User reviews

This show was one of my all time favorites and one of the best shows ever. Of course, like a number of past shows on the big three networks, it was rewarded for its excellence by cancellation. This show was a wonderful portrait of mid American life in the post world War 2 period. Not a single performance hit a false note, and the scripts captured all of the social changes and cultural trends of the time. I still remember one episode about labor-management conflict. There was a fascinating montage at the end, showing a meeting of managers and business owners in one room and of labor organizers in the other. In each room, there is just one woman present-to serve coffee. Let me speak frankly. It has been said before, but the collective intelligence of most TV programmers and executives is roughly equivalent to that of gnats. A whole TV network could be fashioned just out of brilliant, but canceled shows. The Westerner, Slatterys People,Channing, My Wotld and Welcome To it, The John Larouquette Show, Nichols, East Side West Side, the Rogues, I'll Fly Away,The Adventures of Briscoe County Junior, T.H.E. Cat, and this- and that is only the tip of the iceberg. Sometimes, I think TV is a device to make us dumb,and that whenever a good show briefly slips through the cracks, and actually tries to , God help us, provoke thought, it is rapidly canceled, unless the writers come up with a clever enough gimmick, like a mysterious Island, or a suburban Mafia family, or a father and son team of defense attorneys. Ah, there are a half million stories from the annals of network stupidity, and this was one of them.

Homefront is one of those shows that rang true from beginning to end. The casting was perfect, the writing was superb and, visually, the show was spot on. Tammy Lauren and Kyle Chandler's performances as Jeff and Ginger were wonderful. The rest of the cast, which included Wendy Phillips, Mimi Kennedy, Ken Jenkins, Hattie Winston and several other lesser known but equally talented actors, turned in performances that made you genuinely care about their characters. Why this show has never been released on VHS or DVD is "beyond my ken" as Ruth Sloan would say. Thank goodness someone was smart enough to start a petition at a site called homefrontondvd.com. Now lets hope they get a ton of signatures and that Warner Bros is smart enough to listen to them. This release is long overdue!!!!

Set in small town River Run, OH just at the end of WWII this show had it all: drama, comedy, romance, and history. Homefront was a show that not only entertained, but educated about life in the 1940's with issues such as racism, feminism, polio outbreaks/scares, & worker's rights, not to mention the lifestyle of the men & women and how they dealt with each other. We even got to see what it was like to see a television set for the first time, to jitterbug, to try to make it as a starlet in Hollywood, and what radio shows were like.

I just have to say that Homefront is one of my very favorite shows of all time (and I only have 3)! It was beautifully written, well acted, and the authenticity of the props, sets, & fashion were right on for that era. This show just never got a good chance to find an audience due to ABC moving it around so much...too bad. This show was truly one of the greatest ever made. I hope Warner Bros. releases it to DVD soon so that more people can enjoy it. If you want to see it released as well then go sign the petition at www.homefrontondvd.com! Or you can just come watch our clips of Homefront and see for yourself what a wonderful show this is.

Happy Homefronting!

Based on the time period after WW2 ended, different families, all somehow connected, strive to get on with their lives despite personal losses. The show provided proper humor while showing how people were still biased and judgemental and how it affected everyone around them. A very well written, directed, acted and produced show that kept audiences returning each week to see each new episode, only to be canned by ABC. It returned for a short time (viewer protests), again with ABC abusing it to cut back the ratings so that they could cancel it again without any complaints since no one knew when it came on anymore.

This is a show that has stuck with me for years. I still miss it. And I totally agree with other comments, the network KILLED it. I loved it, I wanted to watch it, but for the life of me, I could never figure out just when or where to watch it. Even the fans couldn't find it how could it find new viewers? It seems to be a trend in the networks, killing off the good ones because it doesn't meet their demographic, or they monkeyed with the time slot till it died. Especially this year with the writer's strike, so many shows got cancelled, not because they weren't good, but because of mismanagement. I would buy Homefront on DVD if I could find it. Anyone out there have it on tape and willing to share?

I remember the first time I saw "Homefront". It aired on Norwegian television back in 1994-95. Unfortunately I never got to see all the 41 episodes. I really hope I get the chance to see it all one day. This is one of the greatest series I've ever seen. I have been interested in the music from the WWII-era since I was a little kid (still do) but I really got a close look at the 1940's through this series and it made me even more fascinated by this era. I felt that this series gave me a more easier and gentle introduction to the life in the 1940's then the old black and white documentaries do. I love the music, the way people dressed, the cars and most importantly the morale among the people back then. Much more politeness and respect among people. Unfortunately this is getting more and more rare these days. I think this series could also be very educational for other generations in the same way it affected me. I really hope this series is launched on DVD really soon so I can show it to other people I know so there will more fans in the future. NB! Did I tell you that I learned how to knit my tie through this series? Big thanks to Mr.Al Kahn doing his tie on the Pearl Roadhouse!

