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* HeyItsThatGuy: [[StarTrekDeepSpaceNine Odo]] is the chief of staff! [[StarTrekVoyager Neelix]] is the press secretary! [[Grease Frenchie]] is the secretary!
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* {{Expy}}: Gene Gatling is clearly based partly on JimmyCarter, with a similar, kind but scatterbrained personality to his cousin Jessica.
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* {{Expy}}: Gene Gatling is clearly based partly on JimmyCarter, UsefulNotes/JimmyCarter, with a similar, kind but scatterbrained personality to his cousin Jessica.
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* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: Clayton and Denise to Taylor and Marcy (In the screenplay, Benson: A Family Reunion, Clayton and Denise have their own SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitutes, their children, Clayton IV and Anne. Also, Marcy has her own SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitutes, her daughters, Jenny and Molly, and Benson has his daughter, Rachel as this, too.)
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* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: Clayton and Denise to Taylor and Marcy (In the screenplay, Benson: A Family Reunion, Clayton and Denise have their own SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitutes, Suspiciously Similar Substitutes, their children, Clayton IV and Anne. Also, Marcy has her own SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitutes, her daughters, Jenny and Molly, and Benson has his daughter, Rachel as this, too.)
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* RunningGag: Gov. Gatling frequently told stories about his past, which Benson and the other staffers hated listening to. They couldn't usually say so, though, not only because Gatling was their friend, but also their boss.
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* {{Expy}}: Gene Gatling is clearly based partly on JimmyCarter.
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* {{Expy}}: Gene Gatling is clearly based partly on JimmyCarter.JimmyCarter, with a similar, kind but scatterbrained personality to his cousin Jessica.
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* WhereTheHellIsSpringfield: The state ''Benson'' was set in was never revealed, nor was the name of the city the mansion was located in.
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* WhereTheHellIsSpringfield: The state ''Benson'' was set in was never revealed, revealed (other than it was a Southern state), nor was the name of the city the mansion was located in.
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** With a LampshadeHanging in a first season episode, when Benson and Gov. Gatling are alone at the oval office. Gatling: "If he could do it, why not me?"
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** The season six two-parter, "Made in Hong Kong," shows Rene Auberjonois speaking fluent Chinese and displaying an impressive amount of local knowledge about Hong Kong.
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* ShootTheMoney: A two-part episode in Hong Kong in season 5.
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* ShootTheMoney: A two-part episode in Hong Kong in season 5.6.
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* ShootTheMoney: Episodes in Hong Kong and Las Vegas.
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* ShootTheMoney: Episodes A two-part episode in Hong Kong and Las Vegas.in season 5.
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* ShootTheMoney: Episodes in Hong Kong and Las Vegas.
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* HeyItsThatGuy: Clayton is [[Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine Odo]], while Pete is [[Series/StarTrekVoyager Neelix]].
** A couple of season 2 episodes featured a wisecracking mail courier named Frankie, played by a young [[RetroactiveRecognition Jerry Seinfeld]].
** [[ShiningTimeStation Stacy Jones]] and [[{{Grease}} Frenchie]] were both Denise.
** A couple of season 2 episodes featured a wisecracking mail courier named Frankie, played by a young [[RetroactiveRecognition Jerry Seinfeld]].
** [[ShiningTimeStation Stacy Jones]] and [[{{Grease}} Frenchie]] were both Denise.
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* KeepCirculatingTheTapes: Only season 1 has been released on DVD, 5 years ago, and the show isn't playing in reruns anywhere despite every season of its parent program ''{{Soap}}'' being readily available on DVD and on Netflix. (Update: Season 2 was released in 2012 in MOD format.)
to:
* KeepCirculatingTheTapes: Only season seasons 1 has and 2 have been released on DVD, 5 years ago, and the show isn't playing in reruns anywhere DVD so far, despite every season of its parent program ''{{Soap}}'' being readily available on DVD and on Netflix. (Update: Season 2 was released Netflix, and the show rarely plays in 2012 reruns anywhere (though it began airing in MOD format.)the U.S. on Antenna TV in 2012).
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The duel of insults.
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* TrashTalk: A duel between Benson and Clayton is decided when Benson opts to have them "playing the dozens" and use insults at the weapon of choice. [[spoiler: By the end Clayton is punch-drunk from being on the receiving end while Benson shows why he's the Master.]]
