Bette

The first fall TV hit of 2000 happens to be the perfect vehicle for Bette Midler since she plays herself ala Jerry Seinfeld. It's well written, well acted and she has an outstanding supporting cast including Joanna Gleason as her best friend and manager Connie. Even though the show runs opposite "Millionaire", "Bette" could be the final answer to compete with Regis. A very funny show! I hope (to borrow a quote from another hit Wednesday CBS show from this year) it doesn't get "voted off the island." The best CBS sitcom on Wednesday night since "The Nanny."

Bette Midler's new series "Bette" sets new records in the field of horrible situation comedies. The plots and gags here are nothing new AT ALL! What makes this unique, though? There are many bad sitcoms. I mean, the entire genre has turned into one big over-used cliche. But even people who like sitcoms have to be turned off by this. Bette Midler plays herself, which means, you guessed it - 30 minutes of shameless self-promotion, sometimes disguised as thin self-satire but all the same. That, and Bette Midler painfully over-acts as she makes corny jokes and stumbles through these predictable plot devices.

Bette's star power may save it from as quick a cancellation it obviously deserves, but the half-hour laugh-track laden comedy doesn't get much worse than this.

How about "Bette: The Complete Series" all 18 episodes on DVD? Considering Bette issues a public apology for the series (complete with a video taped "Judge Judy" parody and a song) on her current tour the DVD release of her ill-fated 2000-2001 self titled sitcom most likely won't happen. I for one would buy it. I'm sure many if not all of the 20,000 fans that filled the Palace Of Auburn Hills in Detroit the night I saw my favorite Diva, as well as all of Miss M's fans all over the USA would purchase it. The show wasn't that bad. Misguided perhaps but, not the train wreck the critics have said it was. I think the highlights of the series were when Bette performed her hit songs and many new songs from her new CD at the time "Bette" I remember the Halloween episode revolved around Bette being mistaken for Dolly Parton and the episode concluding with a Bette and Dolly duet. Priceless! Many moments of comic gold. Not Bette at her best but, certainly worth a look.

I really like Bette Midler. I was excited that she was going to have a tv series. But........

Every episode had Bette coming on like gangbusters claiming "i'm a diva, aren't I too much! Then her husband would come out and claim, "Bette your too much." Folllowed by Joanna Gleason, the gay personal assisant, her daughter and assorted guest stars claiming, "Bette calm down, you're too much." How can any other character be happy with lines like this!

Then Bette would be too much. No one else was allowed to be funny -or have a joke. It was as if the writers were afraid to develop others characters or God forbid--throw them a joke. I wish stars who go on tv wouldn't be afraid of being an ensemble. Only ensemble shows survive. Rosanne had one! Mary Tyler Moore had one. The Golden Girls had one! Hopefullly Bette learned to save her divaism for her concerts. Sit-Coms don't work that way.

I'm really impressed with all of the great new shows this season and this one is at the top of my list. I've been a fan of Bette Midlers for a long time and right now shes at her best. I've watched it since the beginning and haven't missed an episode. Its really really funny. I hope it does not get cancelled!