Jason VS Adam. WHo was better?

[Brandon2]

There is no contest here. Jason was cuter, sweeter, and smarter. Adam just seemed to be goofy.

[Nicole's Boy]

I agree. Michael Pearlman was such a talented young actor. I can't believe he basically quit showbusiness after Charles in Charge. He was so clever!

[Brett Ferino]

CBS should not have cancelled CIC

[brendon]

Thanks for the reply. Yes he was a great actor. I think there must have been something there that soured all those kids on show buisness. I would love to see an E true Hollywood story. AS for canceliing charles there is some dirt in the book on the show. CIC had the misfortune to have the same premise that year as another new show, WHos the Boss, on ABC. CBS got the idea first and ABC stole it. Anyway, CBS toyed with the show and not only premiered it three weeks later than CIC but oppsite the show on Wednesday nights. By then WHos had a loyal following and CBS refused to move CIC to another night. Finally, in April, 6 months later they tried to move it to Saturday but it was too late and the show was axed. I think however that the popularity of the show when it was begged to bought back by the fans, the popularity of the show in syndication, and the love today still show who the best show REALLY was....I mean does anybody watch or care to watch WHos the Boss!!

[Jill]

Jason is the best, no doubt in my mind! He had great chemistry with Charles, and he was sooo cute. If I could only find him now... Adam was ugly, fat, dumb, gross, especially as he got older.(I'm not trying to put down Adam, I'm just trying to make a point.) The Pembroke season was better altogether.

[brendon]

HEY!!!!

EVERY WORD YOU JUST SAID WAS THE GOSPEL! Jason and the Pembrokes RULED. Being a good actor is more than saying lines its its about being good in front of the camera and having chemistry and Jason had it all over Adam!

[ThomasE]

Adam,and Jaime got on my nerves! They constantly blamed Charles for theie troubles every week. It annoyed me! I like the first season better. Jason is better to me.

[BadSeed]

amen!

[Maria]

:talk: Hey guys I completely agree with all of you: Jason was better than Adam, actually all the Pembroke kids were much better than the Powells.

[AlexPolinskyFan]

i disagree with every single word y'all said.. first of all, Adam was wayyyyyyyyyyyyyy better, even though I don't even know who Jason is because I could never sit through one of those damn Pembroke episodes. Agh they were so annoying and stupid. They were all "loooooove", "we're gayyyyy", "we suuuuuuuck". No wonder they were cancelled!!

[Michael Pearlman]

A friend told me there was an active bulletin board on the show and sent me the link. It's nice to know that Charles in Charge continues to be appreciated by so many people. Brendon's earlier post about Who's the Boss was pretty accurate. When CIC was on CBS, it was the number 1 network and our ratings put us "on the bubble" so to speak. I believe that if it hadn't been cancelled after the first season, it would have had similar success to Who's the Boss.

I'll be dropping by here from time to time and will happily answer most questions about the show's history, production, cast etc. Thanks for your continued interest in the show.

By the way, I'm now 29 and work as a journalist in the Rocky Mountain West. While I occassionally miss acting, I'm completely content with my current life. The entertainment industry can be a tough world, as evidenced by many of my peers and friends from that time who have suffered from addiction problems (Corey Haim, Corey Feldman, Drew Barrymore) or who are no longer with us (River Phoenix, Dana Plato).

[jericho]

If this is actually Michael Pearlman, welcome to the board.

I have a question for ya. I have always wondered if there was an attempt to keep the first season cast when the show was brought back for syndication. I can understand why it would be hard to bring them all back, being on hiatus for a year and a half. People have to have jobs and move on. But how did it come about that you came back for the first episode of the second season and were you offered to come back as a regular somehow? Was it hard walking off camera off of the set for the last time? Thanks for your input.

[Michael Pearlman]

Why Charles in Charge changed casts is one of the most common questions I'm asked.

