Veronica's Closet is an American television sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman. It aired on NBC for three seasons, from September 25, 1997, to December 7, 2000. The series marked Kirstie Alley's return to the network in a starring role since Cheers concluded its eleventh-season run in 1993.

Kirstie Alley starred as Veronica "Ronnie" Chase, the owner and head of the titular fictional lingerie company in New York City, which was derived from the real-life lingerie company, Victoria's Secret. Kathy Najimy, Dan Cortese, Wallace Langham, Darryl Mitchell, Robert Prosky (season 1), Ron Silver (season 2), and Lorri Bagley (season 3) co-starred.

The show was a top 10 success during its first two seasons (ranking No. 3 in its first year and No. 5 in its second), airing between Seinfeld and ER within the 'Must See TV' lineup. Ratings dropped when NBC moved it to a new timeslot, resulting in the show being cancelled after three seasons on the air. During its run, it aired a total of 66 episodes (22 per season). The show was never released on physical media; it eventually received a digital release and began appearing on streaming services in the mid-2020's, with all episodes remastered in HD.

Overview Veronica "Ronnie" Chase, played by Alley, has made a living being known as the "Queen of Romance". She is the owner of Veronica's Closet, a company that sells lingerie and other bedroom accessories. Her husband Bryce (Christopher McDonald), regularly cheats on her, though she always takes him back because of the image she has created. However, after another tryst, Veronica decides to leave him and begins her life as a single woman.

She is championed by her best friend and Chief Financial Officer Olive Massery (Kathy Najimy), and her father Pat Chase (Robert Prosky), who is also her chauffeur. She works with Perry Rollins (Dan Cortese), a former thong model who is her publicist; her assistant Josh Blair (Wallace Langham); and Leo Michaels (Darryl Mitchell). Later in the first season, she gets a silent partner in Millicent (Holland Taylor), but when Millicent dies, the company is taken over by her incompetent son.

During the second season, Millicent's ex-husband Alec Bilson (Ron Silver) takes the company from his former stepson and helps the company regain some financial ground. However, he and Ronnie get close romantically as the season progresses. He dies between seasons two and three and is revealed to have married someone else. His widow, June Bilson (Lorri Bagley), is a stereotypical dumb blonde who has some secret intelligence. She remodels the entire office and refuses to give up her share of the company until Olive buys her out in the series finale.

Cast

Main Kirstie Alley as Veronica "Ronnie" Chase Dan Cortese as Laird "Perry" Rollins, former underwear model and publicist Wallace Langham as Josh Nicolé Blair, Veronica's assistant, whose sexual identity is unclear Daryl Mitchell as Leo Michaels, Veronica's harried marketing manager Kathy Najimy as Olive Massery Robert Prosky as Pat Chase (season 1) Ron Silver as Alec Bilson, Veronica's business partner and rival (season 2) Lorri Bagley as June Bilson Anderson, Alec's wife and Veronica's partner (season 3)

Recurring Mary Lynn Rajskub as Chloe (15 episodes) Cynthia Mann as Virginia/Receptionist (15 episodes) Christopher McDonald as Bryce Anderson (9 episodes), Ronnie's ex-husband Ever Carradine as Pepper (8 episodes) Tamala Jones as Tina (8 episodes) Alan F. Smith as Brian (7 episodes) David Starzyk as Pete (5 episodes) Lupe Ontiveros as Louisa (4 episodes) James Wilder as Hunter (3 episodes) Erica Shaffer as Waitress/Assistant (3 episodes) Mark Harelik as Paul Byrne (3 episodes) John Schneider as Tom (3 episodes) John Mariano as Chris (3 episodes) Holland Taylor as Millicent (2 episodes) Scott Baio as Kevin (2 episodes)

Guest stars Eric McCormack as Griffin Ted Danson as Nick Vanover Michael Jeter as Edwin Murloff Conan O'Brien as Himself Jay Leno as Himself Portia de Rossi as Carolyn Leeza Gibbons as Herself Ingo Rademacher as Reg Zooey Deschanel as Elena Tia Carrere as Kim Tom Arnold as Chris John Ritter as Tim RuPaul as Brett Anna Nicole Smith as Donna

Production history, reception, and ratings The show was taped at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California, on soundstage 25.

