Huh. I associate the song “My Life” with this show so much, it’s hard to believe it was only the opening theme for one of its two seasons.

“My Life” WAS the theme for both seasons. But “Shake Me Loose” was used in syndication, so it’s harder to get YouTube clips with the original theme on them.

Was it because Tom Hanks’ star rose so much that it ended up getting aired in perpetual reruns for much of the 80s?

Yep, that was it exactly. 37 episodes is obviously way too little for normal syndication, but that’s on par with The Honeymooners, as well, so certain exceptions are made.

Also, only two seasons? I know I watched this in syndication, and at the time, shows that short usually didn’t get a syndication deal. Was it because Tom Hanks’ star rose so much that it ended up getting aired in perpetual reruns for much of the 80s?

Think of all the zany plot combinations! Some renters take over the apartment of a deceased person and assume their identity (maybe reuse this crossdressing angle) to keep the apartment at rent stabilized cost. Or a bunch of tenants trick a landlord into thinking a building is condemned. Tenants fake that a building is haunted so that their landlord will lower the rents in desperation! Tenants investigate their landlord for white collar crimes and blackmail him! Aliens try to visit Earth and disguise themselves as Earthlings, but not even they can afford the rent without 2-3 roommates! The sky’s the limit!

Fascinating, Michael, thanks for sharing that info!

My friends and I were amused as just about every regular character learned the big secret over a number of episodes and the show focused on their struggling video production company.

I guess the apartment was just THAT dirt cheap? But yeah, agreed, it doesn’t make any sense.