season one | season two

SHOW HISTORY

Background Jordan Levin came to be acquainted with Amanda Bynes through the deal the WB Television Network made with Tollin/Robbins productions. The company had already provided the network with an unsuccessful sketch comedy show called "Vibe". But under the terms of a new deal, Tollin/Robbins would develop projects for the WB's primetime schedule as well as in other dayparts. The partnership had success in two areas in the early 2001: on the primetime schedule, with "Smallville", and on the Kids' WB! schedule, with the premiere of "The Nightmare Room". In February 2001, Tollin/Robbins started production on "The Nightmare Room", and for the third episode produced, they "borrowed" one of their stars from another project, Amanda Bynes of "The Amanda Show". "The Amanda Show" was one of Nick's highest rated live action shows, consistently placing in the top 50 of the cable TV Nielsen ratings on a night when, historically, nobody watches much television. Her episode "Don't Forget Me" showed incredible acting range and lots of charm and spunk, but she was still under contract to Nickelodeon at the time. But Jordan Levin could sense something big happening with Amanda...after all, that past December she had been signed to appear in her first motion picture, which at the time was called "Lost and Found" and written by "Amanda Show" creator Dan Schneider.      Amanda also sensed something happening with Amanda too...in the Spring of 2001, she made the decision to cease production on her Nickelodeon series, forcing Nick to cut the 2000-2001 season short and hold the shows over to the 2001-2002 season. Over that spring and summer, Amanda and the WB worked things out, and on October 3, 2001, the WB announced that it was developing a sitcom project for her. Two very important names were attached to it on that date -- the creators of the show, Wil Calhoun (who wrote for "Friends") and Dan Schneider. The battle lines were drawn -- and clearly so -- as it was also announced that the show would more than likely be shown on "The WB Friday", a night favoring light, giddy teen comedies like "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" (at 8PM), and three new sitcoms that were to premiere that Friday -- "Maybe It's Me", "Raising Dad" and "Reba".       So Amanda Bynes' future on the WB was nine months in the making -- mainly, the nine months of the TV season as the three new Friday sitcoms battled it out for supremacy. Quite unexpectedly, the big hit of the three was "Reba" (at 9PM), starring country thrush Reba McEntire as a divorcee whose teenage daughter is pregnant and whose ex's mistress is also pregnant. The show the critics were sweet on and the odds-on favorite was "Maybe It's Me" (at 8:30PM), an eclectic single-camera sitcom in the vein of "Malcolm in the Middle", starring Reagan Dale Neis as a teen for whom the cards don't always fall right. The remaining show was "Raising Dad" (at 9:30PM), with Bob Saget as a widower with teen daughters Kat Dennings and Brie Larson. The Nielsen numbers were better for "Reba" and "Sabrina" than the other two shows, and "Dad" got better numbers than critical darling "Maybe". In January 2002, the WB attempted to punch up the ratings of the two lagging shows by swapping their time slots. It turned out to be a big mistake as both shows not only couldn't keep up with "Reba" (which by now had already received both a full-season pickup and a renewal for 2002-2003), but also sank to lower overall rating levels than before the switch. Worse, "Dad" brought "Sabrina" down to a lower ratings level as well.  That March, Jordan Levin basically laid it on the line for the flagging Friday shows -- get the ratings up or it's bye bye Charlie. And to accentuate it further, Levin talked new season to several trade publications as well as to advertiser groups, where he outlined the strategy for fall -- and made no attempt to disguise his enthusiasm for Amanda Bynes and her possible new WB Friday show.      While this ratings foment was going on, Wil and Dan were busy limning the concept for the series. Amanda Bynes would play a teenage girl who would suddenly show up at her big sister's door to live with her after Daddy splits for Japan on business. Wil and Dan lined up a core cast, with Wesley Jonathan of "City Guys" first to climb on board. Then came Simon Rex from "Jack and Jill". Finally, the big sister came, and it was a big name -- Jennie Garth, former "90210" kid whose last prime time stab had been NBC's soap "Titans" in 2000. On April 9th, the pilot -- still without a name, officially referred to as "Untitled Calhoun/Schneider Project" but colloquially known as "The Amanda Bynes Project" -- was filmed at the Warner studios in Burbank. While it was being worked on and tested (under the name "What I Like About My Life"), the ratings for the WB Friday rookies "Maybe It's Me" and "Raising Dad" were still lifeless.      Development-wise, the WB had many other options to choose from for just a few slots on the schedule.  Most of the hotter development pieces were franchise hour shows, such as "Birds of Prey" (another comic book adaptation from Tollin/Robbins), "Lost in Oz", and "The Lone Ranger". Other comedy pilots were considered featuring Delta Burke, Tori Spelling, Jeff Davis and Bianca Kajlich. But after all the pilots were shot, it was clear which one was head and shoulders above the others. Jennie Garth would later mention she knew the pilot would be sold because she and the other cast members couldn't stop laughing at the script readthrough. We needed longer to find it out. On May 14th, the WB released its Fall 2002 schedule. The network announced the cancellation of "Raising Dad" and "Maybe It's Me". "Sabrina" and "Reba" would remain on the Friday schedule, but would be surrounded by two new shows: the Latino family comedy "Greetings from Tucson" at 9:30, and Amanda Bynes' new sitcom, now titled "What I Like About You", given the honor and responsibility of leading off the night at 8PM. Amanda is blessed to be on a fall TV schedule whose new shows don't have a bunch of big name stars...this year, the failures will be less expensive, but the successes can be greater.      And for "What I Like About You", we may be talking great success. The pre-publicity surrounding the series played up the physical comedy aspects of the show...if you like slapstick, pratfalls, takes and stunt doubles a la Dan Schneider and "The Amanda Show", you'll like this show. But there's also plenty of room for Wil Calhoun's relationship comedy reminiscent of his years on "Friends" and "Jesse". It's a great mix, played perfectly by all the leads. The cast promises a favorite star for everyone, and there are no clinkers here. Girls who watched Jennie on "90210" can swoon now for Wesley or Simon. Younger boys will fall in love with Amanda, or maybe even have a crush on Jennie. No matter who you like on the show,  the focal point of the series "What I Like About You" remains the girl it was written for, Amanda Bynes. She's Lucy for the 21st century, charming her way into trouble on a weekly basis and dragging all her friends into it somehow. And getting out of it with hugs and kisses and love all around. We're hoping for Amanda to give us moments as classic as those Lucy gave us so many years ago.  Many critics believe that "What I Like About You" is the show to watch this fall -- and that Amanda Bynes could well be the biggest new star of this fall TV season.

