Hugh Wilson

If there ever was a show conceived in bitterness, it’s The Famous Teddy Z. In the 1987-8 season, creator Hugh Wilson gave CBS Frank’s Place, an acclaimed, Emmy-winning, unique comedy-drama that became the cause celebre of every ‘”quality television” group. CBS not only canceled it, they canceled it in the worst possible way: after pre-production had already started on a second season, when it was too late for most of the people to line up jobs for the fall of 1988.  It’s not surprising that when Wilson came back with another show (again on CBS — like Joss Whedon with Fox, sometimes you just can’t quit the network that cancels your shows), it was a more mainstream, multi-camera comedy on tape; it’s also no surprise that it took a sour attitude toward show business itself.