It's Not Easy
| It's Not Easy | |
|---|---|
| Created by | Patricia Nardo |
| Starring | Ken Howard Carlene Watkins Bert Convy Billy Jayne Evan Cohen Jayne Meadows Rachel Jacobs |
| Composer | Charles Fox |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 10 (6 unaired) (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Production companies | Patricia Nardo Productions Konigsberg Company 20th Century Fox Television |
| Original release | |
| Network | ABC |
| Release | September 29 – October 20, 1983 |
It's Not Easy is an American sitcom that aired on ABC from September 29 until October 20, 1983.[1]
Premise
[edit]A divorced couple decides to live across the street from each other to make it easier for their kids. [2]
Cast
[edit]- Evan Cohen as Johnny Long
- Bert Convy as Neal Townsend
- Ken Howard as Jack Long
- Rachel Jacobs as Carol Long
- Billy Jayne as Matthew Townsend
- Jayne Meadows as Ruth Long
- Carlene Watkins as Sharon Long Townsend
Development
[edit]The series was first pitched in August 1981, with ABC greenlighting it for a pilot. The original cast consisted of Gerald McRaney as Jack Long, Carlene Watkins as Sharon Long Townsend, and Larry Breeding as Neal Townsend. McRaney signed on for It's Not Easy when it appeared that his CBS detective series Simon & Simon was on the cancellation block. A test pilot was shot, and after ABC picked up the show, the project soon faced recasts. Shortly after ABC ordered episodes for the fall, CBS announced that Simon & Simon was renewed for the 1982-83 season, rendering McRaney unavailable. The producers then sought out a replacement while ABC moved It's Not Easy off the September schedule. By late in the summer, Ken Howard was chosen to replace McRaney. Plans were moving forward to shoot a second pilot when Larry Breeding was killed in a car accident on the Hollywood Freeway on September 28, 1982, and dealing with his loss preempted the show's development for several more months. It's Not Easy finally resurfaced on ABC's development slate in the spring of 1983, with Bert Convy taking over the role of Neal Townsend, and with a fall premiere date that year. The pilot premiered on September 29, 1983 to critical acclaim; however, the show was not finding it easy to get good ratings. The show did not last and was cancelled after only a few weeks on air. [3] It was the first cancellation of 1983-84 season, and its Thursday night slot was replaced with Trauma Center. [4]
Filming
[edit]It's Not Easy was filmed at Radford Studio Center, at Los Angeles, California, but it is set in Lyndhurst, New Jersey.
Episodes
[edit]| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Pilot" | Robert Moore | Patricia Nardo | September 29, 1983 | |
|
The kids finally meet the woman their dad has been dating. | |||||
| 2 | "Did He or Didn't He?" | John Tracy | Anne Convy and Mitzi McCall | October 6, 1983 | |
|
While visiting his ex-wife Evelyn, Neal drinks too much and spends the night after passing out on her couch, much to Sharon's dismay. | |||||
| 3 | "Jack Kills Sharon's Grandmother" | John Tracy | Robert Sternin and Prudence Fraser | October 13, 1983 | |
|
Sharon and Jack pretend that they are still married when Sharon's grandmother comes for a visit. | |||||
| 4 | "Betrayal" | John Tracy | Gary Kott | October 20, 1983 | |
|
Sharon has a personal conversation with Jack and tells Neal all about it. | |||||
| 5 | "Teacher Pets" | Tony Singletary | Michael Cassutt | UNAIRED | |
|
Sharon has an argument with Johnny's teacher. | |||||
| 6 | "My Dinner with Andrea" | John Tracy | Carmen Finestra | UNAIRED | |
| 7 | "Taking Sides" | Tony Singletary | Robert Stevens | UNAIRED | |
| 8 | "All Night Long" | Charlotte Brown | Carmen Finestra | UNAIRED | |
| 9 | "Neal Kills Johnny's Fish" | Charlotte Brown | Anne Convy and Mitzi McCall | UNAIRED | |
| 10 | "You Made Her Love You" | Charlotte Brown | Gary Kott | UNAIRED | |
References
[edit]- ^ McNeil, Alex (1997). Total television : a comprehensive guide to programming from 1948 to the present (4 ed.). New York, N.Y., U.S.A.: Penguin Books. p. 418. ISBN 0140267379.
- ^ O'Connor, John (September 29, 1983), "TV: Comedy of Divorce", The New York Times, pp. C30, retrieved September 14, 2025
- ^ Rosenberg, Howard (October 24, 1983), "Television producer presents anatomy of cancelled sitcom", St. Joseph News-Press, St. Joseph, Missouri, pp. 7A, retrieved September 14, 2025
- ^ Kerr, Peter (October 27, 1983), "NBC Withdraws 3 of Its New Shows", The New York Times, pp. C31, retrieved September 14, 2025
