1st & Ten is an American sitcom that aired between December 1984 and January 1991 on the cable television network HBO. Featuring series regulars Delta Burke and veteran Reid Shelton, it was one of cable's first attempts to lure the lucrative sitcom audience away from the then-dominant "Big Three" broadcast television networks, by taking advantage of their freedom to include occasional profanity and nudity.
| 1st & Ten | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre |
|
| Created by | Carl Kleinschmitt |
| Starring |
|
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of seasons | 6 |
| No. of episodes | 80 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | |
| Camera setup | Single-camera |
| Running time | 25 minutes |
| Production company | The Kushner-Locke Company |
| Original release | |
| Network | HBO |
| Release | December 2, 1984 – January 23, 1991 |
Plot
editThe sports-themed series follows the on-and off-field antics of the fictional American football team, the California Bulls.[1][2] The team changed owners throughout the series' history, with the premise that a woman is in charge.
During the first season Diane Barrow (Delta Burke) becomes the owner of her ex-husband's team as part of a divorce settlement, after he has an affair with the team's tight end. She quickly learns the ups and downs of pro football. In one episode, she is forced to coach the team herself after the head coach, Ernie Denardo, is placed in the hospital. She also has constant battles with her General Manager/husband's nephew, who has dealings with the local mob, and fights off advances made by her quarterback (played by Geoffrey Scott).
The second season dealt with two themes: training camp and the playoffs. Barrow was dealing with her players taking recreational drugs during training camp. During this season, O. J. Simpson joined the cast as T.D. Parker, a veteran running back who is forced to make the transition from player to coach. Two real-life football stars made cameo appearances: Marcus Allen portrayed a rookie who was taking over T.D.'s spot on the team, and Vince Ferragamo played "Mainstreet" Manneti, a veteran quarterback. Jason Beghe joined the cast to play Tom Yinessa, a walk-on quarterback who deals with his overnight celebrity.
Delta Burke left the show midway through the third season, after committing herself exclusively to CBS' Designing Women, which she had begun starring on in 1986, and which was renewed. Diane loses control of the Bulls to Teddy Schraeder, her former lover, who manipulates everyone to his own ends. His antics include having T.D. fire Ernie as coach, letting Yinessa practice without a contract, and ignoring steroid use. Legal issues force him to leave the country and turn control over to his daughter, played by Leah Ayres.
Season 4 was briefly renamed 1st and Ten: The Bulls Mean Business. Shanna Reed joins the cast as the team's new female president, representing the new owners, the Dodds Corporation. Her attempts to innovate include bringing a female soccer player in to kick, and signing an Olympic sprinter as wide receiver. Joe Namath has a cameo appearance. Shannon Tweed would replace her in Season 5, and remain with the show to the end. The show was renamed 1st and Ten: Do it Again for the fifth season. The final season was 1st and Ten: In Your Face.
Series themes
edit- The Bulls somehow manage to make it to the championship football game, yet lose in a controversial, heartbreaking manner.
- Mad Dog and Dr. Death haze the rookies and rally the defense.
- Bubba and Jethro help each other with their various (often sex-related) mishaps. Bubba's voracious appetite is also a running gag
- The volatile ownership position of the franchise.
- Controversial aspects of professional sports in the late 1980s: steroids, the instant replay, women in the locker room, the role of free agency, multi-sport stars, endorsements.
Game footage
editFootage was used from USFL's Los Angeles Express. During simulated game shots, the Bulls football helmet has a decal of horns on the side. When the show uses actual game footage, you can clearly see the letters "L" and "A" on the helmets side, representing the L.A. Express. The Bulls quarterbacks wore #14 to match the actual game footage of L.A. Express real-life quarterback Tom Ramsey. Many generic shots of USFL stadiums were used to depict where the Bulls were playing. As the series went on, aerial shots were used of Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to represent the Bulls home stadium. Game footage from the USFL stopped midway through the third season, as scripted football plays were being used instead, and the USFL had ceased operations by that point.
At one point, Denardo suggests trading for a running back. He mentions the Bulls from "that other league." He was talking about the Jacksonville Bulls from the United States Football League.
Characters
editOnly Donald Gibb, Cliff Frazier, Prince Hughes and Reid Shelton appeared in all six seasons. John Kassir and O.J. Simpson joined the cast the second season and stayed till the show's end.
