View Full Version : Sitcom characters who changed jobs


TMC
12-02-2021, 06:36 AM
What are some examples of sitcom characters (or characters on TV in general if you want) having multiple jobs throughout the course of a series. And it can't merely be for a single episode (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/NewJobEpisode). It has to be for at least, an entire season.

For example, look at the numerous jobs that Jesse (https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/exterminator-lumberjack-jess-here-a-list-of-all-the-odd-jobs-uncle-jesse-had-full-house.html/) and Joey (https://screenrant.com/which-full-house-character-hardest-worker/) had over the course of Full House's run. Another ABC-TGIF show produced by the Miller-Boyett group, Perfect Strangers had Larry and Balki work in an antiques store under their apartment for the first couple of seasons, before having them work at a newspaper.

On The Facts of Life, Mrs. Garrett began as a maid for Phillip Drummond when her character was initially on Diff'rent Strokes. She then became a housemother for Eastland Academy, then became a dietician at Eastland, before running a gourmet food business.

Roseanne and Dan Conner on Roseanne worked (https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/archive/index.php/t-168631.html) as a factory worker, waitress, nail salon receptionist, restaurant worker and as a contractor with a side trip to business owner/motorcycle mechanic respectively. Roseanne's sister Jackie meanwhile, worked with her in the factory, was a cop, a truck driver, and loose meat sandwich restaurant owner.

stevea
12-02-2021, 07:10 AM
On Rhoda, she changed jobs a few times.

RetroGuy2000
12-02-2021, 07:30 AM
What are some examples of sitcom characters (or characters on TV in general if you want) having multiple jobs throughout the course of a series. And it can't merely be for a single episode (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/NewJobEpisode). It has to be for at least, an entire season.

For example, look at the numerous jobs that Jesse (https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/exterminator-lumberjack-jess-here-a-list-of-all-the-odd-jobs-uncle-jesse-had-full-house.html/) and Joey (https://screenrant.com/which-full-house-character-hardest-worker/) had over the course of Full House's run. Another ABC-TGIF show produced by the Miller-Boyett group, Perfect Strangers had Larry and Balki work in an antiques store under their apartment for the first couple of seasons, before having them work at a newspaper.

On The Facts of Life, Mrs. Garrett began as a maid for Phillip Drummond when her character was initially on Diff'rent Strokes. She then became a housemother for Eastland Academy, then became a dietician at Eastland, before running a gourmet food business.

The show reveals that prior to Edna being a maid, she was a registered nurse. Then in Season 7, she ditches the gourmet food store to run a cheap Spencer's knock-off store. Season 8 sees her ditching that store to run off to Africa to join the Peace Corp.

The girls had so many jobs it's difficult to even keep track of.


Roseanne and Dan Conner on Roseanne worked (https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/archive/index.php/t-168631.html) as a factory worker, waitress, nail salon receptionist, restaurant worker and as a contractor with a side trip to business owner/motorcycle mechanic respectively. Roseanne's sister Jackie meanwhile, worked with her in the factory, was a cop, a truck driver, and loose meat sandwich restaurant owner.

Lots of jobs on Roseanne!

There were many jobs on Friends, as well. Monica was a chef, a caterer, and a chef again. Phoebe was a massage therapist and part-time musician. Joey was an out-of-work actor and later landed a role on Days of Our Lives. Then his character was killed off and he had to take crap acting gigs for a while. Chandler was a transpond...ster who eventually became an intern and later did his transpond...ing in Oklahoma. Rachel waited tables at Central Perk, then later worked at Bloomingdale's and Ralph Lauren. I think Ross was the only one whose job was more stable: he was a paleontologist at the Museum of Prehistoric History.

Merry24
12-02-2021, 10:32 AM
the middle..

Frankie
Dental office
Car Sales
Old Time Villager
Retail
Dental office


Mike
Construction
Cupcake Delievery


Axl
Restaurant Busser
Lifeguard
Musician (behinde a shoe store)
Construction (With Dad)
Boss Co (Hustling Side jobs)
Selling Grilled Cheese
Intern at Corporation
Camp Counselor at pool
School Bus Driver
Spudy’s Restaurant
Plumber
Sales-Denver
Career-Applied when Raising his Family



Sue
Spudy’s Restaurant
Actress in Dollywood
Hotel worker (Spin off)



Brick
Construction (With Dad)
Spudy’s Restaurant
Author

howilu
12-02-2021, 10:34 AM
On All in the Family, Archie left his loading dock job to buy Kelsey's Bar which was renamed Archie's Place. Phyllis L:indstrom on the MTM Show spinoff Phyllis left Julie Erskine's photo studio to work for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

SarahBellum
12-02-2021, 12:28 PM
George Costanza had several jobs, some only lasted a short time:
Real estate agent at Rick Barr Properties
Manuscript reader at Pendant Publishing
Sales rep handling the Penske file
Parking attendant at Sid’s Parking Services
Bra salesman at E.D. Granmon
Hand model at Specialty Models
Computer Salesman at Constanza & Son
Assistant to traveling secretary at NY Yankees
Analyst at Kruger Industrial
Sales rep at Play Now
Sitcom writer at NBC

80sTrivia
12-07-2021, 06:53 AM
On The Golden Girls, Rose (Betty White) was a grief counselor at the start of the series, but later took a job as an investigative assistant to consumer reporter Enrique Mas on a local Miami TV station.

