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Remember and celebrate one of TV's funniest and most intelligent sitcoms:
"HEARTS AFIRE"
1992-95
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Starring...
JOHN RITTER, MARKIE POST
and Billy Bob Thornton
For
three wonderful seasons (1992-95), "Hearts Afire"
graced the TV screens in the USA. It was one of those rare gems
that only appear two or three times in a decade. Conceived and
produced by the team responsible for Evening
Shade, Linda Bloodworth-Thomason and husband
Harry Thomason, the first season, set on Capitol Hill, was
brilliantly written and directed by the duo and superbly acted by
stars JOHN RITTER and MARKIE POST. The dialogue was razor sharp,
witty, sophisticated and often much longer than average in a
sit-com for one or other of the actors. This called for the
professional timing and talent (not to mention memory!) for which
John Ritter has been known for many years. Markie Post (surely
one of the most beautiful 'older' women in the world), whose
previous form had been on comedies such as Night
Court and various TV movies, rose equally to
the challenge, and she was a sheer delight to listen to when
yelling at hapless victims (often Hartman!)
over some actual or perceived injustice, usually against women.
The ensuing seasons were quite different due to a change of cast
(other than John, Markie and co-star BILLY BOB THORNTON),
relocation/career moves of the characters and the resulting
alternate lifestyle. A few of the episodes were not quite up to
the superbly high standard of the first season, but I found most
of them highly enjoyable, and my dream is that one day this much
under-rated little show will return to our screens.
The
show was screened in England for the first time (to my knowledge)
during 1996/7. Shown on the 'UK Living' (re-named 'Living')
satellite channel, initially at 7pm every weeknight and latterly
Saturday and Sunday at 12.30pm it apparently warranted further
screenings, since it was, in fact, shown 3 times back-to-back. I
discovered it at the start of the second season with the Hartmans,
now married, leaving the political jungle of Washington and
moving to John and Billy Bob's childhood town where they take
over the local newspaper. I began watching initially because of
John Ritter, but I was quickly hooked on everything about the
show. Thankfully, I soon discovered another fan-friend on the
Internet. I still haven't met anyone in my own country who even
watched it, much less 'fell in love' with the show, as I did. So
it was with sheer delight that I found the most amazingly
comprehensive and detailed episode guide of all three seasons Hearts
Afire Episode Guide lovingly compiled
by Hearts Afire
aficionado, Melissa Pollak, with whom I have become great
friends; trading tapes and photos of everything we can lay hands
on relating to John Ritter's extensive career. We had begun to
think we were the only two people in the world who care
passionately about the show, and it is purely for this reason,
that I borrowed some books on building a web page and began the
arduous process of attempting something I thought was quite
beyond me, by designing this website (which we hope will be
rewarded by finding more fans!)
I wouldn't dream of attempting to write about the episodes in any detail, since Melissa's guide is unrivalled in content, and even includes some delightful trivia from her observations and experiences in actually attending the recording of several episodes. That point made, however, it won't do any harm to reminisce a little and remind fans of how the romance of the decade began.
The
premise of the show is a single father John
Hartman. who finds himself in that unhappy
state because his ex-wife ran off with her female
marriage guidance counsellor (!). He's earnestly trying to
balance a high-powered job as the Chief of Staff to a slightly
dippy Senator, with being the best father and human being that he
can possibly be. He's not doing too badly at either until a
certain Ms Georgie Anne Lahti
walks into his life looking for a job. She's everything that he
isn't (an irreverent, sassy, loud-mouthed, rebellious,
chain-smoking, risk-taker just for the hell of it
and...unemployed). She's also incredibly beautiful, sexy,
intelligent and has her own set of morals and principles which,
while they don't exactly mirror Hartman's,
nevertheless emerge sufficiently to capture his heart the way no
other woman in his life ever has. Their meeting is not exactly
conducive to romance; she rather ungraciously attends a job
interview for which she is over-qualified and doesn't really want
anyway. She does, however, desperately need
it, since she's just returned from abroad, has no money, nowhere
to live and no clothes other than those on her back because the
rest are in the dry cleaners which, for some reason, has burned
down. After several minutes of exasperating conversation and
following her around with an ashtray in the hope of actually
getting her to use it, John Hartman
takes pity on the stunning 'damsel in distress' and, much against
his better judgement, offers her the job.
