Sherman Oaks

I was cleaning out old VHS tapes in my storage the other day and came across some tapes I made of the 96' season of this show. After watching a few of the episodes I had taped, and remembering episodes I had seen, I realized what a rare gem this show was for it's time. This was before The Sopranos, Six Feet Under, Sex In The City, etc., etc.. High caliber shows on the pay channels are becoming more and more commonplace now-days, but Sherman Oaks had few competitors at it's time. (At least, none that I remember.) Everyone was so well cast in this series, with the possible exception of Dr. Baker's ditzy daughter. Who was really only eye-candy anyways, so was no big deal. Jason Behr was awesome as Dr. Baker's "wigger" son, and it was really cool seeing Peter Billingsley all grown-up and holding his own in a comedic role. Nick Toth was great as the harried Dr Baker, and Phyllis Katz was Dr Baker's spendaholic, angry wife. It would be great to see all 3 seasons of this show on DVD, but if you can find it in VHS form on the internet, I highly recommend it.

This show should be brought back or SHOWTIME could do something really innovative and bring some of the characters back but on their current series like WEEDS and Californication. I made a comment awhile back about cable shows of the nineties set in Los Angeles: Larry Sanders Show Strip Mall Rude Awakening Beggars and Choosers but somehow I forgot to include this ultra hip comedy. It was sexy, clever yet very cheaply made. The same aesthetic and production budget levels as Reno 911. Where is Tane McClure? Damn! She was hot on this show. Peter Billingsley's character was quite a double-edged creation. Most of the time you would laugh at his character but occasionally you would have to laugh with him. Oh we'll, maybe someday a DVD release.

I loved this show when it was on. A documentary filmmaker comes into the home of a plastic surgeon and his family living in Sherman Oaks, CA, tapes there every move, and I mean EVERY move....even the moves the family doesn't know he's filming. The doctor's wife, into yoga and all sorts of new age stuff, the slutty daughter who gets naked for anyone, the son who thinks hes black, and the other son, a HUGE Republican and a big dork at that. Then we have the, I think, Chinese maid who talks bad about the family behind their backs. I loved everything about this show, and I loved showtime so much at this point in time...I mean...you have Sherman Oaks and at the same time, you had that crazy puppet theatre show, whatever the exact name was. You couldn't lose with the series at this time. Well...I miss the show, and I think Showtime always takes the good shows off the air. One day I'm going to own my own premium network and bring back all these great shows......

I liked this show in the first season and I liked it even better the second.It basically took aim and fired at everyone. The father was semi helpless and kind of naive too. His wife was your typical rich wife stereotype,but still funny. His wannabe son was just stupid as was his daughter,but I understand that the show needed them. Now my favorite character was the ultra conservative nephew.He was put in as a joke on republicans,but I agreed with his politics anyways. Its really ashame Showtime took this show off the air.

BTW,in the first season the maid was a latina,but in the second she was Asian.

Sherman Oaks was really fun to watch. It's a riot to go back to my VHS tapes of the show and see Jason Behr in a role unlike any other he's had since!

Actually, there were 2 housekeepers. In the first season, she was Hispanic (I remember seeing her on Little House on the Prairie also) and in the season after that, the housekeeper was Oriental.

Showtime needs to release this on DVD!