Foot Factor

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©Kunz & Kunz, Reflexions, Summer/Fall, 1996

The Foot Factor in the Successful Situation Comedy

Are situation comedies that include foot working scenes more successful? A survey shows this could be the case. Thirty-six American situation comedies have included a foot working scene. Thirty-one of them have succeeded and five have failed. Seventeen have gone on to syndicated rerun; eleven have been renewed for other seasons and rank among the top ten most watched programs currently on air. Among those that have been syndicated, the syndication includes overseas rights. Cheers, for example, is seen in nine countries.

Year

Situation Comedy

Description

1988/1991/

1995

Roseanne*

1. Roseanne and Dan argue about who will work on whose tired feet.

2. Roseanne says to Dan, "You must massage my feet now, knave." Dan says, "And a darling pair of pups they are" as he complies.

3. Dan is pictured rubbing the feet of wife Roseanne. "You could do this for a living," comments Roseanne of Dan's work. "Okay, my turn," says Dan. "For what?" asks Roseanne. "For a foot rub," he replies. "I thought you were doing this because you loved me and because I have slaved to raise the kids and keep the house for years. And all I get is a five minute foot massage." says Roseanne. Dan replies, "Okay, three more minutes."

1988

Who's the Boss?

Great confusion arises when Tony mistakes the intentions of Angela's co-worker who he sees working on Angela's feet. The co-worker is responding to her sore neck, saying, "I know shiatsu, reflexology--all that trendy stuff." The misunderstanding is cleared up by the end of the show and Angela is pictured working on Tony's foot saying, "Every organ is connected to all the nerve endings in your feet. Here's your liver. I think this is your knee."

1988

Dear John*

A foot rub is administered to Judd Hirsch whether he likes it or not by a female political candidate who surprises him with romantic intentions.

1988

Eisenhower & Lutz

The lead character's girl friend works on his feet as the two talk.

1989

Family Ties***

"Did you know there are pressure points on the feet to every part of the body?" asks Justine Bateman's character. The actor portraying her father responds, "Oops, I stubbed my kidney."

1989

It's a Living

"Now would you like me to do your feet?" asks a waitress trapped in an elevator with her boss after working on his shoulders.

1990/1991/1995

Murphy Brown*

1. Murphy Brown shares an intimate moment with her mother, played by Colleen Dewhurst. The mother rubs Murphy's feet as they discuss philosophies of life.

2. Carl the cameraman, a long time admirer of Murphy Brown discusses his philosophy with her by saying, "I myself always try to find the pleasure spots on a woman's feet and massage them."

3. Murphy is given a "Hydro 2000 vibrating foot massager." Later in the program someone notes that she must have used her foot massager to be in such a good mood.

4. "Gorillas and men are alike in many ways but only one can give a really good foot rub." says a gorilla specialist being interviewed on air by Murphy and Frank. When asked off air how he got the interviewer, Frank says, "A little wine, a little music, and a lot of foot rubs."

1990

Tracy Ulmann

A wife leaving a bar says to her husband, "Don't be long. Remember you promised to rub my feet." After she leaves, his former lover, who the couple has encountered while on vacation says, "Don't you have to go attend to your wife's feet? ... You might try using Dr. Scholl's bunion softener." The husband says, "I shall be rubbing her feet, but I'll be thinking of your face."

1991

Cheers

Bar maid Carla seeks to curry the favor of bar patron Cliff to win a contest. She rubs his back and then he shows his bare foot, saying, "You did such a good job on my back that my feet are jealous." Carla later describes the work on Cliff's feet saying, "I rubbed his feet. I rubbed his feet. I swear I could feel six toes on his left foot." Carla loses the contest but Cliff notes that something good came out of the event, "I got Carla to rub my feet. They should put that on my tomb stone."

1991/1992/1993/1995

Married with Children*

1. Peg Bundy promises that nothing will change now that she's pregnant. In the next scene, husband Al and son Bud are shown, each rubbing one of her feet. "Rub harder," Peg commands.

2. The pregnant Peg Bundy says to Al, "Rub my feet." He replies, "Only if a genie will appear."

3. Shoe salesman Al has grown tired of feet and is day dreaming at work about his mother's prediction "Some day you'll be the head of a big corporation. Now, get me a drink and rub my feet."

