# Fired Up (TV series)

Fired Up is an American sitcom television series created by Arleen Sorkin and Paul Slansky, that aired on NBC from April 10, 1997 to February 9, 1998, for two seasons and 28 episodes. The series, the first from Grammnet Productions, starred Sharon Lawrence as a self-centered promotions executive and Leah Remini as her mouthy assistant. When the pair got fired from their jobs, they teamed up to create a business as equal partners. The tagline of the series was "First she got fired, then she got fired up."

## Plot

Gwendolyn Leonard epitomized the term "self-involved." After being fired from her corporate job, she was reduced to moving in with her former assistant, spunky Terry Reynolds, and starting up a new promotions business as her partner. Terry and her brother Danny shared a loft apartment atop a clock tower in New York City, and Danny worked as bartender at Clockworks, the restaurant below, while he pursued his dream of becoming a writer. Clockworks was owned by Guy Mann, an average Joe who adamantly pursued Gwen, though she kept him at arm's length (his response to each of her blow-offs was "Oh, yeah!").
Also regularly seen was Mrs. Francis, a crotchety unemployment agent whom Gwen ultimately inspired to quit her job and open an eggroll shop; Ashley Mann, Guy's son who worked as a female impersonator; Scott Bickley, Danny's lecherous agent who moonlighted as a suit salesman; and in later episodes Steve Summer, a former classmate of Gwen's who has carried a torch for her for decades.

## Cast

* Sharon Lawrence as Gwen Leonard
* Leah Remini as Terry Reynolds
* Mark Feuerstein as Danny Reynolds
* Jonathan Banks as Guy Mann

### Recurring

* Mark Davis as Ashley Mann
* Francesca P. Roberts as Mrs. Francis
* Timothy Omundson as Scott Bickley
* Thomas F. Wilson as Steve Summer

### Notable Guest Stars

* Kelsey Grammer as Tom Whitman
* D.W. Moffett as James Collins
* Dixie Carter as Rita Leonard
* Jack Scalia as Frank Reynolds
* Nicole Sullivan as Debbie
* Don Cornelius as himself
* Randee Heller as Tina Reynolds
* John Aniston as Gordon

## Episodes
### Series overview

| Season | Episodes | Episodes | Originally released | Originally released |
| Season | Episodes | Episodes | First released | Last released |
| 1 | 8 | 8 | April 10, 1997 (1997-04-10) | June 23, 1997 (1997-06-23) |
| 2 | 20 | 20 | September 22, 1997 (1997-09-22) | February 9, 1998 (1998-02-09) |

### Season 1 (1997)

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | Viewers (millions) |
| 1 | 1 | "Pilot" | James Burrows | Story by : Arleen Sorkin & Paul Slansky Teleplay by : Arleen Sorkin & Paul Slansky & Victor Fresco | April 10, 1997 (1997-04-10) | 26.64 |
| 2 | 2 | "The Next Day" | James Burrows | Victor Fresco | April 17, 1997 (1997-04-17) | 22.09 |
| 3 | 3 | "Who's the Boss" | Max Tash | Arleen Sorkin & Paul Slansky | April 24, 1997 (1997-04-24) | 25.39 |
| 4 | 4 | "They Sell Horses, Don't They?" | Rod Daniel | Kit Boss | May 1, 1997 (1997-05-01) | 21.84 |
| 5 | 5 | "A Concurrent Affair" | James Burrows | Linda Teverbaugh & Mike Teverbaugh | May 8, 1997 (1997-05-08) | 22.29 |
| 6 | 6 | "The Rules" | David Lee | Aron Abrams & Gregory Thompson | May 15, 1997 (1997-05-15) | 19.55 |
| 7 | 7 | "Are We Not Friends?" | Will Mackenzie | Thom Bray & Michael A. Ross | May 15, 1997 (1997-05-15) | 22.61 |
| 8 | 8 | "Under Pressure" | James Burrows | Danny Zuker | June 23, 1997 (1997-06-23) | 6.94 |

