screen captures from the Jack and Mike pilot episode, 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 about to open his third restaurant. The pilot was released in VHS format and distributed in Europe, in the Netherlands and Belgium; but only the pilot episode. The entire episode was kept as is; but subtitles in Dutch were burned into the media for the convenience of the target audience. The episode runs for 90 minutes and was originally aired in September 16, 1986.
more screen captures from the Jack and Mike pilot episode, 1986
To continue, Jackie meets convicted rapist Chris Sykes and his wife Holly in her office at The Mirror. His sentencing is days away, and he is asking Jackie to help him prove his innocence. He denies raping Ann Pulaski and is asking Jackie, whom he knows is an influential columnist, to write a story about his wrongful conviction to help him with his case. Moved, she says she'll think about it. That evening, Mike comes home to Jackie who had fallen asleep in bed amid some reading material from work. She's awakened by his kiss and the new jacket Mike bought for himself catches her attention. He puts the jacket away and they discuss the incident in Jackie's office earlier. She's seriously thinking about what Chris said and is wondering if she will take him up on his offer. Mike says she'll know what to do, as always.
