Jean Smart's failed sitcoms 'High Society' and 'Style and Substance'
It's Jean Smart Everything Month, so I'm watching these two failed sitcoms on YouTube now.
"High Society" should have lasted. It was an "Ab Fab" ripoff, but it had its own characters and pace. Jean was a nouveau riche romance novelist and Mary McDonnell her high-society book editor. The supporting cast was good (especially Jayne Meadows as Mary's cunt of a Park Avenue mother) and Mary and Jean had great timing and chemistry.
"Style and Substance" -- Jean as a Martha Stewart duplicate. It should've worked but the writers emphasized the character's insecurity and need to be liked rather than her dragon-lady quality. Shelley Long could have pulled it off, maybe, but the supporting cast was completely unmemorable and Jean's sidekick/nemesis was Nancy McKeon, who was just boring.
by Anonymous | reply 6 | July 21, 2021 5:40 PM
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High Society was GREAT! I remember being really bummed when it was cancelled. Style and Substance would've worked better if they hadn't kept Nancy McKeon's character around and included more Alan Autry.
by Anonymous | reply 1 | May 23, 2021 3:18 AM
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Uh, Delta Burke/OP, you didn't fare much better on your own.
by Anonymous | reply 2 | May 23, 2021 3:49 AM
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Alan Autry ruined everything he was in
by Anonymous | reply 3 | July 21, 2021 4:55 PM
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I loved High Society. Jean Smart and Mary McDonnell had excellent chemistry together.
by Anonymous | reply 4 | July 21, 2021 4:58 PM
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Patsy as a romance novelist?!
by Anonymous | reply 5 | July 21, 2021 5:01 PM
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Cybill was a better remake of AbFab, but the son on High Society was good to look at. He didn't do anything else.
Fran Drescher would've been better in 'High Society'
by Anonymous | reply 6 | July 21, 2021 5:40 PM
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