Get Smart: The Short-Lived Sitcoms of Jean Smart
By Matt Smith McCormick | September 18, 2021
Jean Smart won her fourth Emmy for her delicious role as Deborah Vance—a legendary Las Vegas comedian grasping at relevancy—in HBO Max’s hilarious Hacks. But many of Ms. Smart’s previous attempts at television comedy weren’t quite as successful. Let’s take a quick look at some Smart bets that didn’t quite hack it, shall we?
Teachers Only (NBC, 1983)
Ms. Smart’s first series regular role was in Teachers Only, which took place mainly in the teacher’s lounge of Millard Fillmore High School in Los Angeles. The series debuted in 1982 and starred Golden Globe-winner Lynn Redgrave as English teacher (and later guidance counselor), Diana Swanson, and Three’s Company’s Norman Fell as curmudgeonly principal, Ben Cooper, as well as Adam Arkin (Chicago Hope) and a slew of relative no-names (sorry, relative no-names). After the first season, everyone besides Redgrave and Fell got axed. Smart was cast in season two as antagonist Shari, the condescending secretary (and longtime mistress) of Principal Cooper (other new additions that season included Tim Reid and Joel Brooks). Despite the Smart casting, the ratings tanked and the show flunked.
Reggie (ABC, 1983)
Starring Richard Mulligan in his first post-Soap (and pre-Empty Nest) series, Reggie centered on Reggie Potter (Mulligan), a man having a midlife crisis and a lot of Walter Mitty-esque fantasies. He was bored with his humdrum family—wife, Elizabeth (Barbara Barrie); son, Mark (Timothy Busfield), and daughter, Linda (Dianne Kay)—and felt unfulfilled with his job at Funtime Ice Cream Company, where he loathed his young boss, CJ (Chip Zien), and lusted after his gorgeous secretary, Joan (Smart). The attraction was mutual, but the show was cancelled before they could do anything about it.
High Society (CBS, 1995-1996)
A mixture of Absolutely Fabulous, Cybill, and Jackie Collins, High Society was Smart’s first series regular role after her successful five-year run playing lovable naïf Charlene Frazier Stillfield on Designing Women. She starred as outrageous, alcoholic romance novelist, Ellie Walker, while Oscar-nominee Mary McDonnell played her best friend and publisher, Dott Emerson. Over-the-top hi-jinx ensued (viewers first met Smart’s Ellie passed out drunk on a dining room table). Broadway’s Faith Prince co-starred in the first few episodes as the women’s dowdy college friend, Val Emerson, but soon disappeared. Other characters included Dott’s disapproving, Young Republican son, Brendan (Dan O’Donahue); her smarmy publishing partner, Peter (David Rasche); her fabulous gay assistant, Stephano (Luigi Amodeo); and her forever-marrying, Upper East Side witch of a mother, Alice (Jayne Meadows, who was Emmy-nominated for her pitch-perfect performance). Allegedly, when CBS asked the producers to tone down the outlandish behavior (boozing, smoking, bitchery, etc.) in attempt to broaden its appeal, they took the high road and opted to let the series end instead.
Style & Substance (CBS, 1998)
Smart starred as the Martha Stewart-esque Chelsea Stevens, a lifestyle expert who seemed perfect to the outside world but was a self-absorbed, demanding nightmare (but, like, in a funny way) to anyone who actually knew her. The Facts of Life’s Nancy McKeon played a good-natured Midwestern transplant to NYC who worked for Chelsea’s parent company and was in charge of trying to keep her out of trouble. Apparently, the real Martha Stewart’s icy reaction to the show (paired with mixed reviews) caused CBS to panic and pull the series after only five episodes aired. It returned later that summer, but its goose was already cooked. Fun fact: ABC first shot a pilot for Style & Substance in 1996 with Kathleen Turner in the lead role, but test audiences reacted poorly and the project was shelved.
In-Laws (NBC, 2002-2003)
A sort of Meet The Parents meets All in the Family, In-Laws starred stand-up comedian Elon Gould as Matt Landis, a cooking school student who had recently married sweet—but spoiled—daddy’s girl, Alex (Bonnie Sommerville). In order to save money, they moved in with her parents—intimidating Victor (Dennis Farina) and stylish Marlene (Smart), a realtor who spent most of her time shopping. It was your standard (and unremarkable) sitcom fare. Matt tries to plan a romantic evening with Alex but is foiled by Victor, Matt accidentally crashes Victor’s car, blah blah blah. In-Laws was out after only 14 episodes aired.
Center of the Universe (CBS, 2004-2005)
This John Goodman vehicle was the second Smart project in a row that relegated her to that of understanding sitcom wife. Universe revolved around Goodman’s John Barnett, the owner of a successful private security company and a completely batshit family, both located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The family included his parents—grumpy father, Art (Emmy-winner Ed Asner), and loony mother, Marge (Oscar-winner Olympia Dukakis); idiotic younger brother, Tommy (Diedrich Bader); divorced sister, Lily (Melinda McGraw); and dorky son, Miles (Spencer Breslin). The only other normal person in his brood was his loving wife, Kate (Smart). The cast was incredible, but they couldn’t keep this dud in orbit and Center of the Universe was sucked into a black hole, never to be seen again.
Samantha Who? (ABC, 2007-2009)
This show was a gem and deserved better. Christina Applegate starred as Samantha Newly, a mean, narcissistic nightmare who, after a hit-and-run accident caused permanent amnesia, had to start her life over (because she couldn’t remember anything from her previous, vile existence). Dismayed by how loathed she’d been, she tried to become a better person and make it up to those she’d wronged, including her sweet ex-boyfriend, Todd (Barry Watson); her friends, bitchy Andrea and needy Dena (Melissa McCarthy); and her wary parents, Howard (Kevin Dunn) and Regina (Smart). The pilot episode featured a hilarious scene with Smart’s Regina filming/exploiting Samantha, while still in a coma, in an attempt to get on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. The show premiered to good reviews and strong ratings, and Smart won the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series after season one. However, ratings drastically dipped in season two, leading ABC to ask Samantha Who? and cancel the show.
Matt Smith McCormick is a writer & comedian based out of New York City. He loves funny women, failed sitcoms, and seltzer water.
Follow him on Instagram: @MisterNicheGuy