Variety Review
American Dreams
(Series; NBC, Sun. Sept. 29, 8 p.m.)
Filmed in Hollywood by NBC Studios and Universal Television. Executive producers, Dick Clark, Jonathan
Prince; co-executive producers, David Semel, Becky Hartman Edwards, Jon Feldman; producer, Mark Grossan;
co-producers, Rama Stagner, Gigi Coello Bannon; director, David Semel; writer, Prince.
Helen Pryor - Gail O'Grady
Jack Pryor - Tom Verica
Meg - Brittany Snow
JJ - Will Estes
Patty - Sarah Ramos
Will - Ethan Dampf
Roxanne Bojarksi - Vanessa Lengies
Henry Walker - Jonathan Adams
Sam Walker - Arlen Escarpeta
Rebeca Sandstrom - Virginia Madsen
Michael Brooks - Joseph Lawrence
By PHIL GALLO
With a handful of films over the last few years, Hollywood has flirted with capturing the role music plays in
individuals' lives. Television, though, hasn't truly followed suit in exploring music in any depth, despite the
recent avalanche of soundtracks related to TV shows ("Scrubs," "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Gilmore Girls"
are the latest). Music, specifically the pop hits played on "American Bandstand" in 1963, gives the sensational
"American Dreams" a solid point of entry for the baby-boomer audience it should easily attract -- even if music
only truly affects one character in this ensemble piece.
The pilot for "Dreams" rumbles through an assortment of petty annoyances and the aspirations of unshaped
lives butting up against the rigidity of 1950s morality and order; like "MASH," it's a period piece where the
audience benefits from knowing how it all ends and turns a blind eye to notions gleamed from experience not
available at the time. With the emotional tug of "Wonder Years" presented with the production values of "The
West Wing," "Dreams" should follow "Wing," "The Sopranos" and "24" as stellar shows that live up to the
promise of its pilot.
Series will pivot off the assassination of President Kennedy, the event that comes at the close of "American
Dreams' " first hour. It could easily lead to some emotional hokum, but the structure of "American Dreams" --
intimate portrayals of mom, dad, four kids and a few friends -- opens the door for varying sentiments being
struck over the course of 22 episodes. In the opener, all these characters ring true -- the writing is top notch, the
performances range from good to potentially star-making (in the case of Brittany Snow), and the photography of
Brian Reynolds hits the right notes in every setting. Using music of the era puts the icing on the visceral cake
here: Stevie Wonder's "Uptight" gives the opening scenes a powerful energy, and Chris Montez's "Let's Dance"
revs up show's middle seg.
In the days prior to the Kennedy killing, we see Irish-Catholic Pryor family at odds with their electronics
salesman father Jack (Tom Verica). Helen (Gail O'Grady) sees no need for more children and is starting to
question whether there's more to life than her happy household, provocation for this search coming from new
friend Rebeca Sandstrom (Virginia Madsen). Son JJ (Will Estes) quits the high school football team, dashing
his father's dreams that the youth will some day play wide receiver for Notre Dame. Patty (Sarah Ramos) heads
to a spelling bee and practices with everyone's dialogue. Meg (Snow) gets a chance to dance on "Bandstand,"
and Jack says no.
It's the "Bandstand" drama that drives the pilot as Meg and her friend Roxanne Bojarksi (Vanessa Lengies)
stand outside the WFIL studios in the hopes of dancing on Dick Clark's TV show. Bojarski gets them in via an
unseen makeout session with the guy who says who's in and who isn't; Meg goes, gets asked to dance by a
regular and is splashed on TV screens across Philly, including her father's store. He grounds her for
disobeying and lying, though he shows a soft side by letting her go to another "Bandstand" after she gets a
callback.
To Meg, played with a captivating wide-eyed wonder by Snow, the show represents "something better," a way
out, the fulfillment of a dream. Roxanne, while less loft in her ambitions, becomes Meg's springboard -- she's a
doer, a person who doesn't accept no and forges ahead with chutzpah. As written so exquisitely in the pilot,
Meg is perfectly poised for transition, a microcosm of American society embodied by a teenage girl whose
sense of longing is not tied to any particular emptiness; she's just thrilled by the thought of a quest.
Writers treat her gently -- she's the one in the clouds while JJ is being kicked around in the dirt. "Dreams' " only
touch of heavy-handedness comes in the father-son confrontations; JJ doesn't see eye to eye with dad, who
sees no room for compromise. They argue -- the hostility at the dinner table even leads to JJ losing his
girlfriend -- and it takes the p.o.v. of the youngest Pryor, handicapped Will (Ethan Dampf), to shed new light on
the situation.
Estes plays JJ with considerable intensity; it's a bit much in the debut but could be a wellspring for this
character as he deals with the death of the president and his own future. Patty is an out-and-out brat, and
Ramos does it right, just as Dampf plays the unassuming youngest child. For once, children aren't upstaging
the rest of the cast.
Few shows are so technically splendid. The Philly streets, with a light snow falling, the electronics shop full of
black-and-white TVs, the comfortable yet unassuming home -- sets, costumes and tenor are all spot on.
Casting couldn't be better, even if O'Grady is still a bit too sexy to be playing the mother of four. In future
episodes, contempo musicians are cast in the roles of '60s stars -- Michelle Branch as Lesley Gore, for
example -- that could be some of the season's best stunt casting.
In the opener, show benefits from the presence of Dick Clark, who brings classic "Bandstand" videotape to the
show. TV perfs of Clark and the Beach Boys are artfully worked into the hourlong and, for some audience
member, may well be a key in bringing them back for more.
