TGIF

In celebration of Friday, here are some thoughts on what we (or some of us) used to do on Friday nights. I was thrilled to recently discover that a friend (who will remain nameless unless he wishes to identify himself) shared my same 90s television-watching pattern. I don't think I have ever had someone bring up the show Perfect Strangers; in fact, I wouldn't have been surprised if it turned out to be something I dreamed up.

The premise, from imdb.com: "A high strung and cynical man's life is never the same when his naive but good-natured cousin comes to America to live with him." Naive + good-natured almost always leads to my favorite happening: wacky hijincks.




I can't actually watch this clip again, because it makes me sad that this is how I spent my childhood. Not only is everything about it 80's-fabulous, it could very well be something made up by Family Guy (a la "Gumbel to Gumbel"). I'm pretty sure all the episodes are on YouTube, if anyone wants to do an in-depth analysis of Balki as the "othered" foreigner in U.S. culture, or just if you're super-bored. For other shows with a hip opening theme, all of which may secretly be the same show, check out Step by Step, Family Matters, Family Ties, and Full House.