The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd

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The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd
Format Comedy-drama
Created by Jay Tarses
Starring Blair Brown
Country of origin Flag of the United States United States
No. of episodes 65
Production
Camera setup Single camera
Running time 30 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel NBC, Lifetime
Original run May 21, 1987 – August 8, 1991

The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd is an NBC/Lifetime comedy-drama that debuted in 1987. It was created by Jay Tarses and starred Blair Brown in the title role.

Contents

[edit] Premise

The show depicted the life of Molly Bickford Dodd, a divorced woman living in New York City who had a lifestyle that could be defined as both yuppie and bohemian. Molly seemed to drift from job to job and relationship to relationship. Her ex-husband, a ne'er-do-well jazz musician, still cares for her. In fact, nearly every man she meets (and the occasional woman) adores her. Her warmth and emotional accessibility are the root cause of most of Molly's problems in life.

[edit] Production

Unlike the traditional sitcom, The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd had story lines that often did not resolve in a single episode.

The show was filmed using a single camera, departing from the three-camera technique common in U.S. sitcoms since the days of I Love Lucy. Using only one camera created a single point of view, as if the viewer were observing the goings-on as Molly's companion.

Tarses wrote and directed many of its episodes (and made a number of cameo appearances).

[edit] Broadcast and cable

NBC first broadcast the show as a summer replacement in 1987 running 13 episodes. Molly Dodd was critically acclaimed and a moderate ratings success (it was featured in the network's then-powerhouse Thursday night lineup), but was not featured in the network's fall schedule.

It was a mid-season replacement for NBC again in spring 1988, with 12 episodes (a season-ending 13th episode was produced but not aired). NBC cancelled Molly Dodd after its second season.

The Lifetime cable network decided to pick the show up, first re-airing the 26 episodes originally produced, then commissioning three more 13-episode seasons for 1989, 1990, and 1991. Lifetime would continue to air Molly Dodd in reruns after original production stopped. After a few years, the show would reappear in reruns on GoodLife TV (now known as AmericanLife TV) for some time. In late 2001 and until 2002, local New York City's Metro TV put reruns on and even had Molly Dodd marathons especially on Mothers Day 2002. Metro TV was removed from New York's Time Warner by 2003, and the channel folded altogether by the end of 2004.

Currently, Molly Dodd isn't being seen on any TV outlet.

[edit] Cast

In addition to Brown and Tarses, the cast included Allyn Ann McLerie as Molly's mother, James Greene as her building's elevator operation/doorman, William Converse-Roberts as her ex-husband Fred Dodd, and Maureen Anderman as her best friend Nina. Sandy Faison was a cast member during its run on NBC. Actors David Strathairn and Richard Lawson each appeared in about a third of the episodes (both playing characters who were romantic interests for Molly).

Major recurring roles were held by Victor Garber, Richard Venture (who played Molly's father), George Gaynes, John Pankow, and J. Smith-Cameron.

Now-well-known actors making multiple appearances in guest roles include Nathan Lane and Gina Gershon. Wesley Snipes and Samuel L. Jackson appear in a single episode as guests at a party.

[edit] Awards

The show earned Brown five Emmy Award nominations as Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, one for each year the show was on. Tarses was also the recipient of multiple nominations.

[edit] Influence on other shows

When The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd first appeared, comedy-drama was a fairly unproven art form. Molly Dodd and its blend of comedy and drama, particularly romantic comedy and melodrama, was an influence on several subsequent programs, particularly Caroline in the City, Ally McBeal and Sex and the City.

[edit] External links and references