Davis Rules

One of my most prized homemade VHS tapes is a compilation of 7 or 8 Davis Rules episodes from 1991-1992. What a great show! Set in the Seattle area, the stories incorporated aspects of Northwest life that made the area seem very attractive to someone from West Tennessee!

The chemistry among the characters seemed so relaxed, understated and, therefore, real. Having Bonnie Hunt and Jonathan Winters in the same show is just too good to miss. Unfortunately, it was perhaps off beat enough that not enough people appreciated it. You can keep "Friends" and "Seinfeld"..."Davis Rules" was much better!

I loved this show. The feeling of family was so real. The characters were so not cookie cutter. The sense of the Northwest, even for such a cheesily produced program as a sitcom, was palpable. Dennis Quaid was solid, yet wacky. I fell in love with Patricia Cookson at once. When they added Bonnie Hunt, I fell even more in love with the show. Even the kids were terrific, and I hate kids. Best of all, Jonathan Winters was given the freedom to be both Gunny Davis and whoever the gunny thought he ought to be, at any given moment. A rich wonderful rewarding experience!

Warm, real, and original with absolutely hilarious ad-libs from Jonathan Winters, this show was far too good to last on commercial TV. Even the kids here held up their end of the acting superbly, never descending into the stilted, unnatural cuteness or irritating smart-mouth brattiness that's too common everywhere else. Not a single regrettable episode. I enjoyed it immensely.