Just the Ten of Us

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!

Just the Ten of Us was a wonderful show. It had that thing that makes shows and movies so special. It was way better than Growing Pains, the show that spun Just the Ten of Us off. Bill Kirchenbauer was the funniest of all the cast. I recall he was going into one of his classes and was coming from track practice. He had the starting pistol and when the class wouldn't be quiet, he fired it into the air and everyone rushed to their desks. So funny.

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.

God, I'm getting old because I can recall this show being shown on Friday nights on ABC when it was really family viewing. Of course, it spun off of Growing Pains which was superior but it still worked with Coach Lubbock and his over-sized family including the devoutly Catholic wife played wonderfully by Deborah Harmon. The kids were also wonderfully played by Heather Langenkamp who played the equally religious Marie. Jamie Luner played one of the twins and I forget Brooke's last name who played the other twin. They were the only girls in an all-boy Catholic school in Eureka, California. The show only lasted two seasons but I bet it could have thrived in syndication. It's a pity that we don't have family oriented shows anymore like this.

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.