The role of Bryce was originally played by Jamey Sheridan in an unaired pilot before the role was recast with Christopher McDonald. The producers had wanted McDonald to play Bryce but he could not accept the role at first because when they were filming the pilot, he was shooting Into Thin Air. The original pilot was then reshot when McDonald became available.

The series premiered on September 25, 1997, after Seinfeld, to 35 million viewers. Variety gave it a mixed review but said it had potential. Its title was derived from the real-life lingerie company, Victoria's Secret. They complained about it. Hammocked between Seinfeld and ER within the 'Must See TV' lineup, the show was a huge success, although the initial ratings died down a bit later in the first season. The New York Times said it "has the highest Nielsen ratings of any new show this season and critics are lining up to proclaim her show 'must-she TV'."

The sitcom spent the first two seasons as a top 10 hit (No. 3 in its first season, No. 5 in its second), airing on Thursdays at 9:30 (after Seinfeld in season 1 and after Frasier in season 2). NBC moved the show out of "Must See TV" to a new timeslot, following Suddenly Susan (another NBC sitcom centered around a professional single woman), on Mondays for the 1999–2000 season. Ratings fell more than 50 percent, and NBC put both shows on hiatus. The show returned on Tuesdays at 9:30 (after Will & Grace) with only a slight boost in ratings. It went on hiatus again, this time an extended one, in February 2000. A few episodes were burned off later that June, with the final four not airing at all on NBC. The network then canceled the series, along with Suddenly Susan, due to low ratings.

Reruns were shown on USA Network from 2000 to early 2003 and on TV Guide Network from 2011 to 2012. The final four episodes were also first shown on that network.

Home Media

The show was never released on VHS, DVD, or any form of physical media; it eventually began appearing on streaming services in the mid-2020's and received a digital release for purchase on various platforms in late August 2026, with all episodes remastered in HD. Due to music licensing issues, Moby's song "Bodyrock", which originally played over the opening credits for Season 3, was removed and replaced by a slightly extended version of the original theme song - Jeffrey Osborne's "She's Got Everything", which remains in place and was used for the opening credits of Season 1 and, to a lesser extent, Season 2.

Episodes

Series overview

Season 1 (1997–98)

Season 2 (1998–99)

Season 3 (1999–2000)

Broadcast and ratings history Season TV season Timeslot (ET) Season premiere Season finale Rank Viewers(in millions) 1 1997–1998 Thursdays @ 9:30/8:30 Central (NBC's Must See TV Thursdays) September 25, 1997 May 9, 1998 #324.4 2 1998–1999 September 24, 1998 May 6, 1999 #519.3 3 1999–2000 Mondays @ 8:30/7:30 CentralTuesdays @ 9:30/8:30 CentralTuesdays @ 8:30/7:30 Central September 20, 1999 December 7, 2000 #867.97

Accolades

The series received recognition from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, and the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Arts among other associations. YearAssociationCategoryNominee(s)ResultRef1998ALMA AwardsOutstanding Actress in a Comedy SeriesLupe OntiverosAmerican Comedy AwardsFunniest Female Performer in a TV Series (Leading Role) Network, Cable or SyndicationKirstie AlleyASCAP Film and Television Music AwardsTop TV SeriesMichael SkloffGiorgio BertuccelliMichael SkloffDavid ZippelCasting Society of AmericaBest Casting for a TV, Comedy PilotLeslie LittBarbara MillerEmmy Awards (Primetime)Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy SeriesKirstie AlleyGolden GlobesBest Performance by an Actress in a Television Series — Comedy or MusicalKirstie AlleyKids' Choice AwardsFavorite Television ActressKirstie AlleyOnline Film & Television AssociationBest New Comedy SeriesVeronica's ClosetBest Supporting Actress in a SeriesKathy NajimyBest Supporting Actress in a Comedy SeriesKathy NajimyBest Supporting Actor in a Comedy SeriesWallace LanghamBest Episode of a Comedy Series (for episode "Veronica's First Thanksgiving")Lee Shallat Chemel (directed by)Doty Abrams (written by)Best New Title Sequence in a SeriesGavin MacKillopBest New Theme Song in a SeriesGiorgio BertuccelliMichael SkloffPeople's Choice AwardsFavorite New Television Comedy Series (tied with Dharma & Greg)Veronica's ClosetScreen Actors Guild AwardsOutstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy SeriesKirstie Alley

Note

References

External links