Awhile back, I wrote about three TV shows that I wasn’t entirely sure existed outside of my imagination. You know, that hazy childhood memory thing where you kind of sort of think you can picture the characters and maybe even the plot lines of some of the episodes, but nobody you ask has any idea what you’re talking about? Well, it’s time for Round 2.
The Torkelsons (a.k.a. Almost Home)
Even when I read about this show now, it’s still confusing to me. The fact that after one season it was completely re-tooled and re-named Almost Home certainly doesn’t help. But let’s back up a minute. The Torkelsons, as I still think of it, started as a sitcom about a down-on-her-luck mother living in Oklahoma with her five kids trying to make ends meet. I’m sure a lot of emphasis was placed on their financial issues, but what sticks out the most to me is the fact that the oldest daughter, Dorothy Jane, sat by her bedroom window talking with “the man in the moon” quite a bit. The kids were all scrappy and intelligent and had a lot of sitcom-y interactions with their neighbors. In the second season, the newly named Almost Home featured the family moving to Seattle where a whole new cast of characters was introduced, including none other than the late, great Brittany Murphy. At least in this incarnation, much was made of the Torkelsons’ Southern demeanors in comparison to the hardened Seattle folks (uh, right), which seems like a premise with more possibility than the original. That said, Almost Home ended after one season as well. Given that there were only two seasons of this show, I’m not really sure how I have so many memories of it. Better go ask The Man in the Moon.
Flash Forward
No, not that show that aired for one season in 2009. I’m talking about the 1996 Disney show pumped in from our neighbors up North in Canada for our viewing pleasure. Flash Forward is notable for being the first original series produced by Disney. But at the time, I didn’t know or care about that. The story is about two childhood best friends and neighbors, Becca and Tucker, who are both navigating the perils of 8th grade. This was total wish-fulfillment for me because I definitely didn’t have any guy friends when I was in middle school, let alone a best friend/neighbor who maybe was also the person I was supposed to end up with, but in the meantime we were going to have lots of adorable adventures and help each other with the tricky world of pubescent love. Fun fact: for the first four episodes, Becca’s older sister was played by Rachel Blanchard, whom you all know and love from Are You Afraid of the Dark, Clueless, and 7th Heaven. Even more notably, Tucker himself was played by Ben Foster of X-Men fame, who also portrayed the mentally challenged Eli on Freaks and Geeks, and, of course, starred in the classic 2001 teen rom-com, Get Over It. You know you know it. Stop acting like you’re too cool.
Ready or Not
Another Canadian gem, this one produced for Showtime (how did I even have access to this show? Seriously!) and eventually Disney (okay maybe that’s how), Ready or Not was about two best friends, both girls, navigating the tricky waters of… life. I’m not sure there was much more to it than that. They start out in 6th grade and end up in 9th grade. The show lasted five whopping seasons and actually started out as a short film called Thirty-Two Double A (and yes I am totally stealing that title for something). Ready or Not was fun for me because there was a lot of focus on puberty, which I was pretty obsessed with as a child. The girls ask for bras and get their periods and realize they have crushes on boys and all that fun stuff. It’s like Judy Blume Lite, a.k.a. every middle school boy’s worst nightmare. Also, the girls were pretty regular looking, which was a nice change from the Saved by the Bell hotties I grew up admiring.
According to Wikipedia, these shows actually existed… but does anyone other than me remember them?
Images via ioffer.com, sitcomsonline.com, avclub.com
I loved The Torkelsons when it came on late at night on The Disney Channel! It starred a pre-Boy Meets World Minkus / pre-One Tree Hill Mouth!!!
I couldnt agree more… this made me remember Space Cases with the same girl from flash forward. I only remembered it bc i didnt like it and usually watched it in preparation for weinerville. I have to reference the last edition of this bc the noozles was like a 10yr long investigation to find out the name of the show nd prove i wasnt crazy. thanks for this!!
I loved Flash Forward and The Torkelseons! Each time I saw that new Flash Forward on my TV guide I would always thing for a second, “Could it be?” and each time was disappointed to see it was some crazy Lost-like show instead…
Everyone on Torkelsons had 2 names… Dorothy Jane, Steven Floyd, Mary Sue. That was my favorite part of the show
I remember The Torkelsons and went through my moment of “did it or didn’t it happen” a few years back. That and Swan’s Crossing…thank goodness for IMDB.
Have to ask it . . . because this is my crazy-no-one-else-remembers tv show.
Just Deal. I think it may have aired on NBC. Dylan, Jermaine and Ashley were the main teans. Loved it. And no one else remembers it!
I don’t remember the last one, but I definitely watched The Torkelsons and Flash Forward!
I watched each of these. Loved them. Flash Forward was and still is one of my favorite childhood shows! (Yay for Jewel Staite, of Space Cases, Firefly, and Serenity fame!) It’s actually where my love for Ryan Gosling originated! Seriously. When I saw commercials for The Notebook I said, “Hey, that’s the guy that was on Flash Forward!”
I was convinced for years that I had made up a show on Nickelodeon where a father, son, and daughter travel back in time to when dinosaurs existed. None of my friends remembered it though, but it existed just like the dinosaurs. It was called Land of the Lost.
It’s like you read my mind! I’ve been praying to the man on the moon that Disney would replay these 90′s gems!
I totally remember all of these shows!
I distinctly remember ALL three of these shows. Wow. Good times! Right in my middle school years. I love that other people know and remember these shows! This is fantastic. I remember a lot of episodes of The Torkelsons/Almost Home and Ready or Not. I can see the kitchen in the Torkelsons and Dorothy Jane at her window just talking…
I vaguely remember The Torkelsons and Flash Forward, but Ready or Not I definitely remember.
I can even remember specific episodes of it. I loved it, mind you I’m Canadian so it was easier for me to watch.
Huh?
Loved Torkelsons/Almost Home! It felt much longer than two seasons. FYI Chuckie Lee (Lee Norris) Went on to a series long run on One Tree Hill as Mouth!
That’s the first thing I said when I saw a young Lee Norris in the picture, IT’S MOUTH! I didn’t want any of these shows. Then again living in Aus we didn’t and still don’t get everything
I think a show that is lost in history is The Charmings!! I am so sad it has never been released on DVD.
I <3 you! No one ever remembers these shows but I kind of like it because they are my little gems… Flash Forward was my absolute favorite show and I loved Almost Home too!
I never saw “Ready or Not,” but I watched the other two all the time. I am glad there are other people who still remember them!!
I loved all of these shows!! This just made me smile! Love it.
The Torkelsons/Almost Home! I always try to describe this show to my older sister and she has no clue what I’m talking about. Everyone thinks I’m talking about Step by Step, obviously they are COMPLETELY different! I loved BMurph in it, she was my fashion icon, overalls and all…