High Society

1995

High Society

7.8 | en | Comedy

High Society is the title of an American television sitcom that aired Monday nights on CBS in 1995 and early 1996; it was entered into the CBS schedule as a replacement for If Not for You, a sitcom starring Elizabeth McGovern, which was quickly canceled by the network. The theme song was the Lady is a Tramp sung by Chaka Khan. Its premise was similar to the campy British comedy series Absolutely Fabulous.

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Seasons & Episodes

EP13 The Family Jewels

Feb. 26,1996

Having witnessed Dott's bond with Brendan during a robbery, Ellie decides to have a baby and begins interviewing prospective fathers.

EP12 I Found My Thrill on Nancy Garvey Hill

Feb. 12,1996

EP11 Touching up Your Roots

Feb. 05,1996

A publicity campaign launching Ellie's new novel brings surprises gallore: a visit from her estranged, contrified parents -- and news that she is adopted.

EP10 Alice Doesn't Pump Here Anymore

Jan. 22,1996

After suffering a heart attack during a sexual encounter with the doorman, Alice (Jayne Meadows) is forced to convalesce at her doting daughter Dott's.

EP9 Nip and Tuck

Jan. 15,1996

The Prosepect of posing for a famous photographer has Dott and Ellie each considering a change of face by a famous plastic surgeon (Bronson Pinchot).

EP8 We Ought to be in Pictures

Dec. 18,1995

A big-time TV producer (Jon Polito) sets out to make a miniseries from Ellie's latest novel, ""High Sierra Streetwalker."" Donna Mills plays the tempermental, hitrionic star signed for the lead.

EP7 Finnigan's Rainbow

Dec. 11,1995

Dott falls headlong for a motivational speaker, and Ellie goes to extremes to get her name in the tabloids.

EP6 The Naked and the Deadline

Dec. 04,1995

Ellie is suffering from writer's block as the deadline for her latest novel passes, and Dott goes all out to break her out of it.

EP5 Tomb with a View

Nov. 27,1995

EP4 Dolce & G'bye Now

Nov. 20,1995

Stephano quits after a fight with Ellie, and a desperate Dott hires Val as his replacement.

EP3 Sleeping with the Enemy

Nov. 13,1995

Ellie's scheme to get Val out of her hair backfires when Val's estranged husband (Robert Clohessy) arrives to sweet-talk his wife back to New Jersy -- and ends up making a pass at Ellie.

EP2 Who's Son is It Anyway?

Nov. 06,1995

Worried that her son is spending too much time with Val, Dott enlists Ellie's help in winning back her son's devotion by cooking him a meal. Meanwhile, Ellie and Stephano compete for the affections of Ellie's new bodyguard Wolf.

EP1 Family Val's

Oct. 30,1995

Ellie's (Jean Smart) book tour is sidetracked by her college nemesis, Val (Faith Prince), who comes between Ellie and her publisher, best friend Dott Emerson (Mary McDonnell).

7.8 | en | Comedy | More Info

Released: 1995-10-30 | Released Producted By: , Country: United States of America Budget: 0 Revenue: 0 Official Website:

Synopsis

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Cast

Jean Smart , Mary McDonnell , Faith Prince

Director

Producted By

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Cast

Jean Smart

as Ellie Walker

Senior Moment Hacks Mare of Easttown Superintelligence A Simple Favor A Shoe Addict's Christmas Life Itself Awaken the Shadowman The Accountant

Mary McDonnell

as Dott Emerson

The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf Major Crimes Scream 4 Margin Call Battlestar Galactica: Razor Mrs. Harris Battlestar Galactica Donnie Darko Battlestar Galactica

Faith Prince

as Val Brumberg

Dear Christmas Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue Material Girls Our Very Own A Season for Miracles Picture Perfect Big Bully High Society My Father the Hero

Reviews

kfedup I have seen a lot of TV in my time, both good and bad, and I cannot agree with the comment that this show is hideous. My only problem is that I was too young to appreciate both AbFab and High Society when they first started airing. I have seen on this site where people scoff at the use of Valium as a way to get a laugh because the drug is too weak. Let's face it. None of the Americanized versions of British comedies were allowed to be as free with their material as their counterparts in the 1990's. American television was more restricted than other nations, especially on regular networks. People immediately labeled Jean Smart as "family TV" because of one role, so they failed to accept her as Ellie Walker. Mary McDonnell is a two-time Oscar nominee with amazing talent, so how could she possibly be funny? That's what people thought, and they were wrong. What's sad is that some of the people who put this show down are probably tremendous fans of the American adaptation of The Office. Funny how it's acceptable today to rip off a show, but ten years ago, it was a deadly sin.

TelevisionJunkie Often-compared to "Absolutely Fabulous," but really nothing like it, "High Society" should have been an enormous hit. Jean Smart and Mary McDonnell had remarkable chemistry together and the writing was top-notch, which should have been enough to keep the series afloat. Wrong. Some people had a hard time picturing Smart as anything but her homely character from "Designing Women," despite the fact most of her roles have been closer to Ellie than Charlene. Critics trashed it. Even actor John Schneider trashed it in an interview on TNN (then he subsequently ended up on "Veronica's Closet"). In several reviews, the characters in "Society" were criticized for laughing at their own jokes. Yet a few years later, Megan Mullally was hailed on "Will and Grace" for doing that same thing. Take the two characters from this show and roll them into one and you have "Will and Grace"'s Karen Walker, complete with Dott's look and Ellie's last name. Personally, I think this was one of the funniest sitcom of all time - too bad it was so closely compared to AbFab that very few people remember it!

amykay AbFab was successful in England. In fact, it was successful in America! Americans LOVE AbFab. So of course it made sense to try try try to make an American AbFab. AmFab, perhaps? But it just couldn't work. It could never work. Americans like to see themselves in a certain light. Sure, we drink. But the people we want to WATCH drinking are either funny southern/mountain folk, or angry violent urban youth... not middle-aged wealthy moms. Middle-aged wealthy moms have a pretty wide berth here, of course, but it just doesn't go that far. High Society may have offered less of everything we didn't want, but how could you really have anything resembling AbFab if you couldn't construct a situation where, say, Patsy wakes up in a garbage barge, and it's COMPLETELY RIGHT!?!

bronty This show was the first of the 3 big network's attempts to translate the British phenomenon "Absolutely Fabulous" for American tastes (read: less vulgarity, less foul language, NO overt drug-taking, less drinking, etc.) that actually reached the screen ("Cybill" is often reported as being an "AbFab" spin, but the two have very little in common to acknowledge its British cousin as an influence); its quick failure ensured that it would also be the last. Mary McDonell & Jean Smart made for a great comedy duo and shared a good deal of chemistry, but they were surrounded by a lackluster supporting cast and amusing but often messy writing that too quickly relied upon a one-liner than dialogue that could flesh out a character, no matter how funny that one-liner may have been. Yet another interesting attempt to adapt a British program to American tastes.