On The Geena Davis Show, Geena Davis' character is named:
a. Bette
b. Carrie
c. Teddie, or
d. Geena.
Not so fast.
You would expect Davis would follow Drew Carey, Michael J. Fox and Norm Macdonald's lead sharing a name with sitcom characters.
The Geena Davis Show, premiering Tuesday at 10:30 p.m. on DE and W, went the way of The Dick Van Dyke Show as it actually centres on a glamorous ca-reer Manhattan wo-man named Teddie Cochran.
She finds herself thrust into a suburban world of car pools and Wal-Marts after falling head over heels for a single father of two played by thirtysomething's Peter Horton.
His character is not even named Peter, but Max Ryan.
"That is this weird TV-land phenomenon where people's characters have their own first name and then some other last name," Davis observes.
"We didn't do that. I liked the name the character had originally, Teddie."
As much as the Oscar-winning actress is a star, her show is not a star vehicle.
It was created by Terri Minsky, a former Sex in the City writer, who acknowledges the premise does seem as though one of the single City women had decided to settle down.
"I did always think to myself that something like that should happen (on City) because, otherwise, it just seems sad," Minsky says.
The show's thrice-married star knows making commitments often means making compromises.
"Well, let me think back. It was number seven who ... no, he was six...," Davis jokes.
"Yeah, I mean, every relationship can have that side to it, where you're suddenly in an unusual circumstance."
The culture clash affects not only Teddie, but her single friends played by Kim Coles (In Living Color) and Mimi Rogers. The supporting cast is rounded out by Harland Williams (Whole Nine Yards) and talented young actors John Daley (Freaks and Geeks) and Makenzie Vega as Max's children.
Even now Minsky seems surprised her words made it off the page, let alone with Davis delivering them.
"I wrote it with the very real expectation it would be another dead tree," she says.
"ABC said, 'We're going to send it to Geena Davis.' And I said, 'Because you have, like, extra postage?' "
While known for roles in blockbuster films such as A League of Their Own and Thelma & Louise, Davis attempted two sitcoms during the '80s. She had a small part on Buffalo Bill with Dabney Coleman and was the star of the NBC series Sara in 1985.
Sara, co-starring Bill Maher and Alfre Woodard, featured Davis as a single professional woman as well.
"I certainly have never been a snob about mediums," she says. "But it wasn't a conscious plan to pursue television at this moment. It was very specifically this material I was attracted to."
"Well, that and being able to work with me," Horton chimes in.
"And Peter Horton," she nods.
Davis generally doesn't make more than one movie each year anyway, so breaks in her TV schedule could still be used to pursue films such as the upcoming Stuart Little sequel.
However, her aspirations as an archer may have to be put on hold. Davis placed 29th in the U.S. Olympic qualifying trials last summer.
"I'll have to see if the Disney lot has any empty soundstages I could run over to and shoot some arrows on," she says.
"I'm sure they'll be thrilled to accommodate my desire to shoot a weapon on the lot. Maybe just right behind the sets -- you know with the kids."
Horton says a compromise has already been arranged.
"She did get me a T-shirt recently with a big arrow on it."