4. Al and his neighbor Marcy commiserate in a bar about the difficulties of married life. One of the bar's patrons comments that "It's not so bad living with a woman who has a job, makes me dinner, and doesn't mind rubbing my feet." Another patron reminds him that he lives with his mother.

5. The Bundy's neighbor Marcy is pictured rubbing her husband's feet as she pampers him with dinner in bed. "Feels good?" she asks. He replies, "Mmmm.."

6. "I need a back rub. I need a foot rub," comments the teenage daughter Kelly as she seeks help for her monthly period.

7. Marcy, complaining about her monthly period, says, "I need someone to rub my feet."

1991/1993

Designing Women

1. Anthony helps a woman move into her new home and comments, "And then she wanted me to rub her feet."

2. In a conversation about his fantasy date, the character Anthony talks about his "fantasy of sipping a sifter of Couvoisier while she (the date) massages my feet." Another character, Suzanne replies, "Massaging your feet! You can get one of those ultra sounds to do that.

3. "Then you can come over and rub my hands and my arms and my feet," says the character Suzanne to her brother as she lists reasons why he should visit her.

1991

Evening Shade

Mary Lou Henner works on Burt Reynold's feet as the two talk.

1991

Alf*

Alf is sick and is offered hot soup. Another character offers to cool the soup by blowing on it. Alf says, "Good idea. And maybe you could massage my feet while it cools."

1992

Golden Girls*

"Should I read it (the newspaper) to you and massage your feet like I did this morning?" asks Rose to Blanche illustrating how Blanche continually takes advantage of her.

1992

Mad about You*

As the program opens, actress Helen Hunt moves to the end of the couch and rubs the feet of actor Paul Reiser.

1992

Inside Herman's Head

Herman is meeting with his boss when she comments, "These shoes are killing me. Do me a favor. Rub my feet." He rubs her feet in a prelude to a romantic encounter.

1992

Powers That Be

"And you can rub our feet." says Senator Powers' daughter as she rubs her mother's shoulder following a long trip.

1993

Joe's Life

Main character Joe says to his wife who is returning from work, "Go sit in the living room and I'll rub your feet." As they are sitting on the couch the wife comment, "Good enough. Start rubbing."

1993

Dave's World****

As Shel mangles playing cards with a card shuffler/dealer that he bought through a home shopping network, main character Dave says, "I guess it could have been worse. He could have ordered the foot massager."

1994/1996

Wings*

1. His ankle injured in a fall at Helen's house, a querulous older man announces, "It's time for somebody to rub my feet." Cab driver Antonio obliges against his will.

2. Roy says to Lowell, who is serving as Roy's airline trainee, "Now get down to the old folks home and give my Mom a foot massage." Later Lowell reports, "I visited your Mom at the home and I gave her that foot massage."

1994/1995

Home Improvement*

1. Tim defends his attempt to discuss a problem with one of their children. He says to Jill, "What you have rather had me do (to relax him)? Rubbed his neck? Massaged his feet?"

2. Jill, helping Tim with a construction project, complains that her feet are so tired she thinks they'll fall off. Tim volunteers to rub her feet when they get home.

1994/1995

Friends

1. "All right, come here and give me your feet," says one friend to another who is distressed about her love life. The friend then works on her feet.

2. A reflexology chart is displayed on the wall of Phoebe's office massage office wall.

1994/1995/1996

Frasier

1. Daphne, foot sore from dressy shoes, is introduced to someone at an awards ceremony. She says "Nice to meet you. Can you rub me feet?" Later she greets Niles with "Good evening. Can you rub me feet?"

2. Daphne works on the foot of an injured Roz.

3. Daphne's friends, fellow housekeepers, visit. One comments about her work , "I'll do the wash. I'll clean the house. I'll wash the dishes but I'll not cream her feet."

1994/1995

Coach*

1. Football coach Hayden has not seen girl friend Christine for six weeks as he talks to her by long distance and says, "I'm going to play with my feet and pretend that you're rubbing them."

2. Luther says to Dauber, who has recently gotten a bargain on a car, "Will you come shopping with me for a foot massager?"

1994

Ellen**

Audrey turns to Ellen and says, "Rub my feet again." As Ellen rubs her feet they discuss Ellen's guilt over a past incident involving Audrey.