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* PointlessCivicProject: In one instance, federal auditors discover an unexpected budget surplus of $8 million and insist that the state spend that money or their federal distribution will be reduced by twice that much the next fiscal year (which starts tomorrow). Benson & Clayton try to find a way to spend it before the end of the day. In the end Benson decides that's stupid, and just announces that they have a surplus.
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** [[ShiningTimeStation Stacy Jones]] and [[Grease Frenchie]] were both Denise.
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** [[ShiningTimeStation Stacy Jones]] and [[Grease [[{{Grease}} Frenchie]] were both Denise.
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** Season five's "Too Pooped To Pip" let him do a duet with Gladys Knight.
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* LetsPutOnAShow: Season four's "Kraus Sings the Blues" has the gang having to take over an entire Jerry Lewis-style telethon, complete with having to fill in for the acts.
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* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: Clayton and Denise to Taylor and Marcy (In the screenplay, Benson: A Family Reunion, Clayton and Denise have their own SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitutes, their children, Clayton IV and Anne. Also, Marcy has her own SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute, her daughter, Jenny, and Benson has his daughter, Rachel as this, too.)
to:
* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: Clayton and Denise to Taylor and Marcy (In the screenplay, Benson: A Family Reunion, Clayton and Denise have their own SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitutes, their children, Clayton IV and Anne. Also, Marcy has her own SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute, SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitutes, her daughter, Jenny, daughters, Jenny and Molly, and Benson has his daughter, Rachel as this, too.)
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adding information
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* LockedInARoom: Seemingly happened at least once a season.
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Didi Conn\'s two extra roles.
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** [[ShiningTimeStation Stacy Jones]] and [[Grease Frenchie]] were both Denise.
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New clip for \"O Holy Night\".
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** The ChristmasEpisode "Mary and her Little Lambs" gave us [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnBBgLEPJL8 this piece]] of him singing "O Holy Night."
** The second ChristmasEpisode had him sing "O Little Town of Bethlehem" with the extra bonus of lighting the tree with his music.
** The second ChristmasEpisode had him sing "O Little Town of Bethlehem" with the extra bonus of lighting the tree with his music.
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* ChristmasEpisode: They had at least two.
** The first, "Mary and her Little Lambs," had Kraus sing a German version of "Silent Night," followed by the above bit of Benson singing "O Holy Night."
** The second was an ItsaWonderfulPlot where Benson had a serious car accident and the spirit of his late mother was trying to convince him to go back to Earth. Benson sang "O Little Town of Bethlehem."
** The first, "Mary and her Little Lambs," had Kraus sing a German version of "Silent Night," followed by the above bit of Benson singing "O Holy Night."
** The second was an ItsaWonderfulPlot where Benson had a serious car accident and the spirit of his late mother was trying to convince him to go back to Earth. Benson sang "O Little Town of Bethlehem."
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** Also, the second Christmas episode, where a BadFuture happened when Benson didn't survive a car accident.
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* VivaLasVegas: An eighth-season episode had them going there for a lieutenant governor's convention.
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* VivaLasVegas: An eighth-season A sixth-season episode had them going there for a lieutenant governor's convention.
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A few more related tropes from memories of series
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* ChessWithDeath: Or in this case, Trivial Pursuit with Death--for the fate of a busload of schoolkids. [[spoiler: "G.Reaper" ends up losing because he missed a question on Charles Bronson--the answer was "Death Wish."]]
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* TheHeart: One episode had a young Katie as it, others showed it was Benson.
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* ItsAWonderfulPlot: One ChristmasEpisode had Benson be seriously hurt in an accident, and his mom's angel showed him [[LosingTheTeamSpirit how bad things would be]] if he died.
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* LosingTheTeamSpirit: One episode has Gene's sister convince him to put Katie in a boarding school--and the whole cast is depressed afterwards without Katie. Benson and Gene later drive through the night to get Katie back to the mansion the next day. Everyone's happy, with Katie asking Kraus for "a big bowl of her oatmeal."
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* SimpleMindedWisdom: Benson still had this even when he went up the job ladder.
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* VivaLasVegas: An eighth-season episode had them going there for a lieutenant governor's convention.
