# The Mommies (TV series)

The Mommies is an American sitcom television series created by Terry Grossman and Kathy Speer that aired on NBC from September 18, 1993, to June 10, 1995.
NBC originally canceled The Mommies after one season along with other Saturday night sitcoms Café Americain and Nurses. Due to increased ratings during summer reruns, NBC renewed the series for midseason with some tweaks in format (as well as its title shortened to simply Mommies). However, the ratings dropped again in season 2, and the series was pulled in the spring of 1995, with its final episode being burned off over the summer.

## Synopsis

The series was loosely based on the real-life personas of Caryl Kristensen and Marilyn Kentz (aka The Mommies) as suburban neighbors and their families in Petaluma, California. Episodes focused on how they dealt with parenting and modern-day issues. The duo also co-produced and co-wrote the series. Neighbors "Perfect Mom" Barb Ballantine (Julia Duffy) and "Mr. Mom" Tom Booker (Jere Burns) were introduced in the middle of season one with Duffy becoming a series regular.
Season two brought several changes to the series. Jere Burns was upgraded to series regular, Paul Kellogg was recast, Marilyn got divorced, and Barb's never before seen husband (played by fellow Newhart alum Peter Scolari) became recurring. Also laugh track usage was reduced.

## Cast
### Main

* Caryl Kristensen - Caryl Kellogg
* Marilyn Kentz - Marilyn Larson
* Robin Thomas (season 1) and Lane Davies (season 2) - Paul Kellogg, Caryl's husband
* Ashley Peldon - Kasey Larson, Marilyn & Jack's daughter
* Shiloh Strong - Adam Larson, Marilyn & Jack's son
* Sam Gifaldi - Danny Kellogg, Caryl & Paul's son
* Ryan Merriman - Blake Kellogg, Caryl & Paul's son
* David Dukes - Jack Larson, Marilyn's husband
* Julia Duffy - Barb Ballantine
* Jere Burns - Tom Booker (1994-1995: recurring, season 1; main, season 2)

### Recurring

* Jennifer Blanc - Tiffany (1993-1994)
* Peter Scolari - Ken Ballantine, Barb's husband
* Courtney Peldon - Beth Booker, Tom's daughter (1994-1995)
* Justin Berfield - Jason Booker, Tom's son (1994-1995)

## Episodes
### Series overview

| Season | Episodes | Episodes | Originally released | Originally released |
| Season | Episodes | Episodes | First released | Last released |
| 1 | 24 | 24 | September 18, 1993 (1993-09-18) | May 7, 1994 (1994-05-07) |
| 2 | 13 | 13 | January 2, 1995 (1995-01-02) | June 10, 1995 (1995-06-10) |

### Season 1 (1993–94)

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | Viewers (millions) |
| 1 | 1 | "Pilot" | Terry Hughes | Kathy Speer & Terry Grossman | September 18, 1993 (1993-09-18) | N/A |
| 2 | 2 | "Those Lowdown Ultrasound Pink-or-Blues" | Terry Hughes | Linda Marr | September 25, 1993 (1993-09-25) | 12.0 |
| 3 | 3 | "Death of a Crossing Guard" | Terry Hughes | Ellen Sandler & Cindy Chupack | October 2, 1993 (1993-10-02) | 11.2 |
| 4 | 4 | "Take Me Out Anywhere But the Ballgame" | Terry Hughes | Michael Davidoff & Bill Rosenthal | October 9, 1993 (1993-10-09) | 14.0 |
| 5 | 5 | "Much I Do About Nothing" | Terry Hughes | Michael Davidoff & Bill Rosenthal | October 16, 1993 (1993-10-16) | 12.3 |
| 6 | 6 | "Revenge of the Mommies" | Terry Hughes | Nick LeRose | October 23, 1993 (1993-10-23) | 11.8 |
| 7 | 7 | "I Got the Music in Me" | Terry Hughes | Lisa A. Bannick | November 6, 1993 (1993-11-06) | 10.9 |
| 8 | 8 | "Doggie Dearest" | Terry Hughes | Nick LeRose | November 13, 1993 (1993-11-13) | 10.5 |
| 9 | 9 | "Thanks, But No Thanksgiving" | Terry Hughes | Ellen Sandler & Cindy Chupack | November 20, 1993 (1993-11-20) | 10.4 |
| 10 | 10 | "Friends and Mothers" | Terry Hughes | Linda Marr | November 27, 1993 (1993-11-27) | 11.7 |
| 11 | 11 | "Sleeping Around" | Terry Hughes | Ellen Sandler & Cindy Chupack | December 9, 1993 (1993-12-09) | 20.7 |
| 12 | 12 | "Christmas" | Gary Brown | Nick LeRose | December 11, 1993 (1993-12-11) | 10.0 |
| 13 | 13 | "Quality Time" | Gary Brown | Michael Davidoff & Bill Rosenthal | December 18, 1993 (1993-12-18) | 9.2 |
| 14 | 14 | "The Fight" | Gary Brown | Lisa A. Bannick | January 8, 1994 (1994-01-08) | 10.3 |
| 15 | 15 | "Home Alone" | Terry Hughes | Nick LeRose | January 15, 1994 (1994-01-15) | 10.8 |
| 16 | 16 | "The Old Man Cometh" | Gary Brown | Nick LeRose | January 29, 1994 (1994-01-29) | 9.7 |
| 17 | 17 | "Bringing Home Baby" | Gary Brown | Linda Marr | February 5, 1994 (1994-02-05) | 10.5 |
| 18 | 18 | "Five Minutes Apart" | Gary Brown | Linda Marr | February 5, 1994 (1994-02-05) | 10.5 |
| 19 | 19 | "Valentine's Day" | Gary Brown | Michael Davidoff & Bill Rosenthal | February 12, 1994 (1994-02-12) | 10.2 |
| 20 | 20 | "Mr. Mommie" | Gary Brown | Nick LeRose | March 19, 1994 (1994-03-19) | 12.7 |
| 21 | 21 | "The Campfire Girls" | Gary Brown | Michael Davidoff & Bill Rosenthal | April 2, 1994 (1994-04-02) | 11.7 |
| 22 | 22 | "A Day in the Life" | Gary Brown | Lisa A. Bannick | April 16, 1994 (1994-04-16) | 9.4 |
| 23 | 23 | "Mommies Day" | Gary Brown | Linda Marr | May 7, 1994 (1994-05-07) | 8.8 |
| 24 | 24 | "The Exercist" | Gary Brown | Ellen Sandler & Cindy Chupack | May 7, 1994 (1994-05-07) | 9.9 |