### Season 2 (1997–98)

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | Viewers (millions) |
| 9 | 1 | "The Mother of All Gwens" | Lee Shallat-Chemel | Victor Fresco | September 22, 1997 (1997-09-22) | 13.78 |
| 10 | 2 | "Truth and Consequences" | Lee Shallat-Chemel | Arleen Sorkin & Paul Slansky | September 29, 1997 (1997-09-29) | 10.52 |
| 11 | 3 | "You Don't Know Jack" | Jeff Melman | Kit Boss | October 6, 1997 (1997-10-06) | 11.48 |
| 12 | 4 | "Swallow Your Bliss" | Lee Shallat-Chemel | Gregory Thompson & Aron Abrams | October 13, 1997 (1997-10-13) | 11.81 |
| 13 | 5 | "Total Recall" | Gordon Hunt | Linda Teverbaugh & Mike Teverbaugh | October 20, 1997 (1997-10-20) | 11.78 |
| 14 | 6 | "Beat the Clock" | Pamela Fryman | Gregory Thompson & Aron Abrams | October 27, 1997 (1997-10-27) | 9.88 |
| 15 | 7 | "The Baby-Sitter's Club" | Pamela Fryman | Bill Barol | November 10, 1997 (1997-11-10) | 10.22 |
| 16 | 8 | "In Your Dreams" | Will Mackenzie | Don Rhymer | November 17, 1997 (1997-11-17) | 11.10 |
| 17 | 9 | "Honey, I Shrunk the Turkey" | Ken Levine | Kit Boss | November 24, 1997 (1997-11-24) | 9.83 |
| 18 | 10 | "Ten Grand a Dance" | Will Mackenzie | Gregory Thompson & Aron Abrams | December 1, 1997 (1997-12-01) | 11.84 |
| 19 | 11 | "Where There's Smoke" | Will Mackenzie | Michael A. Ross & Thom Bray | December 22, 1997 (1997-12-22) | 9.66 |
| 20 | 12 | "You Go, Boss!" | Lee Shallat-Chemel | Kit Boss | January 12, 1998 (1998-01-12) | 8.67 |
| 21 | 13 | "Beauty and the Priests" | Leonard R. Garner Jr. | Bill Barol | January 19, 1998 (1998-01-19) | 9.37 |
| 22 | 14 | "Mission: and A-Hopin'" | Lee Shallat-Chemel | Linda Teverbaugh & Mike Teverbaugh | January 26, 1998 (1998-01-26) | 8.59 |
| 23 | 15 | "Fire and Nice" | Lee Shallat-Chemel | Dwight D. Smith | February 9, 1998 (1998-02-09) | 8.88 |
| 24 | 16 | "The Pajama Game" | Lee Shallat-Chemel | Lu Abbott Stacey & Berman Woodward | Unaired | N/A |
| 25 | 17 | "What I Really Want to Do Is Direct" | Randy Suhr | Paul Slansky & Arleen Sorkin | Unaired | N/A |
| 26 | 18 | "Lustline" | Lee Shallat Chemel | Story by : Bill Barol Teleplay by : Thom Bray & Michael A. Ross | Unaired | N/A |
| 27 | 19 | "Domestic Bliss" | Lee Shallat Chemel | Craig Hoffman | Unaired | N/A |
| 28 | 20 | "With Sex, You Get Eggroll" | Max Tash | Thom Bray & Michael A. Ross | Unaired | N/A |

## Broadcast history

Fired Up was a mid-season replacement on NBC. It premiered on April 10, 1997, and ended the first season on June 23 after 8 episodes. The second season premiered on September 22, 1997, and the last episode aired on February 9, 1998. It was a contemporary of shows like Caroline in the City and Suddenly Susan, and at one point, all three shows were part of a Monday-night promotion: "The Ladies of Monday Night."
Fired Up had a brief syndication run on the USA Network.

## Reception

Caryn James of The New York Times said the series had a "topical premise and an edgy lead character, just what most sitcoms lack" but that after a promising start, its first season episodes lost the "sharp writing this series needs."
Fired Up premiered in the "cushy Thursday night slot after Seinfeld" through May 15, 1997, on a night that NBC promoted as Must See TV. It started out strong in the ratings; the premiere garnered an 18.8 rating and 29 share, but after NBC changed its timeslot, the show lost its audience and NBC canceled it.