Caroline in the City – The First Season

While nowhere does anyone actually say it, Caroline In The City is obviously inspired by/ripped off from the popular newspaper comic strip Cathy. Each episode, for a time anyway, would begin with an animated scene from one of the “Caroline” strips. The topic mostly deals with the pitfalls of being a single New York City girl. From these roots there was an often awkward attempt to create a warm and fuzzy romantic comedy that never seemed to find its own focus, let alone footing. It didn’t help matters that the title character was played by Lea Thompson, best known for her role as Michael J. Fox’s mom in the Back To The Future films. Here as she was there, Thompson is relatively unemoting, a tragic flaw in a romantic character. She’s a good enough actress, but she does appear to be missing charisma in the role. Caroline was joined by her comic strip colorist, Richard, played by Malcolm Gets. Here again we have a pretty reserved actor. Now we’ve got a couple of very low key actors playing a couple where sparks should be flying, and it never works. Most of the laughs, in fact, don’t even come from our leads. Instead Amy Pietz has most of the funny lines as intrusive next door neighbor Annie. Annie’s a cast member in the then huge Broadway production of Cats. She would often barge into the apartment where Caroline and Richard are working/sniping at each other and offer the comic relief in this situation comedy.

What’s most disappointing about the show is that it comes from minds like James Burrows, who brought us so many great moments on Cheers. On the surface there really isn’t anything wrong with Caroline In The City. There are many funny moments, but most of the time it simply hangs there leaving you waiting for the punch line, until you realize you’ve already heard it. I found the characters somewhat charming, but there’s no dynamic or chemistry there to suck you into these characters’ foibles. In the end it neither pleases nor displeases; it was merely just there. Gone soon and as quickly forgotten.

The best that can be said for this first season is a quite nice collection of guest stars that include: Jean Stapleton (in a very rare guest appearance), David Hyde Pierce, (playing his Niles character from Frasier), Matthew Perry, Florence Henderson (as herself), Tim Conlin, Mariette Hartley, John Ratzenberger, Morey Amsterdam and Rose Marie

Video

Each episode of Caroline In The City is presented in its original full frame broadcast format. As sitcoms go, this one looks pretty good. Colors are pretty consistent and relatively natural. Black levels are pretty much average. I was impressed by an unusual (for sit-com releases) lack of compression artifact.

Audio

The Dolby Digital 2.0 track serves merely as an adequate delivery system for dialog. You can hear everything with no audible distortion.

Special Features

Promos: These are very short syndication station promos for the series.

Final Thoughts

I did watch this one a few times when it aired, but it never really caught on with me or an audience in general. The idea was kind of original, and I wouldn’t mind seeing another sit-com based on a cartoonist. It’s possible the romantic comedy aspects of the show just never connected with me, and maybe this was a “chick” show. “Then again, I could be wrong.”