Spotlight on “Strangers”

“Strangers,” the 44th episode of thirtysomething, aired back in 1989, or was that 1889? The world went crazy for a moment because two men had the nerve to sit side by side, shirtless in bed and have a conversation. Last week the Entertainment Weekly did a 5 minute oral history about the episode (Will it be ungracious of me if I scoff? I wrote a 370 page oral history about thirtysomething. 5 minutes??!!) Advertisers pulled out of the episode, ABC threatened the producers and the Christian right protested. The episode played and the world went on. But what were the true lasting effects of this episode? If you watch “Strangers” in 2017 it is pretty tame. No one would bat an eye. I don’t think even VP Pence would try to pray the gay out of it.

So how controversial is this episode, written by Richard Kramer and directed by Peter O’Fallon? Not at all. Two men meet, have an affair and then are too afraid to call each other the morning after. So, is that why it is called “Strangers?” No. The stranger in this episode is someone who is very familiar to thirtysomething viewers. The stranger is Melissa Steadman, the wonderful Melanie Mayron. Melanie won the best supporting actress Emmy the previous season for another episode written by Richard Kramer, “Be A Good Girl.” Richard claimed Melanie was his muse on thirtysomething. He wrote some of her greatest scenes in the series. With all due respect to Melanie’s performance in “Second Look,” which is the single most heartbreaking moment in a heartbreaking episode, I submit “Strangers” is Melanie’s best work in the series. Work that is not given a mention today whenever television historians talk about the episode.

Melissa is dating Lee Owens (Corey Parker.) Lee is younger than Melissa and she is embarrassed by that. She doesn’t want her friends to meet him, she doesn’t want to be judged. So she does what we all do when we are scared, she tries to ruin everything. The end of the episode has a fantasy sequence where Melanie plays 3 different roles. She boxes herself as she watches from the crowd. The reason “Strangers” resonates with thirtysomething fans thirty years later, isn’t because two men sat in bed next to each other. It is because Richard Kramer looked into our deepest hidden fears where we all know that the only obstacle in our way is ourselves. That human moment of facing who the stranger is, ourselves.

Here is an excerpt from thirtysomething at thirty: an oral history where Richard talks about the episode.

Richard Kramer: I feel incredibly grateful to have been given the opportunity to write that episode. I was supported by Ed and Marshall at a period when not everybody would have been supported. One of the principles of the show was that we couldn’t do an “important” episode. I wasn’t trying to write the gay scene. It was very much about something else. It was about the burden of self consciousness and absorbing what other people think of you. Melissa was letting that be an obstacle in her life.

Melanie Mayron: The theme of the episode was how we sabotage relationships. Russell sabotaged his and Melissa sabotaged hers. We get something good and then we stand in the way of it. 

 - from thirtysomething at thirty - Bear Manor Media and Scott Ryan Productions

The reason this episodes sticks with me all these years later is a small scene between Melissa and Lee. Melissa is fretting over her friends meeting Lee. Corey Parker does some of his best acting when he responds with, “No one is watching, No one cares.” I wish I would have taken these words to heart sooner in life, I bet we all do. These little gems are peppered through all of Richard Kramer’s scripts, as well as all episodes of thirtysomething.

Even though I have talked to Richard many times, he was a huge help on the book and always made himself available to assist, I have never asked him this question. Did he listen to Billy Joel’s The Stranger when he wrote this episode and picked the title? Billy Joel sings in his 1977 song, “Well we all have a face that we hide away forever and we take it out and show ourselves when everyone is gone.” They could have used that song and it would have fit, but it probably would have been a little too Mad Men end credits-like. thirtysomething was a great show because it never hit the nail right on the head, it just set up the nail and laid the hammer on the table and let you finish the work yourself.

Read the top 10 episodes picked by fans. Click here.

SCOTT RYAN IS THE AUTHOR OF THIRTYSOMETHING AT THIRTY:AN ORAL HISTORY and THE MANAGING EDITOR OF THE BLUE ROSE MAGAZINE. FOR MORE INFORMATION from Scott Ryan Productions CLICK HERE.

Order the Paper back, signed, at scottryanproductions.com for cheaper than you can order it anywhere.

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This page is dedicated to Scott Ryan’s writing.

thirtysomething at thirty: an oral history

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thirtysomething at thirty: an oral history was released by Bear Manor Media on June 7th in hard back and soft back. Scott interviewed all the main cast and writers as well as producers, directors and guest actors of the 1987 series, thirtysomething. This book also contains never before released photos as well as the script to the final episode that was never filmed, due to a law suit. Scott combines all the interviews into one episode guide where you can hear the story of thirtysomething from the talented people who created it. With a Foreword by Ann Lewis Hamilton, an Afterword by Joseph Dougherty, an essay by Peter Horton (Gary) and interviews with Ed Zwick, Marshall Herskovitz, Ken Olin, Timothy Busfield, Melanie Mayron, Peter Horton, Polly Draper, Patricia Wettig, Scott Winant, Paul Haggis, Winnie Holzman, Richard Kramer, Dana Delany and many more.

 

Scott Luck Stories

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Scott Ryan’s debut collection of 20 short stories explores the author’s own everyday misadventures of living in modern day America. From the trials and tribulations of corporate office jobs to parenting, Scott Luck Stories will leave the reader laughing out loud while following Ryan’s hilarious and offbeat insights into life’s unpredictable and absurd twists of fate. Based on the podcast of the same name, Scott Luck Stories have been rewritten for publication and deliver comedy gold while revealing a more poignant undercurrent that delves into the nature of family, relationships, and how we choose to live our lives.

Readers will find delight in this short story collection’s sage advice, whether it comes from a fast food chain or the bottom of a dirty diaper, inspiring them to see the upside of just about any situation be it a traffic jam or a job interview from hell. Contemporary and straightforward in tone, Scott Luck Stories are tales we can all relate to, yet it takes a gifted storyteller to reveal the humor that life’s worst and best moments deliver 365 days a year.

This e-book is on sale on Amazon.com.

The Blue Rose Magazine

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Scott is the managing editor of The Blue Rose. This magazine is released every 4 months and covers the Showtime series, Twin Peaks. Interviews with the creators, cast and crew of the David Lynch and Mark Frost’s series. Reviews, commentary and essays abound in this full color publication.  It can be purchased digitally from Amazon or in hard copy form from bluerosemag.com 

 The Last Days Of Letterman

David Letterman said goodbye to the Late Show with David Letterman in 2015. This book focuses on the last 6 weeks of The Late Show and the episodes that let Hollywood, politicians and fans say goodbye to David Letterman after over 30 years on late night television. The book features interviews from the producers, writers and directors of The Late Show as well as a recap of the last 28 episodes. Order the book that takes you backstage for the historic episodes.

The Women of… series

  

Scott is the creator/editor of The Women of… series. Scott & David Bushman are publishing a series of books that focuses on the female characters created by artists. The first one, The Women of David Lynch has 13 essays from 13 female writers. Click here for more information.

The second book is The Women of Amy Sherman-Palladino. She created GIlmore Girls, Bunheads and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. This book will look at those strong willed and comical female creators for those 3 popular shows. Click here for more information.

For interviews email Scott at Superted455 at gmail.com