March 25, 1986: "Perfect Strangers" Premieres

Mark Linn-Baker (left) and Bronson Pinchot,

in American and (fictional) Myposian formal attire, respectively.

March 25, 1986, 40 years ago: Perfect Strangers premieres on ABC. Bronson Pinchot starred as Balki Bartokomous, from the fictional Mediterranean, Greek-influenced but apparently hopelessly underdeveloped island nation of Mypos.

Mark Linn-Baker played Larry Appleton -- always "Cousin Larry" to Balki, even when he was talking about him to somebody else -- the Chicago-based relative who took him in, and did his best to teach him how to be an American, while the immigrant taught him how to be a better person.

David Pomeranz sang the theme song, which was written by Jesse Frederick and Bennett Salvay. They went on to write, and Frederick to sing, the themes to the ABC sitcoms Full House and Family Matters, the latter of which was a spinoff of Perfect Strangers.

The show indulged in all the immigrant-in-America tropes, from the occasional native dress to the frequent mishandling of U.S. slang. With Balki, the expression "Get out of town!" became "Get out of the city!" Telling a woman who appeared to be psychic that she has not ESP, but PMS. And so forth. (This was more recently done on NCIS, with Cote de Pablo and her "Zivaisms.")

After working in a convenience store in the 1st 2 seasons, Larry and Balki got jobs at a fictional newspaper, the Chicago Chronicle. They ended up dating, and marrying, flight attendants: Larry to Jennifer Lyons (played by Melanie Wilson, daughter of Dick Wilson, known for playing Mr. Whipple in Charmin commercials), and Balki to Rebeca Arthur (Mary Anne Spencer). The show lasted 7 seasons, and each couple's baby was born during the series finale, airing on August 6, 1993.

Did I like this show? To use Balki's catchphrase, "Well, of course I did, don't be ridiculous!"

Pinchot never found a follow-up sitcom that worked, and turned to doing voiceovers for audiobooks -- in his real voice, not in Balki's fake Myposian accent. Baker moved into directing.

And they remain friends to this day.