In the history of comedy television, as I recall there were only three great shows with the format of a media setting, one a radio station and the other two television – WKRP in Cincinnati for radio and the other two for television, the Mary Tyler Moore Show and this, The Buffalo Bill Show. All for the same reasons, worked – great settings conducive to funny situations, great well-developed interesting characters, great writing, great funny story lines, and willingness to push the envelope on social issues. Fortunately, The Mary Tyler Moore Show caught on immediately and lasted many years providing us with many shows to watch today in syndicated reruns. WKRP in Cincinnati caught on, but unfortunately for that show a little too late also as there was still a lot of mileage left in it. An attempt to bring it back failed when after a few years it had been canceled with only a few of the original characters as many of the others had already moved on to other projects. The old magic, however was gone and the second version just didn't have what the old one had. It's the first version of WKRP in Cincinnati with Johnny Fever and the rest of the original characters that people remember and love, not the second. So why you might ask do I write so much about the Mary Tyler Moore Show and WKRP in Cincinnati and so little about the Buffalo Bill Show? Because the Buffalo Bill Show, is in the same league with those two others. And if you loved those two shows, no doubt about it, you'll love Buffalo Bill, too, that's why. I guarantee it. Maybe because it lasted less than one season, it is least remembered. Unfortunately it failed to catch on in time, depriving us of the treasures Mary Tyler Show provides us with today and WRRP could have provided us with. Even today, few people are aware of this gem. Mention The Buffalo Bill Show with The Mary Tyler Moore Show or WRKP and most people never even heard of it. And such a same it is, too!
Lost to the collective memories of the public is one show I'll never forget where Dabney Coleman, the always self promoter tries to land himself a part in a movie being filmed in Buffalo and is asked to take a screen test. He shows up at some apartment where he reads a romantic scene with an extremely obese woman. It has to be watched to be fully appreciated, though some people might take offense to making light of overweight people. But that was the Buffalo Bill Show, never afraid to go where other shows wouldn't. Or the show where Buffalo Bill's young daughter from Fresno who he hadn't seen in years comes to Buffalo and moves in with his black make-up artist with whom he has less than perfect rapport. But it was all in good fun and provided some side-splitting laughs.
There is good news. Fortunately, this just came out on DVD. Somebody beside me apparently realized how great this show was and recognized there is a market for it. Unfortunately, there are only 24 episodes to watch. But 24 are better than nothing. Watch them if you can beg, buy, borrow or steal a copy of this. If you haven't seen this show before, find out what we missed.
Lost to the collective memories of the public is one show I'll never forget where Dabney Coleman, the always self promoter tries to land himself a part in a movie being filmed in Buffalo and is asked to take a screen test. He shows up at some apartment where he reads a romantic scene with an extremely obese woman. It has to be watched to be fully appreciated, though some people might take offense to making light of overweight people. But that was the Buffalo Bill Show, never afraid to go where other shows wouldn't. Or the show where Buffalo Bill's young daughter from Fresno who he hadn't seen in years comes to Buffalo and moves in with his black make-up artist with whom he has less than perfect rapport. But it was all in good fun and provided some side-splitting laughs.
There is good news. Fortunately, this just came out on DVD. Somebody beside me apparently realized how great this show was and recognized there is a market for it. Unfortunately, there are only 24 episodes to watch. But 24 are better than nothing. Watch them if you can beg, buy, borrow or steal a copy of this. If you haven't seen this show before, find out what we missed.