Almost Perfect

Synopsis

Almost Perfect was an American sitcom that ran on CBS from September 1995 to October 1996. The show starred Nancy Travis as Kim Cooper, a television writer who had just been promoted to executive producer of a fictional hit cop show called Blue Justice, a parody of NYPD Blue. Kim was a classic ambitious young professional who took pride in being a strong woman who had climbed above her mostly male staff. She was confident and clever when it came to the creative side of her job, but her personal life was messy. Before her promotion, she had trouble finding a lasting relationship; her past boyfriends were often too needy or couldn't handle her demanding schedule. Then she met Mike Ryan, played by Kevin Kilner, a busy assistant district attorney. They met at a restaurant when Kim mistook him for a blind date who never showed up. Mike was immediately interested, and he persuaded her to have dinner with him, but only after she grilled him to make sure he was not as shallow as her previous partners. Soon they were in a passionate romance, though both of their high-pressure careers put constant strain on the relationship. As Kim tried to balance her thriving career and this promising new love, she got support from her quirky staff at Blue Justice. The head of the writing team was Gary Karp, played by Chip Zien, an energetic and neurotic veteran of many cop shows who had hoped to become executive producer himself but now had to report to someone ten years younger. His attempts to take on more responsibility and edge into Kim's role were always slapstick and comical, and his sexist comments often got him into trouble, though he meant well. Rob Paley, played by Matthew Letscher, was a gentle, naive farm boy turned Hollywood writer who offered more idealistic viewpoints and was mostly neutral about Kim's rise. Neal Luder, played by David Clennon, was a spaced-out hippie whose ideas and advice were sometimes surprisingly on point, even though he was usually far from reality. Before becoming a TV writer, Neal had a colorful past, including working as a roadie for the Osmond Family in the 1970s. The series also featured a tight-knit ensemble among the production staff, similar to the creator's previous work on Cheers and Wings. The show was created by Ken Levine, David Isaacs, and Robin Schiff, and produced by their companies in association with Paramount Network Television. Almost Perfect was canceled just four episodes into its second season.