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From out of the East, into the West, "Then Came Tree." This classic TV action hit from the early 70's is fondly remembered by fans of Westerns, blaxploitation, and "chop-socky" movies everywhere. Combining elements of "Kung Fu," "Superfly," "Gunsmoke," and "F-Troop," it was a show like no other (except for "Kung Fu," "Superfly," "Gunsmoke," and "F-Troop"). Everyone remembers the set-up of the show, which followed an Afro-American pilgrim across the Old West of the United States in the late 1800's: Left on the steps of a Buddhist Temple by a runaway British slave and minstrel show banjo player, Tree was raised as a poor Chinese child in the temple, where he was trained in the arts of Kung Fu, Fung Shui, Zen philosophy, pan flute, stir-fry cooking, and quality dry cleaning. In return, Tree helped the Buddhist monks learn tolerance, understanding, and how to move your hips while you're dancing. His familiar refrain, "Show me the love," echoed throughout the Temple. These were the happy days... The Chinese chicken salad days. But as a teenager, Tree was visiting the Forbidden City to pay tribute to the Emperor, when a drunken palace guard insulted Tree's momma, sending the hot-tempered teenager into a violent tantrum, in which he accidentally stabbed the Emperor's 2nd-cousin with his five-pronged Afro-comb. Tree was forced to flee to the New World, trudging through the Southwestern United States, to help a long succession of recently-widowed-and sexually-frustrated, beautiful farm owners battle the evil land grabbers and drunken, culturally biased cowboys living in town (but always waiting to beat the living crap out of them until the last ten minutes). "Then Came Tree" ruled Saturday nights on CBS from 1972 until 1978... but weeks before the long-awaited "Tree meets the Jeffersons" show (with Sherman Helmsley himself playing the great-grandfather of George Jefferson), the series was cancelled by the network -- despite respectable ratings and the introduction of Tree's adorable nephew, "Lil' Sappling."
After the show's cancellation, its legend continued to grow. Tree's "Show Me the Love Clubs" sprang up all over the world. It was seen several times a day on TV all over the greater Detroit area for many years. In 1994, a reunion show was filmed, with most of the original cast returning (Ted McGinley replaced the original Shaolin Master). It was a moderate ratings success, but the network declined to revive the show as a series. But now Tree can be seen again, twenty-five years later, in the new bachelor-cooking show, "Show Me the Love," where Tree gives helpful hints on bachelor living and teaches how to cook without a lot of fuss! (And then kick the asses of three rednecks at the end of each show, for tradition's sake.) So today the legend of Tree lives on, on a syndicated station near you. Check your local listings. (Here's a hint: It'll probably be when it's REEEEALLY late.) And remember: SHOW HIM THE LOVE!
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