History Series / GimmeABreak

* GilliganCut: When Addie tells her African-American friend that Black women have finally evolved past the "Aunt Jemima" image, Nell walks in (having done the household chores) exhausted... and wearing a do rag. (Which has since become a FunnyAneurysmMoment due to Quaker Oats excising the Aunt Jemima brand over concerns of racial stereotyping.)

''Gimme a Break!'' is an American sitcom that ran on Creator/{{NBC}} for six seasons (1981–87), starring Creator/NellCarter as Nell Harper, a once-aspiring singer who became a housekeeper for the Kaniskys: patriarch Carl, the chief of police of the fictional Glenlawn, California, and his daughters Katie, Julie and Samantha (the last of the kids played by a young Creator/LaraJillMiller). Later additions to the cast included Stanley Kanisky (Carl's father), Adelaide "Addy" Wilson (Nell's best friend, played by Creator/TelmaHopkins), adopted son Joey (Joey Lawrence) and Nell's mother, Maybelle.

* TheCastShowOff: Nell Carter and Thelma Hopkins were both professional singers[[note]]Carter was part of the original cast of ''Ain't Misbehavin'''. Hopkins was one third of Tony Orlando & Dawn[[/note]] given plenty of opportunities to show off their skills. The Lawrence brothers were given spots to show their musical skills, as well.

''Gimme a Break!'' is an American sitcom that ran on Creator/{{NBC}} for six seasons (1981–87), starring Creator/NellCarter as Nell Harper, a once-aspiring singer who became a housekeeper for the Kaniskys: patriarch Carl, the chief of police of the fictional Glenlawn, California, and his daughters Katie, Julie and Samantha (the last of the kids played by a young Creator/LaraJillMiller). Later additions to the cast included Stanley Kanisky (Carl's father), Adelaide "Addy" Wilson (Nell's best friend, played by [[Series/FamilyMatters Thelma Hopkins]]), adopted son Joey (Joey Lawrence) and Nell's mother, Maybelle.

* GilliganCut: When Addie tells her African-American friend that Black women have finally evolved past the "Aunt Jemima" image, Nell walks in (having done the household chores) exhausted... and wearing a do rag.

* RunningGag: Poor Gertrude the goldfish....

''Gimme a Break!'' was an American sitcom that ran on Creator/{{NBC}} for six seasons (1981–87), starring Creator/NellCarter as Nell Harper, a once-aspiring singer who became a housekeeper for the Kaniskys: patriarch Carl, the chief of police of the fictional Glenlawn, California, and his daughters Katie, Julie and Samantha (the last of the kids played by a young Creator/LaraJillMiller). Later additions to the cast included Stanley Kanisky (Carl's father), Adelaide Wilson (Nell's best friend, played by [[Series/FamilyMatters Thelma Hopkins]]), adopted son Joey (Joey Lawrence) and Nell's mother, Maybelle.

Most of the show's humor came from the clashes of culture (Nell, the SassyBlackWoman from the South vs. straightlaced second-generation Polish Chief Kanisky) and generation (Nell and Carl vs. the girls) in a otherwise standard 80s DomCom setting. After the death of Dolph Sweet (Carl) after Season 4, the series continued for a season with Nell as the sole head of the Kanisky household. For the final season, the show underwent a ReTool, with most of the cast (minus the older Kanisky daughters) moving to New York City.

* AbusiveParents: Carl physically slaps his two older daughters (and threatens to spank Samantha at least once) in various episodes, FairForItsDay, but unheard of today:

** A later Season 1 episode, "Katie the Cheat," has Carl angry when he learns that Katie did not actually take a college entrance exam (Julie had). When the two are arguing, Katie makes a snide remark about why she thinks her father wanted her to take the test, prompting him to warn her to stop, and when she presses on, he takes off his belt and chases after her. Nell intervenes (by standing in the way) and stops him, and he eventually cools off and backs away.
** The Season 2 episode "Julie Smokes" has Carl slap his daughter across the face when, after she lied to him that she was not smoking, she accidentally blew smoke in his face, having unsuccessfully concealed that she had currently been smoking a cigarette. This prompts her to move out of the house temporarily, and when Carl stands his ground and justifies his actions, Nell, Katie and Samantha ostracize him ... forcing his hand and, in talking to Julie, getting him to reveal why he was so furious with her. In revealing that their late mother, Margaret, was a heavy smoker, Carl reveals that he and Margaret had fought about the issue many times and that he wishes he had slapped her to get her to realize she was killing herself. He never did, however, and eventually, Carl's worst fears -- losing his wife and partner in raising their daughters to lung cancer -- came true. This instance accidentally retcons the pilot episode instance by having Carl say he's never slapped one of his daughters before.

