OK so it's kind of stupid but also super fun!

johns6087

There's nothing really special about this show, it's a typical 1980's to 1990's sitcom with not very well developed characters and a really simple premise, but the actors are so likable and the show is so fun that I just don't care.

In this case the characters are Balki Bartokomous (Bronson Pinchot), a naive and very foreign shepherd boy from Mypos (pretty much but technically not really a Greek island) who immigrates to the land of the free America, in the city of Chicago, to build a new life. This is much to the chagrin of "Cousin Larry", his (distant) American cousin who is a wannabe photographer who had no idea Balki was coming. Apparently it's customary in their family that they should just take each other in for unknown periods of time.

Cousin Larry obviously has reservations until he's moved by Balki's plight and his kindness and opens his doors (and apartment) to the foreigner. The two work in a nick-knack shop, then at the Chicago Tribune newspaper (after Larry makes it as a photographer/news man), and all along the way they go through the weekly ritual of know-it- all Larry announcing "I have a plan!" then forcing Balki, who knows what they should actually do but is too innocent and taken in by Cousin Larry's confidence to object, to get into trouble before clumsily lucking their way out of it. They also have crushes on their two upstairs neighbour girls, beautiful stewardesses, who they pursue (and finally get) during the series' entire run, even buying and fixing up a house. Obviously the plots and situations wear thin by the end (the last season was not very good in my opinion) but even then the characters and simple, fun premise stayed entertaining and just plain fun!

The only really remarkable thing about this show is how enduringly popular it was as it lasted a surprising number of seasons/years (like 10!) and huge numbers of people loved it during its run on ABC's (or was it NBC's?) "TGIF" Friday night lineup.

Definitely a family friendly show too, if that is something that concerns you (kind of why we watched it).

score 10/10

johns6087 15 November 2016

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw3580963/