Saturday, July 16, 2022

High Anxiety 11

screen captures from the Jack and Mike
episode "High Anxiety," 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. In the episode "High Anxiety," Jackie tries to steer a talented graffiti artist towards a more conventional artistic path. Also, a famed comedy team that frequents Mike's restaurant brings in so much business, as well as other things. The episode was originally aired in November 11, 1986.

screen captures from the Jack and Mike
episode "High Anxiety," 1986

To continue, Jackie takes graffiti artist Samantha/Sammy uptown to the one of the high-end residential buildings in the area. Sammy takes interest on the unadorned walls of the buildings around the area. She feels they have an unfinished quality to them. Jackie whispers "less is more" which Sammy doesn't catch. As they ride the elevator up to the 7th floor of the building, Sammy explains her esthetic to Jackie. They get off the elevator and knock on the door of the apartment/studio of Jackie's friend, artist Lucia de las Rosas. Jackie introduces Lucia to Sammy, who is in awe of Lucia's artwork. The two seem to immediately hit it off. Sammy checks out Lucia's various artwork scattered around her apartment. Sammy is impressed and says Lucia must be doing all right. Lucia responds by saying she does her artwork on canvas, because, that way, anyone interested could buy and take her art with them. Sammy is intrigued by the idea. Lucia states that patrons could hang her art on their living room walls. Sammy is suspicious that they are trying to tell her something. Jackie tells her she never preaches.

screen captures from the Jack and Mike
episode "High Anxiety," 1986