The first episode of Season 1, Like Father, Like Daughter, introduces us to the characters and the taxi garage they work out of. Cab driver Alex Reiger (Judd Hirsch) shows up with a passenger, John Burns (Randall Carver) because he didn't have change for the bill John gave him. There, we also meet Alex's coworkers, which include struggling actor Bobby Wheeler (Jeff Conaway), losing boxer Tony Banta (Tony Danza, who I know mostly from Who's the Boss), their abusive dispatcher Louie De Palma (Danny Devito), new employee Elaine Nardo (Marilu Henner, who is a mainstay on Hallmark Channel these days), and mechanic Latka Gravas (Andy Kaufman). And because this is the first episode I've ever watched, I had to look up these character and actor names on Wikipedia!
While at the garage, John, who has an incredibly positive attitude, raves about how great their pay phone is, because the change compartment can be opened and therefore anyone can just keep inserting the same coin and call anywhere! This prompts the employees to begin making phone calls they normally wouldn’t, or couldn’t, make. Alex is encouraged to make a call to the daughter his hasn’t spoken to in 15 years, only to learn she’s left for college, but will be making a connecting flight in Miami, Florida. So, Alex, along with Bobby, Tony, Latka, and even John (who he’s just met) borrow a cab and drive from New York City to Miami so Alex can talk to his daughter and see her for the first time since she was a toddler.
As first episodes go, this one’s very unusual, given the heartfelt plot. I liked that Alex’s coworkers and John made the trip with him, and when Alex waded into the passenger area to try and find his daughter, Bobby said “Don’t worry, we won’t leave you.” as a show of support. It’s a very touching scene, more so than most premiere episodes of sitcoms. I'm looking forward to watching the next episode.
At the end of the episode, John becomes a driver for the cab company as well, and the series’ ensemble is set in motion.
No comments:
Post a Comment