Working Girl (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Working Girl is an American sitcom that aired on NBC
from April to July 1990. Loosely based on the 1988
film of the same name
starring Melanie Griffith
, the series stars Sandra Bullock
as Tess McGill (Melanie Griffith's character in the film), in a role that was initially meant for Nancy McKeon
.
, Tess has to contend with her doting parents Joe and Fran. Tess also has to contend with Sal Pascarella, the blue-collar neighborhood Romeo, who constantly pursued her.
, Working Girl drew low ratings
and was canceled after eight of the twelve episodes produced aired.
"Let the River Run
" (which was also featured in the motion picture) was the series' theme song.
in the 1990s after Bullock became a major motion-picture star.
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...
from April to July 1990. Loosely based on the 1988
1988 in film
-Top grossing films :- Awards :Academy Awards:* Act of Piracy* Action Jackson, starring Carl Weathers, Craig T. Nelson, Vanity, Sharon Stone* The Adventures of Baron Munchausen* Akira* Alice...
film of the same name
Working Girl
Working Girl is a 1988 romantic comedy film written by Kevin Wade and directed by Mike Nichols. It tells the inspiring story of a Staten Island-raised secretary, Tess McGill , working in the mergers and acquisitions department of a Wall Street investment bank...
starring Melanie Griffith
Melanie Griffith
Melanie Richards Griffith is an American actress. She is an Academy Award nominee and Golden Globe winner for her performance in the 1988 film Working Girl...
, the series stars Sandra Bullock
Sandra Bullock
Sandra Annette Bullock is an Academy Award winning American actress and producer who rose to fame in the 1990s after roles in successful films such as Demolition Man, Speed, The Net, A Time to Kill, and While You Were Sleeping. She continued with films such as Miss Congeniality, The Lake House,...
as Tess McGill (Melanie Griffith's character in the film), in a role that was initially meant for Nancy McKeon
Nancy McKeon
Nancy Justine McKeon is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Jo Polniaczek on the NBC sitcom The Facts of Life.-Early life & career:...
.
Synopsis
Tess McGill is a spunky, independent secretary, who suddenly becomes a junior executive after charming company owner A.J. Trask. Tess' first challenge is to survive working with her antagonistic, uptight immediate boss, Mrs. Bryn Newhouse, otherwise known as the "company witch". Tess' best friend, Lana Peters is a secretary, who's more interested in doing her nails and rooting for Tess than in getting ahead herself. Meanwhile, Everett Rutledge is a fellow junior executive, who is charming but eager to please. Libby Wentworth is Tess' world-wise, "permanent temporary" secretary, who's also a moonlighting musician. Back home each night on Staten IslandStaten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
, Tess has to contend with her doting parents Joe and Fran. Tess also has to contend with Sal Pascarella, the blue-collar neighborhood Romeo, who constantly pursued her.
Reception and cancellation
Debuting as a midseason replacementMidseason replacement
In American and Canadian television, a midseason replacement is a television series that premieres in the second half of the traditional television season, usually between January and May...
, Working Girl drew low ratings
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
and was canceled after eight of the twelve episodes produced aired.
Cast
- Sandra BullockSandra BullockSandra Annette Bullock is an Academy Award winning American actress and producer who rose to fame in the 1990s after roles in successful films such as Demolition Man, Speed, The Net, A Time to Kill, and While You Were Sleeping. She continued with films such as Miss Congeniality, The Lake House,...
... Tess McGill - Patrick Brock ... Office Regular
- Nana VisitorNana VisitorNana Visitor , born Nana Tucker, is an American actress, best known for playing Kira Nerys in the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Jean Ritter in the television series Wildfire.-Early life:...
... Bryn Newhouse - Judy Prescott ... Lana Peters
- George NewbernGeorge NewbernGeorge Young Newbern is an American television and film actor best known for his roles as Bryan MacKenzie in Father of the Bride and its sequel Father of the Bride Part II as well as Danny in Friends...
... Everett Rutledge - Eyde Byrde ... Libby Wentworth
- Tom O'Rourke ... A.J. Trask
- Anthony Tyler QuinnAnthony Tyler QuinnAnthony Tyler Quinn is an American actor best known for his role as Jonathan Turner on Boy Meets World from 1994-1997.-Selected filmography:*A Christmas Snow *House MD...
... Sal Pascarella - David SchrammDavid Schramm (Actor)David Schramm is an American actor. He is best known for playing Roy Biggins, the portly, curmudgeonly rival airline owner in the TV series Wings. He portrayed J.J. Peachum in the Westchester production of The Threepenny Opera and starred as Mr. Mister in the John Houseman directed revival of The...
... Joe McGill - B.J. Ward ... Fran McGill
Episodes
| Episode # | Episode title | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 1-1 | "Dream On" | April 16, 1990 |
| 1-2 | "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" | April 23, 1990 |
| 1-3 | "A Friend in Need" | April 30, 1990 |
| 1-4 | "McJoe's" | May 7, 1990 |
| 1-5 | "It's Only Love" | May 14, 1990 |
| 1-6 | "Hungry Heart" | July 16, 1990 |
| 1-7 | "Just One of Those Things" | July 23, 1990 |
| 1-8 | "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" | July 30, 1990 |
| 1-9 | "Get Back (a.k.a. Back in the Saddle Again)" | Never aired |
| 1-10 | "Two's a Crowd" | Never aired |
| 1-11 | "We Can Work It Out" | Never aired |
| 1-12 | "Oh, Brother" | Never aired |
Production notes
The series was created by Kimberly Hill and Tom Patchett. Kenneth Kaufman and Tom Patchett served as executive producers."Let the River Run
Let the River Run
"Let the River Run" is a song first featured in the 1988 film Working Girl, with music and lyrics by Carly Simon. The song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 61st Academy Awards in 1989...
" (which was also featured in the motion picture) was the series' theme song.
Syndication
The series briefly reran on TV LandTV Land
TV Land is an American cable television network launched on April 29, 1996. It is owned by MTV Networks, a division of Viacom, which also owns Paramount Pictures, and networks such as MTV and Nickelodeon...
in the 1990s after Bullock became a major motion-picture star.