It is daunting to think about the road not travelled; what if I picked that class, over the other one, or stayed where we were instead of upping roots to greener pastures? How would your life be different then? Would it be better or worse? And if better, how would we make up for it? Would it be worth it? In 2013, a Broadway star and the plight of an adoptee child might be enough to make some comedy magic, in Kirstie.

Madison Banks, a Broadway star, meets her son, Arlo, who she gave up for adoption 26 years ago. They soon want to make up for lost time, which might be easier said than done for Madison, who is in constant competition with Arlo’s late adopted mother. With a semi-blind chauffeur and loyal assistant, Thelma, Madison, and Arlo have much to catch up on. She is trying to become the mother figure that Arlo had, but lost, and now has again, all while trying to get her Tony Award.

This being a TVland production, a variety of T.V. comedy legends join Kirstie Alley in her leading sitcom debut. Rita Perlman brings that spunk and energy that made her character so endearing on Cheers back into this show, which is a treat to behold. After his outburst seven years prior, Vic Nandoza himself, Michael Richards is here playing Frank. It is a pleasant change that his character isn’t too similar to Kramer. Even Jason Alexander, fellow Seinfeld star, makes a guest appearance as Madison’s agent. Including an appearance from John Travolta, who plays a stagehand turned boyfriend, briefly. Apart from being a who’s who of acting talent from, it is a strong vehicle for the talents of Kirstie Alley, now finally distilled into a classic sitcom format.

We learn a lot about these characters in the dozen odd episodes that we get about them, from the depths of Madison’s ambition, to how she met her faithful chauffeur Frank. But there are only so many familiar directions you can go in the guise of a comforting sitcom. The 13 episodes do explore a large gamut of potential comedy, from trying to get Arlo on the talent ladder himself to recapturing the lost X-Mas traditions. The show examines not only the collection of characters it has curated, but also the fun situation of two characters coming back into each other’s lives.

Kirstie is an interesting vehicle for the star Kirstie Alley, surrounded by a host of sitcom legends, playing an interesting character making up for lost time. Nostalgia seems like the operative word here, as familiar faces and setups feel just like the ticket for this quick-fire sitcom. Who knows what further episodes could have brought, as Kirstie was cancelled after its short run. While some stars burn out quicker than we would hope they would, they shine brightly doing so.

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