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CliqueClack Flashback – The Odd Couple

The Odd CoupleEverybody has a favorite TV show from their past, and our reasons for loving them are personal. Be it Lost in Space, Dynasty or even Room 222, certain shows stick with us forever.

For me, that show is The Odd Couple.

For those of you have been living in a cave, the show is based on the Neil Simon play and classic movie. It deals with two mismatched room mates: Felix Unger, a neat freak, and Oscar Madison, super-slob. In the early seventies, the movie was a big hit, and ABC, desperate for hit shows, gave producer Gary Marshall the task of making a series out of this property. He really hit the jackpot in his casting, with Tony Randall as Felix and Jack Klugman  as Oscar.
There have been a lot of great comedy teams, both in the movies and on television, but Randall and Klugman were in a class by themselves. Well, at least to me. Their chemistry together was hilarious. When you watched the show, you believed they were the characters; you never thought of them as actors reading lines. The supporting cast was great, too, with Al Molinaro as Murray the cop (“New York’s dumbest,” as Oscar called him), and Penny Marshall as Oscar’s secretary, Myrna Turner — her first professional acting gig. I think the fact Penny’s brother was the producer may have landed her the role.

Don’t get me wrong, the series is not without its faults: the canned laughter and cheapo set design are sometimes annoying, but the cast and the scripts overshadowed these faults.

The entire series is out on DVD now (finally!). Even the worst episode of this show is not without its pleasures, but if you want to cut to the chase, here are some gems:

  • “Felix the Calypso Singer”: My pick as one of the funniest episodes. Tony Randall singing calypso has to be seen to be fully appreciated.
  • “A Subway Story”: Hilarious episode set in a subway car packed with some of TV’s most beloved character actors, including Gary Marshall himself!
  • “Fear of Flying”: About the funniest episode of a sitcom ever. Watch it and tell me I was right.
  • “The Breakup”: Every flashback episode on this series was great, but this one, dealing with Felix and his wife’s split-up, still cracks me up.

Actually, when I  think about it, every episode of this show cracks me up. As I said, the DVDs are out there now. Go buy ‘em.

Especially if you think Two and a Half Men is the epitome of character comedy.

Photo Credit: Bill White/CliqueClack

5 Responses to “CliqueClack Flashback – The Odd Couple”

January 8, 2009 at 1:51 PM

Thanks for the trip down memory lane, Bill. I haven’t seen this show since it originally aired. A crime for which I should be arrested, I know, but maybe I can swing probation if I buy the DVD set.

I think this was one of those rare series based on a motion picture that actually lives up to the quality of the movie upon which it was based. Now I’ve got to watch the movie again, too!

January 8, 2009 at 1:57 PM

I love the tv show better than the movie versions. Sadly I havn’t seen every episode. It seems like every time I tried to watch one in syndication they were always playing the same 20 eps over and over. I’m definitely gonna buy it on dvd one day.

January 8, 2009 at 2:37 PM

I got a bootleg DVD set a few years ago before the recently released legal version came out, and my husband and I watch it all the time. If there’s nothing on TV, it is always there and ready to hand you a few laughs. Nothing beats their chemistry, and being somewhat fastidious myself, I can relate to Felix. A must buy for any fan!

January 8, 2009 at 5:14 PM

Myrna and Oscar’s relationship was the best! Forget Mary Tyler Moore & Ed Asner…

January 9, 2009 at 2:34 PM

Very true – this was comedy at it’s best.

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