* BigBeautifulWoman: Nell. And very assertive about it. For example, her singing advice was that if you're going to sing Music/RodStewart's "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy", put ''everything'' into it -- your voice, attitude and especially your ''body''.

* BroadcastLive: The Season 4 episode "Cat Story".

--->'''Samantha:''' "Nell, that's horrible! I would never say that."[[note]]This line retcons the events of "Samantha Steals a Squad Car", when she did say the N-word in a non-malicious manner. (See "N-Word Privileges" for a further explanation.)[[/note]]

* GilliganCut: When Angie tells her African-American friend that Black women have finally evolved past the "Aunt Jemima" image, Nell walks in (having done the household chores) exhausted... and wearing a do rag.

* WouldHitAWoman: Carl slaps Katie and Julie (on camera) at least once each, although it could be argued that it was justified ... Katie making a smart remark and about her mother, Julie when caught in a lie. He also threatens to use his belt to whip Katie in "Katie the Cheat" when he found out that she lied about taking a college exam.

* AbusiveParents: Carl slaps Katie in the series pilot, which was FairForItsDay, but unheard of today. In that episode, he slaps her in reaction to a snide comment ("She can't say anything, she's dead!") to his question about how her mother would feel if she saw Katie being taken home by the cops for shoplifting. He also slaps Julie once in "Julie Smokes," after Julie – who lied to him that she's not smoking – accidentally blows cigarette smoke into his face during an obvious attempt to hide the fact that she had just taken a puff of her cigarette by holding her breath (resulting in Julie temporarily moving in with her grandparents, and Carl being ostracized by the rest of the family for it).[[note]]After going to his parent's house to convince Julie to come home later in the episode, Carl notes that his deceased wife/Julie, Katie and Samantha's mother, Margaret, died due to lung cancer caused by years of smoking, and didn't want his daughters to have the same thing happen to them.[[/note]] The latter instance accidentally retcons the first instance by having Carl say he's never slapped one of his daughters before.

* WhereTheHellIsSpringfield: Glenlawn, CA is within driving distance of Bakersfield and Fresno. That's as close to a location as we get. One episode also shows it within walking distance of the beach (Nell catches Joey there without permission), and another has Carl boasting that his new squad car can get to Sacramento in just 23 minutes (meaning it probably isn't as close to Bakersfield as was suggested in other episodes).

** Joey [[InnocentlyInsensitive insults]] Nell by dressing in {{blackface}}. He thought he was honoring black people by imitating [[Film/TheJazzSinger Al Jolson.]]

* NWordPrivileges: In the first season episode "Samantha Steals a Squad Car", as Carl and Nell are arguing over the latter accidentally sitting on (and flattening) the cap of the police uniform that Carl was going to wear to a policeman's luncheon, Sam – in frustration to the two adults failing to pay attention to her issue – uses the N-word when she exasperatedly asks Nell "how would you like it if somebody called you a nigger?" in equating Sam's own situation.[[note]]A female classmate had called Sam an ethnic slur, "dumb Polack," at school, which resulted in Sam getting into a physical altercation with the girl in which Sam was hit with a stick.[[/note]] After being chased by a perturbed Carl, she ends up locking herself in a bathroom and later escapes and [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin steals her father's squad car]]. When Carl and Nell meet up with Sam at the police station, during which Sam apologizes for using the word and notes to Nell that she didn't use it to be mean but to compare the hurtfulness of being called one racial slur for being a black person to her being called one relating to her Polish heritage, Nell explains to the Chief (who clearly didn't like the word being used) that its meaning can differ depending on who's using it:
-->'''Nell:''' ''(to Carl)'' A person can use the word "nigger" with malice and hate, but two black people can also say it with love, and it can be beautiful.

* NWordPrivileges: In the first season episode "Samantha Steals a Squad Car", as Carl and Nell are arguing over the latter accidentally sitting on (and flattening) the cap of the police uniform that Carl was going to wear to a policeman's luncheon, Sam – in frustration to the two adults failing to pay attention to her issue – uses the N-word when she asks Nell "how would you like it if somebody called you a nigger?"[[note]]She used it in an example context, as a female classmate had called Sam an ethnic slur, "dumb Polack," at school, which resulted in Sam getting into a physical altercation with the girl in which Sam was hit with a stick.[[/note]] After being chased by a perturbed Carl, she ends up locking herself in a bathroom and later escapes and [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin steals her father's squad car]]. When Carl and Nell meet up with Sam at the police station, during which Sam apologizes for using the word and notes to Nell that she didn't use it to be mean but to compare the hurtfulness of being called one racial slur for being a black person to her being called one relating to her Polish heritage, Nell explains to the Chief (who clearly didn't like the word being used) that its meaning can differ depending on who's using it:

