American Dreams

I have to disagree strongly with one parsimonious reviewer who stated there was no reason to watch this show. There are at least two good reasons...

First, if you were a teenager in the early 1960s, like I was, and looked forward to watching American Bandstand, this weekly TV series is a marvelous, nostalgic reminder of those times. Whether your memories were good or bad, this is the closest we will ever get to "being there" one more time. The film clips from the original Bandstand show add to the realism.

Second, if you are too young to remember the 1960s, and are curious, the styles of dress, the dialog, the boy-girl infatuations, the racial tension, the religious conflicts over birth control, the "transistor radios" that everyone carried around, the round-screen black and white TVs, all those are very authentic in this TV series.

"American Dreams" - overall a very fine show, one we've dreamed about for years!

I am a 14 year old living in a world where the American Dream is all about the times. The latest fashion, the newest music. My parents were in their early teens during the 60's, living in a world with Vietnam, and the industries. My mom was the oldest of 5 daughters living on the farm. My dad, the youngest of 2 boys living in a military family in the city. But there is one thing that they both could relate to. The American Dream.

American Dreams brings back that dream with such amazing reality. My parents remember American Bandstand and the artists that performed there. They remember the events happening in the world, and remember what it was like to live during that time. It's like a part of my parent's history, is being brought into my home for me to share with them. I get to understand what their lives were like, and get to know them a little bit better. This show is extremely well written and I will watch this show until it is taken off the air. I watch it with my father, as our Sunday night tradition, milkshake in hand. Sharing memories with my father on these Sunday nights, will become a memory that I will share with my children in the future. A show for the generations to share, American Dreams is helping my parents re-live memories, and helping me form my own.

The show takes me back to my own senior year, 1963. It is very accurate even to the clothing styles and amazingly, the name of a long since closed amusement park called "Willow Grove Park" was mentioned once. I won't dwell on this, but I was one of the kids back in 1962 on American Bandstand myself. I have a highly treasured snapshot I took one day on the set of Dick Clark interviewing Sandra Dee. The show isn't all carefree of course, but then life has never been without problems. Despite this, it depicts an era of a certain innocence we no longer enjoy.

TV shows with historical premises have been successful in the past, but too often they descent into cornball territory. "The Waltons" had a reputation for schmaltz even when it aired, and "Little Houseon the Prairie" wasn't much better ... in fact, the last few seasons were ridiculous at best.

"America Dreams" takes a piece of the recent past, the childhood andteen years of the Baby Boomer generation, the time just before X-ers like myself were born. For the Boomers, it's nostalgia, a look at a time of tumultuous change; for the X-ers, well, for me anyway, it's a glimpse of a legendary time that we remember from our parents' anecdotes and the last few chapters of our highschool history textbooks.

The characters are well-drawn and while they have a stereotypical basis, they aren't restricted to the roles you'd expect; Meg, my favorite character, is pretty and popular, but very socially aware and actively trying to make a difference in the world around her. Reminds me, in an odd way, of Emma from Degrassi TNG in that respect.

The adults on the show are complex and interesting as well, and I got drawn into the story arc after watching just an episode or two this season. I'd really love to go back and catch the previous season at some point.

Anyway ... watchable, interesting, intelligently written, good production values. If you haven't seen it yet, it's worth a look.

American Dreams is one of the best television shows that is on, it has some great writing and an awesome cast. The show follows one family through the times that changed our nation. Set in Philadelphia, the Pryor family is living the dream that many Americans wanted a perfect family or at least an image of one. The actors have all grown into their characters. This show does not use sex and violence to attract it's audience, it is a great show, a must see! It also has a great soundtrack and some cool guest appearances by some of today's up and comers. It also using some older footage from the real American Bandstand, the way they do that is amazing.I give this show 3.8 stars and an A!