Dharma Freedom Finkelstein (Jenna Elfman) comes from hippie parents, Larry Finkelstein (Alan Rachins) and Abby O'Neil (Mimi Kennedy). Greg Clifford Montgomery (Thomas Gibson) comes from rich conservative parents, Kitty (Susan Sullivan) and Edward Montgomery (Mitchell Ryan). Dharma and Greg met as children riding on the NY subway. They meet again on the San Francisco subway. They go out on a date and get married in Vegas before the date ends. Greg works with his sleazy friend Pete Cavanaugh (Joel Murray) in the DA office. Dharma often goes out with her wild neighbor Jane (Shae D'lyn) with fake accents. Greg moves in with Dharma and her dog Stinky and Stinky's dog Nuncio. Celia is the Montgomery maid. Marci, Claire, and Susan are some of the teachers at the alternative learning co-op. Marlene is the grumpy legal secretary. Donald is the nerdy neighbor and George is the dead Indian.
The first season is simply hilarious. Jenna Elfman was a revelation at the time. She's a wacky flighty giraffe. Thomas Gibson is a great foil. The parents are great. Jane and Pete are terrific sidekicks. The show is set up to run on that formula for many years. The first three episodes of the second season takes a huge swing with Dharma and Greg adopting the cashier girl's baby. It may be commendable but it's too big of a swing. It's too serious and throws the show off balance. It's a move that should be done only when a show gets stale or builds up a reserve of audience patience. The third season has Greg quitting his job. It changes the couple subtly and changes the dynamics of the show. Even the elevator stops at the right place and Greg loses his workplace. It takes the rest of the season to reconstitute his workplace with Pete and Marlene. The forth season starts with another dark story of a miscarriage scare. The series works brilliantly as a wacky comedy but Chuck Lorre seems intent on peppering it with some darker material. Dharma's fleeting kiss with college professor Charlie is the last straw. That damages the heart of the show which is the love between Dharma and Greg. Even Lorre's vanity card mentions the declining ratings. The fourth season ends with an ill-fitting cliffhanger. The ratings continued to plummet for the fifth and last season and the end was inevitable.
The first season is simply hilarious. Jenna Elfman was a revelation at the time. She's a wacky flighty giraffe. Thomas Gibson is a great foil. The parents are great. Jane and Pete are terrific sidekicks. The show is set up to run on that formula for many years. The first three episodes of the second season takes a huge swing with Dharma and Greg adopting the cashier girl's baby. It may be commendable but it's too big of a swing. It's too serious and throws the show off balance. It's a move that should be done only when a show gets stale or builds up a reserve of audience patience. The third season has Greg quitting his job. It changes the couple subtly and changes the dynamics of the show. Even the elevator stops at the right place and Greg loses his workplace. It takes the rest of the season to reconstitute his workplace with Pete and Marlene. The forth season starts with another dark story of a miscarriage scare. The series works brilliantly as a wacky comedy but Chuck Lorre seems intent on peppering it with some darker material. Dharma's fleeting kiss with college professor Charlie is the last straw. That damages the heart of the show which is the love between Dharma and Greg. Even Lorre's vanity card mentions the declining ratings. The fourth season ends with an ill-fitting cliffhanger. The ratings continued to plummet for the fifth and last season and the end was inevitable.