The Torkelsons

I just loved "Almost Home" and "The Torkelsons." Both seasons were just great to watch. I remember always wanting to go to my aunts just so I could watch this one show. The acting was wonderful and fun to watch. It's a shame both were cancelled.

Eh, what can I say? This was a sitcom dedicated exclusively for the family. As a teenager I watched it but I thought it was too kitsch and naive but for a younger audience and parents, I think it's a great show.

The situations and jokes were very, very naive but that doesn't means not funny.

I remember with tenderness this show because I grew with it until my pre-pubert phase.

Olivia Burnette was sexy and now more! Please Disney give it a new chance.

By the way, the chapter I remember the most was Drew Carey's guest appearance as the uncle of a loser fat boy.

The Torklesons, and later Almost Home, were sitcoms originally aired on NBC, and later, canceled mid-season. We faithfully watched each week, until the bitter end.

I was so excited when The Disney Channel -years later- acquired the reruns (Disney went through a phase -before they started producing their own sitcoms- where they aired episodes of several good family shows other networks had dropped or canceled mid-season).

These little-known shows were much-enjoyed by my family. We were able to tape each episode as it aired later on the Disney channel and still play them, marathon-style, on rainy days. Most people are unaware that a very young Brittany Murphy got her start here (as well as a few other sitcoms from that era).

In the small town of Pyramid Corners, Oklahoma, Millicent Torkelson (Connie Ray) is struggling to raise her five children with no money after her husband abandoned the family. She needs to rent out a room to elderly loner Wesley Hodges (William Schallert). Dorothy Jane Torkelson (Olivia Burnette) is the oldest child at 14. She is often embarrassed by her family and their poverty. She's been longtime pursued by goofy boy Kirby and has a crush on the new neighbor boy despite him being 4 years older.

This is a sincere family friendly sitcom fare first on NBC and later on the Family Channel. Sometimes, it almost gets to be an afternoon school special movie of the week. Other episodes remind me of other better shows. I do like Dorothy Jane, even her monologues. I thought that they could do more with Riley Roberts although his character was probably always one season and done. He's a senior after all. The high number of kids do keep them from having their own stories other than a couple of episodes. After one season, the show gets rebranded as Almost Home and lose two of the kids.

Wish the would bring it out on DVD!!!! I loved this Show growing up and had it taped but lost them! Now I can't find it on anywhere! So I really Wish the would release it on to DVD for those of us that want to remember our Childhood!!! They have so many other shows on DVD why not this one!!! I would do anything to go back to the time when this show was on Disney!!! Nick has a 90's are all that thing going on now that shows all of there 90's classic shows. I think Disney should do it too! Shows like the Torkelsons, Avonlea, and Eerie Indiana were my favorite on Disney!!! Our Childhoods are very Special and we need to hold on to them as mush as we can and these shows help us hold on to that magic!!!