Niagara (universe TV show)

Niagara
Opening title card for Season 2
Genre	Workplace Sitcom
Created by	Arthur Table
Showrunners	Arthur Table Brenda Mist
Written by	Leo Tanner Glen Davison Marsha Dubois
Directed by	J.D. Cooper Peter Falls
No. of seasons	9
No. of episodes	216
Production
Running time	30
Original release
Network	NBC
Release	September 12, 1984 (1984-09-12) – May 20, 1992 (1992-05-20)

Niagara was a long-running sitcom set at the information desk at Niagara Falls, following a quirky group of employees, tour guides, and local characters who deal with tourists, unusual requests, and each other.

Main cast

• Patricia Wexler as Margaret Donovan
  • The practical and level-headed supervisor of the information desk who keeps the staff functioning despite their constant mishaps.
• Vincent Carlucci as Tommy Russo
  • A wisecracking former tour guide whose shortcuts and schemes often create the week's problems.
• Linda Mercer as Elenor "Ellie" Brooks
  • A hopeless romantic and local history enthusiast who can answer nearly any question about Niagara Falls.
• Richard G. Mallory as Harold P. Wainwright (Season 1 - 6)
  • An elderly employee who has worked at the falls since the 1950s and frequently reminisces about the area's past.
• Karen Delaney as Diane Foster
  • The ambitious public relations coordinator who dreams of turning the information desk into a major tourist attraction.
• Miguel Herrera as Eddie Morales
  • The cheerful maintenance man who seems to know everyone in town and frequently wanders into the staff's adventures.
• Susan Avery as Janet Pierce (Season 2 - 9)
  • A college student hired in the second season whose youthful optimism often clashes with the veterans' cynicism.
• Daniel Keaton as Officer Raymond Keegan
  • A friendly police officer and recurring love interest for Maggie who frequently assists the desk with unusual tourist incidents.
• Goerge Radcliffe as Captain Charles Kemp
  • A gruff but lovable boat captain who regularly stops by the desk to gossip and offer questionable advice.
• Heather Logan as Mellissa Grant (Season 7 - 9)
  • An eager intern introduced in Season 7 who brings modern ideas and accidentally creates chaos in the office.

Series overview

Season	Episodes		Originally released
			First released	Last released
1	24		September 13, 1984 (1984-09-13)	May 16, 1985 (1985-05-16)
2	24		September 12, 1985 (1985-09-12)	May 15, 1986 (1986-05-15)
3	24		September 11, 1986 (1986-09-11)	May 14, 1987 (1987-05-14)
4	24		September 17, 1987 (1987-09-17)	May 19, 1988 (1988-05-19)
5	24		September 15, 1988 (1988-09-15)	May 17, 1989 (1989-05-17)
6	24		September 14, 1989 (1989-09-14)	May 17, 1990 (1990-05-17)
7	24		September 13, 1990 (1990-09-13)	May 16, 1991 (1991-05-16)
8	24		September 12, 1991 (1991-09-12)	May 14, 1992 (1992-05-14)
9	24		September 17, 1992 (1992-09-17)	May 20, 1993 (1993-05-20)

Episodes

Season 1 (1984-85)

