The Torkelsons

I now watch this show on the Disney channel where they show The Torkelson's and Almost Home It's spin-off. The Torkelson's was an excellent show that was very original. Each episode has a original plot and is mixed with comedy and drama which makes up a show. Unfortunately the show only survived two seasons and was picked up for a third with almost home. Unfortunately that show got the axe. Why are good shows deep sixed?

Although The Torkelsons was an ensemble comedy, Connie Ray and Olivia Burnette were the obvious stars. They took characters who could have been caricatures (the frazzled, whacky southern mama and her precocious wannabe-poet daughter) and gave rich, realistic and complex performances. Dorothy Jane's crush on Riley was realistically poignant, exciting and angsty as only unrequited teen love can be. The jokes were cute, the lessons learned didn't clobber watchers over the head, and the Torkelsons had a moral-center much more admirable and realistic than most "family values" programming. Networks didn't know what to do with this show. It was so unique that it was difficult to fit smoothly into programming blocks. It was bounced around in the schedule so much that devoted fans set up calling networks to alert each other when they happened to find an episode on the air.

Almost Home tried to put The Torkelsons' heart and wit into a more marketable package, but the sarcastic city kids' reaction to the earnest Oklahomans mirrored the condescension shown by network executives.

This sitcom was great. And the spin-off, Almost Home, was as well. This one had something. But, after a few episodes, we saw re-runs. Oh, why are the good things so short? Maybe it would have helped if ABC, CBS, NBC, or FOX had partnered up with Disney to produce the sitcom.

I just loved "Almost Home" and "The Torkelsons." Both seasons were just great to watch. I remember always wanting to go to my aunts just so I could watch this one show. The acting was wonderful and fun to watch. It's a shame both were cancelled.

Eh, what can I say? This was a sitcom dedicated exclusively for the family. As a teenager I watched it but I thought it was too kitsch and naive but for a younger audience and parents, I think it's a great show.

The situations and jokes were very, very naive but that doesn't means not funny.

I remember with tenderness this show because I grew with it until my pre-pubert phase.

Olivia Burnette was sexy and now more! Please Disney give it a new chance.

By the way, the chapter I remember the most was Drew Carey's guest appearance as the uncle of a loser fat boy.