### Season 2 (1995)

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | Viewers (millions) |
| 25 | 1 | "Tom's Deal" | Art Dielhenn | Ellen Sandler & Cindy Chupack | January 2, 1995 (1995-01-02) | 11.5 |
| 26 | 2 | "The Mother of All In-Laws" | Joanna Kerns | Ellen Sandler & Cindy Chupack | January 7, 1995 (1995-01-07) | 11.0 |
| 27 | 3 | "Enter Christine" | Frank Bonner | Story by : Tim O'Donnell Teleplay by : Nick LeRose | January 14, 1995 (1995-01-14) | 11.2 |
| 28 | 4 | "Enter Ken" | Art Dielhenn | Nick LeRose | January 21, 1995 (1995-01-21) | 10.1 |
| 29 | 5 | "Coming Apart" | Tim O'Donnell | Tim O'Donnell | January 28, 1995 (1995-01-28) | 10.5 |
| 30 | 6 | "You Must Remember This" | Art Dielhenn | Rick Newberger | February 4, 1995 (1995-02-04) | 9.3 |
| 31 | 7 | "I Do, I Do Again" | Frank Bonner | Rick Newberger | February 25, 1995 (1995-02-25) | 8.2 |
| 32 | 8 | "The Dating Pool" | Art Dielhenn | Ellen Sandler & Cindy Chupack | March 4, 1995 (1995-03-04) | 10.6 |
| 33 | 9 | "Who Am I?" | Joanna Kerns | Geoffrey Miller | March 18, 1995 (1995-03-18) | 11.2 |
| 34 | 10 | "Mystery Ride" | Art Dielhenn | Michael Davidoff & Bill Rosenthal | March 18, 1995 (1995-03-18) | 11.7 |
| 35 | 11 | "My Roof, My Rules" | Art Dielhenn | Linda Marr | March 25, 1995 (1995-03-25) | 8.6 |
| 36 | 12 | "Selling Out" | Frank Bonner | Ellen Sandler & Cindy Chupack | April 3, 1995 (1995-04-03) | 12.1 |
| 37 | 13 | "Four Mommies and a Funeral" | Frank Bonner | Nick LeRose | June 10, 1995 (1995-06-10) | 6.5 |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Result | Category | Recipient |
| 1992 | Young Artist Awards | Nominated | Best Youth Comedienne in a TV Show | Ashley Peldon |
| 1992 | Young Artist Awards | Nominated | Best Performance: Young Actress in a TV Comedy Series | Courtney Peldon |
| 1992 | Young Artist Awards | Nominated | Best Performance by an Actress Under Ten in a TV Series | Ashley Peldon |
| 1992 | Young Artist Awards | Nominated | Best Performance by an Actor Under Ten in a TV Series | Sam Gifaldi |
| 1994 | Young Artist Awards | Nominated | Outstanding Youth Ensemble in a Television Series | Sam Gifaldi, Ryan Merriman, Ashley Peldon, Shiloh Strong and Joey Zimmerman |
| 1994 | Young Artist Awards | Nominated | Best Actor Under Ten in a Television Series or Show | Sam Gifaldi |