After CIC was cancelled at the end of the 84-85 season, it was off the air completely for the next year. In the fall of 86 it was sold into what we now know as "first run syndication" and was one of the first (If not the first) shows to make the jump from network TV to syndication.
When they approached the old cast about the new version, the producers encountered a couple of problems. One of the biggest was that Jonathan Ward, who played Douglas, had gotten a new TV show that was debuting in the fall of 86 on ABC. It also starred Christina Applegate but I can't remember the name of it, but it was cancelled after only a handful of episodes.

In addition to Jonathan's unavailibilty, there was an issue of money. First-run syndication was offering the cast members considerably less money per episode than the network version of the show. Julie Cobb, who played Jill Pembroke, was particularly offended by the pay cut and refused to come back for less money. Faced with the loss of 2 of the original family members, producers decided to recast the show with a new family and write a "transition episode." I never had any role in the decision, though I can tell you that the money wouldn't have mattered to me.
I agreed to do the transition episode but Julie Cobb refused, so they cast someone else to play her role. That episode was an emotional week for me since I was essentially handing my role over to someone else and I had to watch the show that I had helped create and realize I would no longer be part of it. I was sad when the filming was through, but I had been acting long enough to understand the whims and unpredicatability of the entertainment industry.

[Scoobiedoo30]

Adam Was Better On Cgarles In Charge\

Take Care
Aaron The News Repoter

[jericho]

Thanks Michael for the response. Since nobody else seems to have any questions, I hope you don't mind if I ask another.

Do you still keep in touch with anyone from the show today?

Also, how did you get started in acting, and what made you stop?

[JPJ]

My vote is for Adam.

:D

[Jabeen]

Hey Cool, Michael Pearlman posted on the site!

As for the better character, definately Jason. He had a real bond with Charles, and I agree with whoever said that Jamie and Adam got on their nerves. The Powells in general got on my nerves, and I have a hard time sitting through the show after the first season. I just wished that the stupid networks would take the time and play the episodes from the first season. In any case, it's good to meet you Michael Pearlman, hopefully you'll stop by more often.

~(Jabeen)~

[Moonlight Lady]

I like Jason better. The Pembrokes were great! :)

[Shine]

It just goes to show how slow I am sometimes to notice these things. I have been visiting this site for a couple of months and have been a member for a month and I never noticed until today that Michael Pearlman posted here. In case he decides to drop by again..
Michael,
Jason was always my favorite Charles In Charge character. I think this had a lot to do with the fact that in 1984 I was eight when I started watching Charles In Charge. So your character was not that much older then me, and he and I were a great deal a like too. I'm sorry that you guys were not given a second chance by CBS or that when the show returned in syndication that better efforts were not made to keep the Pembrokes. It is also too bad that Nick at Nite isn't showing those first season episodes, because in my opinion those will always be the best. I'm happy to hear that you are enjoying life and that you have become a journalist.

[Michael Pearlman]

Hadn't swung by here in a while, so I thought I'd answer the two questions Jericho posted a while back.

I got started in acting when I was only five years old, my first jobs being a Libbys canned fruit commercial and three episodes of the Soap Opera, the Guiding Light. The way it happened was that my younger, red-headed brother was approached by a manager who was looking for little redheaded children for commercials. He did a few jobs, but was impatient with the whole process and basically didn't have the interest in acting that I did. I was somewhat precocious as a kid, and an enthusiastic, energetic actor so I got plenty of work, and did a lot of television and some NY stage until I was hired for CIC in April of '84.

I don't keep in touch with anyone from the show, mainly because I don't live in the Los Angeles area any more. The last person I saw was April Lerman, who played Lila. She and I hung out while I was attending college at USC and she was attending UCLA law school. That was about 1992.

One thing I should point out and have discovered from talking to people about the show and being recognized over the years. Aside from a small minority, people under the age of 25 don't remember the early episodes at all and are only familiar with the second family. The two shows represent different aspects of the sitcom genre. The more moralistic, "every epsidoe teaches a lesson" sitcom format was extremely common in the mid-80s when CIC was on CBS. When the show returned, the storylines focused more on Charles and Buddy (who had been "dumbed down" considerably in the syndicated version) and less on the children's growth and development.
I rarely watched episodes of the new show, but when I did I felt there was very little associated with the program we were trying to create when it ran on CBS.

