TV Q&A: Was Matthew Perry in a sitcom before ‘Friends?’

You have questions. I have some answers.

Q: I watched the late Matthew Perry on “Friends” and remembered that he was in another sitcom before that one, on Fox. What was the name of that sitcom?

A: Before hitting it big on “Friends,” Perry — whose work I very much miss — was a regular on several series, according to “The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows.” You may be remembering “Second Chance” (later retitled as “Boys Will Be Boys”), which aired on Fox in 1987-88 and underwent a lot of changes in its short run as first a fantasy comedy and later a teen ensemble. Then there was “Sydney,” for CBS in 1990, starring Valerie Bertinelli as a private eye and Perry as an attorney she worked with. And “Home Free,” on ABC in 1993, with Perry as “a lazy, freeloading 22-year-old” living with his mother — and facing changes when his divorced sister moves in.

Q: I hope you have seen the commercial for a phone that captures the audio and translates it to written wording. It features an older couple as grandparents “speaking” with their grandson about him playing baseball and playing at first base as his grandpa did. Something tickled my memory about the grandmother, and she has to be Kathy Garver, “Cissy” from “Family Affair.”

A: She is. Garver, who co-starred in “Family Affair” from 1966-71 (and guest-starred on the short-lived “Family Affair” revival in 2002), has remained active in acting, voice work and commercials. You can read more about her at kathygarver.com.

Q: I just finished watching the first season of “Average Joe.” The last episode ended with a cliffhanger. I want to know if there’s going to be a second season

A: There will be. The drama starring Deon Cole as a plumber who learns that his dead father left some dangerous secrets had its first season on BET+ last year, and more recently Netflix added the first season’s 10 episodes. BET+ ordered a second season in June, with Cole promising that the new season “will be crazy.”

Q: I recently stumbled across “Good Girls Revolt” on Amazon Prime. Set in the turbulent ‘60s. I thought it was a great show. Any chance of it coming back?

A: The fact-inspired drama about young women trying to get ahead at a male-dominated ‘60s newsmagazine received quite a few good reviews, with Rotten Tomatoes’ summary calling it “a compelling true story, told by a talented cast.” But it was canceled in 2016 after a single season, with one Amazon executive saying it “wasn’t performing at the levels we had hoped for.” Still, other research reported on Newsweek.com said it was performing well – and series creator Dana Calvo said another Amazon executive just didn’t like the show. Attempts to revive it went on for a couple of years, but by 2018 Calvo said, “It’s over.” And yet people like you are still discovering the show and praising it.

Tribune News Service

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