As said from Lisa Troyer Who’s the Boss? Came out in 1984, this comedy sitcom
consisted of a nontraditional family.Toni, an ex-major league baseball player, had to retire
because of a hurt shoulder. He then had to find a new job so he could take care of his daughter,
Samantha. He ended up finding a job as a housekeeper in an upscale neighborhood, to a
divorced advertising executive, AngelaBower. Angela’s son and feisty mother lived with
her as well. This show goes against many stereotypes because, although Toni once played
professional baseball, a very manly thing to do, now has to work for a very successful woman,
in her home. The man of the house was not the one “bringing home the bacon” but cooking
it instead. He had to take care of the home and the children, meanwhile his character fit
the part because he learned how to be sensitive. Unlike Angela, who had a hard head and
worked hard for what she wanted. Their differences fit perfectly but flipped the stereotype
of the mother and father role.
Not only were their characters going against the norm, but so was the grandmother’s character.
For being a grandmother, her overly social and sexual life did not compare with many older women
of the 80’s. She could find dates anywhere from college boys to gray haired CEOs. Being comfortable
in her skin, she took initiative and did what she wanted. Then the thought of to whom the title
Who’s the Boss? refers to, Toni, Angela or the grandmother. The boss of the household could
either be Toni, because he’s the man and that is the norm of society to believe that the man
takes the role of the boss. It could be Angela though because she technically is the boss of
Toni, she hired him to take care of the house. But the thought that the grandmother could
be the boss because she’s the eldest and no one tells her what to do. She lives her own life
even though her daughter provides her with a home.
This clip of Who's the Boss? shows the opening credits of the show but also gives a quick preview of
what Toni's new job entails, and the characteristics of the other characters in the show.
Troyer, Lisa, Charles W. Muller and Pavel I. Osinsky. “Who’s the Boss? A Role-Theoretic Analysis of Customer Work.” Work and Occupations (2010). Sage Journals Online. Web. 10 Nov. 2010. http://wox.sagepub.com/content/27/3/406.abstract