Shelley starred in the TV movie Single Bars, Single Women in 1984. Inspired by the Dolly Parton hit single of the same title, it explored the new singles scene of the 1980s after the women's lib movement of the 1970s. Gender roles were changing, women were becoming more confident in going out on their own and looking for love and companionship. Shelley had only good things to say about the telefilm. "I really sound Pollyanna, but that's the way I feel," she said in a telephone interview. "It's drama with humor," she said of the teleflick. About working in Hollywood, she said, "The more I do, the more I realize what a collaborative medium this business is. And my number one priority is to work with good people." By then, she had already worked with Robert de Niro, George Segal, Dick Van Dyke and Sid Caesar, as well as esteemed directors Woody Allen and Martin Scorsese. For Single Bars, Single Women, she played opposite Paul Michael Glaser and Tony Danza. "I've been so lucky to work with so many different people," she said.