1994

Absolutely Fabulous*

(British)

Busy lady executive is leaving town and she asks her assistant to cancel her personal appointments. "You-- remember. Cancel my aromatherapy, my psychotherapy, my reflexology, my osteopath, my homeopath, my naturopath, my crystal reader, my shiatsu, my organic hair dresser. And see if I can be rebirthed next Thursday," she says.

1995

Cybill**

1. Cybill's pregnant daughter says, "My feet hurt. Will you rub them?" Cybill obliges.

2. Cybill's ex-husband rubs her feet as they talk about her escape from injury at work.

1995

Grace Under Fire

Grace's neighbors are sitting on the couch talking, each rubbing a foot of the other. The husband's work gets more vigorous as he does not like the direction of the conversation.

1995

The Jeff Foxworthy Show

Jeff works on his wife's feet as the two sit on the couch talking.

1995

Pride and Joy

"You always get other people to do things for you," the husband comments as his wife puts her foot into his lap. He rubs it as the two sit on the couch.

1995

Madman of the People

Newspaper columnist Dabney Coleman works on his wife's feet at the beginning of the program as the two discuss events of the day.

1995

One Foot in the Grave*

(British)

Victor seems so relaxed his wife asks what is wrong. He talks about how relaxed he feels after visiting his reflexologist "when she runs her little finger across the foot." Later in the program he recommends it highly to someone for relaxation -- "It is a science you know." In the last scene, his wife reads from the local newspaper about a prostitute who plies her wares by running parts of her female anatomy across the soles of the feet. One local elderly man is reported to have thought she was a reflexologist. The husband protests that she was suggested by a bar keeper.

1996

The Nanny**

"I've just been massaging his feet," states the nanny in response to a misunderstanding about what she was doing under the boss's desk.

1996

3rd Rock from the Sun

Actor John Lithgow works on the feet of fellow space-traveler-visiting-earth who is experiencing tired feet after her first earth job--waitressing.

1996

Almost Perfect

Main character Kim argues with her boyfriend saying, "I didn't like rubbing your foot but I did it anyway."

1996

Dream On*

Martin talks to a woman whose husband has died. She says, "My friend TC cried and rubbed my feet till four in the morning... I want George to rub my feet."

