Jamie Lee Curtis and Richard Lewis star as Hannah Miller and Marty Gold, best friends and co-workers who suppress their smoldering desires, not wanting to spoil their friendship. Once they do take the plunge, though, they... more » quickly discover that falling in love is the easy part! Together, they face some of life's biggest challenges?love, work, love at work, and working at love?with humor, sophistication, and feeling in this unforgettable TV classic.« less
Alice H. (singlegalkansas) from TOPEKA, KS Reviewed on 7/28/2009...
Awesome show from the early 1990's. Great writing, cast and just funny.
1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Movie Reviews
"Welcome Back, Mrs. Schmenkman"
Joel Roberts | Anchorage, AK | 11/16/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"It was a rather unlikely sitcom pairing back in 1989 - Jamie Lee Curtis, who seemed to be doing fine with her big screen career and Richard Lewis known by those who followed the stand-up circuit in the 80's as a pathologically angst-ridden comic who only half jokingly would claim that his perfomances were a form of therapy.
And yet, that was the point - although never catching on enough with audiences, in spite of a revolving door of cast changes with the surrounding players, the heart of the series was the affinity that Curtis and Lewis had for each other as Hannah Miller and Marty Gold, and doubtless why the movie actress and tortured comic joined up to do the show in the first place. In interviews over the years, the actors have always reflected kindly on the show, for although the writing wasn't as strong as others, the affection they shared for each other seemed more grounded, rang truer. Where on "Cheers" Sam and Diane's heat burned bright then quickly fizzled, Hannah and Marty's romance shown with light, dimly at first and brighter as it went - the coupling seemed even more compelling after the consumation. For me, Hannah and Marty had the relationship I found more intriguing - intelligent, respectful and comfortable. The show was at least as interesting after they got together, if not more so.
Sure, the courtship was set in a workplace comedy centered around a Chicago magazine, but at its core this was a story of a romance. The writers seemed to soften Lewis' stand-up persona to make him an effective romantic lead, and Curtis' rapport with him validates the writing.
Although the show's writing wasn't as strong as some comedically, it could be very insightful and touching - and certainly funnier than many others of its era. Rumor has it that the production company that sold the show to ABC axed it themselves since they didn't see a great syndication potential out of it, and since it probably last aired on Comedy Central some six years ago after a long abscence the cancellation seems the right choice.
For me, this was one of the great "also-ran" comedies of the 80's, and to see two seasons of it released gives me hope that other more successful B-team sitcoms (Night Court, Mad About You, Drew Carey, etc.) may finally get another look by the studios as well for further DVD releases.
So thanks in advance to Fox Studios for the anticipated February 07 release, and here's hoping the rest follow right behind."
Kudos to Fox
John Gentile | Hoboken, NJ | 02/13/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Anything But Love was never a huge hit. It ran from 1989 to 1992. The first season was only six episodes, and the final season was cancelled midway through. Why? Because network execs thought the show was not repeatable. No syndication value. Lifetime broadcast repeats briefly. So why is Anything But Love coming to DVD? Someone at Fox must think it's a fine show. And it is. The combination of a charming actress (Jamie Lee Curtis) and a very funny stand up comic (Richard Lewis) is perfect. Their chemistry drives this vehicle, and they are strongly supported by a wonderful group of actors.
The setup is simple. These too people are attracted to each other but won't admit it because they work together. Love will not bloom until the third season, but the first two are still great.
Lewis and Curtis do not hog the spotlight. They allow the other characters to shine. Ann Magnuson is a standout as the editor of the magazine, and Holly Fulger is very funny as Curtis' needy best friend.
The dvds also include a documentary about the series, and commentary on the pilot with Curtis & Lewis. It's obvious everyone connected with the show loved it. Many episodes were directed by David Trainer, who directed every episode of That 70's Show."
Never forgotten.
Mark Costello | Langhorne, PA | 11/29/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"While I only remember drips and drabs about this show, it's one I think of often - even 17 years later. What I do remember is how disappointed I was when it did not return to prime time. I do remember it was touching at times through the laughter. I logged on today to see if it was available on DVD. So happy to learn it will be coming out early next year. Something to look forward to after the holiday hoopla is over! I always wondered why Jamie Lee didn't try another sitcom. It will be great to see these episodes again!"
Lots of love for this underrated show.
Cubist | United States | 02/23/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The problem inherent in any television show that revolves around the sexual tension between its two romantic leads is how do you keep the audience interested after the thrill of the chase is gone? Once the anticipation of the potential couple hooking up has been removed, what do you put in its place? The early `90s sitcom Anything But Love tried to answer these questions in a smart and entertaining way with two very engaging leads - neurotic comedian Richard Lewis and sexy actress Jamie Lee Curtis. This much beloved sitcom finally gets its due on DVD with the first two seasons available in one volume.
Richard Lewis gets to do his stand-up shtick and plays the neurotic guy to the hilt. Marty is jaded and cynical and this acts as a nice contrast to Hannah's peppy enthusiasm. She's just happy to be working in a job she truly loves. As she demonstrated with a film like A Fish Called Wanda, Curtis has a knack for comedy, displaying crackerjack timing with Lewis while also being adept at physical humour as well. The writing is top notch - sharp, crisp dialogue that snaps and pops with sarcastic one-liners courtesy of Lewis in contrast to Curtis' unflappable optimism. The writers hit the right beats on a consistent basis and the cast does a great job of delivering them.
Watching Curtis and Lewis in Anything But Love is like going back in time. He sports the big hair look from the 1980s (that has not aged well) while Curtis adopts a mousy look that downplays her natural sexiness that she normally exudes. Thankfully, they would tweak her look in the second season. There is also undeniable chemistry between Curtis and Lewis that is constantly evident, like in a scene from the "Deadline" episode where they dance to a cheesy romantic song. You can see a genuine expression fun and enjoyment in their faces. They work well together and the appeal of this show is watching their characters flirt and eventually fall in love with each other.
Disc one features an audio commentary on "Fear of Flying" by Jamie Lee Curtis and Richard Lewis. From the way they banter you can tell that they are still good friends and this only emphasizes the chemistry we see on-screen.
Disc two features a commentary on "Hotel of the Damned" by director Robert Berlinger. He says that this was his very first episode of T.V. and points out his first mistake (a visible boom microphone in the first shot).
The third disc has a retrospective featurette entitled, "All About Anything But Love," with Curtis, Lewis, creator Wendy Kout and other key people back to reminisce about the show. In discussing its origins, footage from the unaired pilot is shown and it's interesting to see the original idea which was eventually rejected.
"Stories from the Set" features most of the participants from the previous extra telling more anecdotes about working on the show, including their impressions of cast and crew members and how everyone bonded like a big family."
Where is the Volume 2 DVD release!?!?!
Lord Retardis | Chicago, IL, USA | 08/14/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is a great show that I never thought would get released on dvd. I still have the vhs tapes from the lifetime repeats. The episodes on this set are complete, with several minutes restored to each episode after having been cut down to about a 20 minute run time per episode in syndication.
Now, we need volume 2 to be released. It's been a year and a half since volume 1.