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Retro Television:
Phan's televised trip down memory lane...
"Who's The Boss?" (1984 - 1992) Starring: Tony Danza, Judith Light, Alyssa Milano
Network: ABC
Juicy Tidbits: The house used for exterior shots is located at 13 Onondaga Street in New York.
Where Are They Now?: Tony Danza is off doing Broadway and getting his daytime talk shows cancelled, while Judith Light keeps her bank account padded with bad made-for-tv-movies. Alyssa Milano, after a slew of straight-to-video releases, is currently employed on the WB's "Charmed."
Phan Remembers: Throughout junior high and high school, I would always catch "Who's the Boss" every Tuesday at 8:00 PM. The story began when a single father, Tony Micelli from the Bronx, took a job as a housekeeper in rich suburban Connecticut to raise his young daughter, Samantha. Tony's employer, Angela Bauer, was a successful ad executive and single mom to Jonathan. The household also included Angela's extravagant and mischievous mom, Mona."Growing Pains" (1985 - 1992)
Starring: Alan Thicke, Joanna Kerns, Kirk Cameron, Tracey Gold
Network: ABC
Juicy Tidbits: Kirk Cameron was so upset that the show hired Julie McCullough (who played Julie Costello, Mike Seaver's blonde love interest in the fourth season) that he had her written off the series. McCullough had posed for Playboy prior to her stint on the show, and Cameron was a staunch born-again Christian who thought McCullough was too racy for the PG show.
Where Are They Now?: When the cast isn't reuniting for another "Growing Pains" special, they're off working on their careers. Except for Tracey Gold, who is most often seen on the news for DUI charges, and Kirk Cameron, who only makes Left Behind apocalyptic films.
Phan Remembers: Following "Who's The Boss" was "Growing Pains." Meet the Seavers, the average American family. Maggie (mom) was going back to work in news reporting following her hiatus to raise her young children, and Jason (dad) moved his psychiatric practice home. They had three children: Mike was the popular one, Carol was the nerd, and Ben was the baby. The sibling rivalry never stopped in this sitcom. The shows I watched were fun and light-hearted. I grew up with all the children on the shows, relating to some of their issues. Everything was so innocent then. Maybe a few innuendos here and there, but they were pretty much family-oriented. I still enjoy the re-runs."Beverly Hills, 90210" (1990 - 2000)
Starring: Jason Priestley, Luke Perry, Jennie Garth, Shannen Doherty
Network: FOX
Juicy Tidbits: Resident bad-boy Dylan McKay (Perry) was only supposed to appear in a couple of episodes.
Where Are They Now?: Jennie Garth has moved onto greener pastures at the WB, while Luke Perry has the odd acting gig here and there. Priestley has opted to expand his resume by appearing in independent films and cancelled television shows. Shannen Doherty, on the other hand, can't catch a break unless it's picking fights with Paris Hilton over leaked sex tapes.
Phan Remembers: After those shows came "Beverly Hills, 90210," a more realistic view of teenagers in the 1990's. I enjoyed watching all the romance and controversial issues among the teenagers at West Beverly Hills High School. I can't remember how long the show lasted, but it was too long when the small circle of friends had already slept with each of their friends. Then, they just introduced some new characters for the orgy to continue. Why?That's about all the devotion I had to TV. Now, you'll hardly find me glued to the TV except when "Trading Spaces" is on. ¤ Phan
[ Find out who what Michelle used to watch back in the day. Part II of the article. ]