Year	Situation Comedy	Description
1988/1991/ 1995	Roseanne*	1. Roseanne and Dan argue about who will work on whose tired feet. 2. Roseanne says to Dan, "You must massage my feet now, knave." Dan says, "And a darling pair of pups they are" as he complies. 3. Dan is pictured rubbing the feet of wife Roseanne. "You could do this for a living," comments Roseanne of Dan's work. "Okay, my turn," says Dan. "For what?" asks Roseanne. "For a foot rub," he replies. "I thought you were doing this because you loved me and because I have slaved to raise the kids and keep the house for years. And all I get is a five minute foot massage." says Roseanne. Dan replies, "Okay, three more minutes."
1988	Who's the Boss?**	Great confusion arises when Tony mistakes the intentions of Angela's co-worker who he sees working on Angela's feet. The co-worker is responding to her sore neck, saying, "I know shiatsu, reflexology--all that trendy stuff." The misunderstanding is cleared up by the end of the show and Angela is pictured working on Tony's foot saying, "Every organ is connected to all the nerve endings in your feet. Here's your liver. I think this is your knee."
1988	Dear John***	A foot rub is administered to Judd Hirsch whether he likes it or not by a female political candidate who surprises him with romantic intentions.
1988	Eisenhower & Lutz	The lead character's girl friend works on his feet as the two talk.
1989	Family Ties***	"Did you know there are pressure points on the feet to every part of the body?" asks Justine Bateman's character. The actor portraying her father responds, "Oops, I stubbed my kidney."
1989	It's a Living	"Now would you like me to do your feet?" asks a waitress trapped in an elevator with her boss after working on his shoulders.
1990/1991/1995	Murphy Brown*	1. Murphy Brown shares an intimate moment with her mother, played by Colleen Dewhurst. The mother rubs Murphy's feet as they discuss philosophies of life. 2. Carl the cameraman, a long time admirer of Murphy Brown discusses his philosophy with her by saying, "I myself always try to find the pleasure spots on a woman's feet and massage them." 3. Murphy is given a "Hydro 2000 vibrating foot massager." Later in the program someone notes that she must have used her foot massager to be in such a good mood. 4. "Gorillas and men are alike in many ways but only one can give a really good foot rub." says a gorilla specialist being interviewed on air by Murphy and Frank. When asked off air how he got the interviewer, Frank says, "A little wine, a little music, and a lot of foot rubs."
1990	Tracy Ulmann**	A wife leaving a bar says to her husband, "Don't be long. Remember you promised to rub my feet." After she leaves, his former lover, who the couple has encountered while on vacation says, "Don't you have to go attend to your wife's feet? ... You might try using Dr. Scholl's bunion softener." The husband says, "I shall be rubbing her feet, but I'll be thinking of your face."
1991	Cheers**	Bar maid Carla seeks to curry the favor of bar patron Cliff to win a contest. She rubs his back and then he shows his bare foot, saying, "You did such a good job on my back that my feet are jealous." Carla later describes the work on Cliff's feet saying, "I rubbed his feet. I rubbed his feet. I swear I could feel six toes on his left foot." Carla loses the contest but Cliff notes that something good came out of the event, "I got Carla to rub my feet. They should put that on my tomb stone."
1991/1992/1993/1995	Married with Children*	1. Peg Bundy promises that nothing will change now that she's pregnant. In the next scene, husband Al and son Bud are shown, each rubbing one of her feet. "Rub harder," Peg commands. 2. The pregnant Peg Bundy says to Al, "Rub my feet." He replies, "Only if a genie will appear." 3. Shoe salesman Al has grown tired of feet and is day dreaming at work about his mother's prediction "Some day you'll be the head of a big corporation. Now, get me a drink and rub my feet." 4. Al and his neighbor Marcy commiserate in a bar about the difficulties of married life. One of the bar's patrons comments that "It's not so bad living with a woman who has a job, makes me dinner, and doesn't mind rubbing my feet." Another patron reminds him that he lives with his mother. 5. The Bundy's neighbor Marcy is pictured rubbing her husband's feet as she pampers him with dinner in bed. "Feels good?" she asks. He replies, "Mmmm.." 6. "I need a back rub. I need a foot rub," comments the teenage daughter Kelly as she seeks help for her monthly period. 7. Marcy, complaining about her monthly period, says, "I need someone to rub my feet."
1991/1993	Designing Women**	1. Anthony helps a woman move into her new home and comments, "And then she wanted me to rub her feet." 2. In a conversation about his fantasy date, the character Anthony talks about his "fantasy of sipping a sifter of Couvoisier while she (the date) massages my feet." Another character, Suzanne replies, "Massaging your feet! You can get one of those ultra sounds to do that. 3. "Then you can come over and rub my hands and my arms and my feet," says the character Suzanne to her brother as she lists reasons why he should visit her.
1991	Evening Shade**	Mary Lou Henner works on Burt Reynold's feet as the two talk.
1991	Alf***	Alf is sick and is offered hot soup. Another character offers to cool the soup by blowing on it. Alf says, "Good idea. And maybe you could massage my feet while it cools."
