Down the Shore

I recall it same on in the early 1990s. I had recently had a share in a summer house just a few seasons beforehand. I wanted to like it but they made it tough.

First, the set was a cheap construction so clearly on a sound stage. (I get it I might be a tougher critic seen I had experienced the real thing.) Second, the retooling of the cast mates. They subbed out one female lead for another. I thought. Miranda-being more of a spitfire-gave the show variety compared to the reinvention with Sammy.

Finally, it can't be summer forever. The episode where 6 single adults, from NYC, wind up in a New Jersey high school, during the summer, should tell you they were running out of ideas.

Loved the Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes theme song though.

This show had two iterations under the same title, but there was only a passing relationship between them.

The first try was a delightful ensemble comedy that, in the right hands, could have made "Friends" seem like a cheap rip-off. In one episode that I remember clearly, even 12 years on, the girls in the cast are dared to go topless on the beach. It was promoted with FOX's usual nudge-nudge wink-wink subtlety, but it actually turned out to be a thoughtful essay on the value and cost of friendship.

The second time the show appeared, it had been tinkered with in the same way my 2 year old tinkered with my VCR. I can only remember watching about 5 minutes of the first episode. What had been a nice ensemble comedy had been reduced to a "let's get the fat guy laid" teen-movie.

"Down the Shore" - we hardly knew ye.

I loved this little show, knowing full well that it was not destined to last long. I found it hilarious and all six of the main characters worked really well with each other.

Even now, when I think of certain scenes from the various episodes, I have a smile on my face.

Too bad that FOX never gave it a better time slot, because it was one of the best shows that network had to offer at that time.