Main
edit- Delta Burke as Diane Barrow (seasons 1–3)
- Jason Beghe as Tom Yinessa
- Cliff Frazier as Jethro Snell
- Donald Gibb as Leslie "Dr. Death" Krunchner
- Prince Hughes as Buford "Bubba" Kincaid
- Stan Kamber as Coach Grier
- Shannon Tweed as Kristy Fulbright
- John Kassir as Zagreb Shkenusky
- Tommy 'Tiny' Lister as Otis
- Tony Longo as Mad Dog Smears
- Michael Toland as Billy Cooper
- O. J. Simpson as T.D. Parker
- Leah Ayres as Jill Schrader
Guest Stars
edit- Mariann Aalda as Ellen
- Robert Costanzo as Jake
- Alexa Hamilton as Kay
- Liam Sullivan as Doctor
Special Guest Star
edit- Roy Thinnes as Teddy Schrader
- Mark Lonow as Max Green
- John Matuszak as John Manzak
- Keith Amos as "Miracle Miles" Coolidge
- Reid Shelton as Coach Ernie Denardo
- Gail: Shanna Reed
- Dr. Doc Phillips: Jim Antonio
- Johnny Valentine: Sam J. Jones
- Elvin Putts: Jeff Hochendoner
- Jamie Waldren: Jeff Kaake
- Mac Daniels: Jay Kerr
- Roger Barrow: Clayton Landey
- Rona Gold: Ruta Lee
- Deacon: John Benjamin Martin
- Johnny Gunn: Christopher Meloni
- Carl Witherspoon: Sam Scarber
- Bob Dorsey: Geoffrey Scott
- Cheerleader: Tricia Pettitt
- Police officer: Ron Shipp
- Joe "Mainstreet" Manneti: Vince Ferragamo
- 'Tombstone' Packer: Lawrence Taylor
- Mace Petty: Marshall R. Teague
- Rick Lambert: Marcus Allen
- Billy Cooper: Michael Toland
- Bulls lineman: Arthur Avant
- Bulls wide receiver: A. J. DiSpirito
Episodes
editSeason 1: 1984–85
edit| No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "By the Bulls" | Rod Daniel | Carl Kleinschmitt | December 2, 1984 |
| 2 | 2 | "The Opener" | Bruce Seth Green | Nick Arnold | December 2, 1984 |
| 3 | 3 | "All Roads Lead to Dayton" | Bruce Seth Green | Nick Arnold | December 9, 1984 |
| 4 | 4 | "The Slump" | Bruce Seth Green | Nick Arnold | December 16, 1984 |
| 5 | 5 | "Play Me or Trade Me" | Bruce Seth Green | Eric Cohen | December 23, 1984 |
| 6 | 6 | "You Are Who You Eat" | Bruce Seth Green | Nick Arnold | December 30, 1984 |
| 7 | 7 | "Uneasy Lies the Head" | Bruce Seth Green | George Yanok | January 6, 1985 |
| 8 | 8 | "The Sins of the Quarterback" | Bruce Seth Green | Gary H. Miller | January 13, 1985 |
| 9 | 9 | "I Only Read Defenses" | Bruce Seth Green | George Tricker & Neil Rosen | January 20, 1985 |
| 10 | 10 | "Wine Time" | Bruce Seth Green | Hank Bradford & Eric Cohen | January 27, 1985 |
| 11 | 11 | "Rona's Fling" | Bruce Seth Green | Eric Cohen | February 3, 1985 |
| 12 | 12 | "Not Quite Mr. Right" | Bruce Seth Green | Eric Cohen | February 10, 1985 |
| 13 | 13 | "Super Bull Sunday" | Bruce Seth Green | Eric Cohen | February 17, 1985 |
Season 2 (The Championship, 1986–87)
edit| No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | 1 | "The Rookies" | Bruce Seth Green | Maxwell Pitt & Gary H. Miller | August 25, 1986 |
| 15 | 2 | "The Veterans" | Bruce Seth Green | Maxwell Pitt & Gary H. Miller | September 1, 1986 |
| 16 | 3 | "A Second Chance" | Unknown | Unknown | September 8, 1986 |
| 17 | 4 | "Quarterbacks Tell No Tales" | Unknown | Unknown | September 15, 1986 |
| 18 | 5 | "California Freeze Out" | Unknown | Unknown | September 22, 1986 |
| 19 | 6 | "The Unkindest Cut" | Unknown | Unknown | September 29, 1986 |
| 20 | 7 | "Yinessa's Interview" | Unknown | Unknown | December 30, 1986 |
| 21 | 8 | "Easy Come, Easy Go" | Unknown | Unknown | January 6, 1987 |
| 22 | 9 | "A Family Affair" | Unknown | Unknown | January 13, 1987 |
| 23 | 10 | "The Big One" | Unknown | Unknown | January 20, 1987 |
Season 3 (Going for Broke, 1987)
