Does anybody remember this short lived and very clever sitcom from the nineties? It is probably the closest that America ever got to having its own "Absolutely Fabulous" and, while not a direct remake, was clearly inspired by its British cousin. It only lasted a series, gaining it less attention than "Cybill" - a similar but slightly more toned down programme that ran for four seasons.
"High Society" was a sitcom about a wealthy and flamboyant New York divorcee, Dorothy Emerson (Mary McDonnell) who runs a successful publishing company and her outrageous, boozy, man-eating best friend, Ellie Walker (Jean Smart) who is a successful trashy romance novelist. Other characters include Dorothy's sensible, studious and conservative son, her disapproving, old money Mother and an old college chum of the girls called Val, who is much more homely and does not fit well with their sophisticated lifestyle.
The show's humour was brittle and very caustic, and unusually unsentimental for American sitcoms of the era. In spite of award nominations and very good ratings, network executives asked the writers to tone it down if they were to give it another series. The writers refused and the show was largely forgotten after one excellent season - not even getting a DVD release.
This is very unfortunate, as the show was ahead of its time. It clearly broke ground for the much more diluted "Will and Grace" and was much maturer than sentimental "Friends" and "Mad About You".
See or recall it?