Just the Ten of Us

I'm one of the many previous posters that was never a fan of "Growing Pains". This show's back-bone was the "hot" range of female actresses, playing on their "coming of age" (they conveniently managed to fit in every stereotype to meet the "preference" of nearly every heterosexual, white middle-class kid in High School). Yet, for some reason, "Just the 10 of Us" also seemed to capture the spirit of the age (late 80's humor, kitsch, and even social problems if you dig deep enough). The show was canceled without warning, although we kind of felt it coming as the character expositions were getting very deep; too deep to keep a shallow ADD audience. An example was when the Heather Langenkamp character was going into a convent-- her supposed lifelong ambition, which then progresses to a realization by both her and her mother that this was not really the case. Not saying this show should ever be "re-made", but I think it is definitely an overlooked slice of Americana that should be given more credit and respect.

What can I say about this show? This show is what got me interested in network television shows albeit I was very young when this show aired originally ( around 7 or 8) I still got hooked. And now when I get lucky enough to find one of my old VHS tapes that still is watchable I find that the show ages well. It is just as funny now as it was then, well I mean some of the jokes are a little cornier now but thats cool. The show, to me at least, defined what TGIF was to young people of my generation. Growing up in the early 90s and late 80s its what you did. On Friday night you watched TGIF and this show was a great addition to that line up. Too bad ABC canceled the show in its prime.

I loved this spin off from Growing Pains, where the character of Coach Graham T. Lubbock from Dewey High School got his own show after the stupid principal Detwit fired him. Most of the episodes were pretty good and I did like the fact that some of the characters evolved a little bit, like Wendy near the end (the nature scout episode). Coach was also an all around teacher, teaching not only phys. ed, but regular classes and even directed plays for the school. Yes, he could be protective, but what father isn't? In fact, I think most parents today aren't like him. I'm glad to see some of the episodes on youtube, although I'd love to see the final season, that had some really great moments, like when the girls go to the Virgin Islands and the smoking episode. I'd love to see the show back in reruns on USA or somewhere. Maybe on DVD. Again, it is too bad they canceled this show since it was popular, but I guess sometimes decisions are made by network execs that we don't like.

I wasn't that big a fan of this when I first saw it, and watched mostly to see Brooke Theiss. Years later I thoroughly enjoyed SAVANNAH, and until recently became involved in a five- and-a- half year search for it, during which I learned that the show's main protagonist Jamie Luner was in MELROSE PLACE and JUST THE TEN OF US. Which meant searching was on for this one as well. I have since then only managed to see one episode I could download. My provider doesn't allow streaming so I can forget about YouTube, how cruel life is. I'd have been only too thankful to see some more episodes, but I don't suppose there is any kind-hearted souls out there who'd download me some onto a cellphone memory card, no hope there, this being the bad old 21st Century. But I'd hope and hope here on this side at my gmail.com address. Unfortunately, I remember too little to do a proper review, I was just always freaked out by the Coach dancing about in his striped pajamas. Arghh! Now everything with Jamie Luner in it is a worthy collectible to me, and I am offering a reward for any except the episode that starts off with Brooke climbing through the kitchen window and landing in the sink, because I got that one. A lesson here: Some things get more valuable with the passage of time. Come back JUST THE TEN OF US, striped pajamas and all!

I was never a Growing Pains fan. I found that show to be pandering, simplistic, and downright stupid. I would never have given even a second though to a Growing Pains spin off, had Brooke Thies not been in it. Brooke attended the same school that I did, and a big deal was made about her appearance in this new weekly series.

I was surprised to find that the show became an instant favorite of mine. Unlike Growing Pains, the show didn't take itself seriously, didn't obsess over providing a "moral lesson" in each episode, and was actually willing to insult its own characters. Now THIS is the type of comedy which can actually be funny!

Sadly, Just the Ten of Us never achieved the popularity that Growing Pains did, and it only survived for two seasons. The final episodes, where the girls were turned into the "Lubbock Babes" signing group, were embarrassing to watch, and were a clear indication that all was not well with the show's future.

I really liked the "Connie" character, played by JoAnn Willette. Even though this actress was far too old for the role, I found her character -- the smart, down-to-earth daughter who is "forgotten" amidst her attention grabbing sisters -- to be interesting.

Hopefully we'll see it on cable sometime soon.