Three beautiful women, fabulous writing, a host of first-rate guest stars from Phil Proctor to Dolly Parton, and direction that was so far above anything else in sitcoms of the day . . . how could you miss? Well, first, you could be on a small netlet unavailable to much of the country. Then you could make sure the show got scheduled at less than the best possible time. Third, you could fail to pander to stereotypical beauty. Finally, you could cancel after the first season, before the mainstream audience had a chance to catch on.
That said, 'Babes' is still one of the most truly funny--and original!--shows of the past twenty-five years. Since the death of Totie Fields, the U. S. had been needing a reality check as to the loveliness and wit of the larger ladies in its ranks, and 'Babes' delivered wholeheartedly. At least 20 of its 22 episodes should be on the "must see" list of any lover of sitcoms; all 22 have an honored place in the hearts of anyone who has ever seen them.
We're all so lucky that the gorgeous Lesley Boone is still with us, and it's great to see her pop up from time to time in various shows; hey, casting directors--we want more of her, please! And a fond farewell to Susan Peretz and Wendie Jo Sperber, still making 'em laugh on the other side of the great divide. Oh, when these three were together, it was pure magic on the screen.
H'mmm . . . you know, a DVD set of this show's complete run would only take a couple of double-sided discs . . . how about it, folks?
