Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher
| Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Nick Freno |
| Genre | Sitcom |
| Created by | Dennis Rinsler Marc Warren |
| Directed by | Scott Baio Amanda Bearse Ellen Guylas Shelley Jensen Art Dielhenn Gerren Keith Sean Mulcahy John Tracy |
| Starring | Mitch Mullany Portia de Rossi Clinton Jackson Arjay Smith Cara DeLizia Christina Vidal Malinda Williams Charles Cyphers Stuart Pankin Jane Sibbett |
| Theme music composer | Andrew Gross Josh Kramon |
| Composer | Josh Kramon |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 43 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Richard Gurman Dennis Rinsler Marc Warren |
| Producers | Suzy Friendly Gene Laufenberg Carolyn Omine |
| Cinematography | Joseph W. Calloway |
| Camera setup | Multi-camera |
| Running time | 22–24 minutes |
| Production companies | Warren and Rinsler Productions Warner Bros. Television |
| Distributor | Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution |
| Release | |
| Original network | The WB |
| Picture format | NTSC |
| Original release | August 28, 1996 – May 3, 1998 |
Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher (also known as Nick Freno) is an American sitcom television series starring comedian Mitch Mullany that aired on The WB from August 28, 1996 to May 3, 1998.
The series was created and executive produced by Dennis Rinsler and Marc Warren who drew on their own experiences as former teachers in New York City. They based the title character on their elementary school music teacher and friend, John Freno.
Synopsis[]
Mitch Mullany starred as the title character, an aspiring actor who, while waiting for his "big break," met his expenses as a substitute teacher at Gerald R. Ford Middle School. The storylines involved his interaction with his students, which became more plausible when he became a regular teacher. When the program was renewed, the middle school had become a high school, allowing for his interaction with slightly more mature students.
First season[]
Originally, Freno substituted long-term for a single fifth-grade class, which suited him well as an actor, since he was often able to revisit the mind of a preteen through comedy routines and frenetic behavior he would often work into during lessons. Nick's free-form teaching style often relied on running mock game shows on subjects, along with sly reverse psychology when it came to advice and discipline. The kids embraced Freno and found him very approachable, even if his employers thought that his methods were not challenging enough to be taken seriously.
Nick's fellow faculty members included hip, black science teacher Mezz Crosby (Clinton Jackson); played by Reggie Hayes in the pilot episode), who had been Nick's best friend since childhood; tenured shop teacher Al Yaroker (Charles Cyphers), and blustery gym coach Kurt Fust (Stuart Pankin). Also wandering the halls was old-timer Phil (), the school security guard. Then there was sexy, young social studies teacher Elana Lewis (Portia de Rossi), whom Nick was interested in romantically; at first, it was strictly professional and nothing more between the two, but through the first season, figurative walls were gradually broken down, and Nick and Elana found themselves dating. Their relationship would be on-again, off-again for the rest of that year. At first, Ford Middle School's principal was referred to but not seen; midway through the first season, Mr. Fust was eventually promoted to assistant principal. The regularly featured pupils in Nick's class were class clown and chief operator Tyler Hale (Ross Malinger), shy, star student Orlando Diaz (), who was practically the antithesis of Tyler; Jared (Arjay Smith), Tyler's buddy and regular partner in crime; intellectual Sarah (Cara DeLizia); and saxophonist Davey Marcucci (Kyle Gibson).
Second season[]
In the second season, with Nick now teaching on the high school level, more adult humor made its way into the stories and there were many changes in the cast, not only with the featured students but in the faculty as well. Off camera, between the first and second seasons, Nick and Elana dissolved their romance, and the latter left her job and moved out of town. Besides Nick, the only returning characters were Mezz, Mr. Yaroker, and Phil the security guard (who had now made it to the opening credits). Mr. Fust disappeared, and so did the now-former unseen principal; arriving as the new headmaster was Dr. Katherine Emerson (Jane Sibbett), a more serious-minded administrator who became a nemesis for Nick. Despite the friction that occurred between the two, Nick developed a romantic interest in Emerson.
Nick's job as a full-time teacher stuck him with instructing remedial classes, a situation heavily inspired by Welcome Back, Kotter. Nick's unruly high-schoolers included Sophia Del Bono (Christina Vidal), sexually promiscuous and not as worldly as she liked to let on; socially awkward Miles Novacek (Giuseppe Andrews); Marco Romero (Andrew Levitas), the hunk who had been held back a couple of grades; Tasha Morrison (Malinda Williams), whose upper-middle-class standing made her feel insecure around her blue-collar classmates; and Jordan Wells (Blake Heron), a similar personality to Nick's former fifth-grade troublemaker Tyler Hale.
Series changes[]
By the spring of 1998, when Nick's numerous attempts to court Dr. Emerson had failed, his attention switched to that of a voluptuous new manager in his apartment building, Samantha (Donna D'Errico). The two consummated their sexual tension quickly and became an item. The addition of D'Errico to Nick Freno was seen as a last-ditch attempt to save the show from cancellation, but it was not picked up for a third season.