Competition: Original Friday Night Schedule Fall 2002-2003, and their Respective Fates   8PM 8:30 9PM 9:30 10PM 10:30 America's Funniest Home Videos That Was Then CANCELLED 20/20 48 Hours Investigates MOVED Hack Robbery Homicide Division CANCELLED Firefly CANCELLED John Doe     Providence CANCELLED  Dateline: NBC Law and Order: Special Victims Unit What I Like About You Sabrina CANCELLED Reba RENEWED Greetings from Tucson MOVED     UPN Movie Friday     WB Shows 2002-2003: Status for 2003-2004 renewed for 2003-2004 Charmed, Everwood, Gilmore Girls, Grounded For Life, High School Reunion, 7th Heaven, Reba, Smallville, The Surreal Life cancelled Birds of Prey, Dawson's Creek, Do Over, Off Centre, Sabrina most likely to be cancelled On the Spot, The Black Sash, Family Affair fate to be determined Angel, Greetings from Tucson, Jamie Kennedy Experiment, What I Like About You   Taping History: Season 1 (22 episodes) Shows are listed in production order. Episode numbers are given in airdate order.   Prod# Episode# Title/Synopsis Tape U.S. Air 475-352 1-01 "Pilot": How Holly came to live with Val 4/9/2002 9/20/2002, 3/14/2002 175-601 1-03 "Roommates": Valerie sets down written laws  8/16/2002 10/4/2002, 11/29/2002 175-602 1-02 "Spa Day": Holly accompanies Val at a day spa 8/23/2002 9/27/2002, 10/25/2002 175-603 1-16 "Holly's First Job" Holly works in Jeff's restaurant 8/30/2002 2/21/2003 175-604 1-05 "Cool Older Sister" Val relaxes the rules 9/13/2002 10/18/2002, 12/27/2002 175-605 1-04 "The Teddy Bear": Holly and Val squabble over a childhood toy 9/20/2002 (no aud) 10/11/2002,  12/20/2002 175-606 1-06 "The Parrot Trap": Holly's new friend kidnaps a zoo bird (working title: "Holly's Crush") 9/27/2002 11/1/2002 175-607 1-09 "Thanksgiving": The Tylers spend the holiday 10/11/2002 11/22/2002 175-608 1-07 "Tankini": Gary takes a liking to Holly's old friend 10/25/2002 11/8/2002, 1/3/2003 175-609 1-08 "Copy That": Holly and Val have workplace problems 11/1/2002 11/15/2002 175-610 1-10 "The Party": Holly and Gary go to a college party (working title: "Older Boyfriend") 11/8/2002 1/10/2003 175-611 1-11 "The Other Woman": Holly and Jeff's ex-girlfriend become friends 11/22/2002 1/17/2003, 3/21/2003 175-612 1-12 "Girls' Night Out": Holly and Valerie mingle in the city 1/10/2003 1/24/2003 175-613 1-13 "The Cheerleading Incident": Val is embarrassed in front of Jeff's mom 1/17/2003 1/31/2003 175-614 1-14 "The Game": Holly helps Val vie for a promotion 1/24/2003 2/7/2003 175-615 1-15 "Valentine's Day": Holly thinks Jeff will propose to Val 2/7/2003 2/14/2003 175-616 1-17 "The Breakup": Val and Jeff split (working title: "Healing Val") 2/14/2003 2/28/2003 175-617 1-18 "Dude, Where's Val's Car?": Holly and Henry lose Val's wheels 2/21/2003 3/7/2003 175-618 1-19 "Loose Lips": Holly's suggestions make Val the butt of office gossip 3/7/2003 4/4/2003 175-619 1-20 "The Fix Up": Holly arranges a date between Val and Henry's brother 3/14/2003 4/25/2003 175-620 1-22 "The Talk": Holly considers furthering her relationship with Henry (season finale) 3/23/2003 5/9/2003 175-621 1-21 "Tyler v. World": The girls face eviction 3/29/2003 5/2/2003