edit| No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | 1 | "Ernie's Last Quarter" | Stan Lathan | Gary H. Miller | August 5, 1987 |
| 25 | 2 | "A Second Chance Once Removed" | Stan Lathan | Phil Mishkin | August 12, 1987 |
| 26 | 3 | "A Loaded Gun" | Stan Lathan | Barry Rubinowitz | August 19, 1987 |
| 27 | 4 | "The Comeback Trail" | Stan Lathan | Kimmer Ringwald | August 26, 1987 |
| 28 | 5 | "Illegal Use of Love" | Stan Lathan | Phil Mishkin | September 2, 1987 |
| 29 | 6 | "The Bulls Change Hands" | Stan Lathan | Gary H. Miller | September 9, 1987 |
| 30 | 7 | "Mutiny on the Bull Team" | Stan Lathan | Gary H. Miller | October 7, 1987 |
| 31 | 8 | "The Brink of Death" | Bruce Seth Green | Jay Abramowitz & Zach Wechsler | October 20, 1987 |
| 32 | 9 | "Call for the Hall" | Bruce Seth Green | Barry Gurstein & David Pitlik | November 4, 1987 |
| 33 | 10 | "Blood on Blood" | Bruce Seth Green | Phil Mishkin | November 27, 1987 |
| 34 | 11 | "Land of the Free (Agent)" | Bruce Seth Green | Jay Abramowitz & Zach Wechsler | December 2, 1987 |
| 35 | 12 | "Of Scalpers and Superstars" | Bruce Seth Green | Gary H. Miller | December 9, 1987 |
| 36 | 13 | "Championship Game Jinx" | Bruce Seth Green | Gary H. Miller | December 16, 1987 |
Season 4 (The Bulls Mean Business, 1988–89)
edit| No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37 | 1 | "The Bulls Own Up" | Stan Lathan | Gary H. Miller | October 5, 1988 |
| 38 | 2 | "The Inmates Buy the Asylum" | Stan Lathan | Kenneth R. Carlton | October 12, 1988 |
| 39 | 3 | "Caught in the Draft" | Stan Lathan | Zach Wechsler & Jay Abramowitz | October 19, 1988 |
| 40 | 4 | "Down and Out in Bulls' Stadium" | Stan Lathan | Barry Gurstein & David Pitlik | October 26, 1988 |
| 41 | 5 | "…The Clock Runs Out" | Stan Lathan | Barry Gurstein & David Pitlik | November 2, 1988 |
| 42 | 6 | "The Dark Side" | Stan Lathan | Danny Rivera | November 9, 1988 |
| 43 | 7 | "Saturday, Bloody Saturday" | Stan Lathan | Stephen Glantz | November 16, 1988 |
| 44 | 8 | "Injustice for All" | Stan Lathan | Gary H. Miller | November 23, 1988 |
| 45 | 9 | "Team Picture" | Stan Lathan | Kenneth R. Carlton | November 30, 1988 |
| 46 | 10 | "Out of the Past" | Stan Lathan | Jay Abramowitz | December 7, 1988 |
| 47 | 11 | "Final Bow" | Stan Lathan | Zach Wechsler | December 14, 1988 |
| 48 | 12 | "Duty Calls" | Stan Lathan | Farnsworth Gallagher | December 21, 1988 |
| 49 | 13 | "The High and the Mighty" | Stan Lathan | Farnsworth Gallagher | December 28, 1988 |
| 50 | 14 | "The Irreducible Bottom Line" | Stan Lathan | Marty Kurtz | January 4, 1989 |
Season 5 (Do It Again, 1989–90)
edit| No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 51 | 1 | "The Book According to Zagreb" | Stan Lathan | Maxwell Pitt | October 11, 1989 |
| 52 | 2 | "The Con" | Stan Lathan | Maxwell Pitt | October 18, 1989 |
| 53 | 3 | "False Start" | Stan Lathan | Tom O'Brien | October 25, 1989 |
| 54 | 4 | "Mind Games" | Stan Lathan | Bill Fuller & Jim Pond | November 1, 1989 |
| 55 | 5 | "Love and Marriage" | Stan Lathan | Scott Spencer Gorden | November 8, 1989 |
| 56 | 6 | "Clean and Sober" | Stan Lathan | Richard Marcus | November 15, 1989 |
| 57 | 7 | "Blood Money" | Stan Lathan | Maxwell Pitt | November 22, 1989 |
| 58 | 8 | "Vindication" | Stan Lathan | Daniel Finneran | December 6, 1989 |
| 59 | 9 | "Gunn and Bullette" | Stan Lathan | David Ehrman | December 13, 1989 |
| 60 | 10 | "Heaven Help Me" | Stan Lathan | Maxwell Pitt | December 20, 1989 |
| 61 | 11 | "Surprise, Surprise" | Stan Lathan | W. Reed Moran & Grant Moran and Maxwell Pitt | December 27, 1989 |