--->'''Samantha:''' "Nell, that's horrible! I would never say that."[[note]]This line retcons the events of "Samantha Steals a Cop Car", when she did say the N-word in a non-malicious manner. (See "N-Word Privileges" for a further explanation.)[[/note]]

* NWordPrivileges: In the first season episode "Samantha Steals a Squad Car", as Carl and Nell are arguing over the latter accidentally sitting on (and flattening) the cap of the police uniform that Carl was going to wear to a policeman's luncheon, Sam – in frustration to the two adults failing to pay attention to her issue – uses the N-word when she asks Nell "how would you like it if somebody called you a nigger?"[[note]]She used it in an example context, as a female classmate had called Sam an ethnic slur, "dumb Polack," at school.[[/note]] After being chased by a perturbed Carl, she ends up locking herself in a bathroom and later escapes and [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin steals her father's squad car]]. When Carl and Nell meet up with Sam at the police station, during which Sam apologizes for using the word and notes to Nell that she didn't use it to be mean but to compare the hurtfulness of being called one racial slur for being a black person to her being called one relating to her Polish heritage, Nell explains to the Chief (who clearly didn't like the word being used) that its meaning can differ depending on who's using it:

* NWordPrivileges: In the first season episode "Samantha Steals a Squad Car", as Carl and Nell are arguing over the latter accidentally sitting on (and flattening) the cap of the police uniform that Carl was going to wear to a policeman's luncheon, Sam – in frustration to the two adults failing to pay attention to her issue – uses the N-word when she asks Nell "how would you like it if somebody called you a nigger?"[[note]]She used it in an example context, as another girl had used an ethnic slur on her at school, calling Sam a "dumb Polack"[[/note]]. After being chased by a perturbed Carl, she ends up locking herself in a bathroom and later escapes and [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin steals her father's squad car]]. When Carl and Nell meet up with Sam at the police station, during which Sam apologizes for using the word and notes to Nell that she didn't use it to be mean but to compare the hurtfulness of being called one racial slur for being a black person to her being called one relating to her Polish heritage, Nell explains to the Chief (who clearly didn't like the word being used) that its meaning can differ depending on who's using it:

* NWordPrivileges: In the first season episode "Samantha Steals a Squad Car", as Carl and Nell are arguing over the latter accidentally sitting on (and flattening) the cap of the police uniform that Carl was going to wear to a policeman's luncheon, Sam – in frustration to the two adults failing to pay attention to her issue – uses the N-word when she asks Nell "how would you like it if somebody called you a nigger?" (another girl had used an ethnic slur on her at school, calling Sam a "dumb Polack"). After being chased by a perturbed Carl, she ends up locking herself in a bathroom and later escapes and [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin steals her father's squad car]]. When Carl and Nell meet up with Sam at the police station, during which Sam apologizes for using the word and notes to Nell that she didn't use it to be mean but to compare the hurtfulness of being called one racial slur for being a black person to her being called one relating to her Polish heritage, Nell explains to the Chief (who clearly didn't like the word being used) that its meaning can differ depending on who's using it:

* AbusiveParents: Carl slaps Katie in the series pilot, which was FairForItsDay, but unheard of today. In that episode, he slaps her in reaction to a snide comment ("She can't say anything, she's dead!") to his question about how her mother would feel if she saw Katie being taken home by the cops for shoplifting. He also slaps Julie once in "Julie Smokes," after Julie – who lied to him that she's not smoking – accidentally blows cigarette smoke into his face during an obvious attempt to hide the fact that she had just taken a puff of her cigarette by holding her breath (resulting in Julie temporarily moving in with her grandparents, and Carl being ostracized by the rest of the family for it).[[note]]After going to his parent's house to convince Julie to come home later in the episode, Carl notes that his deceased wife died due to lung cancer caused by years of smoking, and didn't want his daughters to have the same thing happen to them.[[/note]] The latter instance accidentally retcons the first instance by having Carl say he's never slapped one of his daughters before.

--->'''Samantha:''' "Nell, that's horrible! I would never say that."[[note]]This line retcons the events of "Samantha Steals a Cop Car", when she did say the N-word in a non-malicious manner.[[/note]]

--->'''Samantha:''' "Nell, that's horrible! I would never say that."

* AbusiveParents: Carl slaps Katie in the series pilot, which was FairForItsDay, but unheard of today. In that episode, he slaps her in reaction to a snide comment ("She can't say anything, she's dead!") to his question about how her mother would feel if she saw Katie being taken home by the cops for shoplifting. He also slaps Julie once in "Julie Smokes," after Julie – who lied to him that she's not smoking – accidentally blows cigarette smoke into his face during an obvious attempt to hide the fact that she had just taken a puff of her cigarette by holding her breath (resulting in Julie temporarily moving in with her grandparents, and Carl being ostracized by the rest of the family for it).[[note]]After going to his parent's house to convince Julie to come home later in the episode, Carl notes that his deceased wife died due to lung cancer caused by years of smoking, and didn't want his daughters to have the same thing happen to them[[/note]] The latter instance accidentally retcons the first instance by having Carl say he's never slapped one of his daughters before.

