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Actress-singer Nell Carter provided the heart and soul for
this much-loved NBC family series (1981-1987) about a black
woman who cares for a white police chief's daughters after
the death of their mother. Though some of the show's humor
was derived from jibes about Ms. Carter's size and the clash
of parenting styles between the no-nonsense Chief (stage
veteran Dolph Sweet) and Carter's warm, sassy Nell Harper,
Gimme a Break also addressed more serious and
emotional subjects with surprising warmth and drama. The
debut episode, "Katie the Crook" (which is featured on this
three-disc set, along with the other 18 episodes from the
1981-82 season), does a fine job of touching on the tougher
issues, as the Chief's three daughters (Kari Michaelson,
Lauri Hendler, and Lara Jill Miller) each react to the
mother's untimely passing in realistic manners. Other
episodes in the first season offer a good blend of humor and
pathos, including "Mom's Birthday" (in which Nell allows the
family to celebrate their mother through home movies), "The
Emergency" (a rare TV storyline about teen birth control),
"Your Prisoner Is Dead" (the Chief is traumatized after
killing a drugstore burglar, and considers retirement), and
"Nell Goes Home" (Nell is rejected by her ailing father
during a trip to Alabama). Much of the credit for the show
should go to the cast, especially Ms. Carter and Sweet (both
who have since passed away), though veteran character actor
John Hoyt deserves mention as the family's grandfather;
their enthusiasm for and skill behind the roles is
undoubtedly a large reason why Gimme a Break still
enjoys a following. The first-season set includes a preview
of the show's second season (the episode "Nell Goes to
Jail"), as well as episodes from Charles in Charge
and Kate and Allie, two other popular family sitcoms
from the '80s. A 30-minute featurette on '80s TV (the same
one featured on the Charles in Charge first-season
set) rounds out this fan-pleasing set. -- Paul Gaita
Product Description
Nell Carter shines as Nellie Ruth "Nell" Harper, the role
that twice earned her Emmy(r) and Golden Globe Award
nominations, and helped redefine the meaning of "family."
Available for the first time ever on DVD, Gimme a Break! is
the funny, hip and sometimes poignant portrayal of the
Kanisky family: widowed Police Chief Carl; his three
daughters Katie, Julie and Samantha; and their unflappable
housekeeper-turned-surrogate mother (Carter). This 3-disc
set includes all 19 episodes from Season One, as well as a
preview from Season Two, bonus episodes from the smash-hit
sitcoms Kate and Allie and Charles in Charge, and a special
featurette that takes a look back at other great TV shows of
the eighties. Featuring renowned guest stars such as Danny
Glover, Rue McClanahan and Helen Hunt, Gimme a Break! is the
beloved sitcom that delivers both love and laughs.
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