"Gimme a Break!" (1981) TV series 1981-1987

Creators:

Mort Lachman
Sy Rosen

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Release Date:

29 October 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Carl Kanisky is chief of police in Glenlawn, California. After the death of his wife, Margaret, he asks her friend...

Plot Keywords:

California | Housekeeper | Widower | Polish | African American

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 12 nominations

Cast

Nell Carter	...	Nellie Ruth 'Nell' Harper (137 episodes, 1981-1987)
Lara Jill Miller	...	Samantha 'Sam' Kanisky (107 episodes, 1981-1987)
Lauri Hendler	...	Julie Kanisky / ... (97 episodes, 1981-1986)
Kari Michaelson	...	Katie Kanisky (96 episodes, 1981-1986)
Dolph Sweet	...	Chief Carl Kanisky (83 episodes, 1981-1985)
John Hoyt	...	Grandpa Stanley Kanisky (78 episodes, 1982-1987)
Joseph Lawrence	...	Joey Donovan (77 episodes, 1983-1987)
Telma Hopkins	...	Addy Wilson (68 episodes, 1983-1987)
Howard Morton	...	Officer Ralph Simpson (50 episodes, 1981-1986)

Runtime:

30 min (137 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Metromedia Square - 5746 W. Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Alan Landsburg Productions

Trivia:

A running gag throughout the series involved the Kaniskys' goldfish, Gertrude. The fish died in the first episode only to keep coming back in subsequent episodes.

Goofs:

Continuity: The front door of the set has a brass mail slot, but exterior shots are of a door with no slot.

Quotes:

Samantha: What's a cliché?
Nell: [serving breakfast] A black woman serving pancakes to a white kid.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Soultaker (#11.1)" (1999)

Soundtrack:

Gimme a Break

reasonably funny

This was a reasonably funny comedy starring Nell Carter. A very young Joey Lawrence also appeared in it as a young street-hustler-turned-foster-kid-for-the-family. It was basic fare for a sitcom, featuring the cute kids, family values, and little lessons learned at the end of each episode. In the show, the chief of police's wife has just died, and he asks Nell (Nell Carter) to come in and work for him, helping him raise his three daughters in the process. Nell becomes sort of a mother figure for the girls, and everyone tries to learn from each other. There were some memorable episodes (such as when Samantha puts Joey in black face to get back at Nell, or when Nell undergoes hypnotherapy to remember where she had put something only to become helpless whenever someone knocked three times, or when the chief was on a stakeout with another officer and told him a horrible gay joke, only to learn that the other officer was gay), but the show was fairly standard. Nonetheless, I thought it was funny, and it managed to stand out due to its good cast and themes in its episodes and type of humor. It was sad when the actor who played the chief died. Jonathan Silverman was a good addition after that. I also love the grandfather character. He was funny, and changed as the show went on, from the senile old goat to a wise old man.

Unfortunately, the show went downhill after Nell and Addy moved to New York, and they changed the premise of the show. I didn't think it was as good after that, and I hardly watched it anymore.

Overall, anyone into '80s TV show might like this one. I used to enjoy watching it when I was younger. **1/2 out of ****