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With the recent rash of TV show reunion movies, I have come to the conclusion that one classic from the 80s is being tragically overlooked: Charles In Charge. What more could be said with Charles In Charge, you say? Well, think about it - when we last left Charles, he was a college student, working his way toward his degree by being the permanent baby-sitter of a family of three teens. Nevermind that they're far too old for babysitters - Charles was more than a babysitter, more than a guide, he was a friend. Each week he dispensed his immeasurable wisdom, he quipped mightily, he bantered with the inimitable Buddy (arguably one of the finest character studies in television, portrayed by the incomparable Willie Aames,) and, in the end, he always saved the day.
In the years since the show, I, like you probably, have often wondered just what had happened to Charles and his witty cohorts. To answer this question we obviously need a reunion. I propose a TV movie - Charles: Still In Charge. Just think of it: Charles has graduated and moved on, but his work as . . . I don't know, lackey of some sort at a big company - has turned out to be unfulfilling. Charles reminisces about the good old days, and in a montage of favorite scenes from the show, we see Charles, Buddy, the Pembrokes, the Powells, Gwendolyn Pierce and others cavorting in slow motion. Charles realizes that what he wants to do is take care of people - he wants to be In Charge once again.
Charles quits his job and begins his hunt. There should of course be a series of scenes of wacky job possibilities that obviously do not suit our Charles. When all appears lost, Charles comes upon an apartment building that the landlord is vacating. Perhaps it's the building he grew up in, and Charles is disheartened to hear that it will be torn down. Charles then takes it upon himself to save the building, as he always comes to the rescue of a good cause. Of course, it will be a big struggle because it turns out that his former employer is behind the initiative to tear it down. Charles frets and worries, but ultimately discovers that the building is historical because . . . I don't know, Rudy Guiliani was born there or something, and saves it from destruction. As a gift for his hard work, the landlord turns the building over to Charles. Charles is at first frustrated and exasperated, as he could never imagine being a landlord, but suddenly the lightbulb goes on in his head. He knows he was meant to take on this task!
Another montage of wacky scenes is in order, to show Charles attempting to get the building in order, alas in vain - he is only one man. He puts an ad for help in the paper and who shows up for the job but - you guessed it - Buddy. We all know Buddy already has the job, but he forces Charles to go through with a zany job interview so we know that Buddy is back. They go about renovating the building and at some point Charles hits his head and out pops alter-ego, Chaz. Chaz, of course, grows a goatee, raises hell, and puts the whole renovation at risk simple because of his bad behavior - say there's a big TV interview set up that day and Chaz just royally screws the whole thing up. You know - he insults the elderly, makes fun of the mentally challenged, makes lude comments to the comely female reporter, etc. Of course, at some point Buddy accidently smacks him in the head with a board and Charles is Chaz no more.
Back to feeling himself, Charles must repair the damage he's done. I don't know how - that can be worked out later! The important part is Charles is back and they can open the newly, and fittingly, christened Chaz Heights to prospective tenants. Of course, this is the perfect opportunity for both of the families Charles worked for (oddly enough, in the same house) to return under his protective supervision - all by chance, of course. A big moment of tension arises when one of the members of the clans asks him about Gwendolyn Pierce. We learn that they were about to be married after college, but had a misunderstanding and Gwedolyn left him. Charles explains the problem, how it was a misunderstanding and he's never felt right without her. Just when Charles is about to relate that it's hopeless they'll ever see each other again, Gwendolyn Pierce slips through the doorway. "Can you forgive me, Charles?" A big grin grows on Charles' face, and he replies, "Of course." Everyone cheers and laughs, and we know everything is going to be safe in Charles' hands. It's just so big and beautiful and dramatic! Tears will be streaming down the faces of the Charles faithful.
I want Charles In Charge of me. You do too. Don't you? Yes, of course you do. Who doesn't? There is no show more deserving of the full-blown reunion treatment than this seminal institution. Not only can it pave the way for an exciting set of DVD releases of the original, it can be the beginning of a new of Charles In Charge. With TV gone to the reality-dogs, what would revive interest in sitcoms more than bringing back the glory of a past classic? The sad state of the world today is just begging for a return of Charles In Charge.
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People in a parade are cocky, you know. They think that they attracted an audience but really it's just people waiting to cross the street. I could attract a crowd if I stood in everybody's way.
--Mitch Hedberg
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