While
this doesn't exactly qualify as 'love at first sight', there is
no doubt in the minds of viewers by the end of the first episode,
that something has ignited between the two characters. There is
an intense, mutual physical attraction that both try to ignore;
not an easy task for Hartman
when he is obliged to invite Georgie-Anne into
his home for a few days until she finds a place of her own. And
damn near impossible when, during the last scene, she climbs
right into his bathtub with him (where he's retreated for a
little privacy) to tell him that the "certain passing
attraction" she feels for him every so often is
"passing by again". She's still smoking and dropping
ash, and when some falls into his bath, John counters her casual
apology with a magical one-liner: "Oh no, please...I'm
grateful we finally found an ashtray big enough for you."
It's dialogue like this, delivered by such great performers as
John and Markie, that makes "Hearts Afire" such a
classy, brilliantly funny show. We know, by the end of the two
part pilot, "Watch Out, Bees Can Sting You", that we're
in for something very special.
In
some ways the romance builds slowly as they both try and fight
it, realising they're 'chalk and cheese' and the most unlikely of
lovers. John is the
quintessential 'Mr Nice Guy'. He does everything right. He's the
sort who always observes 'Don't Walk On the Grass' signs and
feels he's behaved rashly if he drives his car 10mph over the
speed limit. Actually, this is in sharp contrast to the picture
portrayed by his best friend Billy Bob Davis (played
to perfection by Oscar-winner, Billy Bob Thornton). We learn that
as a young man, John was
something of a sexual athlete, and his friend loves to embarrass
him by regaling various lascivious exploits that seem a little
unlikely now, given the responsible adult, husband and father he
became. But if he seems a little 'anal-retentive' now (Georgie's
description, not mine!), the character is,
after all, played by John Ritter, who I personally find extremely
attractive and sexy, so I'd find it very odd if Georgie
Anne didn't fall head over heels for him!
But of course, she does, and watching them unsuccessfully fight
the powerful attraction between them provides wonderful viewing
and some deliciously sensuous endings, particularly during the
first season. The chemistry between these two actors is hot, and
while this might be just one viewer's fantasy, I feel sure John
and Markie genuinely liked each other and enjoyed their roles.
One
thing I found highly addictive, was the fact that Georgie
Anne is so stunningly beautiful that she can
surely have any man she chooses and jealousy is an unfamiliar
emotion for her. Yet she feels it keenly, and is even surprised
by it, in her relationship with Hartman.
He wears his heart on his sleeve, unashamedly, but for her, this
is something new and different; the love she feels for him is
overpowering and she's a little confused by it. Hartman
is no wimp and he won't simply roll over if she crosses one of
his ethical or moral 'lines', but he's not afraid to show her and
anyone else, how deeply he loves her and how irrevocably she has
affected his life. She, however, has to learn this process.
Indeed, it seems to come as something of a revelation to her in
an episode called "Conversations With My Shrink" when
she dines with a former lover and discovers that she can't wait
to get back to Hartman.
"I'm probably never gonna fall in love with anyone ever
again," she tells him in a slightly bewildered tone.
"I'm off the market." His relief is almost palpable and
leads to one of the most romantic and beautiful endings of the
entire three seasons.
Endings were often a feature of the show, but one I found frustrating was a brilliant little dance routine by John in an early 2nd season episode ('The Great Depression'); I loved it...but the credits ruined it! N.B. I've been writing fan fiction for just one TV show since 1991 (see below) but to my amazement, "Hearts Afire" also inspired me to write a short story. You can read it here for free Hot Sultry Days...and Nights, and I hope you enjoy it.
John Ritter walks a kind of tightrope as the guy hopelessly in love with the stunning Peabody prize-winner. He's so besotted with her that despite his many hilarious and beautifully articulated protests about her attitudes, lifestyle, etc., she can always twist him around her little finger with one flutter of those beautiful eyelashes. Hartman could, in less practiced hands than John Ritter's, come across as faintly 'wimpish', but John is probably one of the most versatile, talented and experienced actors of his generation, flawlessly combining the most powerful personality traits in his character. Despite his affable nature, Hartman commands a high-powered job which he carries out conscientiously and efficiently (for the most part!) and with unfailing loyalty to his Senator and colleagues, earning their respect and affection. He can be tough when the need arises, yet in Georgie's presence he feels like an inexperienced teenager again. The key word, of course, is vulnerability. With each episode, I found myself alternating between wanting to put my arms around Hartman to comfort him in some way, and then wishing it was me instead of Georgie climbing into his bathtub to demonstrate the art of French kissing! Not since Vincent, in Beauty and the Beast has a character stirred so many emotions in me the way John Hartman does.
This is an amateur site and the photos used are purely for the enjoyment of fans and, hopefully, to promote the series and its creators. No infringement of any copyright held by another person is intended by the author.