As someone pointed out, CIC wasn't a very highly rated show when it was on CBS, finishing somewhere in the mid 30s for the season. However, it was rated about the same as Who's the Boss, which was also a first year show but was on ABC, the 3rd place network at the time. Who's the Boss was picked up and became a top 10 show, while CIC was cancelled and CBS began a multi-year nosedive and was no longer the highest rated network. That's just an example of how the TV business works.

[Jill]

I was somewhat precocious as a kid, and an enthusiastic, energetic actor so I got plenty of work, and did a lot of television and some NY stage until I was hired for CIC in April of '84.

As always, great to hear from ya again Michael! I had no idea you worked on all of those things before you were on Charles in Charge. That's awesome. Especially the part about you doing stage. It seems to me that takes real talent to do that kind of stuff.

I could tell you really enjoyed yourself acting. You just seemed so natural. Everything just flew through you. It didn't seem like you were intimidated at all. That's why you quickly became my favorite character from the show. :)

The two shows represent different aspects of the sitcom genre. The more moralistic, "every epsidoe teaches a lesson" sitcom format was extremely common in the mid-80s when CIC was on CBS. When the show returned, the storylines focused more on Charles and Buddy (who had been "dumbed down" considerably in the syndicated version) and less on the children's growth and development.

That is the reason why I love Charles in Charge-the Pembroke series. No sitcoms seem to have done that since. Ok, maybe Full House. But not many. I love that it taught morals and that it focused on the children's growth. That, to me, made it special. The syndicated version, in my humble opinion, was just like most other shows. I love the relationships the kids had with Charles. They were real and sweet. I think the Pembroke kids in general were stronger, more profound characters, with real kid problems. I liked that.

As long as you're here, I have just a couple of questions if ya get a chance...;)

Any favorite scenes, episodes, or guest stars?
Any times you changed the script? Improvised on camera?
Who did you work best with? You and Scott Baio seemed like you had a whole lot of onstage chemistry. :)
Any fun backstage memories?
What were the auditions like?

I also have a few personal questions if you don't mind. You don't have to answer them by any means. Just throwing these out.

How old are you?
Are you married and do you have children?
Any recent pictures maybe???

As always, thanks for being a part of the show and for sharing your memories with us, and may God bless you.

[Shine]

Thanks for visiting this site again, Michael. You are right about people under 25 not really remembering the Pembroke episodes of CIC. I just turned 27 myself, and people I know who are only two or three years younger then me only really remember the Powell episodes. I think that is really too bad, because those early episodes are the best. Being a writer now, you should write some sort of book on your experiences on CIC. I know there are many people who would love to read it.

[Jill]

I'm 17, born in 1986, and the Pembrokes are my favorite. :wave:

I can see how most people under 25 would remember the Powells only though, except that I think I grew up with reruns of both. I definitely remember seeing the "Pizza Playland/Enid/Charles cleans up the shower and the fireplace" episode when I was very young. I remember seeing Powell episodes too, like the one where Charles gets amnesia, but I distinctly remember that Pembroke episode. Of course I didn't pay attention to the families when I was little. I just liked all of the Charles in Charge shows. I really started liking the Pembroke shows about 3 or 4 years ago when WGN played them at noon during the summertime. I got hooked. :D

[C Doody]

Hi Michael. I Have never seen The Pembroke episodes because i just started watching last year and Nick At Nite Only showed the Powel Episodes. But i have heard good things about the first season and i hope to see them one day.

I Did see you in the first Powell episode though and it looked really sad in the scene when you said goodbye to Charles. Sorry to hear you lost your job, I Think that since you wanted to stay they should have had you stay on the show. Maybe They could have said your character didnt want to leave home and you could have lived with Charles and The Powells. Oh Well, I Hope everything worked out for you. :wave:

[Brett Ferino]

Originally posted by Katie_NY
I like Jason better. The Pembrokes were great! :)

Hey Katie!

