Shelley with Tom Mason in a promo pic
for the Jack and Mike episode
"Fire and Ice", 1987
Shelley starred in her third TV series Jack and Mike in 1986. The series explored the life of journalist Jackie Shea (played by Shelley) and restauranteur Mike Brennan (played Tom Mason), a married couple with busy careers trying to make their marriage work. "It's about a modern woman who is doing something her contemporaries are doing - holding down a job and keeping a relationship," Shelley explained. "The real focus will be on the marriage and how two people who work cope and how their professional entanglements affect them," Tom Mason added. To distinguish it from other shows airing at the time, the series was set and filmed on location in Chicago, Illinois.
Shelley in a promo pic
for the Jack and Mike episode
"Fire and Ice", 1987
The yuppie phenomenon exploded in the 1980s - and more and more women began entering the workforce, climbing up the corporate ladder and holding positions previously held exclusively by men in past generations. This change affected the relationship dynamic of couples at the time as married women were no longer relegated to just being at home... finding a good balance between work life and home life was the ultimate goal. Men too were making adjustments to the new normal... coming to terms with the problems that came with the change as well as realizing the benefits it brought to a marriage.
Shelley with Joe Regalbuto in a promo pic
for the Jack and Mike episode
"Fire and Ice", 1987
