Shark Bytes
I do believe this show had a major historical relevance -- the only network show to be "based" (storylined) in Guam. There are like 6 people there so what are the odds??
Even though "Baby I'm BacK" had a strong cast in Deamond Wilson, Denise Nicholas, a young Kim Fields and Helen Martin, it was a very weak premise that jumped from Day One. The one thing I remember was the opening that featured the line from Wilson "That's my mother-in-law Luzelle. That's French for 'killer.'"
could denise nicholas look any more depressed? i really do like her as actress, but didn't she always look serious and worried about something no matter what role she was playing? and ofcourse the premise of the whole show, "baby i'm back" was stupid as hell. would the dead beat dad who fakes his death to ditch the family really expect the family to let by gones be by gones? the show should have been called. "baby are you dumb enough to accept me back"?
BABY I'M BACK jumped from day one. This was a stupid premise for a show and just seemed to be created for the purpose of getting Demond Wilson back on network television. How long did the creators of this show think they could stretch this paper-thin premise and milk plausible situations out of it? This show was a mistake from day one and it wasted the talents of the lovely Denise Nicholas.
The title of this show was more than enough to convince me that this show wouldn't last. I mean, how long can a once-missing man who returns home to his wife keep saying, "Baby, I'm back!"? After a month or so, I would think she'd realize he was back. They would have had to change the title. But to what? "Baby, I Was Gone!"?
It's the 1970s. The great American middle class have already been lulled into an anti-intellectual stupor by epic entertainment like the "Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders" movie and the "Chuck Barris Rah-Rah Show" and "Pink Lady and Jeff" as well as terrific shows about the thrill of sexual possibilities on cruise ships, islands, and basically every place except Aisle 11 at the frickin' A&P -- and only that because Norman Lear couldn't get enough backing from the big boys in finance. Only in the 1970s could a television writing team get away with deciding that a perfect addition to the lineup would be a show about a slime bucket who abandoned his wife and kids for seven years and suddenly wants a warm place to put his nose again. Blech.
WELL, FIRST OFF TO THE 1ST COMMENT I WANTED TO SAY THAT ONE OF THE KIDS, THE SON, WERE AFFECTED AND UPSET THAT THE FATHER LEFT IN THE 1ST EPISODE. THE DAUGHTER WAS JUST GLAD TO HAVE HER FATHER BACK, SHE WAS TOO YOUNG ANYWAY TO REMEMBER HIM LEAVING, LIKE MOST LITTLE GIRLS SHE JUST WANTED HER DADDY. THE SHOW WAS FUNNY TO ME. I THINK IT WAS JUST FATE OR DESTINY FOR KIM FIELDS TO BEGIN FACTS OF LIFE AND BECOME THE FAMOUS "TOOTIE".
This show never jumped the shark. I didn't watch it until they did the reruns on BET, I was too young to watch the original. But I found this show really good, because yes, the father was a deadbeat dad, but he later realized what he risked losing by stayin away.
Two words. DEADBEAT DAD! And this was supposed to be the era of family entertainment? They say that the "Richard Pryor Show" was vulgar but it's okay to have a show where we are to sympathize with a man who abandons his wife and children and doesn't show up again until after he's been declared legally dead! Then the wife is the bad guy for shying away from him? If he wanted to help his family, did he even offer to pay for seven years of child and spousal support he missed? Probably, not! F**kin' Asshole!
I could overlook the baby face on the new guy if they had simply cut his hair. Even allowing that the characters were supposed to be forward based combat pilots who wouldn't have had a barber with them, that Kid's hair was classic 1976-78 American suburban high school. Ever see anyone in a WWII era photo with such a hairstyle? The female actresses also wore the late 1970's long, flowing, center-parted with bangs look. Blue eye shadow would have finished their 1970's ensemble, I'm surprised that it wasn't included. The gysgt. Micklin character along with maybe Gutterman wore the only authentic Marine corps. haircuts of the entire cast.
Never jumped, and I'll tell you why. This show was up against Donny and Marie, and loathing those two polygamists as I did, it was the only option (of course I could have read a book, but that would have been way uncool). Anyhow, I loved the way that the situation was explained in the opening; something about Lamont disappearing for 7 years and being declared dead, then returning to his family. Hey, it beats the hell out of "i'm a little bit county..and I'm a little bit rock and roll".
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