TamPalm I recently re-discovered this show in syndication on Hallmark. I've been DVR'ing it ever since. Just a quality show all the way around. Whne I see it now, I'm in awe of how well-done it is, how great the acting and writing and execution.Tony Danza carries this show, he was BORN for this role. His supporting cast is right on the money too. Everyone pulls the appropriate amount of weight. They are the perfect accompaniment to the superb writing that made the show so appealing for almost a decade. Only great writing could pull off the kind of anticipation of a romance between Tony and Angela that lasted for upwards SEVEN years. That's talented writing for sure! This show embodies the heyday of the sitcom. Before reality TV, there was the sitcom, the 30 minute show with the laugh track and quickly-developed plot and resolution. And for some reason back in the 80's, there seemed to be more talent for effectively executing the sitcom. Now, in the age of oversexualization and violence and edginess, it brings a smile to look back and remember when something could be clean and quality at the same time. The good ol' days I guess they're called now. sigh

waiching liu As an 80s child myself, this effort was one of America's memorable sitcoms during a decade where the TV industry was saturated with the likes of The Cosby Show, Family Ties, Facts of Life to name on our TV screens. Who's The Boss is undoubtedly one of the best family-based sitcoms ever: a divorced but wealthy career woman, going by the name of Angela Bauer, -played by Judith Light- lives at home with her son, Jonathan and whose mother, Mona occasionally drops by to pay a visit. Angela hires a hunky, ex- Major League baseball player, Tony Michelli- Taxi's Tony Danza- as her housekeeper: he brings along his daughter, Samantha, played by Charmed's Alyssa Milano and the pair move into Angela's house. Angela is uptight-some would say pretentious and is yet a well- educated, intelligent and ambitious woman, who at first, is so tied to her work that she doesn't seem to have time to relax and have fun with the kids. Tony on the other hand, is a fun-loving, humorous, New Yorker, whose mischievous and larger than life persona springs to life from the very first moment he enters Angela, Jonathan and Mona's lives. Amidst the positive effect he has on not just the kids and Mona, but Angela especially. And it is down to his effect on Angela, that as we see as the series progresses, she becomes less uptight and more sensitive, caring and loving, in addition to being more assertive and confident. Both as a mother to the kids and towards Tony, particularly as her feelings towards him develop further on, from employees, to friends, and then onwards as lovers. The emotional and sexual tension between Angela and Tony is well developed and the writers and performers did a good job in projecting that chemistry and making those characters believable, to the extent to which we as the audience, wanted to root for them to get together. Thus, the fact that Who's The Boss, managed to sustain the interest in Angela and Tony's relationship throughout the 8 seasons, without it diminishing the standards this show has set is a testament to the quality of the writing, the humour and the performances themselves. Today, Judith Light is well known to many of us for her role as stern, no-nonsense, Claire Meade in ABC's Ugly Betty, but here as Angela, she is wonderful as she plays against type as a down-to-earth, sensitive-yet modest career woman and single mother. Personally, for me it was refreshing to see a younger Judith, looking beautiful and elegant throughout this sitcom. Having seen Ugly Betty and Who's The Boss, I can understand why she is considered by many people- within the TV industry and outside of it- as a great character actress. She has this ability to play certain roles that are as varied and diverse, as well as ones that challenge her acting capabilities. Her level of experience on screen and stage, not to mention her knowledge of this business, from an acting perspective makes her one of the most well respected and under rated actresses around today. And with 'Who's The Boss?' Judith hardly puts a foot wrong; she looks radiant and glamorous as the attractive Angela. Tony Danza is as charismatic, charming and witty as he is as Tony and together, the pair make a great sitcom couple. There are many sitcoms which encompass the romantic pairing of two characters, but not many shows are able to develop that chemistry and relationship further along throughout the duration of the series and in a way that makes sense to its viewers. 'Who's the Boss?' with Tony and Angela, on the other hand, did just that, courtesy of the performances given by Danza and Light. It was at times amusing, interesting and touching, without being too sappy. Overall, this was an underrated show that never got as much recognition that it deserved and is a likable take on the employer/employee relationship; a theme that was employed during the first 2 seasons of the 90s LL cool J and Debbie Allen sitcom, In the House. I have to admit I didn't like this show when it first came out, but as I watch the episodes as a 20 something person, it made me appreciate Who's The Boss more, as well as to understand and getting used to its humour. As I said, the 80s was a great cultural period for Television in the States, and 'Who's The Boss?' was one of those shows that best reflected and represented American family life and culture during that decade, in the way that it did.