1992	Golden Girls***	"Should I read it (the newspaper) to you and massage your feet like I did this morning?" asks Rose to Blanche illustrating how Blanche continually takes advantage of her.
1992	Mad about You*	As the program opens, actress Helen Hunt moves to the end of the couch and rubs the feet of actor Paul Reiser.
1992	Inside Herman's Head	Herman is meeting with his boss when she comments, "These shoes are killing me. Do me a favor. Rub my feet." He rubs her feet in a prelude to a romantic encounter.
1992	Powers That Be	"And you can rub our feet." says Senator Powers' daughter as she rubs her mother's shoulder following a long trip.
1993	Joe's Life	Main character Joe says to his wife who is returning from work, "Go sit in the living room and I'll rub your feet." As they are sitting on the couch the wife comment, "Good enough. Start rubbing."
1993	Dave's World****	As Shel mangles playing cards with a card shuffler/dealer that he bought through a home shopping network, main character Dave says, "I guess it could have been worse. He could have ordered the foot massager."
1994/1996	Wings*	1. His ankle injured in a fall at Helen's house, a querulous older man announces, "It's time for somebody to rub my feet." Cab driver Antonio obliges against his will. 2. Roy says to Lowell, who is serving as Roy's airline trainee, "Now get down to the old folks home and give my Mom a foot massage." Later Lowell reports, "I visited your Mom at the home and I gave her that foot massage."
1994/1995	Home Improvement*	1. Tim defends his attempt to discuss a problem with one of their children. He says to Jill, "What you have rather had me do (to relax him)? Rubbed his neck? Massaged his feet?" 2. Jill, helping Tim with a construction project, complains that her feet are so tired she thinks they'll fall off. Tim volunteers to rub her feet when they get home.
1994/1995	Friends****	1. "All right, come here and give me your feet," says one friend to another who is distressed about her love life. The friend then works on her feet. 2. A reflexology chart is displayed on the wall of Phoebe's office massage office wall.
1994/1995/1996	Frasier****	1. Daphne, foot sore from dressy shoes, is introduced to someone at an awards ceremony. She says "Nice to meet you. Can you rub me feet?" Later she greets Niles with "Good evening. Can you rub me feet?" 2. Daphne works on the foot of an injured Roz. 3. Daphne's friends, fellow housekeepers, visit. One comments about her work , "I'll do the wash. I'll clean the house. I'll wash the dishes but I'll not cream her feet."
1994/1995	Coach*	1. Football coach Hayden has not seen girl friend Christine for six weeks as he talks to her by long distance and says, "I'm going to play with my feet and pretend that you're rubbing them." 2. Luther says to Dauber, who has recently gotten a bargain on a car, "Will you come shopping with me for a foot massager?"
1994	Ellen****	Audrey turns to Ellen and says, "Rub my feet again." As Ellen rubs her feet they discuss Ellen's guilt over a past incident involving Audrey.
1994	Absolutely Fabulous*** (British)	Busy lady executive is leaving town and she asks her assistant to cancel her personal appointments. "You-- remember. Cancel my aromatherapy, my psychotherapy, my reflexology, my osteopath, my homeopath, my naturopath, my crystal reader, my shiatsu, my organic hair dresser. And see if I can be rebirthed next Thursday," she says.
1995	Cybill****	1. Cybill's pregnant daughter says, "My feet hurt. Will you rub them?" Cybill obliges. 2. Cybill's ex-husband rubs her feet as they talk about her escape from injury at work.
1995	Grace Under Fire****	Grace's neighbors are sitting on the couch talking, each rubbing a foot of the other. The husband's work gets more vigorous as he does not like the direction of the conversation.
1995	The Jeff Foxworthy Show****	Jeff works on his wife's feet as the two sit on the couch talking.
1995	Pride and Joy	"You always get other people to do things for you," the husband comments as his wife puts her foot into his lap. He rubs it as the two sit on the couch.
1995	Madman of the People	Newspaper columnist Dabney Coleman works on his wife's feet at the beginning of the program as the two discuss events of the day.
1995	One Foot in the Grave*** (British)	Victor seems so relaxed his wife asks what is wrong. He talks about how relaxed he feels after visiting his reflexologist "when she runs her little finger across the foot." Later in the program he recommends it highly to someone for relaxation -- "It is a science you know." In the last scene, his wife reads from the local newspaper about a prostitute who plies her wares by running parts of her female anatomy across the soles of the feet. One local elderly man is reported to have thought she was a reflexologist. The husband protests that she was suggested by a bar keeper.
1996	The Nanny****	"I've just been massaging his feet," states the nanny in response to a misunderstanding about what she was doing under the boss's desk.
1996	3rd Rock from the Sun****	Actor John Lithgow works on the feet of fellow space-traveler-visiting-earth who is experiencing tired feet after her first earth job--waitressing.
1996	Almost Perfect****	Main character Kim argues with her boyfriend saying, "I didn't like rubbing your foot but I did it anyway."
1996	Dream On***	Martin talks to a woman whose husband has died. She says, "My friend TC cried and rubbed my feet till four in the morning... I want George to rub my feet."

