Oh Baby
Encyclopedia
Oh Baby is an American
situation comedy
series that ran on Lifetime
from August 26, 1998 to March 4, 2000. It also ran from 1999 to 2003 on Canada
's W Network
. The series was produced by Mandalay Television for Columbia TriStar Television
.
As Tracy successfully goes through with the process, she eventually finds support in Dr. Charlotte St. John, her best friend—who also works at Tracy's company as a psychiatrist and can dole out advice on how to be a single mother (she was twice divorced and had two children with different fathers)—and in her brother Ernie, an aspiring painter who wants out of his marriage and to move to Europe.
However, the only person who initially had mixed feelings about Tracy's decision was her mother, Celia. At first, Celia thought that Tracy had made the biggest mistake of her life by going through with the procedure, but eventually Celia came around to accept it. But despite that, Tracy knows her mother's reputation for trying to control her and Ernie's life, which indeed did play out through her pregnancy, with hilarious results.
Tracy's pregnancy also gave her other situations that also met with hilarious results, like constant and uncontrollable water bursts, and learning to breast-feed (her lactating breast was accidentally exposed at a restaurant). Tracy also played matchmaker for Charlotte, by hooking her up with her gynecologist Dr. Doug Bryan, leading to an on-again-off-again romance between the two.
By the end of the first season, Tracy gave birth to a son, but it was through a viewers' contest sponsored by Lifetime that allowed fans to pick the baby's name. In August 1999, Daniel would be the choice picked by viewers.
It was also during the second season that Tracy found herself trying to balance a life as a working mother, as well as bearing Celia's constant interference, with disastrous results. That friction would eventually also cost Tracy her job (as soon as she was let go, by the way, her fellow co-workers snatched everything off her cubicle).
After that scenario, she and Charlotte decided to go into business for themselves by launching an internet business call TrustMom.com (whose logo was a picture of Celia - over Tracy's objections), where mothers could order stuff online.
Oh Baby was based on the real life experience of the show's executive producer Susan Beavers. The show's theme song was performed by Jimmy Beavers, Susan's brother.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
situation comedy
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
series that ran on Lifetime
Lifetime Television
Lifetime Television, often referred to as Lifetime TV, or most commonly, Lifetime, is an American cable television specialty channel devoted to movies, sitcoms and dramas, all of which are either geared toward women or feature women in lead roles. The cable network is owned by A&E Television Networks...
from August 26, 1998 to March 4, 2000. It also ran from 1999 to 2003 on Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
's W Network
W Network
W Network is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Corus Entertainment. W Network broadcasts lifestyle and entertainment programming aimed at women....
. The series was produced by Mandalay Television for Columbia TriStar Television
Columbia TriStar Television
Columbia TriStar Television was the third name of the television studio Screen Gems, named after its then-current 1991 home video division....
.
The premise
The series followed Tracy Calloway, a single working woman who decided to have a child through artificial insemination, a decision that was spurred by an increase in working mothers at her workplace. Using a fourth wall technique, she would tell the audience watching how she would share the joy and sorrows of being a single mother, alongside showing videos of her and her family and friends in her life.As Tracy successfully goes through with the process, she eventually finds support in Dr. Charlotte St. John, her best friend—who also works at Tracy's company as a psychiatrist and can dole out advice on how to be a single mother (she was twice divorced and had two children with different fathers)—and in her brother Ernie, an aspiring painter who wants out of his marriage and to move to Europe.
However, the only person who initially had mixed feelings about Tracy's decision was her mother, Celia. At first, Celia thought that Tracy had made the biggest mistake of her life by going through with the procedure, but eventually Celia came around to accept it. But despite that, Tracy knows her mother's reputation for trying to control her and Ernie's life, which indeed did play out through her pregnancy, with hilarious results.
Tracy's pregnancy also gave her other situations that also met with hilarious results, like constant and uncontrollable water bursts, and learning to breast-feed (her lactating breast was accidentally exposed at a restaurant). Tracy also played matchmaker for Charlotte, by hooking her up with her gynecologist Dr. Doug Bryan, leading to an on-again-off-again romance between the two.
By the end of the first season, Tracy gave birth to a son, but it was through a viewers' contest sponsored by Lifetime that allowed fans to pick the baby's name. In August 1999, Daniel would be the choice picked by viewers.
It was also during the second season that Tracy found herself trying to balance a life as a working mother, as well as bearing Celia's constant interference, with disastrous results. That friction would eventually also cost Tracy her job (as soon as she was let go, by the way, her fellow co-workers snatched everything off her cubicle).
After that scenario, she and Charlotte decided to go into business for themselves by launching an internet business call TrustMom.com (whose logo was a picture of Celia - over Tracy's objections), where mothers could order stuff online.
Oh Baby was based on the real life experience of the show's executive producer Susan Beavers. The show's theme song was performed by Jimmy Beavers, Susan's brother.
Cast
- Cynthia StevensonCynthia StevensonCynthia Stevenson is an American actress.Stevenson was born in Oakland, California, the daughter of Gayle, an editor, and Al Stevenson, an upholstery warehouse owner. She grew up in Vancouver, British Columbia....
(Tracy Callaway) - Joanna GleasonJoanna GleasonJoanna Gleason is a Canadian actress and singer. She is a Tony Award-winning musical theatre actress and has also had a number of notable film and TV roles.-Early life:...
(Charlotte St. John) - Jessica WalterJessica WalterJessica Walter is an American actress, known for the films Play Misty for Me, Grand Prix, and for her role as Lucille Bluth on the sitcom Arrested Development...
(Celia Callaway) - Matt Champagne (Ernie Callaway)
- Doug Ballard (Dr. Doug Bryan)
- Jack Coleman (Rick)
- Patrick KerrPatrick KerrPatrick Kerr is an American television actor. He is probably best known for his recurring role as Noel Shempsky on Frasier...
(Brad) - Don McManus (Don Lewis)
- Cheyenne HaynesCheyenne HaynesCheyenne Renee Haynes is an American actress, dancer, singer, model, and activist. Her notable works include the Lifetime Movie Network television film, Lies in Plain Sight, and I Know My Kid's a Star.-Early life:...
(Sara)