"Baby Makes Five" (1983) TV series

User Rating:

(awaiting 5 votes)

Writer:

Robert Gosnell (staff writer)

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

1 April 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot Keywords:

Sitcom

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Janis Paige	...	Blanche Riddle (5 episodes, 1983)
Peter Scolari	...	Eddie Riddle (5 episodes, 1983)
Louise Williams	...	Jennie Riddle (5 episodes, 1983)
Priscilla Morrill	...	Edna Kearney (4 episodes, 1983)

Runtime:

30 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Rating of 5 for "Baby Makes Five"

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

In 1983 it had been over a year since ABC's Bosom Buddies ended production. Peter Scolari who had starred with Tom Hanks in that show landed on this cutesy,cuddly,silly ABC family sitcom that makes Full House seem like a Shakesperain play. Evidenced in the opening credits that include images of babies crawling on all fours or seemingly smiling at the camera with soft music and forgettable lyrics that end with "...and Baby Makes F-i-i-i-ve". Ick.

Peter plays a family man with 4 kids already and a wife who's expecting her 5th anytime now. This show was so not serious,that when the mother went into labor it caused the audience to unintentionally laugh but they kept it in. Peter,of course makes like the panicky husband and falls all over himself and looks like a fool.

Then,6 year old Brandy Gold (little sister of Missy Gold from "Benson")plays their too cute for words youngest daughter. Her 2 most memorable moments are these. Momy & daddy are kissing in the bed and she pops out from under the blanket and (looking right at the camera) shouts "HI!" Then in another scene she says,"Daddy,I swallowed a crayon". Peter goes nuts calls the hospital and he asks her when this happened. She says innocently,"3 days ago".

Since this was just a replacement series,it is mostly forgotten now 24 years later. It can be mostly looked on at how lost networks were in the world of sitcoms,having to live up to what the grand comedies of the 1970s put in place. Thankfully,as we know,things got better in 1984 with The Cosby Show (preceded by Family Ties and Cheers),Who's The Boss,Growing Pains and others to come.

"Baby Makes Five" and many other short lived TV comedies from 1980-early 1984,would make a great documentary on "how not to have a hit sitcom". It wasn't one of the best but it wasn't the worst ever either. That title goes to NBC's "We Got It Made",in my opinion. (END)