty of the 1997–1998 season.[11][34] Although 13 episodes were ordered,[11] only eight were broadcast.[9] Despite reports that the series would air through November,[11] its final episode was shown on October 28, 1997.[9] Dobson and Whitfield appeared in all eight episodes, Bristow appeared in seven, and Ambuehl and LaRue appeared in four.[35]

Critical reception

The series received negative reviews from television critics; according to E! News's Joal Ryan, it was known as the "Worst New Show of the Season" during its debut.[11] Criticism was primarily directed at its sexual humor,[1][2][13][34] such as a Deseret News writer criticizing its "tasteless, vulgar jokes about sexual performance, orgasms and bodily functions".[36] Citing it as one of season's worst half-hour shows, the Rocky Mountain News's Dusty Saunders described Head over Heels as an unsuccessful attempt to emulate Friends.[15] Howard Rosenberg of the Los Angeles Times dismissed the show as "the mother of all asinine sitcoms [and] a show with as much weight as a G-string".[12] Head over Heels did receive some positive remarks.[3][5] Despite calling the show a miss for UPN, Tom Shales wrote that its humor was not as "ugly and vicious" as the sitcom Hitz; he also praised Patrick Bristow's scene stealer and Valentina's technological aptitude as "a cute touch".[5] The opening titles received praise from Adam Sandler of Variety, who described it as "stylish and provocative" and comparable to those for the crime drama Silk Stalkings.[3]

Critics disliked the show's characters and called the female characterizations sexist.[6][7] David Zurawik of The Baltimore Sun singled out Valentina and the Baldwins' mother as examples of the series's poor representation of women. He was critical of the sexualization of Valentina, and the fact that the Baldwins' mother is defined through her relationship to her boyfriend.[6] Sandler and the Los Angeles Daily News's Keith Marder felt that the show's characters relied on clichés.[3][37] Marder summed up the series as "a mess of ridiculous caricatures and poor taste".[37]

References

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Boedeker, Hal (August 26, 1997). "UPN Goes On The Offensive With Its 2 Foul And Repulsive Sitcoms UPN". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on June 14, 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d e Carman, John (August 25, 1997). "UPN Stoops To Conquer Good Taste". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on July 23, 2018.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Sandler, Adam (August 26, 1997). "Head Over Heels". Variety. Archived from the original on June 14, 2018.
  4. ^ a b Pierce, Scott D. (May 21, 1997). "UPN adds 4 more sitcoms". Deseret News. Archived from the original on July 23, 2018.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Shales, Tom (August 25, 1997). "UPN Fall Scoreboard: 1 Hit, 2 Misses". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on July 23, 2018.
  6. ^ a b c d e Zurawik, David (August 25, 1997). "UPN specializing in crude sitcoms Previews: If Andrew (Dice) Clay is your cup of tea, you'll gulp down UPN's latest lemons". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on July 23, 2018.
  7. ^ a b c d Grahnke, Lon (August 26, 1997). "Dating games fall flat in 'Heels'". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on July 25, 2018 – via HighBeam Research.
  8. ^ a b Frutkin, Alan (September 16, 1997). "The Best Fall Television". The Advocate (742): 55. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Episodes". TV Guide. Archived from the original on July 25, 2018.
  10. ^ Terrace (2009): p. 657
  11. ^ a b c d e f Ryan, Joal (October 3, 1997). "UPN Clubs "Head"; Gumbel's Got Droopy "Eye"". E! News. Archived from the original on June 14, 2018.
  12. ^ a b c Rosenberg, Howard (August 25, 1997). "A Wobbly Start, That's for Sure". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on May 20, 2011.
  13. ^ a b c Pierce, Scott (August 25, 1997). "UPN premieres 3 new sitcoms". Deseret News. Archived from the original on July 23, 2018.
  14. ^ a b c d e f "New Star for 'Sun': Roseanne Appearing in '3rd Rock' Opener". New York Daily News. August 12, 1997. Archived from the original on July 23, 2018.
  15. ^ a b c Saunders, Dusty (August 25, 1997). "UPN stumbles with 'Head Over Heels'". Rocky Mountain News. Archived from the original on July 25, 2018 – via HighBeam Research.
  16. ^ a b c d Hill, Michael E. (August 24, 1997). "UPN Trots Out Three New Sitcoms; 'Clueless' Joins Next Month". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on July 25, 2018 – via HighBeam Research.
  17. ^ "Biography". Turner Classic Movies. Archived from the original on October 23, 2017.
  18. ^ "Picks and Pans Review: Talking With..." People. September 8, 1997. Archived from the original on July 26, 2018.
  19. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership". Calendar Weekend. Los Angeles Times. September 4, 1997. p. 44 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership". Calendar Weekend. Los Angeles Times (Valley ed.). September 10, 1997. p. 60 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership". Los Angeles Times (Orange County ed.). September 17, 1997. p. F11 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership". Los Angeles Times (Orange County ed.). September 24, 1997. p. F11 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership". Los Angeles Times (Orange County ed.). October 1, 1997. p. F13 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership". Los Angeles Times (Orange County ed.). October 8, 1997. p. F13 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership". Los Angeles Times. October 22, 1997. p. F10 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership". Los Angeles Times (Orange County ed.). November 5, 1997. p. F11 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. ^ a b "TV finds more room for gays; GLAAD says record 30 gay characters will be featured in new and returning shows. (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, 1997–98 season)". Broadcasting & Cable. August 18, 1997. Archived from the original on July 25, 2018 – via HighBeam Research.
  28. ^ Jicha, Tom (May 21, 1997). "UPN: Three New Shows, 'Clueless'". Sun-Sentinel. Archived from the original on July 23, 2018.
  29. ^ "UPN Expanding Prime-time Offerings". Chicago Tribune. May 21, 1997. Archived from the original on October 19, 2015.
  30. ^ Braxton, Greg (December 20, 1997). "UPN denies giving up on its black viewers". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on March 13, 2016 – via HighBeam Research.
  31. ^ Walters (2003): p. 117
  32. ^ "'Hitz': New UPN sitcom has feet of (Andrew Dice) Clay". The Standard-Times. August 26, 1997. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
  33. ^ "What ranked and what tanked". Entertainment Weekly. May 29, 1998. Archived from the original on July 12, 2018.
  34. ^ a b "Worst of Tube". People. December 29, 1997. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
  35. ^ "Cast". TV Guide. Archived from the original on July 25, 2018.
  36. ^ "UPN is making changes but not enough". Deseret News. September 1, 1997. Archived from the original on July 26, 2018.
  37. ^ a b Marder, Keith (September 14, 1997). "Season's Best, Worst Shows". Los Angeles Daily News. Archived from the original on July 25, 2018 – via HighBeam Research.

Book sources

  • Terrace, Vincent (2009). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 Through 2007: F–L. Jefferson: McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-3305-6.
  • Walters, Suzanna Danuta (2003). All the Rage: The Story of Gay Visibility in America. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-87232-2.
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