Great Film overall

As Good As It Gets

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Back in the 80s, shows with romantic tension between the leads were all over the air: Moonlighting, Remington Steele etc. got it going and within a few years every show was on the same bandwagon. Here, Jamie Lee Curtis and Richard Lewis play colleagues at Chicago Weekly magazine who suppress their romantic impulses toward one another so as to preserve their friendship and working relationship, but circumstances keep pushing them together nonetheless. The overall romantic story arc moved slowly and inexorably toward its predictable goal, but the individual episodes were generally well written and funny enough on their own and as a result the show is still watchable. Be warned: the show was on the air from 1989-92, and you get the occasional very dated joke on a then topical subject. This is rather unavoidable with sit-coms. Also note that the show underwent a re- structuring after episode 6 in which most of the cast got fired. The magazine gets a new boss, Jamie's character gets a new apartment and a new best friend, while her Dad, played by Bruce Kirby, is rarely if ever seen again. The changes worked fairly well, but when watched on a DVD it's a bit jarring, with the second side of the disk looking almost like a new show.

I agree with the other commentators, this was a really good series. It hearkened back to old Hollywood in so many ways - the repartee, the light touches of comedy, the modern sense of romance. It also seemed to tip its hat to the gentler, more genteel Britcoms of the late 70's. Jamie Lee Curtis was utterly charming, and Richard Lewis - with his neurosis and inability to let anything drop -was her perfect match. And the show really caught that feel of the turn of the decade, post-garish-80's, but pre-slacker-90's.It says something when a TV show is so well constructed but all one initially remembers is a warm and fuzzy feeling. It means that the show has wormed its way into your heart. This is the case with Anything But Love.I only have two complaints about the series. First, ABC treated it badly, first in not keeping it in a good time slot, permanently (this was the late 80's, early 90's, when the big three ruled, and a large contributor to a shows success was keeping it in the public's mind by delivering it regularly at a set time), and - having worn down its viewer-ship - canceling the show way too soon. Second, after the first or second season there was a reworking of the show. As with These Friends of Mine/Ellen, this destroyed much of the initial simple charm.This is one American sitcom I would definitely get on DVD, for I know that I would watch the series over and over again.

I have to agree with many of the reviewers here. Have Vol. #1. Stupid and unfair that 20th Century Fox (they own the rights and pulled the plug in the fourth season) haven't released Vol#2. What a cheap and tawdry ploy for extra money that they only released Vol. #1. It's unfinished you morons. I am getting beyond aggravated that the studios pull this bottom of the line garbage. You should have released ALL episodes at one time. It is a complete slap in the face to me personally that you keep doing this kind of garbage. Oh, I say me personally because I know you 20th Century Fox. It's because I slept with your wife. I told you we only SLEPT. We did not even kiss! But Noooooooo! Mr. Jealous Studio, you did not believe us. That is why your wife left you! (I hear she has taken a vow of Unmitigated Chastity and joined the Holy Order Of Lets Bonk Things On Our Heads To Praise The Lord) But seriously, 20 Century Fox, the demand is there. The 3rd and 4th seasons had some of the best stuff. Like John Ritter's cameo story arc. (his company produced the show) And somewhere in the 3rd and 4th seasons are truly great parodies of Murder On The Orient Express and Twin Peaks... The limbo non-release of Vol. 2 is especially galling when you release everything from shows that are pure garbage. Frustrating. Harshes my mellow!

very few TV moments actually take your breath away. "Isn't it Romantic?" took mine.is there a marketing boob smart enough to burn this series onto DVD and screw me out of an unconscionable amount of money to procure it?if you are a network boob with connections, please advise how to research the availability of this title.this series was rerun for a limited rebroadcast on Lifetime back in the 1990's. the original Theme Song (including the vocal) was broadcast with the first season episodes.Holly Fulger was the first sidekick of not only Jamie Lee Curtis (in Anything But Love), but also Ellen DeGeneres (in These Friends of Mine)btw, IMDb should encourage conciseness rather than verbosity;)