Open all night aired from 1981 to 1982
Open All Night, a short-lived but beloved television series, on ABC. The show blends elements of workplace comedy with quirky character dynamics, offering a snapshot of life in a small convenience store. The series introduces Bubba Smith, the retired NFLer in his first regular comedic acting role. Personally, watching the first episode, I think Bubba’s dominating presence saves the show from boring and trite mediocrity.
The Premise
Set primarily inside a small, independently owned convenience store, Open All Night revolves around the lives of its eccentric staff and customers. The store is, as the title suggests, open 24 hours a day, is in the “bad area of town” and has been subject to burglaries.
The store is owned by a hopeful middle-aged man named Gordon, played by the talented actor George Dzundza. Gordon is the heart and soul of the store, desperate to balance his family life with his professional responsibilities. The first episode had the store owner working all night because he needs a new night clerk. His wife, whines that she wants him in bed, and keeps trying to give her irresponsible teen-aged son, the job of night clerk.
Open All Night plays with situational comedy in a way that makes the store itself almost a character in the show. The fact that it’s open 24 hours creates a never-ending series of events. The nighttime setting enhances the bizarre quality of the situations. Dealing with sleep-deprived customers and navigating the unusual interactions that arise when people venture out in the middle of the night. The show captures the oddball nature of the nighttime world.
Although Open All Night was short-lived—lasting just 13 episodes—its influence on television comedy remains significant. It paved the way for a new era of sitcoms that blended absurdity with grounded character relationships. It also probably catapulted Bubba Smith as an actor, leading to his part as High-tower in the Police Academy movies.
