''Working Girl'' is an American

sitcom A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ne ...

television series that aired on

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

from April 16 to July 30, 1990. Loosely based on the 1988 film of the same name starring

Melanie Griffith Melanie Richards Griffith (born August 9, 1957) is an American actress. She began her career in the 1970s, appearing in several independent thriller films before achieving mainstream success in the mid-1980s. Born in Manhattan, New York City, ...

, the series stars

Sandra Bullock Sandra Annette Bullock (; born July 26, 1964) is an American actress and producer. The recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Sandra Bullock, various accolades, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award, Bullock was ...

as Tess McGill (Melanie Griffith's character in the film), in a role that was initially meant for

Nancy McKeon Nancy Justine McKeon (born April 4, 1966) is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Jo Polniaczek on the NBC sitcom '' The Facts of Life'' and Jinny Exstead on '' The Division''. Early life and family Nancy Justine McKeon was born o ...

Synopsis

Tess McGill is a spunky, independent secretary who has suddenly become a junior executive after she charms company owner A.J. Trask. Tess' first challenge is to survive working with her antagonistic, uptight immediate boss, Mrs. Bryn Newhouse, otherwise known as the "company witch." Tess's best friend, Lana Peters, is a secretary who is more interested in doing her nails and rooting for Tess than in getting ahead herself. Meanwhile, Everett Rutledge is a fellow junior executive who is charming but eager to please. Libby Wentworth is Tess's world-wise "permanent temporary" secretary who is also a moonlighting musician. Back home each night on

Staten Island Staten Island ( ) is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Richmond County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located in the city's southwest portion, the borough is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull an ...

, Tess has to contend with her doting parents, Joe and Fran. Tess also has to contend with Sal Pascarella, the blue-collar neighborhood

Romeo Romeo Montague () is the male protagonist of William Shakespeare's tragedy ''Romeo and Juliet''. The son of Lord Montague and his wife, Lady Montague, he secretly loves and marries Juliet, a member of the rival House of Capulet, through a priest ...

who constantly pursues her.

Reception and cancelation

Debuting as a

midseason replacement In American network television scheduling, a mid-season replacement is a television show that premieres in the second half of the traditional television season, usually between December and May. Mid-season replacements usually take place after a ...

, ''Working Girl'' drew low ratings and was canceled after eight of the twelve episodes produced aired.

Cast

as Tess McGill *Patrick Brock as Office Regular *

Nana Visitor Nana Tucker ( ; born July 26, 1957), known professionally as Nana Visitor, is an American actress, best known for playing Kira Nerys in the television series ''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' and Jean Ritter in the television series ''Wildfire''. ...

as Bryn Newhouse * Judy Prescott as Lana Peters *

George Newbern George Young Newbern (born December 30, 1964) is an American actor, best known for his roles as Charlie in the ABC show ''Scandal'' and Bryan MacKenzie in '' Father of the Bride'' (1991) and its sequels ''Father of the Bride Part II'' and '' Fat ...

as Everett Rutledge *Eyde Byrde as Libby Wentworth *Tom O'Rourke as A.J. Trask *

Anthony Tyler Quinn Anthony Tyler Quinn is an American actor best known for playing Jonathan Turner on ''Boy Meets World'' from 1994 to 1997, a role he later reprised on ''Girl Meets World''. Career He has appeared in numerous TV shows and movies (especially TV ...

as Sal Pascarella * David Schramm as Joe McGill * B.J. Ward as Fran McGill

Episodes

Production notes

The series was created by Kimberly Hill and Tom Patchett. Kenneth Kaufman and Tom Patchett served as executive producers. "

Let the River Run "Let the River Run" is a song written, composed, and performed by American singer-songwriter Carly Simon, and the theme to the 1988 Mike Nichols film ''Working Girl.'' The song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, the Golden Globe Award ...

" (which was also featured in the motion picture) was the series' theme song.

Syndication

The series briefly reran on

TV Land TV Land is an American pay television channel owned by Paramount Global through its networks division. Originally a spinoff of Nick at Nite consisting exclusively of classic television shows, the channel now airs a combination of recent and cla ...

in the 1990s after Bullock became a major motion-picture star.

References

External links

* {{IMDb title, 0098951, Working Girl 1990 American television series debuts 1990 American television series endings 1990s American sitcoms 1990s American workplace comedy television series English-language television shows NBC original programming Live action television shows based on films Television series by 20th Century Fox Television Television shows set in New York City