Christopher
12-07-2021, 07:58 AM
The girls had so many jobs it's difficult to even keep track of.

I think I know them all. Jo had the bike shop job in season 4, she had a short run as a waitress in Ain't Miss Beholden, she was also writing essay papers in that episode and selling outdated sweatshirts, her job at Edna's Edibles, part owner of Over Our Heads, working at the homeless center in season 9, and then being a cop in the reunion movie. Out of all those jobs, the cop is the least likely. She wanted to be a social worker but because Nancy was big on The Division, they turned Jo into her character from that show. Now season 6, 7, and 8 had Jo doing work study programs for college credit. She wasn't paid for running the radio station or working on the news show with Blair.

Blair is the easiest to count. She worked at Edna's Edibles and then part owner of Over Our Heads. She bought the homeless shelter and Eastland in the final season. She wasn't paid when she interned for the lawyers with her old professor in Peekskill Law. In the reunion she ended up owning a hotel which is so stupid and out of character for Blair.

Tootie is another easy one to count. She didn't have any side jobs while at Edna's Edibles or Over Our Heads. She took acting jobs but I don't know if she was paid for them or just getting experience like an intern would. The reunion had her hosting a TV show which isn't a surprise. She wanted to do the call and advice show in Talk, Talk, Talk so I don't think it's unlikely she would lead that way. And it seems to be a trend of Hollywood stars wanting a talk show. I don't get that.

Natalie is the toughest on this but I think I know them all. Edna's Edibles and part owner of Over Our Heads are the main ones. However, season 7 she had so many odd jobs. She was a dance instructor, she worked at a funeral parlor, she had the construction job, the fast food job, and season 9 she was writing stories for a newspaper in Before The Fall and On The Edge that I remember. I feel like I'm missing some from her. In the reunion she ended being a television reporter.

RetroGuy2000
12-07-2021, 08:34 AM
I think I know them all. Jo had the bike shop job in season 4, she had a short run as a waitress in Ain't Miss Beholden, she was also writing essay papers in that episode and selling outdated sweatshirts, her job at Edna's Edibles, part owner of Over Our Heads, working at the homeless center in season 9, and then being a cop in the reunion movie. Out of all those jobs, the cop is the least likely. She wanted to be a social worker but because Nancy was big on The Division, they turned Jo into her character from that show. Now season 6, 7, and 8 had Jo doing work study programs for college credit. She wasn't paid for running the radio station or working on the news show with Blair.

Blair is the easiest to count. She worked at Edna's Edibles and then part owner of Over Our Heads. She bought the homeless shelter and Eastland in the final season. She wasn't paid when she interned for the lawyers with her old professor in Peekskill Law. In the reunion she ended up owning a hotel which is so stupid and out of character for Blair.

Tootie is another easy one to count. She didn't have any side jobs while at Edna's Edibles or Over Our Heads. She took acting jobs but I don't know if she was paid for them or just getting experience like an intern would. The reunion had her hosting a TV show which isn't a surprise. She wanted to do the call and advice show in Talk, Talk, Talk so I don't think it's unlikely she would lead that way. And it seems to be a trend of Hollywood stars wanting a talk show. I don't get that.

Natalie is the toughest on this but I think I know them all. Edna's Edibles and part owner of Over Our Heads are the main ones. However, season 7 she had so many odd jobs. She was a dance instructor, she worked at a funeral parlor, she had the construction job, the fast food job, and season 9 she was writing stories for a newspaper in Before The Fall and On The Edge that I remember. I feel like I'm missing some from her. In the reunion she ended being a television reporter.

Your memory is very impressive!

I remember Natalie also had a job processing fish (scaling smelt), and of course she was selling stories to magazines in addition to her news stories for the paper.

Sue Ann was working for a big corporation as a gopher.

Cindy was working as a model.

Nancy was still in school.

And I forgot Mrs. G's stint as a hostess at the Howard Johnson's.

howierules86
12-07-2021, 02:48 PM
Michael from Newhart ('80s) - IIRC, he worked as a producer of Dick Loudon's local talk show early in the run, but became a shoe clerk after losing the producer job late in Newhart's run