Scanialara You won't be disappointed!

Exoticalot People are voting emotionally.

Cortechba Overrated

Curapedi I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

S.R. Dipaling I watched this show regularly for about four years or so,all the way to it's last show in 1986. By then,it had been moved to Saturday nights,with ABC clearly putting it out to pasture as the ratings were probably slowing(if not outright dipping)and the writing and story-lines getting more contrived and preachy over the last two seasons. Still,I got into this show and enjoyed it quite a bit.A spin-off of the groundbreaking,controversial and(in my and I'm sure not the only opinion)brilliant "Soap",this show followed the life of acerbic but humane and wise butler-turned-house servant-turned-budget secretary-turned lieutenant Governor Benson DuBois(Robert Guillame,who seemed to be born to play this role). He,similar to his role on "Soap",has to put up with his share of rich(and almost entirely white)stuffed-shirts and makes friends with the TAte-Gatling family,only this time it's with Jessica Tate's cousin,the Governor himself(JAmes Noble,who is FANTASTIC here)and his daughter KAtie(Missy Gold,who will always be a cute blonde kid to me).It is the Governor,in fact,who appoints Benson to his posts in the Mansion,and Benson in turn puts up with the jovial absent-mindedness that the Gov exudes,being an aid as well as a gentle foil. The primary antagonism/grudging compatriots in the show came from the dour German housekeeper Gretchen Kraus(Inga Swenson,who probably had trouble getting casting directors to NOT cast her as Teutonic women after this show)and the pompous ass of an adviser Clayton Endicott III(Rene Auberjonois,another great actor that probably had to work hard to free himself from being typecast). Also,Benson ended up befriending his secretary Denise(Didi Conn,who will always be Frenchy from Grease to millions!)and her eventual husband,the lovably scattered gubernatorial staffer Pete Downey(Ethan Phillips,still working,Thank God!).Also featured as the staff(mostly in the first two seasons,which I must confess I have not seen as much of as the later shows) were Harris/Thomas/Witt standby Caroline McWilliams,Lewis Stadlen,co-producer Bob Fraser and Jerry Seinfeld(!).This show was early Friday nights for me when I was too young to have much (if any) of a social life,and while the humor and pacing may seem dated and slow by today's standards(put this up against something like "Seinfeld" or "Scrubs" and see what I mean),watching it on TVLand again had me laughing out loud at times and appreciating this show for what it was:simple sitcom material done right. While this show does SEEM like twenty years or more has passed,it's a good t.v. memory,something that to me makes television worth watching.

yaheekt I just saw the "Benson" show for the first time this weekend. It was during the TV Land, 48-hour, Benson Marathon! I had a ball!I NEVER knew someone could laugh so much and so hard! My favorite episode was the one in which Clayton is kidnapped. That was a good one! Trouble never fails to catch up with that guy! And what a rescue team....Uh yeah!!!....Not!My next favorite episode involved Klaus' SPOOF-OF-A-MARRIAGE! Could kind of guess what was coming but it was fun to watch anyway! I spent the whole weekend holding my sides and trying NOT to laugh continuously! Needless to say, I failed! Oh well, you can't win them all! HA HA HA!

Syl I watched Benson before I saw any episodes of Soap so I never knew the connection. I remember watching an episode with the lovely Katherine Helmond guest starring reprising her soap role. Her character's date ends up dead and it could be scandalous. Her character turns to Benson for help. Of course, he helps out rather than let his beloved friend in trouble. His character's rise from governor's head housekeeper to Lieutenant Governor is a bit unrealistic but he makes it believable for the audience. I remember him winning an Emmy. I think it's a first for an African American actor to win for Best Actor in a Comedy Series. I remember cast of characters including an understated actress named Inga Swenson who played Olga. Peter Noble who played the widowed Governor very well. Rene Aubernois who played Benson's nemesis. I won't write enemies because they weren't. I remember them being at odds with each other. I loved Didi Conn who played secretary and the man who played her on screen husband. They left before the show ended after 7 seasons. I also remember Missy Gold, Tracey's Gold's older sister, who played the Governor's daughter. I'm kind of sad that it's been twenty years since it left our airways. Friday nights were never the same on the ABC network. Good shows like Benson are hard to come by nowadays.

Fables I used to watch this series as a child during the 1980's and enjoyed alongside other 80's "Family Ties", "Different Strokes" and "Facts of Life" and more. This was a spin-off to the hit comedy "Soap" which lasted longer than it's processor and went on to win Emmies for best comedy sitcom.Benson Dubois(Robert Guillaume), the Tate's wisecracking, no-nonsense butler from "Soap" is now working in the Governor's mansion as the head of the household staff but ends up becoming the right hand man for the lovable yet bumbling and scatter-brained Govenor Eugene Gatlin(James Noble) who is also Jessica Tate's cousin, by solving his and everybody's problems. The rest of the staff includes secretary Marcy Hill(Caroline McWilliam),the only normal person in household other than Benson, Gretchen Kraus(Inga Swenson), the sharp-tongue German cook, John Taylor(Lewis J. Stadlen), the Governor's pompous, stuff-shirt aid, and the Governor's nine year old daughter Katie(Missy Gold).I liked this funny show even better than "Soap" which had humor and sharp wit and unforgettable characters. I particularly enjoyed Benson's interactions with the other members in the mansion. With his sharp-tongue and acerbic wit was always squaring off his nemesis Miss Kraus or Taylor who resented Benson's constant interference. Then there was his friendship with Marcy which was very believable and with Katie he was good fatherly figure and of course there's the Governor himself there was a great buddy/employer relationship with Benson as the straight guy to the goofy politician. Taylor left after end of the first season and was replaced by the the equally pompous Clayton Endicott(Rene Auberjonois)who was funnier and I loved his rivalry with Benson more which was one of my favorite parts of the show. He was the perfect nemesis and foil with his sharp wit and arrogance and had great chemistry together. Other characters came and went over the years, Marcy left early in the third season and the ditsy Denise Stevens(Didi Conn)replaced her. Pete Downey(Ethan Phillips) also joined the staff as the idiotic PR man and Mrs. Cassidy(Billie Bird) came aboard in the later part of the series as the new housekeeper. a then unpopular Bob Fraser and Jerry Seinfold had recurring roles and Jessica(Katherine Helmond) made two guest appearances(the second time as a ghost). Over the years Benson position in staff would change as he became Budget Director then Lt. Governor. Pete and Denise would marry and have a baby, Miss Kraus would become Benson's secretary and Katie grow up into a teenager. Just like "Soap" this series ended with a cliffhanger when Benson was running against Governor Gatlin but viewers were left wondering who got elected.Anwyay, I will never forget this fabulous show and wish they would air re-runs maybe on TV Land or Nick at Night. It's shame that nowadays they don't seem to make great shows like the did in the 80s and 90s.