When Nell Carter died a few years back, she did so knowing her legacy was the once cutting edge show, Gimme A Break! Most people probably don’t remember the early inclination of the show, which was far different than the campy, silly show that it became once the networks embraced it and gave it a “friendly” makeover. The early years, especially the first episode, followed a blueprint created by All In The Family back in the early years. Season 1 of Gimme A Break showcased the life of a single, rough and tumble cop (Dolph Sweet), the nanny he hired to help him raise the kids (Nell Carter) and the three daughters he raises (Kari Michaelsen, Lauri Hendler & Lara Jill Miller). The show was somewhat heartwarming from time to time, but featured a lot of surprising topics for the era.
Considering it came out in 1981, it is really surprising some of the areas touched on by this show so early on. In the very first episode, “Katie The Crook”, sexual issues and violence at school immediately confront the three daughters. All the while, Carl Kanisky (Sweet) banters back and forth like Archie Bunker. He takes immediate shots at homosexuals, bussing of white kids to a black neighborhood and random attacks on all that normal conformists would expect. In fact, Kanisky keeps to this mantra throughout the show. His attacks find overweight people on “Do Or Diet.” In this episode, he spews at Carter, that “most of your weight is just water. You can lose it in a second. Just squirt it out of your trunk.” Carter is just as cutting. In the same episode, she makes a casual joke about anally raping a man, telling him to “bend over and smile” when he questions that he’s gotten everything that is coming to him in a weigh-in contest. The whole episode, complete with references to people as “fat slobs” and “orcas,” is brutal, but funny at the same time. In today’s world where everything is so PC, this would never fly.
While a lot of the humor teeters between innocent and obnoxious, there are some very touching moments. This is probably what NBC liked most about the show because it’s clearly the direction that the show takes into future seasons. Episodes like “Mom’s Birthday” challenge the topic of dealing with the birthday of a mother that has passed away. In the final scenes, the kids watch home videos and “spontaneously” break into the chorus of “Happy Birthday” along with the camera. It’s a touching scene, and probably marked an early beginning to the end of the show. Looking at the timeframe, with shows like The Cosby Show and Family Ties soon to appear, it seemed like Gimme A Break might have been the last ditch effort to keep the spirit which All In The Family or The Jeffersons created.
The season is very challenging and fun, and you have to give it to the producers of this DVD set. They’ve done a very nice job with the bonus features. By far, the best part of the disc is their “Great 80s Flashback” special. This documentary deals with the impact pop culture had on various shows during the timeframe. It’s a very good special. Additionally, they are clearly working to sell other products, as they provide a bonus episode of Season 2 of Gimme A Break, as well as the first seasons of Kate & Allie and Charles In Charge. Overall, you’ve got a solid collection here from start to finish.
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