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''Benson'' was a half-hour SitCom that aired on {{ABC}} from 1979-1986. A SpinOff of ''{{Soap}}'', it starred Robert Guillaume as Benson [=DuBois=], who took over as head of household affairs at [[WhereTheHellIsSpringfield the Govenor's Mansion]] under Gov. Eugene Gatling (James Noble) - cousin to Jessica and Mary of ''Soap''. This put him in immediate conflict with Kraus (Inga Swenson), the head cook who coveted the position for herself. Other characters included Katie (Missy Gold), Gene's daughter; Clayton Endicott III (Rene Auberjonois), Gene's Chief of Staff; Pete Downey (Ethan Phillips), the Governor's official press secretary/photographer; and Denise Stevens Downey (Didi Conn), Benson's ditzy personal secretary.
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''Benson'' was a half-hour SitCom that aired on {{ABC}} Creator/{{ABC}} from 1979-1986. A SpinOff of ''{{Soap}}'', it starred Robert Guillaume as Benson [=DuBois=], who took over as head of household affairs at [[WhereTheHellIsSpringfield the Govenor's Mansion]] under Gov. Eugene Gatling (James Noble) - cousin to Jessica and Mary of ''Soap''. This put him in immediate conflict with Kraus (Inga Swenson), the head cook who coveted the position for herself. Other characters included Katie (Missy Gold), Gene's daughter; Clayton Endicott III (Rene Auberjonois), Gene's Chief of Staff; Pete Downey (Ethan Phillips), the Governor's official press secretary/photographer; and Denise Stevens Downey (Didi Conn), Benson's ditzy personal secretary.
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As the show went on, Benson climbed up the political ladder, thanks to Gov. Gatling's trust him him, going from working in the mansion staff to state Budget Director, and then to Lt. Governor, before finally running for Governor himself in the final season.
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As the show went on, Benson climbed up the political ladder, thanks to Gov. Gatling's trust him in him, going from working in the mansion staff to state Budget Director, and then to Lt. Governor, before finally running for Governor himself in the final season.
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* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: Clayton and Denise to Taylor and Marcy (In the screenplay, Benson: A Family Reunion, Clayton and Denise have their own SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitutes, Clayton IV and Anne. Also, Marcy has her own SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute, her daughter, Jenny, and Benson has his daughter, Rachel as this, too.)
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* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: Clayton and Denise to Taylor and Marcy (In the screenplay, Benson: A Family Reunion, Clayton and Denise have their own SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitutes, their children, Clayton IV and Anne. Also, Marcy has her own SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute, her daughter, Jenny, and Benson has his daughter, Rachel as this, too.)
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''Benson'' was a half-hour SitCom that aired on {{ABC}} from 1979-1986. A SpinOff of ''{{Soap}}'', it starred Robert Guillaume as Benson [=DuBois=], who took over as head of household affairs at [[WhereTheHellIsSpringfield the Govenor's Mansion]] under Gov. Eugene Gatling (James Noble) - cousin to Jessica and Mary of ''Soap''. This put him in immediate conflict with Kraus (Inga Swenson), the head cook who coveted the position for herself. Other characters included Katie (Missy Gold), Gene's daughter; Clayton Endicott III (Rene Auberjonois), Gene's Chief of Staff; Pete Downey (Ethan Phillips), the Governor's official photographer; and Denise Stevens Downey (Didi Conn), Benson's ditzy personal secretary.
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''Benson'' was a half-hour SitCom that aired on {{ABC}} from 1979-1986. A SpinOff of ''{{Soap}}'', it starred Robert Guillaume as Benson [=DuBois=], who took over as head of household affairs at [[WhereTheHellIsSpringfield the Govenor's Mansion]] under Gov. Eugene Gatling (James Noble) - cousin to Jessica and Mary of ''Soap''. This put him in immediate conflict with Kraus (Inga Swenson), the head cook who coveted the position for herself. Other characters included Katie (Missy Gold), Gene's daughter; Clayton Endicott III (Rene Auberjonois), Gene's Chief of Staff; Pete Downey (Ethan Phillips), the Governor's official photographer; press secretary/photographer; and Denise Stevens Downey (Didi Conn), Benson's ditzy personal secretary.
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-->'''Marcie''':He lost. He came in sixth.
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-->'''Marcie''':There was a very large write-in for "none of the above".
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* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: Clayton and Denise to Taylor and Marcy.
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* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: Clayton and Denise to Taylor and Marcy.Marcy (In the screenplay, Benson: A Family Reunion, Clayton and Denise have their own SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitutes, Clayton IV and Anne. Also, Marcy has her own SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute, her daughter, Jenny, and Benson has his daughter, Rachel as this, too.)