No. overall	No. in series	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	Viewers (millions)
1	1	"The New Guy"	TBA	TBA	September 13, 1984 (1984-09-13)	N/A
Unknown
2	2	"Lost and Found at the Falls"	TBA	TBA	September 20, 1984 (1984-09-20)	N/A
Unknown
3	3	"The Wrong Honeymooners"	TBA	TBA	October 4, 1984 (1984-10-04)	N/A
Unknown (NOTE: Airing was pre-empted Sept. 27 for the presidential debate)
4	4	"A Map to Nowhere"	TBA	TBA	October 11, 1984 (1984-10-11)	N/A
Unknown
5	5	"Busload of Trouble"	TBA	TBA	October 18, 1984 (1984-10-18)	N/A
Unknown
6	6	"The Canadian Mix-Up"	TBA	TBA	October 25, 1984 (1984-10-25)	N/A
Unknown
7	7	"A Very Important Tourist"	TBA	TBA	November 1, 1984 (1984-11-01)	N/A
Unknown
8	8	"The Camera Club"	TBA	TBA	November 8, 1984 (1984-11-08)	N/A
Unknown
9	9	"Rainy Day at Table Rock"	TBA	TBA	November 15, 1984 (1984-11-15)	N/A
Unknown
10	10	"Thanksgiving at the Desk"	TBA	TBA	November 22, 1984 (1984-11-22)	N/A
Unknown (NOTE: Thanksgiving Episode)
11	11	"Over the Edge: Part 1"	TBA	TBA	November 29, 1984 (1984-11-29)	N/A
Unknown
12	12	"Over the Edge: Part 2"	TBA	TBA	December 6, 1984 (1984-12-06)	N/A
Unknown
13	13	"A Very Soggy Christmas"	TBA	TBA	December 13, 1984 (1984-12-13)	N/A
Unknown (NOTE: Holiday Finale followed by Winter Hiatus)
14	14	"Frozen Assets"	TBA	TBA	February 7, 1985 (1985-02-07)	N/A
Unknown (NOTE: Spring Premiere)
15	15	"Love on the Canadian Side"	TBA	TBA	February 14, 1985 (1985-02-14)	N/A
Unknown (NOTE: Valentine's Day episode)
16	16	"The Great Canadian Quicker Picker Upper"	TBA	TBA	February 21, 1985 (1985-02-21)	N/A
Unknown
17	17	"The Mayor Visits"	TBA	TBA	February 28, 1985 (1985-02-28)	N/A
Unknown
18	18	"The Tourist from Tokyo"	TBA	TBA	March 7, 1985 (1985-03-07)	N/A
Unknown
19	19	"The Time Capsule"	TBA	TBA	March 14, 1985 (1985-03-14)	N/A
Unknown
20	20	"Spring Breakout"	TBA	TBA	March 21, 1985 (1985-03-21)	N/A
Unknown
21	21	"April Fools on the Border"	TBA	TBA	April 4, 1985 (1985-04-04)	N/A
Unknown (NOTE: Pre-empted March 28)
22	22	"Night Shift"	TBA	TBA	April 18, 1985 (1985-04-18)	N/A
Unknown (NOTE: Pre-empted April 11)
23	23	"Trading Desks"	TBA	TBA	May 2, 1985 (1985-05-02)	N/A
Unknown (NOTE: Pre-empted April 25)
24	24	"The Mist-ery Guest"	TBA	TBA	May 16, 1985 (1985-05-16)	N/A
Unknown (NOTE: Pre-empted May 9)

Season 2 (1985-86)

