Muggsy

A half-hour live action Saturday series, I remember Muggsy for making the attempt to show city life from the perspective of a kid who actually didn't have it all. Mid-70s prime time family shows like Family, 8 is Enough, Apple's Way, etc, all showed suburban families facing suburban drama, the type as a poor city kid I really couldn't relate to. Although the series barely squeaked out a half season's worth of episodes showing a young girl and her older brother trying to make it together as a family in the city after the death of their parents made an impression on me. Sure, it was "gritty" in a faux-70's Saturday morning kid's show way, but the "after-school special" approach to the stories gave the series a resonance that remained with me for decades.

I forgot the title of the series until Sarah MacDonnell turned up in an episode of Star Trek Deep Space Nine in 1997. Something about her seemed familiar and lo and behold when I checked out her previous credits I rediscovered Muggsy! And that theme song, classic 70s funk, really set the mood. Alas, poor Muggsy, we barely knew ye...but hey, you're still remembered!