You know, I wish this was a cool crossover. I mean it's a crossover between a show starring Fran Drescher and one starring Jennie Garth and Amanda Bynes. Now despite the fact that too much of her voice can wear on me, Fran Drescher can be really funny. Jennie Garth? Totally fiiiine. Yowza! And Amanda Bynes? For her alone I wished this was worth anything. First off, young, cute and funny. But even more than that, she seems to be the only actress of her generation who actually is a normal cool girl. All the others seem to have slowly gone crazy and emaciated. Bynes though just seems so centered and cool.

   What I Like About You was a sitcom about two sisters, Valerie Tyler and Holly Tyler. Sixteen year old Holly moves in with her adult sister Valerie when her dad takes a job in Japan and and Holly decides to stay in the U.S. Living With Fran told the story of Fran Reeves and her live-in boyfriend Riley. The gimmick was that Riley was much much younger than Fran. He was younger than Fran's son! Needless to say this caused much tension in both their families.

   So I wish I could say this was worth something. But it ain't. This crossover happened on Bynes and Garth's show What I Like About You and it happened because their network - The WB - was looking to promote Fran Drescher's new show which premiered immediately after. Now, technically, timeline-wise I guess that would qualify Living With Fran as a spin off. But screw that. It wasn't the intent and the connection is too slim.

   The show had two plots for the night. One had Amanda Byne's Holly fighting with her ex-boyfriend, Vince, for the affection of their friends. She takes them all to Mexico for Spring Break but her ex follows them there where they continue sparring for their friend's. In the end they end up coming to terms with their situation and taking steps towards mending fences a little. Then just as quickly things fall apart Vince is still in love with Holly and can't just be "friends". This was actually a nice story and had nothing to do with the crossover. I only mention it because I'd like to put some sort of positive up about this show.

   The second plot had Jennie Garth's Valerie - the adult sister - staying home in New York and trying to jump start her dating life following a big breakup. She ends up actually making a connection with a customer at her bakery. Then when he comes to pick her up she discovers they will be going out with his friends as part of a group. Why? Because they're all going to the prom! She bails on the date and arrives back at the bakery just as her friend Lauren is serving up some tea to a customer who sounds like she has a horrible cold. Nope! No cold it's Fraaan Drescher. Husky voice joke? Check. Valerie starts explaining her dating disaster. Fran chimes in that she needs to find someone her own age. Enter Fran's young hunky beau. Fran explains the same age thing is right for Val, not for her. Plug for new show? Check. As Fran and her man leave, the girls wonder if it was the voice that won him over. They start doing Fran impersonations. Okay! Voice joke, check! Check!!! CHECK!!!!! For the love of God CHECKKKKKKKKK!!!!

   It was a very slight crossover and not exactly subtle as to why it happened at all. They could have just had Fran walk in and say, "Hi, I'm Fran Drescher. My shows on next. Tune in, okay?" Because that is about all this amounted to.

   But Amanda Bynes is sweet. Wonder if she'd go for a Living With Fran style show... only with the guy being the older one... and me being the guy... and it not being TV but real life... and I wonder how soon before I get served with a restraining order based just on this last paragraph...

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