| 62 | 12 | "All's Fair in Love and Football" | Ethan Lathan | Scott Spencer Gorden | January 10, 1990 |
| 63 | 13 | "Earn This One for Ernie" | Stan Lathan | Richard Marcus | January 17, 1990 |
| 64 | 14 | "Who Stole Johnny Gunn?" | Stan Lathan | Maxwell Pitt | January 24, 1990 |
Season 6 (1990–91)
edit| No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 65 | 1 | "Opening Night" | Peter Bonerz | Bruce Kirschbaum | October 3, 1990 |
| 66 | 2 | "Old Dogs... New Tricks" | Peter Bonerz | Scott Spencer Gorden | October 10, 1990 |
| 67 | 3 | "She's Ba-ack" | Peter Bonerz | Richard Marcus | October 17, 1990 |
| 68 | 4 | "Altared States" | Peter Bonerz | David Ehrman | October 24, 1990 |
| 69 | 5 | "Going in Style" | Peter Bonerz | Maxwell Pitt | October 31, 1990 |
| 70 | 6 | "Don't Powerburst My Bubble" | Peter Bonerz | Tom O'Brien | November 7, 1990 |
| 71 | 7 | "The Squeeze" | Peter Bonerz | Jim Kearns | November 14, 1990 |
| 72 | 8 | "Take My Wives... Please!" | Peter Bonerz | Nick Arnold | November 21, 1990 |
| 73 | 9 | "Bull Day Afternoon" | Peter Bonerz | Bruce Kirschbaum | November 28, 1990 |
| 74 | 10 | "Sex, Bulls and Videotape" | Peter Bonerz | Larry Balmagia | December 5, 1990 |
| 75 | 11 | "Irma Za-greb" | Peter Bonerz | Richard Marcus | December 12, 1990 |
| 76 | 12 | "If I Didn't Play Football" | Peter Bonerz | Scott Spencer Gorden | December 19, 1990 |
| 77 | 13 | "A Roast is a Roast" | Peter Bonerz | Richard Marcus | December 26, 1990 |
| 78 | 14 | "Close Encounters of the Third Down" | Peter Bonerz | Scott Spencer Gorden | January 9, 1991 |
| 79 | 15 | "Flashbacks" | Jonathan Debin | Bruce Kirschbaum | January 16, 1991 |
| 80 | 16 | "Championship Game" | Peter Bonerz | Larry Balmagia | January 23, 1991 |
Syndication and home media
editAt the height of the O. J. Simpson murder case, the show made its way to syndicated reruns. The complete series was released on DVD on January 24, 2006.
The original HBO versions ran for 30 minutes, while the edited-for-syndication versions ran for 22 minutes, and had some dialog and scenes edited for content, as well as the addition of a laugh-track. The majority of episodes on the "Complete Collection" DVD are the syndicated versions.[3]
The original opening credits showed former professional football player Fran Tarkenton introducing the players and the plot points at the beginning of each episode. Completely different closing credits were originally used, too. They showed credits rolling over scenes from the episode. In syndication, these were replaced with later opening credits featuring Miracle Miles Coolidge (even though he did not join the cast until the last season) and a generic "Copyright 1991" disclaimer on a blue background respectively.
In popular culture
edit- Outtake promos for the "championship" season with OJ and Marcus Allen were featured in the 2016 Oscar-winning documentary OJ: Made in America.[4][5]
References
edit- ^ "Television & Film Helmets". Misterhabs.com. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 2011-08-12.
- ^ "Movie/TV helmets". Mghelmets.com. Archived from the original on 14 July 2011. Retrieved 2011-08-12.
- ^ "HBO Classics: 1ST & TEN". 12 November 2013. Archived from the original on 2020-11-15. Retrieved 2018-10-26.
- ^ "O.J.: Made in America (2016)-Connections-IMDB". IMDb. Archived from the original on 2020-11-15. Retrieved 2018-10-26.
- ^ "1st & Ten: The Championship Season (TV Series 1984-1991)-Connections-IMDB". IMDb. Archived from the original on 2020-11-15. Retrieved 2018-10-26.
External links
edit- 1st and Ten at IMDb