No. overall	No. in series	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	Viewers (millions)
25	1	"The Sophomore Surge"	J.D. Cooper	Arthur Table	September 12, 1985 (1985-09-12)	N/A
Janet Pierce joins the staff as a seasonal college student, bringing a wave of youthful optimism that immediately clashes with Margaret's strict workplace guidelines. Meanwhile, Tommy attempts to reuse old tour bus tickets to clear out a back-alley merchandise debt.
26	2	"A Map to the Stars"	J.D. Cooper	Brenda Mist	September 19, 1985 (1985-09-19)	N/A
When a rumor spreads that a Hollywood film crew is scouting locations near the Information Desk, Diane goes into promotional overdrive. Harold tries to prove to Ellie that he met a silent film star at the falls in 1954.
27	3	"Counter Intelligence"	Peter Falls	Leo Tanner	September 26, 1985 (1985-09-26)	N/A
Tommy installs a rogue souvenir display on the main desk counter, accidentally creating a territorial dispute with an aggressive local competing vendor. Officer Keegan helps Margaret investigate a rash of missing poncho maps.
28	4	"Wet and Wild"	Peter Falls	Glen Davison	October 3, 1985 (1985-10-03)	N/A
Eddie's friendly nature gets him roped into fixing an out-of-control automated tourist display. Janet struggles to remain cheerful while handling an influx of complaints from an angry conventions group.
29	5	"The Barrel Maker's Son"	J.D. Cooper	Marsha Dubois	October 10, 1985 (1985-10-10)	N/A
An eccentric visitor arrives at the desk claiming to be the descendant of a legendary daredevil, demanding his family's historic barrel back from the storage vault. Captain Kemp stops by with questionable advice on how to handle him.
30	6	"Border Patrol Blues"	J.D. Cooper	Arthur Table	October 17, 1985 (1985-10-17)	N/A
A minor administrative mix-up regarding Tommy's temporary tour guide permit leads to an accidental standoff with border authorities. Margaret tries to handle the desk solo while Diane takes over the phone lines.
31	7	"The Ghost of Goat Island"	Peter Falls	Brenda Mist	October 31, 1985 (1985-10-31)	N/A
On Halloween night, Ellie convinces the staff to stay late to investigate an urban legend concerning a phantom historical guide, while Tommy uses the opportunity to scare the interns with a fake spooky tour.
32	8	"Lost in the Currency Exchange"	Peter Falls	Leo Tanner	November 7, 1985 (1985-11-07)	N/A
Tommy introduces an unauthorized, highly volatile exchange rate system at the desk to help a group of international tourists, causing a financial headache for a strictly administrative Margaret.
33	9	"Margaret's Big Promotion"	J.D. Cooper	Glen Davison	November 14, 1985 (1985-11-14)	N/A
Diane pushes for Margaret to receive a corporate regional promotion, realizing too late that her replacement might turn the Information Desk into a hyper-efficient, fun-free office zone.
34	10	"Raincoats and Heartbreaks"	J.D. Cooper	Marsha Dubois	November 21, 1985 (1985-11-21)	N/A
Janet's long-distance college boyfriend visits unexpectedly, leading to an office-wide intervention led by an overly romantic Ellie. Harold accidentally gets locked in the main supply closet.
35	11	"Over the Edge Again: Part 1"	Peter Falls	Arthur Table	December 5, 1985 (1985-12-05)	N/A
The workplace dynamic escalates when a flamboyant stuntman arrives at the falls planning an unapproved, highly dangerous tightrope walk directly above the viewing platform, forcing Officer Keegan and Margaret to team up.
36	12	"Over the Edge Again: Part 2"	Peter Falls	Arthur Table	December 12, 1985 (1985-12-12)	N/A
As the stuntman prepares his walk, Tommy accidentally takes his place in the staging area due to a costume mishap. The staff must coordinate a hasty rescue before Diane's live promotional broadcast starts.
