‘Who’s the Boss?’ Sequel Series In Development at Amazon
We may finally get an answer to the age-old question: Who’s the Boss?
That query served the title of one of the 1980s and early 1990s more popular sitcoms, starring Tony Danza as the working-class live-in housekeeper to a well-off, divorced working woman played by Judith Light. The show, which also starred a very young Alyssa Milano as Danza’s daughter, Danny Pintauro as Light’s son, and the great Katherine Helmond as Light’s wisecracking mother, was a hit for most of its eight seasons on the air.
As was required by law in the 1980s, it had a spectacular theme song that explained the premise of the show over flutes and synths.
A reboot or sequel series has been proposed in the past, but the project seems to have new life over at the new Amazon Freevee streaming service. Deadline reports that the revival – which would star both Danza and Milano back in their old roles — is now at Freevee in development from One Day at a Time writer/producer Mike Royce and Brigitte Muñoz-Liebowitz. Sitcom legend Norman Lear is also involved as an executive producer.
Here is how they describe the premise of the update:
Danza and Milano are set to reprise their roles as Tony and Samantha Micelli. Set 30 years after the events of the original series, the sequel will focus on former Major League Baseball player/retired housekeeper Tony Micelli (Danza) and his relationship with his daughter Samantha (Milano). She is now a single mother, living in the family house. In line with Lear’s classic shows, the new comedy will explore generational differences, as well as opposing worldviews and parenting styles within the dynamic of a modern family in 2022.
The Deadline report doesn’t mention whether Light might also appear on the show. (Helmond passed away in 2019.)
With Danza and Milano involved, I could see fans of the old school show being drawn to a similar sitcom with that premise. People still watch syndicated reruns of Who’s the Boss? to this day. They’d probably be pretty excited to finally have some new episodes they’d never seen before in the mix. Especially if they do settle that titular question after all these years.