There's nothing quite like seeing where the big stars of today got their start. It's kind of hard to believe (unless you’re my age and saw it for yourself) that Tom Hanks… Hollywood's powerhouse actor…. producer…. writer… director…. has amongst his very early credits a two season stint dressing in drag on a television sitcom. That's right my friends, way.. way… way back in 1980, fresh off a role in the slasher movie "He Knows Your Alone," Hank starred alongside Peter Scolari in "Bosom Buddies." For two seasons, "Bosom Buddies" showed us that two grown men could dress as women and still not be gay or a transgender. That's right my friends, neither Kip Wilson (Hanks) or Henry Desmond (Scolari) felt the need to join any kind of pride parade or wear rainbow colored anything. Instead, they dressed as women for the only acceptable reason ANY man should dress as a women. And that is to be near OTHER women. You see, Kip is in love with Sonny (the glorious Donna Dixon), but she lives in an all female establishment, aptly named the Susan B. Anthony Hotel.

His friend Henry, on the other hand is an aspiring writer who wants to write about the experience.

As one might imagine, "Bosom Buddies" is silly at best but still quite funny. Both Hanks and Scolari have the charm and sense of fun required to pull off such a ridiculous idea. Neither one is at all convincing being a woman; one would have to be pretty stupid to think that they were (unless it took place in Texas, where they would fit right in). But of course realism was not ever meant to be the show's selling point. You get exactly what the creators wanted, wacky scenes of men dressed in drag, lots of mistaken identity, and just enough scantily clad real women to keep us watching.

Paramount is releasing the 2nd and season of "Bosom Buddies" this month with the last 18 episodes produced. The episodes themselves look pretty good though not at all perfect. The one thing I did notice, and this was also the case on the first season set, was that the original theme (which was "My Life" by Billy Joel) was completely replaced by the song "Shake Me Loose" by Stephanie Mills. I might not have noticed at all, but I watched all of these episodes when they originally aired and distinctly remembered it being "My Life." I'm sure there were some rights issues that made it too pricey to include it.

Unfortunately the only extra feature is a 'sales presentation' reel that was used to initially sell the show into syndication. I was really hoping for a little reunion for Hanks and Scolari, but realistically it would have been way too expensive to pull off. Still, I kinda hope for a big screen version of "Bosom Buddies" to get made… wouldn't THAT be awesome. Might even be another Oscar in it for Hanks!!

Episodes:
The Truth and Other Lies
There's No Business...
The Reunion
The Road to Monte Carlo
WaterBalloonGate
All You Need Is Love
Other That That, She's A Wonderful Person
The Slightly Illustrated Man
Two Percent Solution
The Grandfather
Kip Off the Old Block
Hildy's Dirt Map
The Way Kip and Henry Were
Who's On Thirst?
Not With My Sister, You Pig
One For You, One For Me
Not The Last Picture Show
Cablevision

Starring: Tom Hanks, Peter Scolari
Extras: Sales Presentation
Specifications: Full Screen, Dolby Digital Mono
Studio: Paramount
Release Date: 9/4/2007
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR
Website

We'll give Bosom Buddies: Season 2 a C.