The Best of Families

Spurred by the extraordinary success of Upstairs Downstairs, it was the first attempt at adult production by Children's Television Workshop. Gareth Davies assembled a fine production staff and the actors were exceptional. As a graduate student at Columbia I had the pleasure of interning on this production as a picture researcher, searching New York Public Library and the Bettmann Archive for period photos and news articles to provide historical context. I'd love to see it available again.

Why did they never release a copy of this wonderful drama? Isn't there someone in the business who can search it up and make it available to be viewed? With all the now familiar actors in this superb series, it is such a shame the PBS network could not have reissued this on DVD. I do think it would have been a well-watched production. Also a learning of history for students nowadays. Is there never going to be a chance of it being shared with viewers of quality television production? A lovely contast of life in three classes of our country's history....how each person made the country grow in the USA in the late 1800's.

Even after all these years, I still remember how much I enjoyed this mini-series and how much I wish it had been recorded for purchase. The story of the turn of the century in NYC was so well done, with many excellent actors and actresses. Some, like William Hurt and Victor Garber, went on to do many good roles. But none like this series. Everyone in it brought history to life.........the poor class with the Irish family, the male members helping to build the Brooklyn Bridge....the middle class who were living much better and exploring the new world (including the use of the box camera by the wife to record history......and the wealthy class, which included the Roosevelts. Unless someone from the Children's Television Workshop which produced it takes the initiative to make it available, if you have not seen it, you never will. What a blessing to all of us who had the opportunity to see it. A piece of history no longer available.