Director of photography, Brian Reynolds; editors, Christopher Cooke, Tanya Riegel, Joanna Lovetti; music
(theme), Emerson Hart; casting, Jason LaPadura. 60 MIN.
Date in print: Sun., Sep. 22, 2002,
http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117918787?categoryid=32&cs=1&query=american+and+dreams&display=a
merican+dreams
Views From Third Street: Goodbye, old "Friends"
By: Stacy Ervin April 27, 2004
I really don't watch that much television anymore. After all, most of my time is taken up
with working in the office, covering local meetings and events, or working at the race
track at Knoxville. So watching TV is a rare treat.
And after next week, my TV viewing will become even more limited. There are only two
shows that I consider "must-see TV." One is a Sunday-night drama called "American
Dreams," and it's now on hiatus for the summer.
And the other is "Friends." The sitcom, which became wildly popular shortly after it
began in 1994, will end a 10-year run next Thursday night. It's enough to make even
one who doesn't usually get emotional about fictional shows cry.
Ross and Rachel, Chandler and Monica, Joey and Phoebe...many of us in Generation
X and beyond have conversations about their lives as though they were our best
friends.
I know I'm just asking for a debate on this topic, but I will throw this out there: "Friends"
is the greatest show television ever had. I know, I know, there were others, "Seinfeld,"
"Cheers," "I Love Lucy," and many many more for which there are valid arguments.
But "Friends" has done so much more than just serve as entertainment these past 10
years. In addition to providing us with six extra family members, the show has changed
the way we talk and interact with our own friends. I hear it anytime anyone asks, "How
you doin'?" or shrieks "Oh...my...gawd."
But alas, after 10 years, I guess it's probably time for David Schwimmer, Jennifer
Aniston, Matthew Perry, Courteney Cox-Arquette, Matt LeBlanc and Lisa Kudrow to
move on from the show that made them superstars. And, sadly, the rest of us will have
to move on with our own lives too.
The good news is there will always be reruns. And the super six will always be our
"lobsters." Could that BE...any better?
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AG=461&rfi=9
'Friends' Fanatic Says Goodbye To A TV Era
Marcy Cromie, Staff Writer
POSTED: 12:18 am EDT May 5, 2004
It's the end of an era.
I counted on my TV "Friends" to be there for me each week. They've energized me since that
first cup of coffee at Central Perk.
FRIENDS FAREWELL
Finale Party Tips To Impress Your 'Friends'
When I needed a laugh, Chandler was quick with a joke. When I was down about dating, Ross
went through another divorce. When I gave birth to my brother's triplets ... Oh, wait. That was
Phoebe.
Little did I know that a new TV show in the fall of 1994 would have such an impact on my life.
I will now forever think of Thursday as "Friends"-day, sing verses of "Smelly Cat" stuck in my
head, plan my latest hairstyle by watching a TV comedy, and honor my school-girl crush on
Matthew Perry/Chandler by emphasizing at least one word in every sentence I say.
("Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat. What are they feeding you?")
I faithfully tuned in each week to watch my new favorite show. I inadvertently taped a few
episodes, but "The One With The Dozen Lasagnas" on Jan. 12, 1995, fed my obsession. I
loved it so much that I re-watched it several times. I forced both of my sisters to watch it and
they were hooked. Now, 10 years later, I have about two dozen videotapes filled with every
single "Friends" episode, and a very worn-out VCR.
("Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat. It's not your fault.")
Over the years, "Friends" were there for me. When I was home sick, my archived "Friends"
kept my spirits up. When I had my wisdom teeth removed on Thursday, Nov. 2, 1995, my
"Friends" took care of me with the episode "The One With The Baby On The Bus." It spawned
one of my favorite Chandler lines EVER: "What kind of scary (expletive) clowns came to your
birthday?"
Holidays were always more fun among "Friends." I will never celebrate another Thanksgiving
without thinking of Underdog getting away, serving three different types of potatoes, the
Geller Cup/Troll-Doll trophy, turkeys dancing on heads, boycotting the Pilgrim holiday with
grilled cheese and Funyuns, and wearing my "Thanksgiving pants" in honor of Joey.
It has been a fun ride with "Friends" throughout the off-again/on-again relationship between
Ross and Rachel; sightings of Ugly Naked guy; surprise appearances by Janice and guest
stars including Bruce Willis and Brad Pitt (Oh. My. God!); life-changing moments such as
weddings, babies and new jobs; trips to the beach, Las Vegas and "London, Baby;" and
thousands of cups of Central Perk coffee. But after 10 years, the six "Friends" will leave me
and each other, parting ways as the show comes to an end.
Rachel and Monica best summed it up in the episode "The One Where Ross Hugs Rachel."
For those of you who need a memory jog, that was the show where Rachel had to move out
of Monica's apartment so Chandler could move in.
"It's the end of an era," the two "Friends" said.
While I never got a chance to see a live taping of "Friends" during its 10-year run, I had the
opportunity to see the set on Stage 24 (Central Perk, foosball table and all) twice during the
Warner Brothers studio tour, and I managed to track down the real Greenwich Village
apartment building used as the exterior shots in the show. I will hold those memories and my
taped collection of episodes close to my heart as I try to get myself a life on Thursday nights.
I've heard that the best way to get over the ending of a TV show is to hook yourself
on a new one. So I am counting on "Joey" and thanking God for "American Dreams."
Except, does this mean I will now have to model my hairstyles from a show set in
the 1960s? Oh. My. God!
Chandler, Monica, Ross, Rachel, Joey and Phoebe ... Thanks for the laughs and memories.
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