Cast[]
Tutorial staff[]
- Mitch Mullany as Nick Freno
- Portia De Rossi as Elana Lewis (1996–1997)
- Clinton Jackson as Mezz Crosby
- Reggie Hayes as Mezz Crosby (pilot episode only)
- Charles Cyphers as Al Yaroker
- Stuart Pankin as Kurt Fust (1996–1997)
- Jane Sibbett as Dr. Katherine Emerson (1997–1998)
Students[]
- Kyle Gibson as Davey Marcucci (1996–1997)
- Cara DeLizia as Sarah (1996–1997)
- Giuseppe Andrews as Miles Novacek (1997–1998)
- Jonathan Hernandez as Orlando Diaz (1996–1997)
- Blake Heron as Jordan Wells (1997–1998)
- Andrew Levitas as Marco Romero (1997–1998)
- Ross Malinger as Tyler Hale (1996–1997)
- Christina Vidal as Sophia Del Bono (1997–1998)
- Malinda Williams as Tasha Morrison (1997–1998)
Recurring[]
- Mila Kunis as Anna-Maria Del Bono
- Sid Newman as Phil Sussman
Episodes[]
 | This section needs a plot summary. (January 2021) |
Season 1 (1996–97)[]
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Cheap-O's" | August 28, 1996 |
| 2 | 2 | "Me and Mrs. Hale" | September 4, 1996 |
| 3 | 3 | "Dance Fever" | September 11, 1996 |
| 4 | 4 | "Educating Nick" | September 18, 1996 |
| 5 | 5 | "Some Assembly Required" | September 25, 1996 |
| 6 | 6 | "The Mystery of Fust's Bust" | October 2, 1996 |
| 7 | 7 | "Judgement Day" | October 9, 1996 |
| 8 | 8 | "Leader of the Pack" | October 30, 1996 |
| 9 | 9 | "Freno the Deano" | November 6, 1996 |
| 10 | 10 | "Teacher's Pest" | November 13, 1996 |
| 11 | 11 | "Operation Scamtron" | November 20, 1996 |
| 12 | 12 | "Hot for Teacher" | November 27, 1996 |
| 13 | 13 | "Gargoyle Guys" | January 8, 1997 |
| 14 | 14 | "Social Security Guard" | January 22, 1997 |
| 15 | 15 | "Sumo Like It Hot" | January 29, 1997 |
| 16 | 16 | "Party at Nick's Place" | February 5, 1997 |
| 17 | 17 | "My Phoney Valentine" | February 12, 1997 |
| 18 | 18 | "My Mother the Star" | February 19, 1997 |
| 19 | 19 | "Pain in the Schneck" | February 26, 1997 |
| 20 | 20 | "Nick on Wheels" | April 27, 1997 |
| 21 | 21 | "Jamapalooza (Part 1)" | May 4, 1997 |
| 22 | 22 | "Jamapalooza (Part 2)" | May 11, 1997 |
Season 2 (1997–98)[]
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | 1 | "Gerald R. Fraud" | September 7, 1997 |
| 24 | 2 | "He's Gotta Have It" | September 14, 1997 |
| 25 | 3 | "Nick at Night" | September 21, 1997 |
| 26 | 4 | "Tasha Tells All" | September 28, 1997 |
| 27 | 5 | "MC 2" | October 5, 1997 |
| 28 | 6 | "Sophia Del Bono (Licensed Cosmetologist)" | October 12, 1997 |
| 29 | 7 | "Dr. Love" | October 26, 1997 |
| 30 | 8 | "Blast from the Past" | November 2, 1997 |
| 31 | 9 | "On the Rocks" | November 9, 1997 |
| 32 | 10 | "Sophia's Choice" | November 16, 1997 |
| 33 | 11 | "The Weighting Game" | November 23, 1997 |
| 34 | 12 | "The Full Marco" | December 7, 1997 |
| 35 | 13 | "Against All Odds" | January 11, 1998 |
| 36 | 14 | "Out of Her Class" | January 18, 1998 |
| 37 | 15 | "Baby Blues" | February 1, 1998 |
| 38 | 16 | "Burned Out" | February 8, 1998 |
| 39 | 17 | "Foul Play" | February 15, 1998 |
| 40 | 18 | "Driving Mr. Jordan" | February 22, 1998 |
| 41 | 19 | "Under the Gun" | March 1, 1998 |
| 42 | 20 | "Model Citizen" | April 26, 1998 |
| 43 | 21 | "Dome Alone" | May 3, 1998 |
Ratings[]
| Season | Network | Season premiere | Season finale | Rank | Viewers (in millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The WB | August 28, 1996 | May 11, 1997 | #142[citation needed] | 3.0[citation needed] |
| 2 | The WB | September 7, 1997 | May 3, 1998 | #172[1] | 1.9[1] |
Awards and nominations[]
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Young Artist Awards | Best Family TV Comedy Series | Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher | Won |
| Best Performance in a TV Series – Young Ensemble | Cara DeLizia, Kyle Gibson, Jonathan Hernandez, Ross Malinger, and Arjay Smith | Won | ||
| 1998 | ALMA Award | Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series | Jonathan Hernandez | Nominated |
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Final Ratings for '97–'98 TV Season". San Francisco Chronicle. May 25, 1998.
External links[]
- 1990s American high school television series
- 1990s American sitcoms
- 1996 American television series debuts
- 1998 American television series endings
- English-language television shows
- Middle school television series
- Television series by Warner Bros. Television Studios
- Television shows set in New York City
- The WB original programming