Parker Lewis Can't Lose

Me and my sister used to watch this damn show all the time back in the day. We LOVED it. And we wept when it was cancelled. We WEPT. Most GroundBreaking shows do end up getting cancelled though. But like my old man said, "Crying won't do anything. You have to take action!" So me and my sister started a letter writing campaign to get this show brought back. Of course, we started said campaign last week, but you never know! you never, NEVER know!!!

This show was clever and funny -- and so the network really didn't get it. Some of the satire of middle-class "morality," school bureaucracy, and human egotism was too sharp for the tastes of those folks who prefer every sitcom to be a carbon copy of every other sitcom, all of which are Punch & Judy shows.

Parker was a bright student with a couple of loyal buds who constantly fought their way out of the snares created by the unimaginative world around them. The show was creative, imaginative, funny, and touching. I'm glad to see that it has a new life on cable reruns.

Mental note: Watch the show!

"Parker Lewis" was a very unusual show, and that's probably also the reason why it only lasted 3 seasons. The show revolves around the life of the main character Parker (the trendy guy), and his pals, Mikey (the cool guy), Jerry (the nerdy guy) and later on also Kubiac (the bully guy, who turned out to be all right).

It's all about being a teenager, and all what comes with it, love, trouble with the parents, making choices etc. What makes the show unique is the stories, and more importantly how they are told. It's hard to explain really, but it's something out of the ordinary, and it definately worth checking out.

Even though the show didn't last very long, it did help make the way for other brilliant children/young adult shows such as "Eerie Indiana" and "The Adventures of Pete and Pete".

I love it. I do. This, IMHO, is what a teenage/youth comedy should be. A perfect example of how a series can be intriguing, funny and yet explore the very real situations high school students come face to face with every day. And it does this without being crude, without offensive language etc. Having seen the series, some of the other similar series like Sweet valley high, Saved by the bell and, yes, Ferris Bueller (TV series) look like pale imitations and wannabes. Granted, Parker isn't for everyone. The surreal situations may alienate or simply bother some viewers. But it depends on the person.

Give it a try.

A superb series which only lasted for three seasons. Each episode was meaningful and whilst there were sight gags, the series developed into monologues about relationships, which was handled in a humorous and witty manner. The characters evolved and in particular, Kubiac went from being a brute to someone with a three dimensional character who actually had feelings and emotions.