What is it about really good TV shows centering around teens? Despite the under 25 crowd being a significant segment of the viewing population, and the given assumption that most TV programmers would be clamoring to create more shows revolving around their concerns, very few shows portraying the teen experience with any level of intelligence and/or sensitivity last for long. ROOM 222, JAMES AT 15, THE WHITE SHADOW, THE BRONX ZOO, THE MARSHALL CHRONICLES, MY SO-CALLED LIFE--none of these shows had the runs they deserved. Even the vaunted THE MANY LOVES OF DOBIE GILLIS, admittedly a hipper show than MY THREE SONS and FATHER KNOWS BEST, only lasted two or three seasons(one of the longer runs). Getting to my point, we have SPENCER, a notch or two above fare like IT'S YOUR MOVE, a concurrent offering about a teenage boy. Spencer tries to navigate the jungle of high school life with humor and a little insight, and occasionally we get some poignancy. Case in point: Spencer(who was forever getting sent to the guidance counselor by exasperated teachers)ends up visiting the G.C. in one episode with a zany new girl with multicolored hair. Come to find out this free-spirited girl is really a troubled runaway, and Spencer has the sensitivity to help her by contacting her parents against her wishes. Not earth-shattering, but better by far than most representations of teens at the time. Pity that it didn't last longer(it's demise was hastened, no doubt, by the fact that actor Chad Lowe vacated the roll of the title character mid-way through the first and only season) O Great TV Land, grant our prayer and run this show over a teen-TV themed marathon weekend. Amen
Review of Spencer
