Just Our Luck

**Just Our Luck** is an American sitcom that ran on ABC from September 20 to December 20, 1983, producing 11 aired episodes (with two additional episodes that never aired). The show was created by Lawrence Gordon and Charles Gordon (who are not brothers) and was marketed as a modern twist on the 1960s series *I Dream of Jeannie*. It starred Richard Gilliland as Keith Burrows, a mild-mannered TV weatherman for KPOX-TV, and T. K. Carter as Shabu, a hip, fun-loving genie who is 3,000 years old and had been trapped in a bottle for nearly 200 years before Burrows accidentally frees him.

Produced by Lorimar Productions, ABC promoted *Just Our Luck* as one of its ambitious new comedies, alongside *Webster*. The series was designed to compete with NBC’s *The A-Team* but struggled with low ratings throughout its run. Critics panned the show, and it sparked controversy when the NAACP accused it of promoting negative African-American stereotypes. The NAACP initially campaigned for the show’s removal but later accepted a compromise that gave them some creative control. This led to changes in Carter’s dialogue, the hiring of Black staff writers, and the addition of actor Leonard Simon to the cast. The show was canceled after three months.

**Plot** Keith Burrows works as a young weatherman at KPOX-TV Channel 6 in Venice, California. While jogging on the boardwalk, he accidentally bumps into a flea market table, cracking an old green bottle. Forced to buy it, he takes it home. Later, his cat breaks the bottle, releasing Shabu, a 3,000-year-old genie. Shabu explains he was imprisoned for 196 years and offers to serve Burrows for 2,000 years—or until Burrows dies, “whichever comes first.”

Though grateful, Shabu is disappointed by Burrows’ modest lifestyle, having once served historical figures like Cleopatra, King Arthur, and Napoleon. Much of the show’s humor comes from Shabu using his powers to play pranks on Burrows or embarrass him in daily life. Occasionally, Shabu helps Burrows with work or social problems—for instance, livening up a party to impress the station manager so Burrows can keep his job. But his efforts sometimes backfire; in one episode, Shabu gives Burrows “a jolt of self confidence,” turning him into an egotistical, obnoxious jerk.