Unaired pilot

[TV Guy]

I was never a big fan of the show, but several years ago, I did have the chance to see the original pilot, which never aired (a friend who worked for a newspaper TV critic had a copy). It was really different from the eventual series. Brooke Shields was the only cast member who was in the regular series. Nancy Marchand, Tony's mother on "The Sopranos", played Susan's grandmother. The producer was Clyde Phillips, who did "Parker Lewis Can't Lose", and the feel was similar -- more slapstick, no laugh track, and shot with a single camera rather than in front of a studio audience.

NBC liked the pilot, but felt it wouldn't fit in well with the Must-See TV lineup, so they brought in some former "Murphy Brown" producers to revamp it. They did want Marchand to continue as well, but she was having health problems, so they hired Barbara Barrie.