Shark Bytes

I was on this show - I was a waiter who sat the RAMONES.......I thought what they needed to do was give me a funnier part---but what can you do?

The magnificent Blythe Danner is far too lovely and refined to ever jump a shark.

I liked this show a lot in it's firt incarnation. Then, they tried to sex it up or something with the sitcom version. I remember this scene with a nude Stephen Collins, having his nards hidden by a strategically placed vase. It was so stupid.

The only reason I remember this show is because I never saw another show, before or since, that had such a great disparity between production quality and writing quality. The show had a high budget feel (good sets, location filming) a really good cast (Stephen Collins, Blythe Danner, Mary Beth Hurt, Jerry Stiller) and absolutely the most uninteresting writing and direction ever! I kept watching because I felt they were going to do something other than whine about how they were in the red (which, while realistic-as someone above sadly experienced-does not guarantee watchability). But it ultimately jumped when Chris Elliot was added and the show's focus changed. Now I love Chris Elliot but right after the "Spin and Marty" line, I turned it off forever!

I can recall when the cast of "St. Elsewhere" appeared on the Phil Donahue Show, and Phil throwing out the question to the cast, "Where is the show headed?" Bonnie Bartlett, who played Mrs. Craig, mentioned that most of the creative staff, and many of the stage crew were heading over to a new show, "Tattingers". OH-OH....SHARK IN THE WATERS for St. Elsewhere!!!!! (Which proved to be so true, and the downward spiral of the best show on TV, HANDS DOWN!!! Curious, (and a big fan of St. E.) I wandered into Tattingers... Never saw a more boring show in my life!! The characters were listless, the plots lame, and nothing at all endearing. It's like going out to eat in a fine restaurant (Tattingers??!!) and barfing up the meal before the check comes. I expected more from this show, especially with Jerry Stiller in the cast, but seems he wasn't given much to do. Justice was served, as this show rightfully went down the garbage disposal of TV History!

I loved Tattinger's and was sorry and shocked when it was cancelled. Gwynneth Paltrow's mother, Blythe Danner, was one of the stars. In those days she had the beauty we now see in her daughter. She was a great actress. I wish it would rerun somewhere so I could tape it.

I remember coming home to the apartment I shared with my pal, Jack. We talked about how we hated our jobs and wished we could open a cool restaurant, just like that one on that new television show. So, instead of buying Microsoft stock we pooled our funds and opened an upscale restaurant. The place went belly up in 2 weeks. I hate you, Tattinger.

While this show was dumb from the beginning, it REALLY leaped over Jaws when it was retooled as a half-hour sitcom! No kidding! The show's title was changed to "Nick and Hillary" and Chris Elliott and Anne Levine were added to the cast as characters named (I kid you not!) "Spin" and "Marti"! ::Audience groans in utter disgust:: I saw all two episodes, so I KNOW I'm not making this crap up!