ksu72 Reviews

Boston Public (2000–2006)

The lives of students and teachers at a Boston High School

[26 July 2005]

This was one of my all time favorite shows and I really got into the cast. They were for the most part a very carrying group of teachers that had to face very real problems that many teachers have to deal with in real life. I don't know of many shows about teachers, which is a shame as they shape so many lives and influence so many students. Drama is there in plenty with many good story lines about different students and going on in the school and the inter play between teachers,staff, and students. Some of the teachers are very good looking while some are old, and some not so pretty, which is realistic I think at most schools, though few would be this extremely beautiful. The beauty does not harm the great writing in the scripts, or the wonderful acting. Boston Public often touches your heart. If you haven't seen the show go way out of your way to make that happen! You won't regret it!

Welcome back Kotter although popular was really a comedy and not a drama about students or teachers. Boston Public had an outstanding cast, and it was easy to care about them. Wish it wasn't canceled, but I think the day change to Friday night killed it. Hard for people to watch it then. Sure wish someone would do a show of this quality on a high school again or even a college! I sure hope that Boston Public will be released on DVD in season sets! Does anyone know if it is on any current TV stations in reruns?

The John Larroquette Show (1993–1996)

A great over-looked sitcom

[16 June 2005]

The writing was very good, much in the same vein as Night Court, but situated in a bus stop managed by a recovering alcoholic (played brilliantly by John Larroquette)Other cast members were strong and believable. My favorites cast members included the cook at the coffee shop in the bus station and the hooker, and cops who frequently hung out at the bus coffee shop. Like Night Court, some episodes touched the heart, while others were just for laughs.

The show followed on the heels of the canceling of Night Court in 1992 after a nine year run. Larroquette's strong showing in a supporting role as Dan Fielding opened the way for this chance at heading up a new show. I would call it a spin off and followed in the same lines as the successful Night court format of scripts and cast. While I felt the Larroquette show did a magnificent job, for some reason the show didn't capture a large enough audience and only lasted two seasons before the ax fell and the show was can-celled. Maybe a different night would have exposed the show to a larger audience.

China Beach (1988–1991)

One of the all time great series!

[2 March 2004]

I haven't seen the series since it first was on ABC. I tried to watch every week and was angry when they canceled it, because it was a great series.I recently purchased a copy of the pilot episode on VHS tape (China Beach)and once again was reminded how well the series was put together. Like many others I want to own all of the series on DVD and hope that chance will come. Dana Delany was outstanding in this role and touches the heart. Through her you see what it is like to see young men dying or dealing with terrible, life altering injuries and how hopeless she feels when she can not save them. Yet she knows the important part she plays to those dying boys as the voice and touch that represents the mothers, wives, lovers, and sisters of those who are dying far from home. They are not dying alone when she is there. Others in the cast are outstanding as well. The Gal that played Cherry the donut girl, and the back up singer turned lead, when the pretty one can't stay well enough to sing. She came to meet the boys-a-rama ,but soon was doing much more to touch the hearts of those at war. This is not a drama about the fighting in the field, but about the nurses and doctors in the field and the soldiers that go through their hospital. This is not Mash in Vietnam! This is a serious drama that will have you crying for all those dead and wounded soldiers wasted on battlefields around the other side of the world fighting an unpopular war. Each deals with the stress in their own way, but you can not watch this series without it touching you deeply and emotionally. If you lived during the Vietnam years then this will bring back the emotions of those times. If for no other reason this series should be put on DVD to honor the nurses, Doctors, entertainers, and donut girls that tried to bring a touch of home to the troops in Vietnam. To those who were wounded and survived and the many who did not this series should be available and remembered. Tour of Duty also should be on DVD and is excellent companion piece to show what the fighting grunts on the ground went through. Tour of duty is scheduled to be released on DVD this summer. Now Give us China Beach!