Soul Man (TV series)

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Soul Man
Created byCarmen Finestra
David McFadzean
Matt Williams
Written bySarit Catz
Pat Dougherty
Karin Kelly
Gloria Ketterer
Tom Leopard
David MacFadzean
Steve Paymer
Jon Pollack
David Richardson
Elliot Shoenman
Marley Sims
Danny Smith
Mary Pat Walsh
Matt Williams
Directed byPeter Bonerz
Gil Junger
John Pasquin
Will Mackenzie
Don Scardino
Andrew Tsao
Ted Wass
StarringDan Aykroyd
Anthony Clark
Kevin Sheridan
Brendon Ryan Barrett
Spencer Breslin
Courtney Chase
Dakin Matthews
Anne Lambton
Theme music composerIsaac Hayes and David Porter
Opening theme"Soul Man"
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes25
Production
Executive producersCarmen Finestra
David McFadzean
Matt Williams
ProducerGayle S. Maffeo
Production locationsRoyal Oak, Michigan (setting)
New York, NY (actual filming location)
Camera setupVideotape; Multi-camera
Running time22 minutes
Production companiesHostage Productions
Wind Dancer Production Group
Touchstone Television
Original release
NetworkABC
ReleaseApril 15, 1997 (1997-04-15) –
May 26, 1998 (1998-05-26)
Related
Home Improvement

Soul Man is an American sitcom starring Dan Aykroyd that aired on ABC from April 15, 1997 to May 26, 1998. A total of 25 half-hour episodes were produced over two seasons.

The series premiered on April 15, 1997, and was picked up for a second season of 22 half-hour episodes after only three episodes aired for the first season. Despite ranking 29th in its 2nd and final season, it ended on May 26, 1998, with 25 half-hour episodes produced in total. A four-year-old Spencer Breslin made his TV debut and was a series regular for the three-episode-long 1997 first season, in which he played the youngest child of Aykroyd.[1][2]

The theme song was "Soul Man" written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter. Aykroyd was closely associated with the song, having released a cover of it in 1979 with his band The Blues Brothers.

Premise[edit]

Mike Weber (played by Aykroyd) is a widowed Episcopal priest who must deal with his four children, his quirky parishioners in Royal Oak, Michigan, and a wet-behind-the-ears curate who happens to be the nephew of his bishop.

Cast[edit]

The show's principal cast.

Home Improvement connection[edit]

Mike Weber appeared on Home Improvement as the priest of Richard Karn's character, Al Borland. He was hired to put in a new stand for a holy water basin in the season seven episode "Losing My Religion". Tim Taylor ended up cutting the hole too big, causing the basin to fall through the floor.

In the Season 1 finale episode "Cinderella and the Funeral", Al Borland appeared in order to fix the church's furnace. Reference was made to Tim and the holy water basin falling through the hole he cut.

Zachary Ty Bryan appeared in the episode "Public Embarrassment and Todd's First Sermon" playing Brad Taylor.

Episodes[edit]

Series overview[edit]

SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
13April 15, 1997 (1997-04-15)April 29, 1997 (1997-04-29)
222September 30, 1997 (1997-09-30)May 26, 1998 (1998-05-26)

Season 1 (1997)[edit]

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date Viewers
(millions)
11"Urges and Lies"Andrew TsaoCarmen Finestra & David McFadzean & Matt WilliamsApril 15, 1997 (1997-04-15)18.33[3]
22"Communion Wine and Convicts"UnknownUnknownApril 22, 1997 (1997-04-22)17.69[4]
33"Cinderella and the Funeral"UnknownUnknownApril 29, 1997 (1997-04-29)14.00[5]

Season 2 (1997–98)[edit]

