Sitcom Archaeology (II) – CUTTERS (1993)

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Thoughts: An ensemble workplace/hangout multi-cam co-created by Mary Tyler Moore’s Allan Burns, Cutters is a classically designed post-Cheers sitcom. It’s got a textbook setup for comedic conflict, all established in its purposeful premise-pilot, where a struggling male-run Buffalo barbershop proposes tearing down a wall and merging with the female-led beauty salon next door. The primary hurdle? The barber’s son (played by FM’s Robert Hays) had a one-night-stand with the salon keeper’s step-daughter and never called her back. Cue a battle of the sexes, personified not only by the two business owners and their “this is how we do it over here” spats, but also via the lovers, whose Sam/Diane “will-they?-won’t-they?” dynamic aims to yield long-term emotional investment. The primary hurdle? It’s just so predictable – the “will-they?-won’t-they?” is really a matter of “When?” And the premise is a little too textbook – the conflicts within the ensemble are too overbearingly implanted by the expositional merger that it all feels clichéd and not actually earned by the characters in relation.

• TV REVIEW : CBS Sitcom 'Cutters' Is Shorn of Originality
  
• 'Cutters Despite Testing, New, Old Show Airs. - Page 31

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CUTTERS - 7/9/1993, CBS

One of the 1st series to feature a black gay regular role was this short-lived sitcom set in a combination barbershop/beauty salon. Julius Carrey plays the supporting role of Troy King, an Olympic track gold medalist turned hair stylist.

Judging from this episode, Troy was mainly there as a sounding board for (and occasional resolver of) the leads' heterosexual problems. Episode guides list no episodes that gave him his own plots.

CUTTERS was produced in 1992, but CBS executives were unimpressed and decided to shelve it and burn it off in the summer.

Double play: Two short-lived sitcoms from that wonderful year 1993.

• 'Cutters' starred Robert Hays who manages a barbershop that's losing money, while the beauty parlor next door is in the red. So why not tear down the wall between them and see what happens? Five episodes were all CBS could take.

• 'The Second Half' was a vehicle for stand-up comic John Mendoza; he played a sports columnist in the mold of Oscar Madison (i.e. divorced, broke, and sloppy). He has to deal with children, neighbors, co-workers, etc. NBC gave it 15 episodes and that was probably being generous.

• 00:00 Opening titles, Cutters. Theme by Patrick Williams ('Lou Grant').
• 00:57 Opening titles, The Second Half. Theme by Robben Ford and the Blue Line.