37	13	"Frosty's Information Desk"	J.D. Cooper	Brenda Mist	December 19, 1985 (1985-12-19)	N/A
In the final episode before the winter hiatus, a massive blizzard traps the crew at Table Rock overnight. Eddie tries to lift spirits with a makeshift holiday dinner made entirely from vending machine snacks.
38	14	"The Freeze Out"	J.D. Cooper	Leo Tanner	February 6, 1986 (1986-02-06)	N/A
Returning from the winter break, the staff deals with frozen pipes and a literal cold front at the desk. Tommy attempts to sell "exclusive" front-row tickets to view the natural ice formations to unsuspecting winter tourists.
39	15	"Cupid's Poncho"	Peter Falls	Glen Davison	February 13, 1986 (1986-02-13)	N/A
On Valentine's Day Eve, Officer Keegan plans an elaborate surprise dinner for Margaret at the desk, but Tommy accidentally ruins the reservation arrangements, forcing the staff to stage a frantic backup plan.
40	16	"The Canadian Complicated"	Peter Falls	Marsha Dubois	February 20, 1986 (1986-02-20)	N/A
Ellie accidentally uncovers a historic, long-forgotten border anomaly that implies the Information Desk technically sits on Canadian soil, causing an immediate bureaucratic panic for Diane.
41	17	"Double Booking"	J.D. Cooper	Arthur Table	February 27, 1986 (1986-02-27)	N/A
Tommy unknowingly schedules two separate large tour groups to arrive at the exact same hour, leading to a crowded office standstill. Harold tries to calm the crowd with long-winded stories about the 1950s.
42	18	"Mist Connection"	J.D. Cooper	Brenda Mist	March 6, 1986 (1986-03-06)	N/A
A charming traveler stops by the desk looking for a mystery woman he met at the falls thirty years ago. Ellie treats the search like a grand historical mystery, while a cynical Janet remains skeptical.
43	19	"The Souvenir Stand Off"	Peter Falls	Leo Tanner	March 13, 1986 (1986-03-13)	N/A
When management updates the office inventory rules to ban unapproved souvenir trinkets, Tommy leads the staff in a minor, highly comedic desk rebellion. Eddie acts as the neutral mediator.
44	20	"Spring Thaw"	Peter Falls	Glen Davison	March 20, 1986 (1986-03-20)	N/A
As the winter ice begins to clear, a rush of energetic spring tourists overwhelms the staff. Captain Kemp arrives with an unexpected catch from his boat that creates an immediate odor crisis in the back room.
45	21	"April Fools in the Spray"	J.D. Cooper	Marsha Dubois	April 3, 1986 (1986-04-03)	N/A
Tommy's annual April Fools' pranks go a step too far when he accidentally targets an influential travel critic visiting the falls under a strict incognito alias. Margaret scrambles to undo the damage.
46	22	"The Tour Bus Trap"	J.D. Cooper	Arthur Table	April 17, 1986 (1986-04-17)	N/A
An abandoned tour bus in the parking lot leaves its passengers stranded at the desk. Janet uses her college organizational skills to manage the chaos, earning a rare, hard-won nod of approval from Margaret.
47	23	"Honey-Moonlighting"	Peter Falls	Brenda Mist	May 1, 1986 (1986-05-01)	N/A
To accommodate an influx of honeymooning couples, Diane stays late to reorganize the regional lodging assignments. Harold shares an emotional memory about his own honeymoon trip to the falls in 1959.
48	24	"Maid of the Mistaken Wedding"	J.D. Cooper	Arthur Table	May 15, 1986 (1986-05-15)	N/A
In the star-studded Season 2 finale, a frantic young couple arrives at the desk having fled their high-profile wedding party. Tommy accidentally convinces the groom to take a boat excursion with Captain Kemp right before the ceremony can be saved, leading to a classic cliffhanger race against the clock.

