Union Square (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Union Square is a 1997 television
sitcom that was broadcast on NBC
for one season. It followed the story of a lawyer-turned-playwright in New York City
, who attempted to gain inspiration from a host of characters populating the fictitious Union Square cafe in Manhattan
, obviously inspired by the New York area of the same name
.
The show was originally supposed to be a vehicle for Cuban-American actress Mel Gorham
. But after poor test screening
s for the pilot
, the producers decided to retool the show and replace Gorham with Constance Marie
.
The program replaced Fired Up
(which was halfway through the 1997-1998 season) on NBC's "Must See TV
" night of programming; it was given an 8:30pm timeslot on Thursday evenings, a highly coveted spot due to its location between popular sitcoms Friends
(which aired at 8:00pm) and Seinfeld
(which aired at 9:00pm). Like The Single Guy, Union Square attempted to capitalize on attractive singles in their 20s and 30s enjoying New York City
life, which both Seinfeld and Friends (as well as other NBC programs) had turned into successes. The show also featured guest appearances from actor David Krumholtz
, who appeared on two episodes, as did actress Rhea Perlman.
Despite these advantages and the fact that it has the #8 spot in the ratings for the 1997-98 season with 13.3 million households, it lost a lot of ground from Friends. Just Shoot Me replaced it's timeslot a week after its last episode which aired on January 22, 1998.
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
sitcom that was broadcast on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
for one season. It followed the story of a lawyer-turned-playwright in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, who attempted to gain inspiration from a host of characters populating the fictitious Union Square cafe in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, obviously inspired by the New York area of the same name
Union Square (New York City)
Union Square is a public square in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York.It is an important and historic intersection, located where Broadway and the former Bowery Road – now Fourth Avenue – came together in the early 19th century; its name celebrates neither the...
.
The show was originally supposed to be a vehicle for Cuban-American actress Mel Gorham
Mel Gorham
Mel Gorham is an American actress who is best known for her role as Violet in Wayne Wang's films Smoke and Blue in the Face. Gorham is from Coral Gables, Florida and is of Cuban and Russian Jewish descent....
. But after poor test screening
Test screening
A test screening is a preview screening of a movie or television show before its general release in order to gauge audience reaction. Preview audiences are selected from a cross-section of the population, and are usually asked to complete a questionnaire or provide feedback in some form. Harold...
s for the pilot
Television pilot
A "television pilot" is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell the show to a television network. At the time of its inception, the pilot is meant to be the "testing ground" to see if a series will be possibly desired and successful and therefore a test episode of an...
, the producers decided to retool the show and replace Gorham with Constance Marie
Constance Marie
Constance Marie Lopez is an American actress. Known professionally as Constance Marie, she is known for her role as Angie Lopez on George Lopez and for her role as Marcella Quintanilla in the 1997 film Selena...
.
The program replaced Fired Up
Fired Up (TV series)
Fired Up is a short-lived 1997–1998 situation comedy airing on NBC. It lasted for two seasons and 28 episodes. The series, the first from Grammnet Productions, starred Sharon Lawrence and Leah Remini. The series was about a self-centered promotions executive and her mouthy assistant...
(which was halfway through the 1997-1998 season) on NBC's "Must See TV
Must See TV
"Must See TV" is an advertising slogan used by the NBC television network to brand its prime time blocks of sitcoms during the 1990s, and most often applied to the network's Thursday night lineup, which featured such popular sitcoms as The Cosby Show, Family Ties, Cheers, Night Court, A Different...
" night of programming; it was given an 8:30pm timeslot on Thursday evenings, a highly coveted spot due to its location between popular sitcoms Friends
Friends
Friends is an American sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994 to May 6, 2004. The series revolves around a group of friends in Manhattan. The series was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
(which aired at 8:00pm) and Seinfeld
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
(which aired at 9:00pm). Like The Single Guy, Union Square attempted to capitalize on attractive singles in their 20s and 30s enjoying New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
life, which both Seinfeld and Friends (as well as other NBC programs) had turned into successes. The show also featured guest appearances from actor David Krumholtz
David Krumholtz
David Krumholtz is an American actor best known for playing Professor Charlie Eppes in the television series Numb3rs. He appeared as Seth Goldstein in Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle and its two sequels, Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay and A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas...
, who appeared on two episodes, as did actress Rhea Perlman.
Despite these advantages and the fact that it has the #8 spot in the ratings for the 1997-98 season with 13.3 million households, it lost a lot of ground from Friends. Just Shoot Me replaced it's timeslot a week after its last episode which aired on January 22, 1998.
Characters
- Gabriella Diaz (Constance MarieConstance MarieConstance Marie Lopez is an American actress. Known professionally as Constance Marie, she is known for her role as Angie Lopez on George Lopez and for her role as Marcella Quintanilla in the 1997 film Selena...
) - Michael (Michael LandesMichael LandesMichael Christopher Landes is an American actor. He is known for his roles of Jimmy Olsen in the first season of Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Detective Nicholas O'Malley in Special Unit 2, Officer Thomas Burke in Final Destination 2, and David Conlon in The Wedding Bells.-Lois...
) - Suzanne Barkley (Harriet Sansom HarrisHarriet Sansom HarrisHarriet Sansom Harris , often credited as "Harriet Harris" is an American actress best known for her portrayals of Bebe Glazer on Frasier and Felicia Tilman on Desperate Housewives. She won a Tony Award in 2002 as a Featured Actress in a Musical for playing the evil white slaver Mrs. Meers in...
) - Jack Papas (Jim Pirri)
- Albie (Jonathan SlavinJonathan SlavinJonathan Slavin is an American actor.-Biography:Slavin may be best known for his portrayal of neurotic Byron Togler on the Fox network's sitcom Andy Richter Controls the Universe and as scientist Phil Myman on ABC's sitcom Better Off Ted....
) - Carrie (Christine Burke)
- Vince (Jeffrey Anderson-Gunter)