Year

Drama/Action

Description

Pre-1988

Magnum, PI

Higgins uses a foot work "technique I learned in Burma" to successfully bring around an unconscious baseball player who has been beaned by the ball.

Pre-1988

The A-Team

"Here, let me show you something I learned in the discos of New York," says an A-Team member to a foot sore hiking companion as he rubs her tired feet.

Pre-1988

Fall Guy

"It's called reflexology. You ought to try it sometime. It works," says Lee Majors' stunt man character as he works on the feet of a foot sore fellow hiker.

1990

Dallas

Bob Ewing rubs girl friend April's feet.

1991

Star Trek

Telepathic character Deanna Troy has her feet rubbed by a suitor during a romantic interlude.

1991

Columbo

Columbo discusses his hair cut with a make-up man. On the wall of the make-up trailer is a foot and hand reflexology chart.

1992

Murder She Wrote

Woman asks if male character in a cast wants his feet rubbed after complains about a cramp in his leg. She comments that maybe I can help you relax as she works on his feet. His wife walks into the room and interrupts the scene.

1992

Sweating Bullets

Female character receiving a massage comments on the foot work portion saying, "My right foot is jealous."

1993

Beverly Hills 90910

Reflexology services are offered at a spa shown on camera.

1993

Wild Palms

A patent attorney, played by Jim Belushi, works on the feet of a female friend. She comments, "It feels good."

1995

ER

Dr. Benton has finally made the decision to place his mother in a rest home. As he leaves her there for her first day, he rubs her feet and talks to her.

1996

Star Trek Voyager

The story is about a particular species that mates only once in life. As the ship passes through a certain area, a woman aboard the ship of that species has to couple and she has to decide if she will couple with a man not of her species but who she has a relationship with. Part of the ritual is that one of her parents must work on her feet. By massaging the feet, a hormonal change in the body is caused, enabling the woman to conceive.

1996

Sisters

Foot working scene

1996

Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman

The feet of Dr. Quinn are rubbed by her husband in a scene opening the program with an Old West theme.

1996

Second Noah

A child whose feet are being rubbed asks for the parent to play "this little piggy" with the toes.

* Currently on the air as well as in syndicated rerun

** Currently in syndicated rerun

*** Formerly in syndicated rerun

**** Currently on air

Unsuccessful

No Title - 16 SEP 1996

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Year	Drama/Action	Description
Pre-1988	Magnum, PI	Higgins uses a foot work "technique I learned in Burma" to successfully bring around an unconscious baseball player who has been beaned by the ball.
Pre-1988	The A-Team	"Here, let me show you something I learned in the discos of New York," says an A-Team member to a foot sore hiking companion as he rubs her tired feet.
Pre-1988	Fall Guy	"It's called reflexology. You ought to try it sometime. It works," says Lee Majors' stunt man character as he works on the feet of a foot sore fellow hiker.
1990	Dallas	Bob Ewing rubs girl friend April's feet.
1991	Star Trek	Telepathic character Deanna Troy has her feet rubbed by a suitor during a romantic interlude.
1991	Columbo	Columbo discusses his hair cut with a make-up man. On the wall of the make-up trailer is a foot and hand reflexology chart.
1992	Murder She Wrote	Woman asks if male character in a cast wants his feet rubbed after complains about a cramp in his leg. She comments that maybe I can help you relax as she works on his feet. His wife walks into the room and interrupts the scene.
1992	Sweating Bullets	Female character receiving a massage comments on the foot work portion saying, "My right foot is jealous."
1993	Beverly Hills 90910	Reflexology services are offered at a spa shown on camera.
1993	Wild Palms	A patent attorney, played by Jim Belushi, works on the feet of a female friend. She comments, "It feels good."
1995	ER	Dr. Benton has finally made the decision to place his mother in a rest home. As he leaves her there for her first day, he rubs her feet and talks to her.
1996	Star Trek Voyager	The story is about a particular species that mates only once in life. As the ship passes through a certain area, a woman aboard the ship of that species has to couple and she has to decide if she will couple with a man not of her species but who she has a relationship with. Part of the ritual is that one of her parents must work on her feet. By massaging the feet, a hormonal change in the body is caused, enabling the woman to conceive.
1996	Sisters	Foot working scene
1996	Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman	The feet of Dr. Quinn are rubbed by her husband in a scene opening the program with an Old West theme.
1996	Second Noah	A child whose feet are being rubbed asks for the parent to play "this little piggy" with the toes.