Was Monroe raped by a gang of women in one episode? - Too Close for Comfort (1980) Discussion

[–] Blueghost 11 years ago

You got to be kidding. If there was such an episode, given the time the show was produced, this would have been big news.

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[–] rycki1138 10 years ago

You got to be kidding. If there was such an episode, given the time the show was produced, this would have been big news.

Actually that episode of Too Close For Comfort aired right around the same time as the episode of Punky Brewster where she and Cherie joined a club then learned they had to do drugs to be members. Just Say No (1985)

And it was two years after the Diff'rent Strokes "Bicycle Man" episode where the pedophile bike shop owner (Gordon Jump) was taking nude pictures of Arnold and Dudley. The Bicycle Man: Part 1 (1983)
The Bicycle Man: Part 2 (1983)

Even family sitcoms around this time were starting to push the envelope of things that were thought taboo previously. And the other two I mentioned all centered around kids. In the Too Close For Comfort episode the horrible things happened to adult characters.

(knock,knock,knock) Penny (knock,knock,knock) Penny (knock,knock,knock) Penny

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[–] 10 years ago

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[–] audierules 11 years ago

holy **** I'm just like that guy, I thought I was going crazy!!!

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[–] bgva 11 years ago

Yeah it happened...here's a clip. I found it disturbing how they joked so much about such a subject.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-gw2_SCjtk

Oh stewardess...I speak jive.

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[–] lunarose 11 years ago

Yeah, there is such an episode, although I've always found it extremely hard to believe that such a thing could happen.

"Qui conduisait la voiture?"

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[–] jarrodmcdonald-1 11 years ago

This episode just aired on Antenna TV. I agree that it was a bit disturbing and certainly in bad taste. I suppose they thought they were covering an important issue, but I don't think it works for this show and definitely not these characters.

It would have been better (and funnier) if the episode started with Henry watching some real-life crime show on TV. The next day, they find out Monroe didn't come home last night-- and Henry's imagination starts running wild. He soon convinces himself something sensational and horrible must have happened to Monroe. This leads Henry to call the police who laugh at his ideas, then he goes off investigating on his own. Eventually he finds Monroe at the apartment of the two seedy women and it turns out to be innocent and quite harmless. Henry is embarrassed to tell Monroe what he thought had happened. Monroe is touched that Henry cared. End of episode.

Instead, we get this really far-fetched depiction of rape. And when we see the two women, only the most vulgar images of Monroe's rape enter our minds. Strange. Not funny. And not the best plot for this standard issue 80s sitcom.

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[–] Tammy-172 10 years ago

I remember being disturbed the first time I saw it. Seeing a clip now after all these years I am still disturbed but now more of the laughing (laugh track? audience ?)at the fact it was 2 women.. sad.

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[–] 10 years ago

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[–] rycki1138 10 years ago

That episode just aired again on Antenna TV a few days ago. It was For Every Man, There's Two Women (1985) from the 5th season.

(knock,knock,knock) Penny (knock,knock,knock) Penny (knock,knock,knock) Penny

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[–] candrew088 10 years ago

The Different Strokes and Punky Brewster episodes didn't play those situations for laughs.

Even by 1985 standards, that Too Close for Comfort episode was bizarre. I kept waiting for the episode to turn serious and it never really does.

If I were the creators of that show I would have left it out of syndication.

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[–] stephenmonachello 10 years ago

Yeah they made an episode that Monroe was kidnapped and raped by two big women. They did it for laughs which is not right. The Punky Brewster and D'ffernt Strokes episodes were done to be serious and a message for kids because a lot of kids watched those shows. I remember my mom made me watch those episodes to make me aware of Stranger Danger.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2604794/

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