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8 Simple Rules: Season One
I grew up in the fifties, the golden age of the television situation comedy. With shows like ‘Leave it to Beaver’ and ‘Father Knows Best’ we all gathered around the television to laugh at the silly families. Now, as a father myself, I look back and see things a little differently. I realized I wanted to take the parent’s side more and more. Since my child is of the female gender I immediately was drawn to ‘8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenaged Daughter’. This was something I could identify with, a man trying to provide for his family while coping with his daughters growing up. Based on the very funny novel by W. Bruce Cameron, this series had an excellent cast, witty writing and very human stories. Now some may say that a series like this is corny, well in some ways it is but I liked it from the start. First of all it deals with something that both parents and teens can identify with, puberty. The series does not focus on one view point. The kids and parents are both well represented with humor and heart. Paul Hennessy (John Ritter) is a man who just to do right by his family. He gave up the job he loved, a sports writer, to become a living section columnist so he could be at home more. He replaced his constant road trips to follow teams for a weekly column he could write from home. This allows his wife Kate (Katey Sagal) to go back to work as a nurse. What Paul didn’t fully think out is the job of watching the kids has recently changed. They are now all teenagers. Eldest daughter Bridget (Kaley Cuoco) is a typical blond stereotype. She is overly concerned with the right look, fashion, boys and her status as one of the popular clique. Next there is the middle child, Kerry (Amy Davidson). With her full head of rich red hair she is the moody, serious one. Kerry is always sin the shadow of her older sister. Instead of going to an endless stream of parties like Bridget she would much rather read a good book or draw in her ever present sketch book. The youngest of the Hennessy clan is Rory (Martin Spanjers) know to his father as ‘the boy’. As is the case with many younger brothers his greatest enjoyment is snitching on his sisters. When Bridget is late for her curfew he approaches his parents saying he can’t sleep because he is worried his sister is still out. As the season starts he is starting to notice girls and realizes that his sisters just might be of help in his adolescent designs on the young ladies in his class. Too Paul Bridget will always be ‘Beach Girl’ and Kerry ‘Care Bear’. His little girls are becoming women but he won’t let go of his view of them as little carefree children. This doesn’t sit well with the girls who want more independence. This first season is more than the usual parent-teen battlefield. The girls are undergoing some drastic changes. Bridget begins to realize that she is capable of being and acting smarter than she usually does. After a few betrayals by her beautiful, in crowd friends Bridget starts to grow up and realizes there is more to life than the right shade of lipstick. Kerry begins to notice boys herself. While once content to be the loner she now wants a relationship. Rory moves from a constant desire to have a monkey to wanting Missy (Daniella Monet) or one of several cute girls in his class. Things get complicated when Bridget breaks up with her boyfriend Kyle (Billy Aaron Brown) who winds up dating Kerry. This is a problem for Paul since Kyle’s father, Tommy (Larry Miller) works for the same paper as Paul and is always riding him about his decision to quit sports. Kate is happy about returning to nursing, a job she loves, but has the feeling that she is deserting her girls when the need her feminine touch the most. When Paul learns that Kyle has moved from dating Bridget to Kerry he has a dream that sets up one of the funnier scenes. He dreams that Kyle is living with both Bridget and Kerry in a little apartment. He is the building manager and his wife a horny housewife sitting on the couch. Rory appears as the swinger who lives next door. If this sounds familiar it is. This is a nice little homage to the series that made Ritter famous, ‘Three’s Company’. Its little touches like this that makes this one of my favorite sit-coms. There are lessons to be learned in every episode but it doesn’t come across like an after school special. The parents are flawed but not played as the dolts that are used in most TV of this genre. Sure Paul is sometimes ridiculous but he is the father of two beautiful teenage girls. I remember once telling my daughter that the right first time for sex is your twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. There is also a great dynamic between the sisters. There is rivalry between them such a when Kerry beats out Bridget to become a cheerleader. Still, there is a bond between the two girls. When the chips are down they know they can put aside their differences and lean on each other. Of course, they can always be counted on to join forces against their pesky brother. There are some great little touches that help the audience to believe this is a real family. For example references to the dreaded ‘cabin by the lake’. Dad loves going there for the family vacation but the girls feel they have out grown it. In one episode Paul wants to go there but everyone has their own choice of location. He starts a contest where everyone has to give up something. The last one to succeed gets to choose. Paul has to give up the remote control, Kate her coffee, Bridget the phone, Kerry her sarcastic attitude and Rory snitching on his sisters. While many of the scenes are funny the end is poignant as Paul discovers some things that weigh heavily on Kerry’s mind. They fight, they argue but there is love in this family and that is something that television could use more of. This was the last full season of television for the late John Ritter. He has such a natural manner to his style that he was always a delight to watch. Very few television actors had his sense of comic timing or ability to pull off a pratfall. He plays Paul as a concerned father who knows that with his daughters he is over his head in the parenting department. He means well but always seems to annoy his children. Katey Sagal has gone from being one of the worst mothers on television (Married with Children) to one of the best balanced. As Kate she tries to balance her children coming of age, a job and a husband who is not ready to let go of his little girls. She is the prefect straight ‘man’ for Ritter but is also afforded many opportunities to get her own quips in. In her role as Bridget Kaley Cuoco goes beyond the blond bimbo role. It starts out with her as an air head but Cucco soon is able to add greater depth to her character. Although she plays the younger sister Amy Davidson is actually six years older than Cucco. She portrays Kerry as a confused girl on the verge of adulthood. She always looked down on Bridget’s popularity and boyfriends but now finds herself wanting some of it for herself. The ABC television network releases this first season through parent company Buena Vista. Typical of BV release it is doe with great care for the technical specifications. For a half hour format television series the full screen video is crisp and clear with a well done color balance. The Dolby Stereo soundtrack is fairly robust and presents the dialogue well. The only extra is a blooper reel that showcases just how well the cast got along. This series is worth while to add to any collection. It is something that the whole family can enjoy time and time again. It is also a must have for all the John Ritter fans out there.
Posted 07/17/07 | ||||||||
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