Ashley Schaeffer is a principal character in Season 1 of Spin City, portrayed by Carla Gugino.
Character[]
Ashley works as a political journalist at City Hall. She is smart, witty and oftentimes a headache for hapless Press Secretary Paul Lassiter as he folds easily under her scrutiny of the administration. She and deputy mayor Mike Flaherty banter and spar, which eventually causes their mutual attraction, resulting in a romance. They move in together at the start of the series, until Ashley is offered a job in Los Angeles and leaves New York.
Story[]
Ashley works for an unnamed newspaper covering City Hall, specifically the Winston Administration. Despite the obvious conflict of interest, she and Mike are in a longtime committed relationship. While both are very capable at their jobs, Ashley sometimes questions whether she lets Mike off the hook too easily, specifically when Mike makes a crack suggesting as much in an interview. Ashley reacts by successfully challenging the administration's flip-flopping stance on help to AIDS victims.[1] At one point, Ashley is offered the chance to anchor news on television, but realises she suffers from stage fright on camera and bombs at her audition. They offer her a callback, however, and she is hired as a reporter for Channel 10 News.[2] Though excited to move into a different area of her work, Ashley soon finds that she's just covering crazy human interest stories around the city. She tries to expand her role to her previous area of politics by sniffing out any possibly scoops. When Carter decides to to protest the ban on gay marriage, Ashley jumps at the chance for an exclusive on the story and gets it. She directs a camera man during the ceremony and interviews Carter afterwards.[3]
The story sees her move away from fluff pieces, and she aims to gain a position for the channel as the city hall correspondent.
Episodes[]
- SEASON 1 (12/24)
- Prototype
- The Great Pretender
- The Apartment
- Pride And Prejudice
- The Rivals
- A Star Is Born
- Grand Illusion
- The High And The Mighty
- Meet Tommy Dugan
- The Competition
- Dog Day Afternoon
- Criss Cross
- SEASON 3 (1/26)
- It Happened One Night
Photos[]
Media[]
- Gugino opts to ‘Spin’ off (VARIETY • DECEMBER 1996)