As for the episodes themselves: well, we're not talking the pinnacle of comedic performance here. The show is a lightweight, benign comedy about a guy who takes care of some kids (in a sense, it might be regarded as something of a companion to the Tony Danza vehicle Who's the Boss, which began airing at about the same time). The clothes are amazingly bad, and Charles especially is the epitome of over-the-top '80s prep with his suspenders and dorky shirt and sweater combinations.

In truth, the kids (especially Jonathan Ward as Douglas and Michael Pearlman as Jason) tend to steal the show, as much of the adult interaction seems a bit forced. The kids, however, chew the scenery with remarkable enthusiasm and Ward makes an excellent middle child/deranged nerd. Even Lila's dreamy confused teen is often worth a chuckle. Still, overall the cast occasionally lack a strong onscreen chemistry (undoubtedly one of the reasons CBS pulled the plug, and why when it returned Charles had a new "family").

While the characters may have to deal with issues of personal balance (i.e., balancing time between career and family) or the challenges of extracurricular activities, they rarely have to face some of the more pernicious challenges facing many kids. In that regard, perhaps, one could regard it as a form of fantasy (not to mention the fact that Stan and Jill don't have little webcams all over the house so as to monitor Charles' and the kids - but then again, in the '80s they didn't have webcams).

Overall, the show seems somewhat dated and the humor is at times a bit painful (i.e., it isn't always that funny). But within the confines of what it is - a simple, unpretentious show that offers some laughs before exiting stage left - it works fairly well. And it even made enough of a cultural impact that the theme song has been recorded by a number of different artists, from The Blanks to Relient K. I guess the real question is: do you want Charles in charge of you?