Did you think the Pembrokes were better than the Powells? If you say so.. I had more laughs with the Powells though..

[Roaddawg71]

hello nicole eggert is a godess!! she was so hot on that show and jason was a bitch!! powell's kicked ass

[Roaddawg71]

hey..im interested if you did anything after charles in charge? or if you are doing anything latley? how old are you these days? and as sad as it must have been to leave the show...the powells were better!

[Roaddawg71]

i thought michael pearlman did a great job on the show but i just thought buddy was more funny and the show was as a whole was better....can someone fully explain what syndication is? like first run syndication? i know when a show is syndicated its sold to networks is there more to that? anyone who knows please answer

[spunkygirl]

I liked Adam slightly better. Don't get me wrong, I loved Jason, but there was just something about Adam. I think Charles/Scott had great chemsitry with Alexander and Michael.
I liked the Powell's better, but Jamie got on my nerves alot!

[Shine]

Though everyone is allowed thier own opinion, I just don't see how any one can think that Adam was better than Jason. Jason was so much better than Adam, who really was littlie more then imitation Jason to begin with.

[The Modfather]

I think Jason was better he was very funny, good Jokes and Very good Timeing.

[bdbop]

Michael-

Was just sort of surfing around the net and happened to type in your name to see if I could find whatever happened to you and was directed to this site.

Many years back, I had contacted you about appearing at a picnic that the wrestling team that I was involved in was putting on in the LA area. You responded that you would be itnerested in coming, but that was shortly before CIC got cancelled - which sort of explains why you never showed up - since your address was in NY.

Interestingly, our team did meet Josie Davis and Alexander Polinsky a few years later, Both were very nice, but I have to admit that I enjoyed the Pembroke kids a lot better.

Anyway, I thought I would e-mail (in the hopes that you eventually get this) you about the possbility of appearing at an event here in Columbus, OH. It is the world's largest one-day amateur wrestling tournament and will be held next April 24, at the Columbus Convention Center. There will be 3500 entries (ages 5-19 and from 30+ states) competing on 30 mats.

Each year, we try to bring in some celebrites (both current and past) to appear at the event and sign autographs for the kids. Last year, we had Jay North (Dennis the Menace) and Jon Provost (Timmy from Lassie), but have had Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Benjamin Salisbury, Mason Gamble and several others over the past 11 years. We have also brought in some ex football players that wrestled and some amateur wrestling champions - and even some pro wrestlers have appeared, like Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat (both of who had kids place in the event).

I was just talking to Scott Curtis (Aaron's Way) the other day (he had come in for an event we did long time ago) and he mentioned that he had seen Jason Marsden and Danny Cooksey and would throw the idea past them as well. I also just heard from Brian Bonsall's mom and she said if Brian is free he might be interested too (though his band is doing rather well right now).

Just thought it might be interesting to bring in some of you guys that might know each other and that can still relate to the kids. I have some taped episodes of the various shows that could be played, so that the kids could see each of you
"in action". We would pick up all your expenses and put you at the hotel right across the street from the event.

If interested, please let me know. You can contact me at bart@ohiotofc.com or through our event's website www.ohiotofc.com and click on contact tournament director.

Our travelling team grades 6-9) also travels a great deal in the Rocky Mountain area each summer, so perhaps we can meet up with you somewhere along the way.

Hope to hear from you-

Bart Freidenberg
Ohio Tournament of Champions &
Ohio All-Star Wrestling Team

[Hurricane]

Jason was considerably better. CIC still has a large following in the UK and is fondly remembered by the 30ish age range. Although typical of US shows of the 80's in terms of the moral approach, nothing wrong with that, it combined this with humour and affection. A great show, I must be one of the only people in the UK with all Pembroke episodes on tape!

Hope Micheal Pearlman posts again, I am sure loads of people have more questions?