Saturday, February 24, 2024

Personal Foul 19

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 goes over to see Mike at Brennan's Grill for a drink with her husband. She wants to thank him for what he had done earlier in regards to the series of articles she's been writing about the college sports scene, mainly Lincoln University's. Mike orders club sodas for both of them and shares with her his thoughts about what had transpired in the past few days. He tells her he has realized that the education of the student athletes is more important than the honors they give the university. It seems that he and his fellow alumni had been too enamored with the sport - the competition, the excitement, the artistry - that they've all forgotten the most important thing, the future of the students. He thought they were helping them out; but it seems it all got out of hand. Jackie says the reality sets in when their playing days are over; and that Mike was lucky he got a good education during his time at the university. Mike vows that their next basketball team will composed of athletes who can read and write. Then, he suddenly notices that there no waiters around. He leaves Jackie and goes to the kitchen.

screen captures from the Jack and Mike
episode "Personal Foul," 1986