Empty Nest

While i'm still stuck at home recovering from my particle leg amputation, i'm either spending to muh time at the computer or channel surfing on the TV.  Today i found a show i haven't seen in over 20 years ... Empty Nest starring Richard Mulligan, Kristy McNichol, Diane Manoff and Bear the Dog as Dreyfuss.

 

 

(Empty Nest is an American sitcom that originally aired on NBC from 1988 to 1995. The series was created as a spin-off of The Golden Girls by creator and producer Susan Harris. For its first three seasons, Empty Nest was one of the year's top 10 most-watched programs. It was produced by Witt/Thomas/Harris Productions in association with Touchstone Television.

 

The show concept borrowed some elements from the British comedy series Father, Dear Father, also featuring a father living with his two daughters and large dog. However, unlike that series (in which the daughters are still teenagers and the ex-wife and her new husband are both conspicuously present), the two daughters in Empty Nest are self-supporting adults, and the lead character is a widower.

 

Empty Nest was part of NBC's Saturday night block of programming, and during its first four seasons it aired at 9:30pm ET, directly following The Golden Girls.

 

Two of the cast were alumni from one of Susan Harris' earlier shows, Soap; Mulligan was (briefly) Manoff's father-in-law in Soap.)

 

In this episode, Mulligan's character is seeing a woman he thought of as just a friend, but she wanted more.  So she gave him an ultimatum they either get married or stop seeing one another.   Mulligan's character had just lost his wife 18 months earlier, so he wasn't sure.  Finally he told the woman he just wasn't ready because his late wife was the love of his life ... his every thought ... and he felt like he would be cheating on her to marry someone else so soon.

 

While he told her this, i was in tears thinking about all the people who told me i should get another dog, while SADDI was sick and soon after she died and even 6 years since she has been gone.   i feel the same way, my love for SADDI is as strong today as it was the first day we met.  Maybe one day i'll allow another dog into our home, mostly for Devon's sake.  But for me, i know i will never have another bond or love as strongly as i have for SADDI.

 

At the end of the show, Mulligan comes to his empty home to be greeted happily by his dog, Dreyfuss.  He sits on the sofa and Dreyfuss sits next to him with his head on the arm of the sofa.  Mulligan tells Dreyfuss that no matter what, Dreyfuss is there with a wagging tail and unlimited faithful devotion.   The show ends with Mulligan giving Dreyfuss a kiss on the head.

 

i miss my SADDI so much.