Grace Under Fire

One thing I liked so much about this show, was that the "human" side was equally (if not more) important as the comedy. It really made this show what it is, at least for the first 3 seasons. I also loved how the cast can't keep a straight face around Dave Thomas.

Season 4 reeked of network meddling. Let me be the first to say, New Quentin sucks (technically Brett Butler's fault for flashing Original Quentin). This season's changes are too numerous to go into, but they seemingly wrote out all the funny characters (how do you get rid of Dave Thomas and Tom Poston?!), plus 2/3 of her kids, and it seemed like every episode revolved around New Quentin. Honestly, was there a clamoring for New Quentin? Moving her abusive ex-husband in seemed like a desperation move.

Season 5 rights a lot of wrongs, at least in terms of focus, and incorporating the entire cast (though Nadine is absent). Grace has a steady job, and they bring back the pharmacy with Russell and Floyd! Although if you liked the human drama element, it's gone here, in favor of a more traditional sitcom. Still, a funny season.

Butler seems particularly messed up in the season finales for both seasons 4 and 5. I would actually consider this to be one of (baby crazy) Chuck Lorre's weaker shows, but there is still plenty to enjoy here. Well worth the low asking price for 5 full seasons on DVD.

Grace Kelly (Brett Butler) is divorced from her abusive loser husband Jimmy (Geoff Pierson) and raising her three kids, Libby, Quentin, and Patrick, by herself in Missouri. She starts her job at the oil refinery working with lovable co-workers Dougie and Vic among others. Her neighbor friend Nadine (Julie White) sets her up with pharmacist Russell Norton (Dave Thomas). They become best friends connecting over their bad former marriages and lack of sexual chemistry. Nadine is happily married to Wade Swoboda (Casey Sander). There are Grace's sisters Faith and Evie, and her intrusive mother-in-law Jean Kelly. There is Russell's father Floyd (Tom Poston). Grace is a recovering alcoholic since giving birth to Quentin and had given up Matthew (Tom Everett Scott) for adoption.

This Chuck Lorre show is similar to Roseanne if Roseanne got beaten by her drunken husband and left him. I can do without the abuse background which is hard for any comedy. There is good irreverent sarcasm from Butler. Thomas is a veteran who delivers. The cast sometimes barely hold back laughing at their own jokes. Libby and Quentin #2 are great. They're allowed to be little angels and devils. It's a good white trash sitcom. However, Butler's personal addiction demons slowly destroyed the show.

The decline started in the third season and the slide picked up steam in the fourth until its end after a shortened fifth season. I'm not sure how much Emmet's Secret bothered the blue collar fans. A new Quentin #3 was needed to start season four. The new much-older Quentin is an annoying whiny delinquent teen. The fifth season sees the departure of Julie White and some wholesale changes. It's the beginning of the end as Butler fell apart behind the scenes.

Grace Under Fire was a great show that was very funny. The series was clever and witty and very humorous. But Butler's apparent (and might I add obvious) problems hurt the show. At the start, the show's quality didn't suffer, but the final season took a massive blow. Bretler's problems had finally really hurt the show in the ratings and caused it's cancellation. A shame.

I'm the 2900th voter and I'm honestly surprised this is only rated as 6.3. It was a very good show for the first 2 years. Still OK after that. I'd say 7-8 would be fair. But it gets less funny and a bit stale near the end, probably because it was so famously plagued with behind the scenes drama related to Brett Butler's drug addiction and erratic and diva-like behaviour.

"Grace Under Fire" was a show that I could understand and identify with, it was very realistic, it was entertaining, and at the same time, it touched on a lot of subjects in a short period of time. I am very sure that she touched a lot of other lives as she has touched mine. I continue to watch, and tape her reruns, and when I need a laugh or a pick-me-up, I put one of my many tapes in and watch them. (they are 8 hr tapes so I get a lot of joy from them) I have just discovered that her shows are out on DVD, That is good news to me, I am checking into that. I wish that there was a way that someday she would make a comeback or something similar, I miss her wit and brass charm. A True Fan Forever. Cyndy