It didn't take long for me to recognize this as an Americanized version of Absolutely Fabulous. And I was pleasantly surprised to note that this was a well-done version of a popular Britcom. Many attempts to clone British comedy fail because the producers want to copy everything about the original except the harshness and cruelty that run to the very soul of the piece.
This production worked pretty well because they created a good show from scratch. The producers of Cybill copied only a few general elements of AbFab, leaving out the harshness, but keeping a bit of the cruelty for fun. The diabolical antics of Maryann, along with her stage presence, were the spice that kept each episode alive. Then there is the ominous daughter who rebels by going out and getting adult jobs. Cybill, herself, is a somewhat stable, single-mother type who repeatedly finds herself in Lucy-style comic situations.
Of course, like most American comedies, they must end every episode by resolving all of the conflicts. You wouldn't want to leave the viewer feeling uncomfortable, would you? Perhaps they should just tuck us in and bring us milk and cookies in the morning. And that is why this good sitcom could not become a great sitcom. I'll grant you, it is difficult to imagine this wholesome all-American girl being anything other than such. Can you imagine a comedy where the beloved matronly star behaves like, say, Martha Something on a bad day...? So, by trying to quell the emotional storm in the viewer, they take away the strong feelings that would make everyone talk about this show around the water cooler the next day.
Finally, there is the hook - the look - the guilty pleasure of watching a beautiful cast perform. I don't think it was an accident that all of the other female cast members were even more attractive than the former supermodel.
This production worked pretty well because they created a good show from scratch. The producers of Cybill copied only a few general elements of AbFab, leaving out the harshness, but keeping a bit of the cruelty for fun. The diabolical antics of Maryann, along with her stage presence, were the spice that kept each episode alive. Then there is the ominous daughter who rebels by going out and getting adult jobs. Cybill, herself, is a somewhat stable, single-mother type who repeatedly finds herself in Lucy-style comic situations.
Of course, like most American comedies, they must end every episode by resolving all of the conflicts. You wouldn't want to leave the viewer feeling uncomfortable, would you? Perhaps they should just tuck us in and bring us milk and cookies in the morning. And that is why this good sitcom could not become a great sitcom. I'll grant you, it is difficult to imagine this wholesome all-American girl being anything other than such. Can you imagine a comedy where the beloved matronly star behaves like, say, Martha Something on a bad day...? So, by trying to quell the emotional storm in the viewer, they take away the strong feelings that would make everyone talk about this show around the water cooler the next day.
Finally, there is the hook - the look - the guilty pleasure of watching a beautiful cast perform. I don't think it was an accident that all of the other female cast members were even more attractive than the former supermodel.