Saturday, February 3, 2024

Personal Foul 16

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, after returning to The Mirror from a drive around the less affluent side of town with Mike, Jackie is having second thoughts about writing the 2nd part of the series of articles she has been planning to do on the college sports scene at Lincoln University. Mike has made quite a convincing point and she is pondering over what they had discussed. Jackie's assistant Anthony informs her that she has a guest in her office, Andrew Taylor's mother. She wants to speak to her. Jackie gets ready for a confrontation. But to her surprise, Andrew's mother thanks her for her article. Mrs. Taylor says that after getting offers from a lot of different colleges (which included perks and all), she and Andrew decided on Lincoln U because they promised to give him a proper education. But she is disappointed because they lied to her and hands Jackie a note. Jackie reads it and is astonished. That evening, she takes Mike on a trip to the Ashford Hotel. Mike wonders why she's taking him there... to show him more lingerie perhaps? Jackie says her office was able to track down former high school star athlete Jimmy Williams. He's working there now. Mike is excited to see him. Jackie says Jimmy's now passing out towels in the men's room at the Ashford. Mike gets Jackie's point. She tell him that Andrew's mother came to see her and shows him the note. Mike is astonished. Jackie says Andrew can't read or write and has been getting preferential treatment all his life for his athletic prowess. She says this scenario has made Andrew illiterate.

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