Words cannot express how much my friends and I loved this show in high school. I would probably pay more to see this again than almost any other show or movie I can think of...and it just isn't possible from what I can tell. I know this is a first-world gripe, but it is frustrating not to be able even to find this available for streaming...

This was a fabulous show that was cut short in it's prime! To add to that horror they are claiming that it isn't financially prudent to release it on DVD! Now is the time! First of all it has a large fan base, made up of original watchers of the series. They are crying out, calling, and petitioning their hearts out! Secondly, there has been a renewed interest in this time period. This has been made possible through the release of time period marketing for many products used today! It has also been helped greatly by other period movies that have been released, including but not limited to: The Notebook, Pearl Harbor, The Black Dahlia, and The Aviator! All well marketed, successful films, with big star names acting in them! Finally you add in the war buffs and those that are currently on the homefront and waiting to see when and if their loved one's will come home, and wondering what will it be like when they get here! This series fulfills all of that! It is a story of tragedy, hope, failures, and successes, as well as showing everyone that we would all be better off if we looked out for each other instead of back stabbing and climbing over them to get ahead! I hope for everyone that they finally agree to release this on DVD. As for the claim that the music royalties are pricey... well it must not be too bad, because there sure seem to be a lot of new "hep cats" that are remaking and releasing the same songs! The interest is there... they just need to fill it and we will fill their pockets!

Why no DVD set of the two seasons? I do not understand why none. Each week I check for it. I then buy an other DVD as I wait. I have a space saved for the Homefront series next to my Lord of the Rings films and my AA winning Best Picture collection. (Yes, I also have space for the Hobbit should it be made.) :) If the person who owns the right to the DVD for this series reads this, or you know the person please tell them, "Please release the Homefront series on DVD. It should be seen, enjoyed and not left collecting dust in storage. If you make DVDs, people will come. They will come and buy. They will watch and word will spread." Homefront is a rare treasure. If you have not seen it, search it out. You are in for a real treat.

Homefront is an excellent show with an outstanding cast. The storyline keeps you wanting more and supplies a great history lesson at the same time. From depression and war to an economic growth and changing society. The Good, the bad & the ugly all appear while setting new trends. This needs to get on Hulu, Crackle, Netflix or some TV network site. Free viewing to be recommended for all young adults. Learning can be fun and easy & this show is a prime example of a very interesting era in America. I hope everyone has the opportunity to view this program; it will quickly become one of your all time favorite TV programs.

The entire cast feels like family. My heart still hurts that it's over. It's also astonishing that we are still having the same struggles and battles. And divisions. I think my favorite character was Al. But of course, who wasn't in love with Jeff and Ginger? The only thing wrong with this show was the commercials. Not the Lemo Tomato Juice commercials, the ones interrupting the show! I miss you River Run!

Homefront was a wonderful post WWII drama. It showed the viewers what life was like after our "boys" came home from the war. It was a great character study of the post war era, and how things had changed for America and her people.

We saw women who had worked as "Rosie the Riveter" lose their jobs to the returning soldiers. We saw a factory Unionize. We saw immigrants from abroad try to make a life in America. This was the story younger people had never seen before, because our grandparents and parents couldn't capture it quite the way this series did.

This definitely needs to be on DVD

When this show aired from the very first few minutes of the first episode I absolutely loved it. I was young and newly married, and actually watched on a tiny 13 inch black-and-white TV and still faithfully tuned in. Fortunately after a couple of months my parents felt pity on the TV situation and purchased a new one and gave us their old 19 inch color set.

There were so many positive reviews about the show. I recall one article praised how the creators searched for and used on set genuine items from the 1940s down to clothing undergarments, jewelry, etc. Things that they couldn't find they built or made in the same style of the era. Clearly at one time, putting in that level of authenticity, the network and the producers were very vested in the show.

I think the show could have had about a 4 year ride if given a chance; the second season stories wouldn't have needed to rush to the ending, and after the first season I expected the Sloan's son to have survived, being a case of mistaken identity. A show finale as the Eisenhower administration was beginning would have been perfect.

When the ABC network announced it was going to cancel mid-season I was one of the many fans who wrote telling them what a great show this was and how ABC was treating the show and fans shabbily. I recall writing that (at that time) consumer research estimated that a single letter of complaint represented eight letters that went unwritten. I also recall saying that the network should stand behind a variety of viewer preferences.

Since people are still posting their love for the show 30 years later just proves what a gem this program really is. It really should be available on DVD and for those wondering why it is not, or isn't streaming, my understanding is because of not having copyright permissions to use some of the songs that were allowed for use during the broadcast. It could be re-dubbed with permission of use music or re-dubbed with same-era studio music, which I can't see them taking the time or money to do. If I ever find bootlegs I'll be purchasing them!

