Eddie's, the latest bar themed show
Bars seem to be a part of the American tradition on television. From the day Marshall Matt Dillon sauntered into the Dodge City saloon to say hello to Miss Kitty (Gunsmoke), viewers have accepted the bar as an appropriate setting through the decades. Of course, the setting is rarely what dictates the subject of the story. Numerous critically and publically lauded TV programs have embraced the bar and the upcoming series Eddie’s does so with its own twist. The brainchild of writer Alex Scrymgeour, Eddie’s presents a dynamic which is perhaps not so intuitive in current times; an aspect makes it all the more enjoyable for the viewer. Eddie’s tagline is that it’s a place “Where all are welcome.” It’s an idea which bear’s similarity to messages from bygone eras but with a very modern dialect. A message of unity that’s wrapped in a comedic package, this half-hour TV series is poised to takes its place in the lineage of culturally relevant programs which use a bar as a springboard for what ails our current times.
(photo: Robert Kozak)
The eighties sitcom Cheers is likely the most well-known TV production taking place in a bar. It’s also the most critically and publically embraced program of this kind. Cheers garnered twenty-eight Primetime Emmy Awards, a record breaking one-hundred seventeen nominations, and won six Golden Globe awards in its eleven year run on NBC. The program was the anchor of NBC’s “Must See TV” line-up, leading the network to dominate ratings during the 1980’s. Cheer’s theme song possessed the refrain the show became known for, “Where Everybody Knows Your Name.” There’s a common thread from this to Eddie’s “Where all are welcome” and it’s not the only thing they share.
(photo: Robert Kozak)
In addition to Ted Danson, Shelley Long, Woody Harrelson, Kelsey Grammer, and others, the cast of Cheers also included George Wendt as the beloved wisecracking Norm. Wendt joins the cast of Eddie’s as The Captain, a local fisherman who supplies Eddie’s (the bar/restaurant) with fresh fish and his presence as a regular patron. Whereas much of Norm’s demeanor was befuddled, The Captain possesses that aged seaman wisdom and seems ready to embrace the public interaction of Eddie’s, likely due to his vocation of solace.
(photo: Robert Kozak)
One of the most provocative sitcoms of all time was Norman Lear’s All in the Family. It was the writer’s direct response to prejudice of the time (1970’s). The cornerstone of the show was working-class bigot Archie Bunker who found himself holding onto an antiquated idea of American society post 60’s revolution. Starring Carroll O'Connor (as Bunker), Jean Stapleton, Sally Struthers, and Rob Reiner, All in the Family received eight Golden Globe awards. As incredible as this recognition was, even more prominent is the fact that the show drove public discussion about social topics as it presented differing viewpoints from the characters while doing so with humor. It’s this idea which presents itself in Eddie’s.
(photo: Robert Kozak)
The proprietor of Eddie’s is Eddie (played by Eddie McGee) a tough New Yorker with a heart of gold who finds himself struggling to keep his business afloat in the beach area of LA (no pun intended). The regular customers and the tourists seen in the show bring their different views of life to Eddie’s. The establishment becomes something of an oasis from the world, due in large part to the climate the owner has maintained. This is the inverse of Archie Bunker’s location of respite Kelcy’s Bar; a place where “real men” could say and act as they wanted without the need to be mindful of the feelings of others.
(photo: Robert Kozak)
Alex Scrymgeour was prompted to fully develop the show upon gauging the current climate in the US and world. He comments, “The time is always right for a feel good comedy that celebrates our differences as people. Eddie’s is a bar & grille which is itself a character in the show Eddie’s. I think everyone wants a place they can eat and drink, have a laugh or smile, and feel good about themselves. It doesn’t matter if it’s a bar, a donut shop, or a physical therapy gym. It’s the storytelling and content of the characters’ hearts on the show that will attract the audience. I’m not really a bar person, you’d find me in a comic bookstore most often, but I used to visit Eddie (McGee, star of the show) when he worked at one of LA’s oldest bars called Big Dean’s. He had a way of treating everyone well and it permeated the atmosphere there. There’s a lot of the real Eddie in the character Eddie and it’s my hope that this show can cultivate this in the viewers as well as make them laugh.”
Written by Kelly King