Project Chronology
October 3, 2001: "Daily Variety" reports that the WB will be developing a sitcom for Nickelodeon star Amanda Bynes. 

March 11, 2002: Wesley Jonathan ("City Guys") is the second announced cast member.

May 14, 2002: WB Fall Schedule Announcement. As expected, "What I Like About You" makes the Fall slate. Jordan Levin is quoted on the press release for the fall schedule as saying "In 'What I Like About You' with Amanda Bynes and Jennie Garth, we have built-in appeal to both ends of the 12-34 female demo in a show we think can mean as much to us as Sabrina, the Teenage Witch meant to ABC when it debuted. Amanda Bynes is the biggest star to come out of Nickelodeon since Melissa Joan Hart, and we expect great things from this show, especially since we were lucky enough to add Jennie Garth to the mix."   

July 13, 2002: Jennie Garth, Wesley Jonathan, Simon Rex, Mike Tollin, Dan Schneider and Wil Calhoun represent the series at the Television Critics' Association Summer Press Tour in Pasadena. They are joined, via satellite from London, by Amanda Bynes (where she is filming "What a Girl Wants").

July 19, 2002: Canada's YTV, a direct competitor to Family Channel, announces that "What I Like About You" will be on its Fall schedule, on Friday nights at 7PM, with a repeat the following Saturday at 3AM.

August 16, 2002: The first taping of "WILAY" takes place in Burbank. Taping today is "Roommates". 

August 23, 2002: JC Chasez of the music group 'NSYNC tapes the third episode, titled "Spa Day". But the episode will likely be better remembered for an incredible scene featuring Amanda Bynes in a mud bath.

August 30, 2002: The episode "Holly's First Job" is taped. The show is initially passed over for airing by "The Teddy Bear", and subsequently changes in tone and continuity on the series (primarily, Holly's job at Copy That and the workplace being a recurring location during the series' second half) make it nearly impossible for the WB to air this episode -- but it does, on February 21.

September 9, 2002: The WB announces that an all-girl trio from British Columbia named Lillix will record the theme to the series, which will indeed be a remake of the Romantics' 1979 party anthem, "What I Like About You".

September 20, 2002: "What I Like About You" makes its world television debut on the WB.

September 27, 2002: The series bows in Canada on YTV.

October 16, 2002: The WB announces that "What I Like About You" will receive a full-season order for nine additional episodes in addition to the original order of 13. With this back-nine pickup, the WB has given full-season orders to every new show except "Birds of Prey".

October 21, 2002: NBC announces that one of the shows competing with "What I Like About You", "Providence", would be leaving the airwaves after its December 20th two-hour episode. Overnights released today show another competitor, "Firefly", hitting a two-year low in the time slot for Fox.

October 2002: Amanda Bynes changes agents, and as a result former agent Michael Goldman of Tollin/Robbins Management is replaced as executive producer by Warren Bell. Also added is "Miss Congeniality" writer Caryn Lucas.

November 1, 2002: With the airing of the episode "The Parrot Trap" comes a shift in focus for the series, as the producers now concentrate on telling the story about the relationships between the four principals, rather than depicting broad comedic situations.

November 15, 2002: "Copy That" airs, establishing a permanent after-school job for Holly and Gary.

November 18, 2002: A week of wild rumors about the WB begins as reports state that The WB has acquired the Fox sitcom "Grounded for Life", which would run as early as March 2003 on the network. Trade papers think the series would work best on the Friday schedule after "Reba". Later on in the week, the rumors fly that the ax has fallen on "Birds of Prey", "Family Affair" and "Do Over", the latter two having previously been given full-season commitments. Over on Fox, "Firefly" gets a two-episode extension of its 13-week order.

