The Single Guy

The Single Guy is an American sitcom television series that ran for two seasons on NBC, from September 21, 1995, to April 14, 1997. It starred Jonathan Silverman as struggling New York City writer Jonathan Eliot and followed several of his close friends (some of whom came and left as the show was re-tooled between seasons). The series also starred Joey Slotnick as Eliot's best friend Sam Sloan, Ming-Na Wen as Sam's wife Trudy and Ernest Borgnine as doorman Manny, throughout its entire run. The Single Guy was created by Brad Hall.

The Single Guy
GenreSitcom
Created byBrad Hall
Starring
ComposerEd Alton
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes43 (+1 Unaired Pilot)
Production
Executive producers
  • Brad Hall
  • Erwin More
  • Michael Davidoff
  • Bill Rosenthal
  • Sam Weisman
ProducerRichard Doctorow
Camera setupMulti-camera
Running time30 minutes
Production companies
Release
Original networkNBC
Original releaseSeptember 21, 1995 (1995-09-21) 
April 14, 1997 (1997-04-14)

Cast

Main

Recurring

Notable Guest Stars

Episodes

Season 1 (1995–96)

No.
overall
No. in
series
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date Viewers
(millions)
11"Pilot"Sam WeismanBrad HallSeptember 21, 1995 (1995-09-21)29.9[1]
22"Tennis"Sam WeismanBrad HallSeptember 28, 1995 (1995-09-28)26.3[2]
33"Gift"Sam WeismanRichard DoctorowOctober 5, 1995 (1995-10-05)27.7[3]
44"Babysitting"Sam WeismanJohn MasiusOctober 12, 1995 (1995-10-12)23.5[4]
55"Charity"Sam WeismanAndrew Gottlieb & Jay Kogen & Steve PaymerOctober 19, 1995 (1995-10-19)23.9[5]
66"Neighbors"Sam WeismanDavid Kohan & Max MutchnickNovember 2, 1995 (1995-11-02)27.1[6]
77"Mugging"Sam WeismanDavid Kohan & Max Mutchnick & Richard DoctorowNovember 9, 1995 (1995-11-09)28.2[7]
88"Sister"UnknownSteve PaymerNovember 16, 1995 (1995-11-16)27.9[8]
99"Attraction"UnknownJay KogenDecember 7, 1995 (1995-12-07)23.6[9]
1010"Midnight"Sam WeismanJay KogenDecember 14, 1995 (1995-12-14)25.5[10]
1111"Communication"Sam WeismanRichard DoctorowJanuary 4, 1996 (1996-01-04)27.3[11]
1212"Nineteen"UnknownJim McCoulfJanuary 11, 1996 (1996-01-11)23.2[12]
1313"Distance"UnknownSteve PaymerJanuary 18, 1996 (1996-01-18)25.0[13]
1414"Rival"UnknownRichard DoctorowFebruary 1, 1996 (1996-02-01)26.3[14]
1515"Pudding"Sam WeismanDavid Kohan & Max MutchnickFebruary 8, 1996 (1996-02-08)24.9[15]
1616"Affair"UnknownAndrew GottliebFebruary 15, 1996 (1996-02-15)25.1[16]
1717"Wedding"UnknownBrad HallFebruary 22, 1996 (1996-02-22)25.6[17]
1818"Poetry"Craig ZiskPaul BarroseMarch 7, 1996 (1996-03-07)24.4[18]
1919"Lovenest"Craig ZiskBrad Hall & Richard DoctorowMarch 14, 1996 (1996-03-14)22.8[19]
2020"Kids"Craig ZiskAndrew Gottlieb & John MasiusMay 2, 1996 (1996-05-02)22.4[20]
2121"Pop"Craig ZiskAndrew GottliebMay 9, 1996 (1996-05-09)22.9[21]
2222"Moving"David TrainerRichard Doctorow & Jay KogenMay 16, 1996 (1996-05-16)24.5[22]

Season 2 (1996–97)