Season 3 (1986-87)

No. overall	No. in series	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	Viewers (millions)
49	1	"New Faces"	TBA	TBA	September 1, 1986 (1986-09-01)	N/A
Unknown

Season 4 (1987-88)

No. overall	No. in series	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	Viewers (millions)
73	1	"The New Supervisor"	TBA	TBA	September 10, 1987 (1987-09-10)	N/A
Unknown

Season 5 (1988-89)

The "Golden Era" season. The show was a Top 10 ratings hit by this point. Margarete gets promoted, and Tommy gets trapped in a legal battle over Canadian vs. American airspace.

No. overall	No. in series	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	Viewers (millions)
97	1	"Fifth Time's a Charm"	TBA	TBA	September 15, 1988 (1988-09-15)	N/A
Unknown
98	2	"The Daredevil Diaries"	TBA	TBA	September 22, 1988 (1988-09-22)	N/A
Unknown
99	3	"The Horseshoe Hoax"	TBA	TBA	September 29, 1988 (1988-09-29)	N/A
Unknown
100	4	"100 Bottles of Water on the Wall"	TBA	TBA	October 6, 1988 (1988-10-06)	N/A
100th Episode Special
101	5	"Whose Line is it Anyway, Eh?"	TBA	TBA	October 13, 1988 (1988-10-13)	N/A
Unknown
102	6	"The Haunting of Goat Island"	TBA	TBA	October 27, 1988 (1988-10-27)	N/A
Halloween episode (NOTE: Pre-empted Oct. 20)
103	7	"Election Mist"	TBA	TBA	November 3, 1988 (1988-11-03)	N/A
Unknown
104	8	"The Passport Panic"	TBA	TBA	November 10, 1988 (1988-11-10)	N/A
Unknown
105	9	"Thanksgiving Breakdown"	TBA	TBA	November 17, 1988 (1988-11-17)	N/A
Unknown
106	10	"The Canadian Caper: Part 1"	TBA	TBA	November 24, 1988 (1988-11-24)	N/A
Unknown
107	11	"The Canadian Caper: Part 2"	TBA	TBA	December 1, 1988 (1988-12-01)	N/A
Unknown
108	12	"Margaret's Audit"	TBA	TBA	December 8, 1988 (1988-12-08)	N/A
Unknown
109	13	"The Great Gift Exchange Rate"	TBA	TBA	December 15, 1988 (1988-12-15)	N/A
Holiday Finale followed by Winter Hiatus
110	14	"The Ice Bridge"	TBA	TBA	February 9, 1989 (1989-02-09)	N/A
Unknown (NOTE: Spring Preimiere)
111	15	"Heartbreak Hotel"	TBA	TBA	February 16, 1989 (1989-02-16)	N/A
Unknown
112	16	"Diane's Legal Leap"	TBA	TBA	February 23, 1989 (1989-02-23)	N/A
Unknown
113	17	"The Loudspeaker Lunacy"	TBA	TBA	March 2, 1989 (1989-03-02)	N/A
Unknown
114	18	"The Foam Patrol"	TBA	TBA	March 9, 1989 (1989-03-09)	N/A
Unknown
115	18	"Green with Envy"	TBA	TBA	March 16, 1989 (1989-03-16)	N/A
St. Patrick's Day episode
116	19	"The Tour Bus Tantrum"	TBA	TBA	March 23, 1989 (1989-03-23)	N/A
Unknown
117	20	"Lost in the Spray"	TBA	TBA	April 6, 1989 (1989-04-06)	N/A
Unknown (NOTE: Pre-empted March 30)
118	21	"The Fudge Factor"	TBA	TBA	April 20, 1989 (1989-04-20)	N/A
Unknown (NOTE: Pre-empted April 13)
119	22	"Harold Goes Over, Part 1"	TBA	TBA	May 4, 1989 (1989-05-04)	N/A
Unknown (NOTE: Pre-empted April 27)
120	23	"Harold Goes Over, Part 2"	TBA	TBA	May 18, 1989 (1989-05-18)	N/A
Unknown (NOTE: Pre-empted May 1)

Season 6 (1989-90)

No. overall	No. in series	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	Viewers (millions)
121	1	"Return to Table Rock"	TBA	TBA	September 7, 1989 (1989-09-07)	N/A
Unknown

Season 7 (1990-91)

No. overall	No. in series	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	Viewers (millions)
145	1	"The New Intern"	TBA	TBA	September 13, 1990 (1990-09-13)	N/A
Unknown

Season 8 (1991-92)

No. overall	No. in series	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	Viewers (millions)
169	1	"The New Computer"	TBA	TBA	September 12, 1991 (1991-09-12)	N/A
Unknown

Season 9 (1992-93)

