Perfect Strangers: Season 02 (1986)

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Given a six-episode trial run in the spring of 1986, the slapstick sitcom Perfect Strangers) returned for its first full season in the fall of that same year. Also returning were Mark Linn-Baker as aspiring Chicago photographer Larry and Bronson Pinchot as his cousin and roommate Balki, a recent émigré from the faraway Mediterranean island of Mypos. Whereas in Season One only Larry was gainfully employed, in Season Two Balki has joined Larry in a menial job at the Ritz Discount Shop, run by the misanthropic "Twinkie" (Ernie Sabella) and his loudmouthed wife Edwina (Belita Moreno). In another new development, Larry's upstair neighbor (and occasional girlfriend) Susan has moved out, replaced by a pair of curvaceous stewardesses, Mary Anne (Rebecca Arthur) and Jennifer (Melanie Wilson). Now that a year has gone by, has the nervous Larry completely adjusted to the zany Balki, and has the innocent Balki gotten over his tendency to take everything literally and accept everyone he meets at face value? In the words of Balki himself, "Dun't be ridi-ku-louse!" Why, in the opening episode alone, Balki generously allows a pregnant foreigner whom he's met in his citizenship class to use Larry's room until the baby comes--without informing Larry. In subsequent episodes, Balki rigidly adheres to Myposian custom by becoming Larry's permanent manservant after Larry saves his life; the boys have a harrowing experience as babysitters, attempt to hide a dog from their landlady, and endeavor to patch up the marriage between Twinkie and Edwina (not so much out of the goodness of their hearts, but to get Twinkie out of their apartment). And in a two-part misadventure, Larry, Balki, Mary Anne and Jennifer embark upon a skiing trip, only to be trapped in an avalanche (evidentally they've traveled some distance from Chicago!) Near the end of the season, Larry and Balki both serve notice to Twinkie and try their hands at a variety of temporary jobs--with the expected disastrous results. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi