SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 22:00 Min.
This short-lived 1984-85 NBC-TV series premiered on September 26, 1984. Veteran actor-turned-director Peter Bonerz helmed this episode.
In Van Nuys, California, conniving teenager Matthew Burton (Bateman) and his school buddies are running a term papers-for-sale scam out of Matthew’s apartment. Much to his chagrin, the seedy building superintendent (Sabella) finally rents out the vacant apartment across the hall to an unemployed freelance writer, Norman (Garrison).
Not only must Matthew must contend with this unwanted new suitor for his widowed mother’s (Kaye) affections, that same guy now resides in the apartment where the illicit term papers have been stashed.
Ignoring his older sister’s (Cast) sage advice, Matthew schemes to sabotage his mom’s new romance, not to mention divert Norman long enough to get his ‘merchandise’ back in time. Threatened by Norman’s sincerity as a potential step-dad, Matthew hopes his mom will instead reunite with her lukewarm ex-boyfriend – at least, he’s a far more financially secure option than their new neighbor.
Hence, the show’s chessboard logo spells out how Matthew’s rivalry with a savvy Norman means constantly maneuvering and counter-maneuvering one other.
Matthew Burton: Jason Bateman
Eileen Burton: Caren Kaye
Julie Burton: Tricia Cast
Lou Donatelli: Ernie Sabella
Norman Lamb: David Garrison
Eli: Adam Sadowsky
Brian: River Phoenix (cameo)
Manuel: Beto Lovato
Notes: Landing It’s Your Move as his own starring vehicle, the young Bateman had previously appeared as a regular on NBC’s Little House on the Prairie and then Silver Spoons. However, the single-season It’s Your Move ran for a total of only eighteen episodes. Less than three years later, the same producing duo of Ron Leavitt & Michael G. Moye later created the Fox Network’s Married With Children (co-starring Garrison for its first four seasons).
REVIEW:
One could say the ‘Matthew’ vs. ‘Norman’ feud offers shades of ‘Ferris Bueller’ vs. ‘Principal Ed Rooney.’ Predating Matthew Broderick’s Ferris Bueller’s Day Off by two years, It’s Your Move scores its share of laughs by not reducing Garrison’s Norman Lamb to the luckless adult nemesis ‘Rooney’ is. Instead, Garrison energetically sells his ‘Norman’ as a likably down-to-earth guy who can usually sense Matthew’s relentless scams and pranks before it is too late.
Though hampered by this flimsy premise, It’s Your Move is still watchable, in part due to a 15-year-old Bateman’s charisma. The good news is that he gets plenty of welcome help from an underrated Garrison and Ernie Sabella carrying scenes and landing the jokes. Their other regular castmates (Kaye, List, & Sadowsky) play standard-issue roles, but their performances are fine given the okay storytelling.
In this instance, It’s Your Move’s modest pilot episode supplies sufficient laughs. The last scene’s plot twist even scores a minor gem setting up a fun sense of unpredictability moving forward.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 5 Stars
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