November 26, 2002: The day after the WB outlined its midseason changes (which left "What I Like About You" in place at 8PM on Fridays), FOX makes its changes: the most interesting of which is that "What I Like About You" is now challenged by Jennie Garth's husband Peter Facinelli as "Fastlane" moves into the Friday at 8PM slot effective January 10. Prior occupant "Firefly" goes on hiatus. Also, NBC announces their new Friday at 8PM show: the political drama "Mister Sterling", and hints that "Providence" may return next fall after all.

December 6, 2002: Series star Jennie Garth gives birth to baby daughter Lola Ray.

December 10, 2002: CBS, among their midseason changes, will slot "Presidio Med" Fridays at 8PM for a two week tryout run beginning January 17, with an option to slot the series there permanently if the show does well.

December 13, 2002: Fox announces the cancellation of "Firefly".

December 18, 2002: The spring season at the WB becomes more clear as Jordan Levin tells The Hollywood Reporter that "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" would move to Thursday nights after the February sweeps, and that "Grounded for Life" would indeed start in March, likely after "Reba". "What I Like About You" would then gain a new leadout, probably "Greetings from Tucson".

January 17, 2003: NBC Entertainment President Jeff Zucker ends speculation about WILAY ratings killjoy "Providence"'s future: it has none. Zucker officially announces the cancellation of Melina Kanakaredes' series after four seasons.

January 17, 2003: A supporting cast begins to take shape as Anicka Haywood is introduced as Jill, a potential girlfriend for Gary in the episode "The Other Woman".

January 24: "Girls' Night Out" introduces a new male friend for Holly, the quirky Henry (Michael McMillian).

January 28, 2003: CBS announced that "Presidio Med" would be put on hiatus, to be replaced Fridays at 8PM with "Star Search". Filling in before "Star Search" begins a new flight are "Funny Flubs and Screw-Ups" on January 31, "The Price Is Right" on February 7, and "The Stars' First Time" on February 14.

January 28, 2003: America's Dairy Farmers announces a Milk Mustache Kiss Watch and Win Contest beginning February 1 and running through February 14. The winner receives a trip to a taping of a WB show. The finale of the contest runs through the WB Friday episodes on Valentine's Day.

February 3, 2003: The WB announces its first renewal of the season, for the midseason reality show "High School Reunion". Also, the WB announces the cancellation of "Dawson's Creek" after five and a half seasons.

February 4, 2003: The WB announces Thursday and Friday changes, effective February 27. "Sabrina" moves to Thursdays 8PM, followed by "Family Affair" and two "JKX"s. "Sabrina"'s slot will be filled at some point by "Greetings from Tucson", which is replaced by "Grounded for Life".

February 6, 2003: "E! News Live" conducts interviews and a set tour on their live telecast.

February 7, 2003: "The Game", set primarily at Harper and Diggs, introduces Val's new boss Vic (Dan Cortese) and co-worker Lauren (Leslie Grossman). Both become recurring characters.

February 20, 2003: "Good Day Live", a syndicated entertainment show, also conducts a set visit. A clip from Amanda Bynes' movie, "What a Girl Wants", is premiered on the show.

March 5, 2003: The WB puts "Greetings from Tucson" on hiatus as it announces it will return "Do Over" to the schedule on March 21, right after "What I Like About You". 

March 13, 2003: The WB in effect cancels "Do Over", removing it from Friday duty and double-running "Reba".

March 16, 2003: "The WB's Outrageous Outtakes" airs, and includes two "What I Like About You" blunders from the episodes "Roommates" and "The Other Woman".

March 25, 2003: Six series renewals are announced by the WB, for the series "Reba" and five dramas: "Charmed", "Everwood", "Gilmore Girls", "7th Heaven" and "Smallville".

March 29, 2003: "What I Like About You" tapes the final show of the first season, "Tyler v. World". The show taped the week before, "The Talk", will serve as the season finale.

April 4, 2003: Amanda Bynes' second movie, "What a Girl Wants", opens. The WB holds a contest where viewers must find a Union Jack somewhere in the "What I Like About You" episode. "Greetings from Tucson" returns to the WB Friday schedule. Bynes embarked earlier in the week on a whirlwind two-day New York tour, hitting four live TV shows, and two key public appearances.

April 17, 2003: During a promo, the WB reveals that "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" will air its final episode on April 24. No cancellation notice was given for the series.

April 24, 2003: The WB announces a full-season renewal for "Grounded for Life". This means that there will now be only two slots open on Friday for new or returning sitcoms.

May 13, 2003: The WB announces their Fall 2003 schedule in New York City, with "What I Like About You" scheduled for Thursdays at 9PM.

The story continues...Season Two Project History

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