Spoilers

“A Trip to the Moon”

“Come Back Little Shiksa”

After the end of season three, with David and Maddie making love, season four went in a dark and downer direction with Maddie not sure where the relationship was going. So she ran off to Chicago.

This show just never worked well when it did not have David AND Maddie front and center.

I know part of it was Cybill Shepherd’s real life pregnancy as Maddie was hiding behind just about anything she could in these two episodes to hide her belly. Still, the way the story went, you just felt so bad for David, who was trying everything, and it was hard to understand what was going through Maddie’s head.

The two episodes had some fun things. There was a Honeymooners parody in a dream sequence with David as Ralph, Maddie as Alice, DiPesto as Trixie and Richie (David’s brother, played by Charles Rocket) as Norton. There was an appearance by Ray Charles singing in a dream sequence for David (“Hit the Road, Dave”). Episode two had a Claymation argument between Dave and Maddie, and Dave gets turned into a horny toad. John Goodman had a guest starring role. Dr. Joyce Brothers appeared to Maddie in the mirror too. 

There was just the magic missing. 

I know the fourth season is really a tough one. I hope on second watch, it will be better than I remember.