No.
overall
No. in
series
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date Viewers
(millions)
231"Mounted Cop"Craig ZiskRachel SweetSeptember 19, 1996 (1996-09-19)24.47[23]
242"Best Man"Craig ZiskGayle AbramsSeptember 26, 1996 (1996-09-26)24.07[24]
253"Good God"Craig ZiskBill RosenthalOctober 3, 1996 (1996-10-03)22.17[25]
264"Kept Man"Craig ZiskGayle AbramsOctober 10, 1996 (1996-10-10)24.86[26]
275"Strip Club"Craig ZiskAndrew GottliebOctober 17, 1996 (1996-10-17)20.05[27]
286"Love Train"Craig ZiskStephen Godchaux & Rachel SweetOctober 31, 1996 (1996-10-31)21.81[28]
297"The Virgin"Craig ZiskBill RosenthalNovember 7, 1996 (1996-11-07)24.58[29]
308"Double Date"Max TashRichard DoctorowNovember 14, 1996 (1996-11-14)25.00[30]
319"Davy Jones"Alan MyersonAndrew GottliebNovember 21, 1996 (1996-11-21)26.06[31]
3210"Deepest Cut"Kim FriedmanStephen GodchauxDecember 12, 1996 (1996-12-12)22.86[32]
3311"New Year"Craig ZiskBill RosenthalJanuary 9, 1997 (1997-01-09)24.58[33]
3412"Like Father..."Max TashStephen Godchaux & Rachel SweetJanuary 16, 1997 (1997-01-16)26.89[34]
3513"Starting Over"Craig ZiskStory by: Andrew Gottlieb & John Masius
Teleplay by: John Masius
January 23, 1997 (1997-01-23)22.15[35]
3614"Just Friends?"Pamela FrymanGayle AbramsJanuary 30, 1997 (1997-01-30)24.40[36]
3715"Macho Men"Craig ZiskRichard DoctorowFebruary 6, 1997 (1997-02-06)25.20[37]
3816"Mother Love"Andrew TsaoSuzanne Myers & Cody FarleyFebruary 13, 1997 (1997-02-13)23.59[38]
3917"Big Baby"Andrew TsaoRachel SweetFebruary 20, 1997 (1997-02-20)25.66[39]
4018"Grandfather Clause"Craig ZiskStory by: Barbara Hobart
Teleplay by: Will Gluck
March 26, 1997 (1997-03-26)8.74[40]
4119"Jonathan Hollywood"Linda DayRob Cornick & Cory JachnukApril 2, 1997 (1997-04-02)8.74[41]
4220"Au Pair"Michael ZinbergPeter Schneider & Ben CardinaleApril 9, 1997 (1997-04-09)N/A
4321"Vegas Finale"Gail MancusoKaren RussellApril 16, 1997 (1997-04-16)7.71[42]

Production and reception

While the series was favored enough by NBC to earn a timeslot in its coveted "Must-See-TV" Thursday night line-up, it ultimately failed to generate enthusiasm with critics and viewers. It was largely written-off as a clone of the network's other "singles in the city" sitcoms that emerged in the mid-1990s, following the success of Seinfeld and Friends. The Single Guy emulated many of the same traits and tropes of those series, from the neurotic best friend who occasionally does reprehensible things, to its main character's rotating cast of flawed girlfriends. Jonathan and friends would also regularly hang out at a local coffee shop, The Bagel Cafe, which was seen by some viewers as too similar to Friends, of which David Schwimmer guest starred as his character Ross Geller.

Although the series earned high ratings, consistently attaining 4th or 5th place in the Nielsen ratings, NBC was disappointed in the show's critical failure. For its second season, the series underwent retooling. As a result, cast members Jessica Hecht and Mark Moses were let go and replaced with Olivia d'Abo and Shawn Michael Howard. Dan Cortese and Jensen Daggett were also cast in heavily recurring roles. The retooling did not work, forcing NBC to pull the series and move it to a different night in the Spring of 1997. Airing in between Friends and Seinfeld, ratings plummeted upon its move, with nearly two-thirds of its audience gone. Perhaps aware of its impending cancellation, the series ended its second and final season with Jonathan Eliot married in Las Vegas, thus ending his single status.

Ernest Borgnine later recalled working on the show fondly, but expressed his displeasure with the retooling and felt that it – along with behind-the-scenes dysfunction – led to its cancellation.[43][44]

References

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  44. "Ernest Borgnine talks about Air Wolf, Single Guy, Why they made a McHale's Navy movie-Part 4 of 6". YouTube. August 12, 2019. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
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