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''Benson'' was a half-hour SitCom that aired on {{ABC}} from 1979-1986. A SpinOff of ''{{Soap}}'', it starred Robert Guillaume as Benson [=DuBois=], who took over as head of household affairs at [[WhereTheHellIsSpringfield the Govenor's Mansion]] under Gov. Eugene Gatling (James Noble) - cousin to Jessica and Mary of ''Soap''. This put him in immediate conflict with Kraus (Inga Swenson), the head cook who coveted the position for herself. Other characters included Katie (Missy Gold), Gene's daughter; Clayton Endicott III (Rene Auberjonois), Gene's Chief of Staff; Pete Downey (Ethan Phillips), the Governor's official photographer; and Denise Stevens Downey (Didi Cohn), the Governor's ditzy personal secretary.
to:
''Benson'' was a half-hour SitCom that aired on {{ABC}} from 1979-1986. A SpinOff of ''{{Soap}}'', it starred Robert Guillaume as Benson [=DuBois=], who took over as head of household affairs at [[WhereTheHellIsSpringfield the Govenor's Mansion]] under Gov. Eugene Gatling (James Noble) - cousin to Jessica and Mary of ''Soap''. This put him in immediate conflict with Kraus (Inga Swenson), the head cook who coveted the position for herself. Other characters included Katie (Missy Gold), Gene's daughter; Clayton Endicott III (Rene Auberjonois), Gene's Chief of Staff; Pete Downey (Ethan Phillips), the Governor's official photographer; and Denise Stevens Downey (Didi Cohn), the Governor's Conn), Benson's ditzy personal secretary.
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* KeepCirculatingTheTapes: Only season 1 has been released on DVD, 4 years ago, and the show isn't playing in reruns anywhere despite every season of its parent program ''{{Soap}}'' being readily available on DVD and on Netflix.
to:
* KeepCirculatingTheTapes: Only season 1 has been released on DVD, 4 5 years ago, and the show isn't playing in reruns anywhere despite every season of its parent program ''{{Soap}}'' being readily available on DVD and on Netflix.Netflix. (Update: Season 2 was released in 2012 in MOD format.)
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** Marcy Hill, Gov. Gatling's first secretary. Got married and moved because of her husband's job. She got a farewell party at the end of Season Two.
** Pete and Denise in the final season. Denise took a job with NASA and Pete went with her.
** Pete and Denise in the final season. Denise took a job with NASA and Pete went with her.
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** Marcy Hill, Gov. Gatling's first secretary. Got married and moved because of her husband's job. She got a farewell party at the end of early in Season Two.
Three.
** Pete and Denise in thefinal sixth season. Denise took a job with NASA and Pete went with her.
** Pete and Denise in the
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* HeyItsThatGuy: Clayton is [[StarTrekDeepSpaceNine Odo]], while Pete is [[StarTrekVoyager Neelix]].
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* HeyItsThatGuy: Clayton is [[StarTrekDeepSpaceNine [[Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine Odo]], while Pete is [[StarTrekVoyager [[Series/StarTrekVoyager Neelix]].
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**** They do mention a "Springfield" in one season 3 episode, which is good enough for this troper to make it an official WMG.
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[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Benson_S1_6412.jpg]]
''Benson'' was a half-hour SitCom that aired on {{ABC}} from 1979-1986. A SpinOff of ''{{Soap}}'', it starred Robert Guillaume as Benson [=DuBois=], who took over as head of household affairs at [[WhereTheHellIsSpringfield the Govenor's Mansion]] under Gov. Eugene Gatling (James Noble) - cousin to Jessica and Mary of ''Soap''. This put him in immediate conflict with Kraus (Inga Swenson), the head cook who coveted the position for herself. Other characters included Katie (Missy Gold), Gene's daughter; Clayton Endicott III (Rene Auberjonois), Gene's Chief of Staff; Pete Downey (Ethan Phillips), the Governor's official photographer; and Denise Stevens Downey (Didi Cohn), the Governor's ditzy personal secretary.
As the show went on, Benson climbed up the political ladder, thanks to Gov. Gatling's trust him him, going from working in the mansion staff to state Budget Director, and then to Lt. Governor, before finally running for Governor himself in the final season.
!!Benson contains examples of following tropes:
* AnAstralProjectionNotAGhost: ''Soap'' ends with Jessica [[BolivianArmyEnding about to be shot by a firing squad in Central America]]. In the next season, she shows up on ''Benson'' as a ghost which only Benson can see. But then she finds out she's not really dead, she's just in a coma in a Central American hospital.
