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Down to Earth (1984)

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Down to Earth
Premiere March 10, 1984
Finale 1987
Creator Sam Harris &
Bruce H. Newberg
Network/Provider TBS
Style 30-minute sitcom
Company Proctor & Gamble Productions
Seasons 7
Episodes 106
Origin USA

Down to Earth is a sitcom that aired on TBS.

The series revolved around Ethel MacDoogan, a free-spirited woman who lived the "Roaring 1920s." era. However, in 1925 she suffered a fatal accident, colliding with a trolley. Ethel waits in Heaven for 60 years for a chance to earn her wings, until finally she is sent to earth in the 1980s to help the Preston family.

The Prestons are a typical modern-day family with modern-day situations: widowed father Richard is a realtor, though he retired a few months after and began working as a licensing agent for new inventors; older son Duane is very class-conscious; daughter Lissy is very opinionated; Jay Jay, the youngest, just wants someone who can fill their late mother's void. It is Jay Jay's prayer for an angel to come into their lives that summons Ethel, and he is the only one who knows her true identity.

Infiltrating the household as housekeeper/maid, Ethel is clueless about even the simplest conveniences of modern-day life. Jay Jay helps cover for her when it comes to adapting to the newfangled inventions of the past 60 years, and she eventually wins over the Prestons by helping them deal with their problems.

Popping in from time to time is the Prestons' ditsy next-door neighbor Candy Carlysle, who became a regular character in 1985.

In addition to her earthly employer, Ethel is under the constant eye of her heavenly boss and their successors, who watch her every move--and her every mistake. Her first overseer, Mr. Divine, kept a close eye on her. He was promoted to another position in Heaven a few months after and the very concerned but comical Lester Luster took over, followed by her ex-fiance/con-man Jake, with the outrageous Stanley McCloud taking over in the show's final years.

A few months after the show's beginning, a turning point occurred: Ethel's mission on Earth proved successful and she was ordered back to Heaven. Realising how much the Prestons meant to her and vice versa, she begged Lester Luster to postpone her return to Heaven. Together, they created a deal that she would help him with any crises on Earth that he brought to her attention and that she would have to return to Heaven if she was unsuccessful.

Contents

Cast

Actor Character Duration
Main Cast 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Carol Mansell Ethel MacDoogan * * * * * * *
Stephen Johnson Richard Preston *
Dick Sargent * * * * * *
David Kaufman Duane Preston * * * * * * *
Kyle Richards Lissy Preston * * * * * * *
Randy Josselyn Jay Jay Preston * * * * * * *
Lester C. Fletcher Mr. Divine *
Ronnie Schell Lester Luster, * *
Marla Jeanette Rubinoff Candy Carlysle * * * * *
Michael Delano Jake Fiore * *
Rip Taylor Mr. McCloud * * * *
Annie Golden Starr Gardner

Seasons

Season  Premiere Finale #
TBS
Season One March 10, 1984 June 8, 1984 13
Season Two September 15, 1984 January 23, 1985 13
Season Three February 1, 1985 May 27, 1985 17
Season Four 1985 1985 24
Season Five 1986 1986 13
Season Six 1986 1986 13
Season Seven 1987 1987 13

In-Depth

DVD Releases

There are no DVD releases for this show.

External Links