Thursday, February 16, 2017

"CPO Sharkey"

-created by aaron ruben
1976-1978
"I hope you kept the cotton mill down south, because if this show goes like the others, you're out of work come January."
-johnny carson, to harrison page

Well, that seems a little unfair. No, not the racism that johnny laid on SHARKEY supporting actor harrison (although that certainly qualifies), but the cheap shot taken at star don rickles' TV career. As far as i can tell, don only had one failed series at the time (THE DON RICKLES SHOW, 7 episodes...but we'll give johnny the benefit of the doubt, as perhaps there was a parade of failed pilots). This one lasted two seasons...but i'm not sure how. It endures in the zeitgeist only because of an in-studio interruption of filming by mr. carson, who came to bust rickles' chops for a mishap as TONIGHT SHOW guest host the night before. The drop-in was aired, and it's historically hilarious (just make sure you watch the unexpurgated version).
And the show itself? They tried to squeeze some humor out of having don play a crusty petty officer in charge of navy recruits, but the writers were on the fast track to Alpo commercials, leaving the actors with nothing to do but mug shamelessly (and indicate incessantly, as they say in acting circles). Every character is reduced to a two-dimensional "bit" that they play with minor variations in every episode. A gawky aide guffaws, not realizing he's being made fun of! The captain chews sharkey out! A brother lays some jive! A puerto rican speaks spanish! Sharkey makes fun of buck teeth! Funny! They had a female base commander the first season, which had potential, but the writers gave her nothing to work with and she was replaced with a walking male stereotype in season 2. I gutted out all 37 episodes, out of a warped sense of duty and the off-chance that lightning might strike.
Is it a trove of politically incorrect put-downs of polacks, jews, hispanics, asians, and the ugly/aged/effeminate? Yes, but it's too pathetic to be hated. Curiously, its one redemption was its treatment of blacks - sharkey's best bud harrison (SLEDGE HAMMER!, HILL STREET BLUES) is easygoing, intelligent, and of equal rank. The jiving recruit never loses his dignity. And the only two genuinely good episodes are about sharkey's interactions with blacks, done in a way that feels almost progressive, inventive, and daring. So here they are, plus one homophobic episode so cringe-worthy you'll never forget it.
SHARKEYTHON
-The Dear John Letter
-Sharkey Boogies on Down
-Sharkey's Secret Life

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