Difficult to believe that Gary Marshall, who I have enormous respect for, produced this, it's essentially a translation of the Brit sitcom "Are You Being Served". Unfortunately, it's miscast - Alan Sues comes to mind but pretty much everyone is miscast except John Hillerman who had natural comic timing. Like the UK version, it has crass, lowbrow humor, but unlike the British version it wasn't produced by David Croft who had an instinct for casting likable, standout characters who could get away with lowbrow humor. Even the TV direction legend Jerry Paris wasn't able to rescue this turkey.
Interestingly the British and US sets were close to identical. One of the few flops of a Britcom being translated to the US - i.e. Sanford and Sons, All in the Family, Three's Company, Dear John, The Office... etc. Etc. All big ratings hits.
Interestingly the British and US sets were close to identical. One of the few flops of a Britcom being translated to the US - i.e. Sanford and Sons, All in the Family, Three's Company, Dear John, The Office... etc. Etc. All big ratings hits.