Show took off when Stephanie arrived.

I always thought it took off when Larry and Darryl and Darryl arrived.

Yes, Julia Duffy (Stephanie) certainly proves a major draw this this series.

At the time of its debut (1982), Mary Frann and (certainly) Bob Newhart (Joanna and Dick Loudon) had long served as seasoned performers, familiar to television audiences (which probably wondered what sort of working raport they might develop, entering from varying genres of popularity). Admirably, they would work well together, in plausible character fashion.

While most of the rest of the townsfolk seem somewhat cardboard, Tom Poston (George Utley) was, by exception, also well received in his role. Jennifer Holmes (Leslie Vanderkellen) provided a refreshing quality to her character, which (for reasons unknown to audiences at the time/since?) was written off this series.

Enter Miss Julia Duffy (Stephanie Vanderkellen), (another veteran television performer), who, along with the 1984 arrival of Peter Scolari (Michael Harris) (also well-known to audiences of the day) did more than make up for the difference, they becoming major draws not only to this series, but to Monday evenings, to CBS, to the entertainment industry.

I haven't seen a rerun in several years (as of this point in time) but am chuckling, reminiscing about some of their classic moments in television history.

William Sanderson (Larry), Tony Papenfuss (First Darryl) and John Voldstad (Second Darryl) reach the height of their hilarity (IMHO) during the episode in which First Darryl runs away from home. Don't miss that one.

Certainly, this splendid cast remains tremendously underrated.

If Steph and Michael had gotten their own show, they wouldn't have been figments of Dr. Hartley's subconscious. I share your feeling for Miss Duffy, however. Fortunately, Social Studies was just long enough to fit on one videocassette.

With all due respect to the great performances of Margaret Sullavan, Audrey Hepburn, Julia Ormond and others, isn't it hard to read--just read, not see--Samuel Taylor's Sabrina Fair without seeing Miss Duffy as Sabrina Fairchild? I don't know how Jennifer Garner is playing Roxane to Kevin Kline's Cyrano, but it's hard to hear Mala Powers' Roxane complain to William Prince's Christian in the old José Ferrer version, "I ask for cream and you give me milk and water" without remembering Stephanie's trademark pout, or to hear Stephanie complaining (after nursing the sick Michael and others during a flu epidemic) that he's still delirious because he didn't see her as an angel, without remembering Roxane saving the cadets' lives by bringing food to the battlefield and saying her carriage looks like Cinderella's. She may have been a snob, but she was one of the roses of TV (and played by one of its nicest--in manner a kind of female Newhart--according to Web sites).

But, on the other hand, Mork (Robin Williams) got his own show set in Boulder even though Happy Days depicted him as a figment of Richie Cunningham's (Ron Howard) subconscious in Milwaukee.

Yeah, Julia Duffy and Peter Scolari really know how to crank up the comedy a few notches all right.

Before Stephanie and Michael arrive, Joanna's the one who seems to feel misfit among the townsfolk because of her citified culture.

hmmm Would you say that Stephanie and Michael have culture? - maybe not as much as Joanna - but they don't really scream rural New England either, right? Guess all of that adds to their charm when most of the rest of the cast tries its hardest to portray Colonial citizen types who live for those town hall meetings, right?

Mellow Salutations!

The show with her and Michael are much better than the early ones with Kirk IMHO.

Almost seems like the show (for a while off & on, more on) evolved around Julia Duffy, which I find her very creative in her role !!! Steph & Michael did a great job mocking (being) the preppies of that time - There were actually people like that back then, and somewhat now I suppose ...

Julia Duffy was soooooooooooooooooooo hot in this!