Open House (January 14, 1990) 

@Your Name Here I just barely remember this show, I knew Ellen was in a show before her famous "Ellen" sitcom. I wonder if she was a bad person in 1989, or did she grow in to a bad person over the years??

Why did this show have many of the same cast members? Forgive my ignorance

@@blaqceeza It was a re-imagining of DUET. Because the supporting characters of Richard and Linda got the most laughs, their presence on DUET was increased, to the point where, as the series progressed, they took over the main storyline. Originally about the step by step relationship beats of Ben and Laura, that premise suddenly became moot and relegated to the sidelines. Richard and Linda became the focal point. They reworked the entire show and changed it to OPEN HOUSE, with Linda working as a real estate agent, and Laura reduced to being her sidekick. In doing so, it made Laura dumber and also divorced from Ben. Which is where the betrayal comes in. Fox in its early days did this previously with a show entitled SECOND CHANCE, starring Matthew Perry, pre-FRIENDS. That show centered around a man sent back to Earth after dying to undo the bad decisions he made in life by interacting with his younger self. But the younger self's buddies got the lions share of laughs, so the initial premise was jettisoned and a new show was born called BOYS WILL BE BOYS, about the guys without the supernatural storyline.

@@yournamehere6002 Thank you for sharing this detailed breakdown of the shift in narrative focus in DUET. It's always interesting to see how shows can evolve and change direction based on audience reactions. It certainly sounds like the changes to the storyline and character dynamics were quite substantial, potentially altering the initial essence and charm of the show. It's a fascinating case study in how television programs can morph over time, sometimes to the point of feeling like a completely different show. The parallel you drew with the transformation of SECOND CHANCE to BOYS WILL BE BOYS clearly illustrates this tendency in the industry to rework shows in pursuit of higher viewership and laughter, even if it means deviating from the original premise. Thank you for your insightful comment! "LONG LIVE DR. JOHNNY FEVER"!

@@blaqceeza Well, DUET was one of my favorite shows, so it annoyed me when the focus shifted to the side characters who were getting the most laughs. I always found them funny in small doses, but grating once they became the show. To be fair, this was when Fox just started; they were working out the kinks as they went along. THE SIMPSONS was an outgrowth of THE TRACEY ULLMAN SHOW, and BEVERLY HILLS 90210 only became a hit when it had a summer season back when no network had shows on the air other than reruns and failed pilots. Once they figured it out, Fox became a powerhouse. Unfortunately, DUET was a casualty of their awkward beginnings.