History Series / Benson

A SpinOff of ''Series/{{Soap}}'', the series starred {{Creator/Robert Guillaume}} as Benson [=DuBois=], who took over as head of household affairs at [[WhereTheHellIsSpringfield the Governor's Mansion]] under Gov. Eugene Gatling ({{Creator/James Noble}}) -- cousin to Jessica and Mary of ''Soap''. This put him in immediate conflict with Gretchen Kraus (Inga Swenson), the head cook who coveted the position for herself. Other characters included Gatling's daughter, Katie ({{Creator/Missy Gold}}); his chief of staff, Clayton Endicott III (Creator/ReneAuberjonois); his press secretary and photographer, Pete Downey ({{Creator/Ethan Phillips}}); and his ditzy personal secretary, Denise Stevens Downey (Didi Conn).

A SpinOff of ''Series/{{Soap}}'', the series starred Robert Guillaume as Benson [=DuBois=], who took over as head of household affairs at [[WhereTheHellIsSpringfield the Governor's Mansion]] under Gov. Eugene Gatling ({{Creator/James Noble}}) -- cousin to Jessica and Mary of ''Soap''. This put him in immediate conflict with Gretchen Kraus (Inga Swenson), the head cook who coveted the position for herself. Other characters included Gatling's daughter, Katie ({{Creator/Missy Gold}}); his chief of staff, Clayton Endicott III (Creator/ReneAuberjonois); his press secretary and photographer, Pete Downey ({{Creator/Ethan Phillips}}); and his ditzy personal secretary, Denise Stevens Downey (Didi Conn).

A SpinOff of ''Series/{{Soap}}'', the series starred Robert Guillaume as Benson [=DuBois=], who took over as head of household affairs at [[WhereTheHellIsSpringfield the Governor's Mansion]] under Gov. Eugene Gatling (James Noble) -- cousin to Jessica and Mary of ''Soap''. This put him in immediate conflict with Gretchen Kraus (Inga Swenson), the head cook who coveted the position for herself. Other characters included Gatling's daughter, Katie (Missy Gold); his chief of staff, Clayton Endicott III (Creator/ReneAuberjonois); his press secretary and photographer, Pete Downey (Ethan Phillips); and his ditzy personal secretary, Denise Stevens Downey (Didi Conn).

* SitcomArchRival: Benson has two: Gretchen and Clayton.

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Benson_S1_6412.jpg]]

Do ''not'' confuse this with the character Benson from ''WesternAnimation/RegularShow''.

* BreakoutCharacter: Benson, himself, from ''Soap'' to this series; A rare case of said character getting spun off into his own show as opposed to [[SpotlightStealingSquad the original show restructured completely around them]].

* 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]].

A SpinOff of ''Series/{{Soap}}'', the series starred Robert Guillaume as Benson [=DuBois=], who took over as head of household affairs at [[WhereTheHellIsSpringfield the Governor's Mansion]] under Gov. Eugene Gatling (James Noble) -- cousin to Jessica and Mary of ''Soap''. This put him in immediate conflict with Gretchen Kraus (Inga Swenson), the head cook who coveted the position for herself. Other characters included Gatling's daughter, Katie (Missy Gold); his chief of staff, Clayton Endicott III (Rene Auberjonois); his press secretary and photographer, Pete Downey (Ethan Phillips); and his ditzy personal secretary, Denise Stevens Downey (Didi Conn).

* ShootTheMoney: A two-part episode in Hong Kong in season 6.

* YouLookFamiliar: Both from the parent show, ''Series/{{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''.

* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: Clayton and Denise to Taylor and Marcy (In the screenplay, Benson: A Family Reunion, Clayton and Denise have their own 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.)

* RunningGag: Gov. Gatling frequently tells stories about his past, which Benson and the other staffers hate listening to (but can't say so, since he's their friend as well as their boss). The stories usually do have a point connected to the plot of the day, but he takes the scenic route in getting to it.

** Marcy Hill, Gov. Gatling's first secretary. Got married and moved because of her husband's job. She got a farewell party early in Season Three.
** Pete and Denise in the sixth season. Denise took a job with NASA and Pete went with her.
* RequiredSpinoffCrossover: [[Series/{{Soap}} Jessica Tate]] showed up in a couple of episodes.
* 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. His story usually had a point connected to the plot of the day, but he took the scenic route in getting to it.
** Lampshaded and parodied in a two-parter on the Governor's ranch. The ranch foreman tells Benson a long, rambling story that ended with no connection to any current events. When Benson asks what the point was:
--> Foreman: [Gov. Gatling]'s stories have points. Mine are pure entertainment!

* Ship Tease: While [[VitriolicBestBuds Kraus and Benson]] are never in a relationship (and react with horror at the thought), other characters frequently assume they are, and in a few episodes they have to pretend to be a couple- in the fourth season accidentally getting married! A fifth season episode has them convincing their colleagues of a secret affair between them, to which Pete replies that he suspected it all along.

** In the last season Benson is running for Governor because the current Governor is constitnutionally enjoined from seeking another term. But then a loophole appears and he decides to run as an independent. The last episode of the series ends on a cliffhanger as the Governor and Benson sit together watching the election results come in.

** The first {{Christmas episode}} gave us [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnBBgLEPJL8 this clip]] of Guillaume singing "O Holy Night".

** Inga Swenson, a noted Broadway actress, also sings in a couple of episodes: "Stille Nacht" in the above-mentioned Christmas episode and "In the Still of the Night" during a telethon

** The five beginning with the Pilot: Benson (eclectic), Kraus (choleric), Marcy (melancholic), Gov. Gatling (phlegmatic), and Taylor (sanguine).
** The five joining the show later on: Pete (eclectic), Rose (choleric), Denise (melancholic), Katie (phlegmatic), and Clayton (sanguine).

** The five beginning with the Pilot: Benson (eclectic), Taylor (choleric), Kraus (melancholic), Marcy (phlegmatic), and Gov. Gatling (sanguine).
** The five joining the show later on: Pete (eclectic), Clayton (choleric), Rose (melancholic), Denise (phlegmatic), and Katie (sanguine).

* 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.]]

* 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.]]

-->'''Marcy''':There was a very large write-in for "none of the above".