Saturday, January 27, 2024

Personal Foul 15

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, Mike goes over to see Jackie at The Mirror. After being "persuaded" by banker Ben Galloway earlier that day, he wants to see if he can convince Jackie to discontinue her series of articles about the college sports scene at Lincoln University. Although on a deadline, Jackie indulges Mike and agrees to a drive around town with him. Mike takes Jackie to the less affluent side of town to show her the types of boys who live there... the ones who excel in sports. He tells her that for them, professional sports is their way out of poverty. It is the dream of many of them to get into the pros. But Jackie reasons with Mike... saying that merely a handful end up at the pros. Mike points out that the hope of making it to the pros is precisely what drives these boys. Jackie ponders on Mike's point.

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