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date Viewers
(millions)
41"Mike's Awakening"Andrew TsaoTom LeopoldSeptember 30, 1997 (1997-09-30)17.11[6]
52"Hello Todd, Hello Nancy, Goodbye Harley"Andrew TsaoDavid RichardsonOctober 7, 1997 (1997-10-07)17.44[7]
63"The Lost Sheep Squadron"John PasquinDanny SmithOctober 21, 1997 (1997-10-21)14.19[8]
74"Trick and Treat"John PasquinJon PollackOctober 28, 1997 (1997-10-28)12.97[9]
85"Public Embarrassment and Todd's First Sermon"John PasquinPat DoughertyNovember 4, 1997 (1997-11-04)11.16[10]
96"Camping and Housekeepers"John PasquinSteve PaymerNovember 18, 1997 (1997-11-18)16.40[11]
107"Three Priests and a Baby"John PasquinSarit Catz & Gloria KettererNovember 25, 1997 (1997-11-25)12.95[12]
118"Attic Box Blues"John PasquinSarit Catz & Gloria KettererDecember 2, 1997 (1997-12-02)13.52[13]
129"Christmas Ruined My Life"Gil JungerPat DoughertyDecember 16, 1997 (1997-12-16)14.00[14]
1310"Yes Sir, That's My Baby"Don ScardinoCarmen Finestra & David McFadzeanJanuary 6, 1998 (1998-01-06)13.72[15]
1411"Holy Rollers"Ted WassJon PollackJanuary 13, 1998 (1998-01-13)13.35[16]
1512"A Kiss Is Just a Kiss"Don ScardinoDanny SmithJanuary 20, 1998 (1998-01-20)13.85[17]
1613"The Stan Plan"Ted WassPat Dougherty & Danny SmithFebruary 10, 1998 (1998-02-10)12.30[18]
1714"The Choir Boys"Gil JungerSteve PaymerFebruary 17, 1998 (1998-02-17)12.19[19]
1815"Todd and the Bod"Gil JungerSarit Catz & Gloria KettererFebruary 24, 1998 (1998-02-24)15.60[20]
1916"Grabbed by an Angel"Will MackenzieKarin KellyApril 14, 1998 (1998-04-14)12.62[21]
2017"Just the Three of Us"Peter BonerzJon PollackApril 21, 1998 (1998-04-21)11.76[22]
2118"Raising Heck"Ted WassSarit Catz & Gloria KettererApril 28, 1998 (1998-04-28)10.91[23]
2219"The Good Shepard"Ted WassDanny SmithMay 5, 1998 (1998-05-05)10.49[24]
2320"Who Killed St. Shepherd?"Ted WassJon PollackMay 12, 1998 (1998-05-12)9.38[25]
2421"Play Ball"UnknownUnknownMay 19, 1998 (1998-05-19)9.88[26]
2522"Little Black Dress"UnknownUnknownMay 26, 1998 (1998-05-26)8.69[27]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Barry W Stanton (3 March 2016). "What Happened to Spencer Breslin - See What He's Doing Now". The Gazette Review. Retrieved 2017-03-23.
  2. ^ Carolyn Patricia Scott (2003-11-02). "'Cat' doesn't have his tongue - latimes". Articles.latimes.com. Retrieved 2017-03-23.
  3. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (April 14–20)". The Los Angeles Times. April 23, 1997. Retrieved June 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  4. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (April 21–27)". The Los Angeles Times. April 30, 1997. Retrieved June 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  5. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (April 28–May 4)". The Los Angeles Times. May 7, 1997. Retrieved June 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  6. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Sept. 29–Oct. 5)". The Los Angeles Times. October 8, 1997. Retrieved June 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  7. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Oct. 6–12)". The Los Angeles Times. October 15, 1997. Retrieved June 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  8. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Oct. 20–26)". The Los Angeles Times. October 29, 1997. Retrieved June 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  9. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Oct. 27–Nov. 2)". The Los Angeles Times. November 5, 1997. Retrieved June 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  10. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 3-9)". The Los Angeles Times. November 12, 1997. Retrieved June 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  11. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 17–23)". The Los Angeles Times. November 26, 1997. Retrieved June 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  12. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 24–30)". The Los Angeles Times. December 3, 1997. Retrieved June 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  13. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Dec. 1-7)". The Los Angeles Times. December 10, 1997. Retrieved June 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  14. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Dec. 15–21)". The Los Angeles Times. December 24, 1997. Retrieved June 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  15. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 5–11)". The Los Angeles Times. January 14, 1998. Retrieved June 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  16. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 12–18)". The Los Angeles Times. January 21, 1998. Retrieved June 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  17. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 19–25)". The Los Angeles Times. January 28, 1998. Retrieved June 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  18. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 9-15)". The Los Angeles Times. February 19, 1998. Retrieved June 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  19. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 16-22)". The Los Angeles Times. February 25, 1998. Retrieved June 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  20. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 23–March 1)". The Los Angeles Times. March 4, 1998. Retrieved June 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  21. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (April 13–19)". The Los Angeles Times. April 22, 1998. Retrieved June 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  22. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (April 20–26)". The Los Angeles Times. April 29, 1998. Retrieved June 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  23. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (April 27-May 3)". The Los Angeles Times. May 6, 1998. Retrieved June 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  24. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (May 4–10)". The Los Angeles Times. May 13, 1998. Retrieved June 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  25. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (May 11–17)". The Los Angeles Times. May 20, 1998. Retrieved June 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  26. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (May 18–24)". The Los Angeles Times. May 28, 1998. Retrieved June 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  27. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (May 25–31)". The Los Angeles Times. June 4, 1998. Retrieved June 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon

External links[edit]