* BreakoutCharacter / EnsembleDarkhorse: A rare case of said character getting spun off into his own show as opposed to [[SpotlightStealingSquad the original show restructured completely around them.]]
* TheCastShowOff: At least one episode a season gave Robert Guillaume a chance to show his singing chops.
* ChuckCunninghamSyndrome: John Taylor, Gene's Season 1 Chief of Staff.
* CommutingOnABus: Katie, in later seasons
* DeadpanSnarker: Benson, Clayton (and Kraus on occasion)
* EpicFail: In season one, Taylor's attempt at a political seat.
-->'''Gov. Gatling''':How did Taylor do?
-->'''Marcie''':He lost. He came in sixth.
-->'''Benson''':How did he come in sixth? There were only five candidates.
-->'''Marcie''':There was a very large write-in for "none of the above".
* {{Expy}}: Gene Gatling is clearly based partly on JimmyCarter.
* FakeNationality: Kraus is German. Inga Swenson, the actress who plays her, is not.
* GeniusDitz: Denise, who could do complex math entirely in her head. Gov. Gatling, to a slightly lesser extent.
* HalloweenEpisode: "The Stranger"
* HeyItsThatGuy: Clayton is [[StarTrekDeepSpaceNine Odo]], while Pete is [[StarTrekVoyager Neelix]].
** A couple of season 2 episodes featured a wisecracking mail courier named Frankie, played by a young [[RetroactiveRecognition Jerry Seinfeld]].
* KeepCirculatingTheTapes: Only season 1 has been released on DVD, 4 years ago, and the show isn't playing in reruns anywhere despite every season of its parent program ''{{Soap}}'' being readily available on DVD and on Netflix.
* LeftHanging: The show was cancelled at the end of its 7th season. The series finale ended on a freeze frame of Benson awaiting the election results. Conflicting accounts exist for this - one is that the staff shot three different endings to cover three scenarios, but wasn't satisfied with any of them and used the freeze frame instead. The other, from a staff member of the show, suggests the network insisted on the cliffhanger and planned to cancel the series due to dissatisfaction with the storyline of a potential 8th season.
* LoopholeAbuse: Gene uses a loophole in the state constitution to run for a third term, despite the fact that he'd already endorsed Benson in the race.
* MissingMom: Gatling is a widower.
* NoPartyGiven: It was never disclosed which party Gene was a part of - though it was "None of the above" by the final season.
* [[OurPresidentsAreDifferent Our Governors Are Different]] Gene Gatling, Gov. GeniusDitz.
* PutOnABus:
** Marcy Hill, Gov. Gatling's first secretary. Got married and moved because of her husband's job. She got a farewell party at the end of Season Two.
** Pete and Denise in the final season. Denise took a job with NASA and Pete went with her.
* RequiredSpinoffCrossover: [[{{Soap}} Jessica Tate]] showed up in a couple of episodes.
* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: Clayton and Denise to Taylor and Marcy.
* VitriolicBestBuds: Benson and Kraus evolve into this by the end of the series.
* WhatMightHaveBeen: A show runner revealed that if the show hadn't been cancelled, the eighth season would've featured Gene winning re-election and Benson becoming a Senator.
* WhereTheHellIsSpringfield: The state ''Benson'' was set in was never revealed, nor was the name of the city the mansion was located in.
** The capital city is always referred to as...Capital City. That might be its proper name.
*** Which would theoretically put it in the same state as [[TheSimpsons the Trope Namer]]?
* YouLookFamiliar: Both from the parent show, ''{{Soap}}''. Inga Swenson (Kraus) played Corrine's birth mother Ingrid Svenson. Caroline [=McWilliams=] (Marcy) played Burt's secretary, who claimed to have had an affair with him at the behest of Svenson. It was never mentioned on ''Benson''.
----
''Benson'' was a half-hour SitCom that aired on {{ABC}} from 1979-1986. A SpinOff of ''{{Soap}}'', it starred Robert Guillaume as Benson [=DuBois=], who took over as head of household affairs at [[WhereTheHellIsSpringfield the Govenor's Mansion]] under Gov. Eugene Gatling (James Noble) - cousin to Jessica and Mary of ''Soap''. This put him in immediate conflict with Kraus (Inga Swenson), the head cook who coveted the position for herself. Other characters included Katie (Missy Gold), Gene's daughter; Clayton Endicott III (Rene Auberjonois), Gene's Chief of Staff; Pete Downey (Ethan Phillips), the Governor's official photographer; and Denise Stevens Downey (Didi Cohn), the Governor's ditzy personal secretary.
