Syl Katherine Helmond and Cathryn Damon played sisters, Jessica Tate, and Mary Campbell, who lived in suburban Connecticut with their husbands, Chester Tate, and Mr. Campbell. Their families interact with each other. The sitcom was groundbreaking for having a regular gay character, Jodie Dallas (played by Billy Crystal) but it also showed infidelity. Jessica has three children and a butler, Benson Dubois (Robert Guilliame who would have his own sitcom series). Mary has two sons including Jodie and a son, Danny, in the mob. The husbands have as many secrets too. Robert Mandan's Chester Tate is an unfaithful jerk. Richard Mulligan's Mr. Campbell is responsible for Mary's first husband's death. The cast is first rate and so is the writing for the series. Despite a large cast, the series balances the company like an ensemble piece. I can't believe that I never got into it or the series ending after only four seasons. If you haven't seen this series, you have to see it to believe it.

mike-2989 I watched this series when it first aired in the UK when I was young, single and the world was mine to explore. I laughed and cried with the characters. I am now twice the age as I was then, have moved to Australia, got married, had children, been widowed and have just watched the first 2 seasons again, 25 years later, on DVD. I again laughed and cried with the characters. Interestingly enough, my teenage daughter also laughs and cries with me, a generation gap easily linked with this awesome series. It is still a very emotional show despite everything that has happened in between. For me it has stood the test of time and will always do so.

preppy-3 I remember when this premiered on TV. I was in high school and this played at 9:30 at night. The original airings had a warning saying that "some material may not be suitable for younger viewers". Naturally every high school kid in the country tuned in! It was ahead of its time. It dealt with senility, racism, adultery, murder, sex...all in a funny manner! Also it had the first positive gay character on TV--Jodie played by Billy Crystal (in fact he said many gay men thanked him for how well he played it). Also it had a great cast--Katherine Helmond and Cathryn Damon especially (both won Emmys for their work on this).I was unsure of seeing this again on DVD but--it still works! It's dated of course (especially in the clothes and hair styles) and it's nowhere near as shocking as it once was, but it's still very funny and the cast works exceptionally well together. The first three seasons are the best--it really started to fall apart during season four (it's last). However the dramatic parts never really worked--they didn't jell with the comedy well and were HORRIBLY written. Still the focus on the show was the comedy so it worked almost all of the time.DVD: Season one is OK but the colors are faded and I've noticed bits and pieces missing from certain episodes. I assumed they got the originals but maybe not. The color got better with seasons 2 and 3. No extras on any of the discs--couldn't there have been a few little interviews with the surviving cast members? Still--I would rather have these than not. Recommended highly.

apoetesswitch This show was so funny, i first saw it on a marathon on comedy central as a young teen I found it hilarious. I am almost 27 and still like it. since it has been awhile i am getting the show on DVD... i never saw the ending of the final season, tho i think it was a cliffhanger.. not sure. it just looked over the cast biographies and find it kinda sad that the actress who played Mary died in like 1987 (she was on that show Webster and left the year before her death of cancer) and I knew that Richard Mulligan, who played Burt had died but didn't know when but it looks like in 2002. Ted Wass was so funny (and i loved him on Blossom seriously I've loved older men all my life) as Danny Dallas on Soap it was funny watching him in the first season (first few episodes) with Richard Mulligan as Bert.- i hadn't seen him in anything since looks like he is a director of many TV shows. I am into biographies of the actors of shows I like. Katherine Helmond as Jessica Tate (best known as Mona) was funny on both shows. Haven't seen her in anything in awhile..but love her acting. Seems Jimmy Baio has left the face of the acting world. He was funny, and is Scott Baio's cousin. Diana Cavano left the acting jungle. Still looking up the rest of the cast.. and we all know where billy crystal went!! he is very famous but when i first saw soap i thought he was gay in real life. tho that doesn't seem to be the case. Also loved the crazy grandpa!!