Key West

When the Fox network was just starting out, they weren't afraid to take chances with unusual material and this is the best example. From the first episode, it was natural to see a resemblance to the contemporaneous "Northern Exposure" (1990), with Seamus as the fish-out-of water corresponding to Dr. Joel Fleischman. But then you hit Episode 3, "The Great Unknown", and you know things aren't going to be the same. This is the unlikeliest thing in the world: Magical Realism successfully translated to an American television program. It will probably never be accomplished again. This series richly deserves to be made available on tape or DVD.

Both my husband and I watched Key West with great pleasure...his might have had a lot to do with Jennifer Tilly, who was amazingly attractive in this series. Every character was perfect, the writing was great, the music was wonderful. Today, this series would be like "Scrubs"; a gem to be discovered and given time to catch on. If we had had any idea it would be cancelled so prematurely we would certainly taped every episode. One of my fondest wishes is to finally see a boxed set (videos or DVD) available. Is there anyone or any company that we might all contact to make that happen? Even better, rerunning the series on a cable station...now that gives me hope. Thanks so much for giving me an opportunity to talk about this wonderful series.

My little sister and I didn't know what was different about Key West, but we watched it faithfully, and were mightily disgruntled when it disappeared without apology. The characters, the colors, the dialogue, and some other unnameable thing made this show unforgettable. I'd say 'haunting,' but it wouldn't convey the quiet smile I find when I remember the way Jennifer Tilly said, "Seamus, Baby," when he had that awful fever, or the upbeat-but-not-sappy way the (kooky, but r e a l ) characters interacted. If someone knows where this is available on DVD, I know two nostalgic 20-somethings who'll buy it up in a minute flat.

Sebastian Knowlton's comments were right on the money: Fox, as usual, short-changed the fans of an innovative series and left us with nothing but fond memories. We never even got re-runs, so if we weren't recording it as it was broadcast, memories are all that's left.

The fact that I still remember this after ten years is a testament to its quality. Little gems like this always get lost in the confusion of TV board room decisions, I suppose. The plot was unique and interesting. In fact, I always thought of Key West (the island) a little more fondly after seeing this series. Quirky and charming, this short lived, thoughtful comedy had much to give to television and was robbed of its potential. Combining sunshine, humor and free thinking as always something worth watching. Ah well, quality television is now all but completely restricted to channels that you must pay for. Obviously, interesting adventures such as this could never survive on broadcast television.