screen captures from the Jack and Mike
episode "Personal Foul," 1986
Shelley's third foray into series TV was Jack and Mike. It was about a married yuppie couple living in Chicago, trying to find time for each other in their busy schedules. Shelley played Jackie Shea, a star columnist at The Mirror, a widely-circulated Chicago paper. Her column was awaited by everyone every week. Her husband was Mike Brennan (played by Tom Mason), a successful restaurateur. Other cast members were: Nora Adler (Jacqueline Brookes), Jackie’s editor; Anthony Kubecek (Kevin Dunn), Jackie's assistant; Carol (Holly Fulger), the head waitress at Mike's restaurant, Brennan's Grill; and Rick Scotti (Vincent Baggetta), an attorney who appears occasionally. In the episode "Personal Foul," a college professor is suspended for trying to flunk the school's star basketball player, and Mike is upset that Jackie's covering the story, since it's his alma mater and he's the team's No. 1 supporter. The episode was originally aired in September 30, 1986.
screen captures from the Jack and Mike
episode "Personal Foul," 1986
To continue, Jackie convinces Prof. Powell to share her side of the story. Powell informs Jackie that the university was pressuring her to give Andrew a passing grade so he could play on the basketball team. She adds that the school lowers the entrance requirements to get these star-athlete kids, give them full scholarships and passing grades. Unfortunately, many of them don't finish the courses and don't even graduate. She tells Jackie that the goal isn't to teach the kids but to cash in on their athletic prowess. When she flunked Andrew, she was relieved of her courses. Powell wrote a letter of protest but it was ignored. All she wants is to give Andrew and students like him a good education while they're still in the university. Powell is determined to make a change and is willing to write as many letters of protest as possible. Jackie decides to write about Powell's predicament. Meanwhile, Mike is having a hot water problem at Brennan's Grill; they have no hot water for that evening, as the problem could only be completely fixed by the next morning. Mike has Carol call the a neighboring restaurant for help.
screen captures from the Jack and Mike
episode "Personal Foul," 1986