* AbusiveParents: Carl slaps Katie in the series pilot, which was FairForItsDay, but unheard of today. In that episode, he slaps her in reaction to a snide comment ("She can't say anything, she's dead!") to his question about how her mother would feel if she saw Katie being taken home by the cops for shoplifting. He also slaps Julie once in "Julie Smokes," after Julie – who lied to him that she's not smoking – accidentally blows cigarette smoke into his face during an obvious attempt to hide the fact that she had just taken a puff of her cigarette by holding her breath (resulting in Julie temporarily moving in with her grandparents, and Carl being ostracized by the rest of the family for it)[[note]]After going to his parent's house to convince Julie to come home later in the episode, Carl notes that his deceased wife died due to lung cancer caused by years of smoking, and didn't want his daughters to have the same thing happen to them[[/note]]. The latter instance accidentally retcons the first instance by having Carl say he's never slapped one of his daughters before.

* AbusiveParents: Carl slaps Katie in the series pilot, which was FairForItsDay, but unheard of today. In that episode, he slaps her in reaction to a snide comment ("She can't say anything, she's dead!") to his question about how her mother would feel if she saw Katie being taken home by the cops for shoplifting. He also slaps Julie once in "Julie Smokes," after Julie – who lied to him that she's not smoking – accidentally blows cigarette smoke into his face during an obvious attempt to hide the fact that she had just taken a puff of her cigarette by holding her breath (resulting in Julie temporarily moving in with her grandparents, and Carl being ostracized by the rest of the family for it)[[note]]Carl later notes that his deceased wife died due to lung cancer caused by years of smoking, and didn't want his daughters to have the same thing happen to them[[/note]]. The latter instance accidentally retcons the first instance by having Carl say he's never slapped one of his daughters before.

* AbusiveParents: Carl slaps Katie in the series pilot, which was FairForItsDay, but unheard of today. In that episode, he slaps her in reaction to a snide comment ("She can't say anything, she's dead!") to his question about how her mother would feel if she saw Katie being taken home by the cops for shoplifting. He also slaps Julie once in "Julie Smokes," after Julie – who lied to him that she's not smoking – accidentally blows cigarette smoke into his face during an obvious attempt to hide the fact that she's smoking by holding her breath after taking a puff of the cigarette (resulting in Julie temporarily moving in with her grandparents, and Carl being ostracized by the rest of the family for it)[[note]]Carl later notes that his deceased wife died due to lung cancer caused by years of smoking, and didn't want his daughters to have the same thing happen to them[[/note]]. The latter instance accidentally retcons the first instance by having Carl say he's never slapped one of his daughters before.

* AbusiveParents: Carl slaps Katie in the series pilot, which was FairForItsDay, but unheard of today. He also slaps Julie once, after he catches her smoking and lying about it (and is ostracized by the rest of the family for it).

''Gimme a Break!'' was an American sitcom that ran on Creator/{{NBC}} for six seasons (1981–87), starring Creator/NellCarter as Nell Harper, a once-aspiring singer who became a housekeeper for the Kaniskys: patriarch Carl, the chief of police of the fictional Glenlawn, California, and his daughters Katie, Julie and Samantha. Later additions to the cast included Stanley Kanisky (Carl's father), Adelaide Wilson (Nell's best friend, played by [[Series/FamilyMatters Thelma Hopkins]]), adopted son Joey (Joey Lawrence) and Nell's mother, Maybelle.

--->'''Nell:''' ''(to Sam)'' I never thought I'd ever hear you say the word ''nigger''."

* DisproportionateRetribution: In "Baby of the Family," Samantha is disgruntled with Nell over what she [Samantha] sees as letting Joey get away with things, when Nell disapproves of her going on an unchaperoned camping trip... with teenage boys going along. Her jealousy over Nell's treatment of Joey compared to Nell's treatment of her, leads Samantha to dress Joey – who is performing "Toot-Toot-Tootsie" from the now-infamous Al Jolson classic ''Film/TheJazzSinger'' at the church Nell attends – in blackface (as Jolson did in the film). Considering he was performing in front of an ''all-black'' congregation, Nell, Addy and the rest of the congregation weren't pleased. To make matters worse, Joey didn't know the racist background behind blackface. When she confronts Samantha, Nell states that putting Joey up to do blackface was equivalent to this...