Sydney is an American sitcom television series starring Valerie Bertinelli, Matthew Perry, and Craig Bierko that aired on CBS from March 21 to June 25, 1990. It was created and written by Michael J. Wilson and Douglas Wyman. This series marked Valerie Bertnelli's return to a CBS series after One Day at a Time had ended in 1984.[1][2]

Sydney
Craig Bierko, Valerie Bertinelli, and Matthew Perry in Sydney
GenreSitcom
Created byMichael J. Wilson
Douglas Wyman
Written byMichael J. Wilson
Billy Van Zandt
Jane Milmore
Directed byLee Shallat-Chemel
Iris Dugow
Art Wolff
Robert Berlinger
John Ratzenberger
StarringValerie Bertinelli
Matthew Perry
Craig Bierko
Daniel Baldwin
Barney Martin
Theme music composerEddie Van Halen
Alex Van Halen
Opening theme"Finish What Ya Started"
performed by Van Halen
ComposerMason Cooper
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes13
Production
Executive producerPamela Grant
Camera setupMulti-camera
Running time22–24 min
Production companiesOomp & Friends Productions
Gold Hat Entertainment
Grant/Tribune Productions
Original release
NetworkCBS
ReleaseMarch 21 (1990-03-21) –
June 25, 1990 (1990-06-25)

Synopsis

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Sydney Kells (Valerie Bertinelli), a private investigator from a family of police officers, relocates her one-woman private detective agency from New York City to her small hometown. There, Sydney struggles to balance her personal and professional life. Her main client is an uptight lawyer, Matt Keating (Craig Bierko), with whom she shares sexual chemistry. Her over-protective brother Billy (Matthew Perry), a rookie officer, tries to help her when he can. Sydney and her best friend Jill (Rebeccah Bush) frequent a neighborhood bar run by Ray (Barney Martin), her father's old police partner.[3]

Cast

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Theme song

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Bertinelli convinced then-husband Eddie Van Halen to grant permission for the Van Halen song "Finish What Ya Started" to be used as the opening theme song to Sydney.[4]

Guest appearances

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Pat Harrington, Jr., who appeared with Bertinelli in the long-running CBS sitcom One Day at a Time, guest starred as a rival private investigator in the seventh episode of the season, which was directed by John Ratzenberger. Billy Van Zandt and Jane Milmore, who acted as creative consultants on the show, also made various guest appearances. Chazz Palminteri played Tony in the episode "Love Ya, Babe". Other guest actors included Yeardley Smith, Kevin Dunn, Annabelle Gurwitch, Tony Longo, Andy Dick and Michael E. Knight.[5]

Episodes

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No. Title Directed by Written by Original air date Prod.
code
1"You? You're a Private Eye?"Lee ShallatMichael J. WilsonMarch 21, 1990 (1990-03-21)3105
2"Promises, Promises"Iris DugowMichael WilsonMarch 28, 1990 (1990-03-28)3107
3"Cliffhanger"Lee ShallatMichael WilsonApril 4, 1990 (1990-04-04)3106
4"Love Ya, Babe"Lee ShallatStory by : Michael Wilson & Douglas Wyman
Teleplay by : Michael Wilson
April 11, 1990 (1990-04-11)3109
5"She Loves Me"Lee ShallatMichael WilsonApril 18, 1990 (1990-04-18)3107
6"I Gotta Be Me"Lee ShallatMichael WilsonApril 23, 1990 (1990-04-23)3110
7"Georgie"John RatzenbergerMichael Wilson & Barney Dunn & Maria A. BrownApril 25, 1990 (1990-04-25)3111
8"The Me Nobody Knows"Iris DugowMichael WilsonMay 2, 1990 (1990-05-02)3104
9"Sydney's Mom"Art WolffMichael Wilson & Douglas Wyman & Maria BrownMay 23, 1990 (1990-05-23)3103
10"36-24-36"Art WolffMichael Wilson & Douglas Wyman & Maria BrownJune 4, 1990 (1990-06-04)3102
11"On a Claire Day"Robert BerlingerBilly Van Zandt & Jane MilmoreJune 11, 1990 (1990-06-11)3112
12"Jake"Ellen FalconMichael Wilson & Douglas WymanJune 18, 1990 (1990-06-18)5001
13"Chicken a la Matt"Lee ShallatMichael WilsonJune 25, 1990 (1990-06-25)3113

References

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  1. ^ "TV Review: Sydney". Entertainment Weekly. March 30, 1990.
  2. ^ "Sydney". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 2020-06-02.
  3. ^ "Valerie Bertinelli plays private eye 'Sydney' in new comedy". The Post and Courier. Charleston. April 11, 1990.[dead link]
  4. ^ "Bertinelli plays private detective". The Daily News. April 11, 1990.
  5. ^ "Sydney Kells". www.thrillingdetective.com. Retrieved 2020-06-02.
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