Great but Forgotten: Doctor Doctor (TV)

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Matt Frewer burst upon the TV scene as Max Headroom, a manic "computer generated" personality that had a strong manic streak. After the show was canceled, he needed a place to show off his talent for wild comedy, and that led to his next starring venture. It was obvious that comedy would be a good fit, and he was soon cast in the lead of Doctor Doctor.

The show was crated by Norman Steinberg. The name may mean nothing to you, but you certainly have seen his work: he was co-writer of Blazing Saddles. The show cast Frewer as Mike Stratford, who was a doctor in a practice with four other colleagues. But Mike was also a television personality, doing health segments for the local morning show.

The show set the tone with its opening credits, a wild version of the Rascal's "Good Lovin'"*

Mike was, of course, a caring and very competent doctor behind all his goofiness, but the show was there to give Frewer a chance to go wild. He's not at the Robin Williams level of manic energy,** but he is pretty close. I particularly remember one exchange the still makes me chuckle

Another milestone for the series was Mike's brother Richard (Tony Carriero), who was portrayed a being a well-adjusted gay man. It was still unusual back in 1989 and won the show nominations for the GLAAD media awards. Mike did joke about Richard's orientation, but never in a cruel way.

I don't mean to ignore the rest of the actors or the scripts: they were also very funny in their own right. The show was Frewer's and he certainly benefited by working with other talented actors.

The show was successful in a limited run and was brought back for two full seasons before being canceled. Frewer never really found the right vehicle, though he worked steadily in canceled series and as a guest star or recurring character. Julius Carry became a cult favorite as Lord Bowler in The Adventures of Briscoe County, Jr.

This is a show that never seemed to get much respect when it was on the air, and seems to have been lost in the shuffle since then. But it's an excellent comedy that always had a skewed version of humor.

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Forgotten TV: Doctor Doctor (1989)

People still associate Matt Frewer with Max Headroom. In 1989, Frewer tried to do something about that, and landed a sitcom at CBS that cast him in a totally new light.

Unfortunately, that light lasted three seasons across two calendar years.

Doctor Doctor was a mid-season replacement when it bowed in the winter of 1989. No, its theme isn't the song of the same name by the British group Thompson Twins, but, rather, a cover of the Rascals' "Good Lovin'", only because the producers couldn't get the rights to the original. Frewer played Dr. Matt Stratford, who was a partner in a clinic with his best friend from med school, Abe (Julius Carry III). Inga Swenson (ex-Benson) had a recurring role as Dr. Stratford's mom, a nurse who briefly worked with her son.

The series ended up cancelled at the end of the 1990-1 season due to, of course, declining ratings. While Frewer took on a handful of guest roles, he also tried his hand at cartoons, hired by MGM to give voice to the Pink Panther two years after Doctor ended, and got 2 seasons out of that gig.