A Year in the Life

The best I have ever seen! I was lucky enough to tape it the first time around, and its episodes following. Even though it lasted a year, I watch it every year at Christmas. I wonder why it is never shown anymore. I thought for sure Lifetime would replay it. David Oliver and Sarah Jessica Parker were outstanding.

The original "A Year in the Life," mini-series aired on NBC during the evenings of December 15, 16, and 17, 1986. This is one of the most heart warming and well produced movies that has ever been broadcast. Very few movies impact me the way that this one did. I simply can't understand why it was never released on either VHS or DVD. The musical score, composed by Elizabeth Swados is every bit as moving as the storyline. The writers of this mini-series did an exceptional job and the acting was superb. I was very sad to learn that David Oliver, who plays the role of Sam Gardner, died of AIDS in 1992. Richard Kiley, who died in 1999 does an outstanding job as the father and the overall emotional up and downs portrayed by the rest of the cast reminds me of very real life situations. I originally recorded the movie on VHS, EP mode, so the quality is marginal at best. If anyone learns that this exceptional mini-series becomes available on DVD or if the musical score becomes available on CD, please contact me at mr0370307@aol.com. If you are reading this but have never seen the original mini-series, try to get your hands on a rare copy that was recorded on VHS and may be available on eBay or from some other source. I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

I saw the whole series during Christmas in 1988. I taped it and watched it over and over... I simply loved it! It's funny and sad at the same time. What that family goes through in one year is something that could happen to a lot of people. The actors, especially Adam Arkin and Sarah Jessica Parker is doing a good job. I remember I felt sad for the father in the house...

If someone ever reads this please send me an E-MAIL. My friend borrowed the tapes a year after, and destroyed it by accident... I was, and still are, very sad.

I would very much like to watch this movie again! If you know where to get/buy it please let me know!

Have a nice summer :o)

If anyone has tapes that they can make I would love to pay for them. This was my ultimate favorite show back in the eighties when it was on. I was just a teenager then but had such a crush at the time on Trey Ames! I also was a big fan of Amanda Peterson. I wish this show would have launched their careers among many others as well on the show. I sure do wonder what happened to Trey Ames and Amanda Peterson. I wish another network would pick it up. I know it was only one season but so was "My So-Called Life" and that has been picked up and the episodes aired on other networks. I just saw it the other night on a cable channel. "A Year in the Life" had an excellent cast and was excellently written/directed. Shows don't come around like this very often. I miss it and hope to see it on TV at some point in the future.

TWIMC,

I loved this show... Thought it was one of the better weekly shows on TV in 1986... I would love to find a copy of that one season.. What I remember most is Amanda's Peterson character was named "Sunshine" so they called her Sunny and Sara Jessica Parker was crazy about Sam, who was in love with her but marrying someone else... I thought the portrayals of a family dealing with the death of the their mother, the oldest daughter (Wendy Phillips) trying to hold onto her marriage... the children dealing with their grandmother's loss and their mother's failing relationship and trying to find their way, as well as the patriarch trying to live make a new life without his life mate... I thought it was all pretty amazing and believable... The show made me laugh and it made me cry.

Is anyone out there willing to sell copies of this series? I hope so.. Get in touch...Please.