I love(d) this show and I was way below the demographic when it aired. It was just really good! Okay, parts of it got a little bit boring (Linda and the newspaper but now that i am older maybe not so boring?....)I hated how it got yanked and would even love to see it on TVLand or whatever. Hello???? If I see one more episode of "Bonanza" or "Sanford & Son" listed, I might throw all of the TVs out the window. I understand one or two episodes a day, but must it be practically continuous? I KNOW there are many more old shows to choose from. Seem to have lost my focus. Just love the show, especially Ginger and Jeff. The show could have totally delved into the post-war boom and boomers: Ginger had just pointed out the relevance of TV over radio to her station towards the end. So, there was nothing left to write about, right?! I'm not a baby boomer (and yes, I know, you were all born AFTER the war...) but even I get how much TV-writer-fodder there could have been. And I am only a neuro-surgeon, for fun, so it is not like I know anything, right?

AWESOME! The best show ever made for TV. Incredible story line depicting life in the 40's complete with social issues, period fashions, interesting characters, etc. It really pulled you in and gave you a warm feeling as the "The Waltons" did, with the anticipation and plot twists of something like "Desperate Housewives". We watched or taped every episode and waited anxiously for the next one. When the networks realized a list of shows they were planning to cancel, I wrote my first and only letter to the network begging them not to cancel Homefront, (as did many people). I realized then just how much money talks in the entertainment industry and prevails over quality and preferences.

this was a great show that ran on ABC. it is a shame that it has been treated so shabbily twice. first ABC could not find a night to give this show a permanent home to gain an audience. second it has not been released on DVD when all kinds of other less deserving shows have been released. come on will somebody please give the OK to release this show for DVD. the story lines were great, the acting was great, the setting is priceless. small town America right after WWII. i often wondered what it was like to live in America after WWII. this show gave me a chance. come on give the metcalf's and the people of river run a chance to shine again. please put this show on DVD it deserves better.

I want dvds!!! Please make dvds. This is my favorite show and I want to watch it over and over and over!!! Who do I ask for dvds ? Please make dvds for all the world who needs to see this show!!!

I remember watching this show for the first time, not really interested in the program (not a wartime/retro buff), but nothing better was on. After watching the episode though, I remember thinking "Wow, that was REALLY GOOD." Never before, nor since then, have I felt that way about any television program. I was hooked on the show, but if I recall correctly, some of the story lines towards the end of the series started becoming too outlandish for my taste. Still, the show had great potential, and was cut off much too soon.

It's been too many years since the show was on, but I still remember bits and pieces. Kyle Chandler as "Jeff" and Tammy Lauren as "Ginger" were the most memorable characters for me. I'll have to watch this show again to see if it is still as good as I remember.

Homefront is powerful television that simply is not seen on TV today.Yes it was a soap opera but it covered all the bases like no other soap ever did.It takes place right after WW II ended in a small town, River Run,Ohio. Not one actor or actress is miscast, the African-American race is neither ignored nor invisible as so many shows do yet the writers don't beat you over the head with good or bad race relations.Housing shortages,labor problems,foreign war brides,loss of jobs all these topics are covered beautifully in a show that was only on two lousy years!The pairing of couples was also well done with a few pleasant surprises.Kyle Chandler(jeff)& Tammy Lauren(ginger)were only supposed to get together one time with a pregnancy scare involved.They became a breakout super couple that stole the show and whose love affair had us all laughing & crying til they wed on the very last episode.In the meantime an older actor came aboard as a love interest for Jessica Steen(linda) who is Jeff's sister.He immediately clicked with the actress playing her mother and they were paired up and also married and had a baby on the show.Two great surprises.ABC totally mishandled this show and never appreciated the audience that was watching.However ten years later folks still say this was one of the great ones and I'm glad I have my copies of the show to take me back down memory lane.Now if only we could get the show on DVD!!!!

Is this actually available? Please??? There are so many mediocre one-season shows that are on DVD. Why not Homefront?

I am a huge Johnny Mercer fan and every time I here the opening refrains of his classic hit "Accentuate The Positive" I get nostalgic for my all time favorite TV show, "Homefront!" The only thing more disturbing than ABC's disregard for the the shows many fans during it's short run, is the continued disregard for the small army of viewers clamoring for it's release on DVD. It has been gone for nearly 20 years now and I still think about it and miss it.

I feel compelled to comment on giconceptsjw's short sighted review. His or her entire 3 rating seems based on the inability of that poster to get over the name "Homefront" indicating the show should take place during the war and not after! Well guess what? I know with a name like GI Concepts you wanted a war story, but the effects of the war did not instantly stop when the Japanese surrendered! There was still a world to rebuild, and it took many more years for all of the soldiers to return to the Homefront and that is when much of the real impact of the war set in for those back home. That is the story this series told so passionately well. It became very obvious to me that you are uninformed about that time in history by your comments on racism in the North. Having lived half of my long life in the North, and half in the South I can say without a doubt that there was as much, and often more, racism in the North. It was just less overt. No less harmful mind you, just less honest. Travel a little before making such sweeping comments. You just might find that there is a lot more tolerance in Mississippi then you imagine, and much less in Ohio then you think!

That all being said, I would love to have even that sorry DVD copy of the show you weren't impressed much by!