Series Run : 1989-1991
65 episodes
Network: NICK
Series Premise (as far as I can tell):
Teenage adventures at a Dude Ranch
Episode Watched: Ride She Said (Season 4)
Episode Summary: Bradley learns about relating to kids with disabilities while Melody organizes a Christmas in July party for the ranch.
My Thoughts: This show is what you get when you cross the Dude Ranch episodes from Happy Days with the Afterschool Specials of the 80’s. Not to say that the people at Nickelodeon weren’t trying, this is only their second live action show (after Out of Control), and the first one that is a story based sitcom, rather than sketch show. The show lacks a laugh track, which makes the awkward jokes, that much more awkward without the laugh track to at least add a sense of campiness to the show. What makes this show painful to watch is the awful handling of the storyline involving a neighbor camp that teaches handicapped kids how to ride horses. The storyline is written badly, acted horribly, and is so patronizing to the kids with the handicaps, the show feels more insulting than it does inspirational. Throw in to this serious storyline an equally horrible attempt at Christmas in July, and you are left with a train wreck of a show. Watch it for an early view of Christine Taylor, who you may know as Ben Stiller’s wife or Marcia in the Brady Bunch movies. Other than that, just be glad Nickelodeon execs learned from this foray and stuck to campy. pop culture tween fare and jettisoned the PSA’s in their future shows.
Memorable Quotes:
“There’s daylight saving time, which is just like the present, only an hour later.” -Jake
“A friend in need, presumably owns a steed” -Mr. Ernst
“Maybe I feel guilty because they have disabilities and I don’t” – Brad
Acting Notables:
Christine Taylor- Melody
Kelly Brown- Bradley
Jonathan Galkin- Jake
Tomorrow: A show that works on a lot of levels, too bad the star is horribly miscast
365 Days of Sitcoms 