No. overall	No. in series	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	Viewers (millions)
193	1	"The Final Descent"	TBA	TBA	September 17, 1992 (1992-09-17)	N/A
Unknown
194	2	"The Kiosk Chronicles"	TBA	TBA	September 24, 1992 (1992-09-24)	N/A
Unknown
195	3	"The Last Daredevil"	TBA	TBA	October 1, 1992 (1992-10-01)	N/A
Unknown
196	4	"Captain Charles' Retirement Plan"	TBA	TBA	October 8, 1992 (1992-10-08)	N/A
Unknown
197	5	"Ellie's Big Move"	TBA	TBA	October 15, 1992 (1992-10-15)	N/A
Unknown
198	6	"Ghost in the Machine"	TBA	TBA	October 29, 1992 (1992-10-29)	N/A
Halloween Episode (NOTE: Pre-empted Oct 22)
199	7	"The Campaign Trail Mix"	TBA	TBA	November 5, 1992 (1992-11-05)	N/A
Unknown
200	8	"Ellie Grows Up"	TBA	TBA	November 12, 1992 (1992-11-12)	N/A
Unknown
201	9	"Thanksgiving in a Poncho"	TBA	TBA	November 19, 1992 (1992-11-19)	N/A
Unknown
202	10	"The Final Countdown: Part 1"	TBA	TBA	November 26, 1992 (1992-11-26)	N/A
Unknown
203	11	"The Final Countdown: Part 2"	TBA	TBA	December 3, 1992 (1992-12-03)	N/A
Unknown
204	12	"A Bitter Cold Welcome"	TBA	TBA	December 10, 1992 (1992-12-10)	N/A
Unknown
205	13	"The Last Christmas at Table Rock"	TBA	TBA	December 17, 1992 (1992-12-17)	N/A
Holiday Finale (NOTE: Followed by Winter Hiatus)
206	14	"The Digital Age Dawns"	TBA	TBA	February 4, 1993 (1993-02-04)	N/A
Unknown (NOTE: Spring Premiere)
207	15	"The Valentine’s Day Kiosk Crash"	TBA	TBA	February 11, 1993 (1993-02-11)	N/A
Valentine's Day episode
208	16	"Soggy Bottom Blues"	TBA	TBA	February 18, 1993 (1993-02-18)	N/A
Unknown
209	17	"The Great Border Blockade"	TBA	TBA	February 25, 1993 (1993-02-25)	N/A
Unknown
210	18	"March Madness at the Desk"	TBA	TBA	March 4, 1993 (1993-03-04)	N/A
Unknown
211	19	"The Souvenir Strike"	TBA	TBA	March 11, 1993 (1993-03-11)	N/A
Unknown
212	20	"A View to a Spill"	TBA	TBA	March 18, 1993 (1993-03-18)	N/A
Unknown
213	21	"The Golden Poncho Awards"	TBA	TBA	April 1, 1993 (1993-04-01)	N/A
Unknown (NOTE: Pre-empted March 25)
214	22	"Tommy Unplugged"	TBA	TBA	April 15, 1993 (1993-04-15)	N/A
Unknown (NOTE: Pre-empted April 8)
215	23	"The Last Tourist: Part 1"	TBA	TBA	April 29, 1993 (1993-04-29)	N/A
Unknown (NOTE: Pre-empted April 22)
216	24	"The Last Tourist: Part 2"	TBA	TBA	May 20, 1993 (1993-05-20)	N/A
Unknown (NOTE: Pre-empted May 6 and 13 to build hype for the series finale)

Music

As the show was nearing its end, the studio had already secured syndication rights for its entire run, aiming to keep the show on air as long as possible. This prompted them to revisit contracts for many of the music tracks featured in the early 80s. Unfortunately, numerous tracks couldn't be renewed because the original studios demanded higher licensing fees. As a result, many popular songs were replaced by in-house sound-alikes that didn't need extra licensing.

Out of the few that did get renewed, the most popular was Finally You by Foolish Creeper. This renewal put their song front and center for a new generation who might have missed its earlier appearance over a decade ago. The new licensing deal allowed the band to fund their future two albums and continue their already long career.