Chicken Soup (TV series)
| Chicken Soup | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Sitcom |
| Created by | Saul Turteltaub Bernie Orenstein |
| Written by | Paul Perlove |
| Directed by | Terry Hughes Alan Rafkin |
| Starring | Jackie Mason Lynn Redgrave Rita Karin Kathryn Erbe Johnny Pinto Alisan Porter Brandon Maggart Cathy Lind Hayes |
| Composer | Gordon Lustig |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 12 (4 unaired) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Saul Turteltaub Bernie Orenstein Marcy Carsey Tom Werner |
| Producers | Gayle S. Maffeo Faye Oshima Belyeu |
| Camera setup | Multi-camera |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Production company | Carsey-Werner Company |
| Original release | |
| Network | ABC |
| Release | September 12 – November 7, 1989 |
Chicken Soup is an American sitcom starring Jackie Mason and Lynn Redgrave. It aired on ABC from September 12 to November 7, 1989.
Premise
[edit]The series focuses on the interfaith relationship of a middle-aged Jewish man, Jackie (Mason), and an Irish Catholic woman, Maddie (Redgrave). Episodes centered around humorous situations and obstacles caused by the couple's different religions.
Cast
[edit]- Jackie Mason as Jackie Fisher
- Lynn Redgrave as Maddie Peerce
- Rita Karin as Bea Fisher
- Kathryn Erbe as Patricia Peerce
- Johnny Pinto as Donnie Peerce
- Alisan Porter as Molly Peerce
- Brandon Maggart as Mike Donovan
- Cathy Lind Hayes as Barbara Donovan
Episodes
[edit]| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | U.S. viewers (millions) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Pilot" | Terry Hughes | Saul Turteltaub Bernie Orenstein | September 12, 1989 | 31.0[1] | |
|
Jackie Fisher and Maddie Peerce meet and fall in love. The catch: Jackie is Jewish and Maddie is Irish Catholic. | ||||||
| 2 | "The Dinner" | Alan Rafkin | Paul Perlove | September 19, 1989 | 27.4[2] | |
|
Jackie and Maddie meet some friends for a dinner full of mishaps; Donnie and Patricia are sure that the couple is doomed. | ||||||
| 3 | "The Bartender" | Alan Rafkin | David Pollock & Elias Davis | September 26, 1989 | 28.6[3] | |
|
Jackie must play bartender when Maddie throws a girls-only party and the bartender fails to show up. | ||||||
| 4 | "The Reservation" | Alan Rafkin | Saul Turteltaub Bernie Orenstein | October 3, 1989 | 27.7[4] | |
|
Maddie and Jackie have problems at their favorite restaurant when neither makes a reservation. | ||||||
| 5 | "Double Date" | Alan Rafkin | Terri Collins & Bruce Reid Schaefer | October 10, 1989 | 27.8[5] | |
|
Maddie and Jackie set their best friends up with each other and take them on a double date. | ||||||
| 6 | "Take My Kids, Please" | Alan Rafkin | Jerry Ross | October 24, 1989 | 24.3[6] | |
|
After hearing her brother tell racist jokes, Maddie decides to make Jackie the godfather of her children. | ||||||
| 7 | "Bea Moves Out" | Alan Rafkin | Saul Turteltaub Bernie Orenstein | October 31, 1989 | 23.3[7] | |
|
Bea wants to be on her own and moves out of Jackie's apartment. | ||||||
| 8 | "Almost Father Jackie" | Alan Rafkin | Sam Denoff & Marc Sheffler | November 7, 1989 | 22.4[8] | |
|
Bea is upset that Jackie doesn't always act like a father. | ||||||
| 9 | "The Ralph Hearns Story" | Alan Rafkin | Manny Basanese | Unaired | N/A | |
| 10 | "Operation Jackie" | Alan Rafkin | N/A | Unaired | N/A | |
|
Maddie is concerned when she learns that Jackie needs surgery. | ||||||
| 11 | "Bea's Night Out" | Alan Rafkin | N/A | Unaired | N/A | |
|
Jackie stays up all night waiting and worrying when Bea doesn't come home. | ||||||
| 12 | "Community Service" | Alan Rafkin | Paul Perlove | Unaired | N/A | |
|
Bea is sentenced to community service for her role in a school prank. | ||||||
Controversy and cancellation
[edit]Chicken Soup was scheduled after the #1 primetime series Roseanne,[9] but was canceled because it could not hold a large-enough percentage of the audience from its lead-in and because of controversy over inflammatory remarks by Mason during the New York City Mayoral elections.[10]
References
[edit]- ^ "Hot Soup premieres at No. 2". Life. USA Today. September 20, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306249483. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
- ^ "Cosby reclaims the top spot". Life. USA Today. September 27, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306219214. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
- ^ "NBC wins but loses viewers". Life. USA Today. October 4, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306272544. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
- ^ "Baseball a base hit for NBC". Life. USA Today. October 11, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306274524. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
- ^ "ABC muscles way to the top". Life. USA Today. October 18, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306245968. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
- ^ "NBC's hits beat ABC baseball". Life. USA Today. November 1, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306260864. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
- ^ "NBC sweeps the week, 1-2-3". Life. USA Today. November 8, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306253813. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
- ^ "Brokaw still 3rd despite coup". Life. USA Today. November 15, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306265429. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
- ^ Oney, Steve (September 10, 1989). "Jackie Mason Stirs Up a Chancy 'Chicken Soup'". New York Times.
- ^ "Canned Soup". Time. November 20, 1989. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007.
External links
[edit]Categories:
- 1989 American television series debuts
- 1989 American television series endings
- 1980s American multi-camera sitcoms
- Christian and Jewish interfaith dialogue
- American English-language television shows
- American religious television series
- Religious comedy television series
- Jewish American television series
- Television series by Carsey-Werner Productions
- Television shows set in New York City
- American Broadcasting Company sitcoms