dataconflossmoor Our parent's generation was full of ethnic and religious generalizations which dominated the population's thought patterns, particularly in urban areas, today that is no longer the case!! In 1984 there was still a smattering of ethnic stereotypes that many people identified with on a fondly familiar level!! "Who's the Boss" combined the prevailing philosophies of today as well as the values of yesteryear!! I thought Tony Danza was the best part of the show...Italian Americans have a culture all to themselves, and reminiscing about the way things use to be was homogenized into a value system which exists today!! The whole genre is set up whereby old values clashed with modern situations!! The big bread winner in the household was a female, she was employing a male housekeeper...This male housekeeper was a semi-professional athlete, so he was very much a man!!! The mother was a party animal, and the kids were victims of their respective environments!! It was a case of W.A.S.P meets WAP.....I could identify with this combination totally, I am half one and half the other!! Together they sound like an insect repellent!! I use the term WAP kiddingly and with no disrespect!! For purposes of comic relief, all value systems were exaggerated!! This show exemplified the adjective "cute", and was enormously popular...Stars like Grant Aleksander contributed to the show tremendously!! They helped make it very entertaining!!!Today, a show like "Who's the Boss" could not make it!! The show encompassed an antiquated association of human nature through religious and social upbringings!! The ideas of the 1980's embraced a nostalgic ethnicity recognition which correlated to a bygone era's sociological pattern of living!!! Today, all such stigmatic associations have been aggregately obviated in American Television programming!!... I think that "Who's the Boss" was one the last bastions of programming that used innocuous cultural labeling as a humorous element to be incorporated into a television show... It was a great idea for a great period in American history (The 1980's)

roghache This is an incredibly entertaining sitcom, one of the best ever of the family comedy genre. Actually, there are two families here who sort of merge into one, both physically (sharing the same house) and emotionally (sibling spats and so on, but genuine care & concern).The series revolves around a fairly affluent, divorced New York City advertising executive, Angela Bauer, who lives in a lovely colonial home in Connecticut with her rather shy & insecure young son, Jonathan. There are frequent visits from her man hungry mother, Mona, who eventually moves into an apartment over the garage. In the meantime, Angela hires an unusual, macho appearing Italian housekeeper hunk from Brooklyn, Tony Micelli, who is anxious to give his teenage daughter, Samantha, the greater opportunities that accompany a suburban life. Tony & Sam move in and the two families combine, so to speak.The relationship between Angela and Tony makes this series. Angela, the serious career woman, begins to rely heavily on Tony not only for domestic management, but also as a surrogate dad for son Jonathan. In the process Tony and Angela become best friends, share both laughs and tears, and exchange advice on everything from clothing styles to parenting to love interests. Naturally, romantic feelings develop between Angela and Tony and the chemistry & sexual tension of this unconsummated relationship are at the heart of the ongoing story. There are some pretty funny situations...Angela & Tony kissing after becoming a bit tipsy, Tony inadvertently walking in on Angela as she's just getting out of the shower, a scenario where the pair are forced to sleep in the same bed. Are you getting the picture? This ongoing situation is just so much more entertaining than modern sitcoms where everyone hops into bed straight away.Judith Light and Tony Danza are both magnificent in their roles. Light plays the workaholic, uptight Angela to perfection and no one could possibly impart more charisma to housekeeper Tony than Danza does. Katherine Helmond is brilliantly cast as the vixen mother, Mona. Danny Pintauro plays the cute Jonathan and Alyssa Milano puts real pizazz into her portrayal of Sam, a pretty & very social teenager who, typical of her age, is constantly on an emotional roller coaster and keeps the household in a state of continuous uproar. This is a brilliant and hilarious series with a clever, unique take on the employer / employee relationship.