As the show went on, Benson climbed up the political ladder, thanks to Gov. Gatling's trust him him, going from working in the mansion staff to state Budget Director, and then to Lt. Governor, before finally running for Governor himself in the final season.
!!Benson contains examples of following tropes:
* AnAstralProjectionNotAGhost: ''Soap'' ends with Jessica [[BolivianArmyEnding about to be shot by a firing squad in Central America]]. In the next season, she shows up on ''Benson'' as a ghost which only Benson can see. But then she finds out she's not really dead, she's just in a coma in a Central American hospital.
* BreakoutCharacter / EnsembleDarkhorse: A rare case of said character getting spun off into his own show as opposed to [[SpotlightStealingSquad the original show restructured completely around them.]]
* TheCastShowOff: At least one episode a season gave Robert Guillaume a chance to show his singing chops.
* ChuckCunninghamSyndrome: John Taylor, Gene's Season 1 Chief of Staff.
* CommutingOnABus: Katie, in later seasons
* DeadpanSnarker: Benson, Clayton (and Kraus on occasion)
* EpicFail: In season one, Taylor's attempt at a political seat.
-->'''Gov. Gatling''':How did Taylor do?
-->'''Marcie''':He lost. He came in sixth.
-->'''Benson''':How did he come in sixth? There were only five candidates.
-->'''Marcie''':There was a very large write-in for "none of the above".
* {{Expy}}: Gene Gatling is clearly based partly on JimmyCarter.
* FakeNationality: Kraus is German. Inga Swenson, the actress who plays her, is not.
* GeniusDitz: Denise, who could do complex math entirely in her head. Gov. Gatling, to a slightly lesser extent.
* HalloweenEpisode: "The Stranger"
* HeyItsThatGuy: Clayton is [[StarTrekDeepSpaceNine Odo]], while Pete is [[StarTrekVoyager Neelix]].
** A couple of season 2 episodes featured a wisecracking mail courier named Frankie, played by a young [[RetroactiveRecognition Jerry Seinfeld]].
* KeepCirculatingTheTapes: Only season 1 has been released on DVD, 4 years ago, and the show isn't playing in reruns anywhere despite every season of its parent program ''{{Soap}}'' being readily available on DVD and on Netflix.
* LeftHanging: The show was cancelled at the end of its 7th season. The series finale ended on a freeze frame of Benson awaiting the election results. Conflicting accounts exist for this - one is that the staff shot three different endings to cover three scenarios, but wasn't satisfied with any of them and used the freeze frame instead. The other, from a staff member of the show, suggests the network insisted on the cliffhanger and planned to cancel the series due to dissatisfaction with the storyline of a potential 8th season.
* LoopholeAbuse: Gene uses a loophole in the state constitution to run for a third term, despite the fact that he'd already endorsed Benson in the race.
* MissingMom: Gatling is a widower.
* NoPartyGiven: It was never disclosed which party Gene was a part of - though it was "None of the above" by the final season.
* [[OurPresidentsAreDifferent Our Governors Are Different]] Gene Gatling, Gov. GeniusDitz.
* PutOnABus:
** Marcy Hill, Gov. Gatling's first secretary. Got married and moved because of her husband's job. She got a farewell party at the end of Season Two.
** Pete and Denise in the final season. Denise took a job with NASA and Pete went with her.
* RequiredSpinoffCrossover: [[{{Soap}} Jessica Tate]] showed up in a couple of episodes.
* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: Clayton and Denise to Taylor and Marcy.
* VitriolicBestBuds: Benson and Kraus evolve into this by the end of the series.
* WhatMightHaveBeen: A show runner revealed that if the show hadn't been cancelled, the eighth season would've featured Gene winning re-election and Benson becoming a Senator.
* WhereTheHellIsSpringfield: The state ''Benson'' was set in was never revealed, nor was the name of the city the mansion was located in.
** The capital city is always referred to as...Capital City. That might be its proper name.
*** Which would theoretically put it in the same state as [[TheSimpsons the Trope Namer]]?
* YouLookFamiliar: Both from the parent show, ''{{Soap}}''. Inga Swenson (Kraus) played Corrine's birth mother Ingrid Svenson. Caroline [=McWilliams=] (Marcy) played Burt's secretary, who claimed to have had an affair with him at the behest of Svenson. It was never mentioned on ''Benson''.
----
