Oh, thank HEAVEN. American Dreams starts TOMORROW.

[Eloriel]

NBC, Sept. 26.

MODS -- please don't move this to the Lounge. For those who haven't seen it or heard it, American Dreams is THE most fabulous TV series I've ever seen, set in the 1960s. It's ultra-realistic, definitely political, and all about those revolutionary times. I want EVERYONE to get a chance to see this series (especially if they didn't view last year's first season) because, again, I have literally never seen better, more impactful TV in my life.

It's about 2 families in Philly in the 1960s, as I said. One white, one black. Vietnam, racial tensions, abortion, homosexuality, drugs, religion, AMERICAN BANDSTAND and ultra-fab music (Dick Clark is one of the Exec Producers), Am. Dreams has it all!

The last season ended in a cliff-hanger, with the teenage daughter Meg (a sr. in h.s.) and her African American male friend about to get arrested at an on-campus protest of the war (Penn State? I forget which university). Simultaneously, her Marine older brother and his platoon were getting sandwiched and trapped and surrounded in Vietnam.
He doesn't even know yet that his former fiancee is pregnant and living with his parents since HER parents wanted her to have an abortion and she didn't want to.

I've never been sooo riveted by any mere TV drama in my life, each and every episode. I can't even think of any movies that have affected me in quite this way. Everything about it is top notch, too, from the acting to the incredibly creative camera-work and editing, to (again) the MUSIC.

For those who lived through the 60s, this is must see TV. For those who were born later, this comes closest to capturing something of what it was all about as anything I've ever seen.

I hope I'm not overselling it, because I've often been disappointed in movies that I finally saw after hearing all kinds of praise for them. All I know is that each episode leaves me in almost an altered state for as much as several hours afterwards. I've thought of this series many times over the summer since it ended, and have been worried (and I do mean WORRIED) that it wasn't coming back since I hadn't seen or heard anything about it in the interim. So I finally resorted to google.

This is MUST SEE TV, folks. Here's a link:
http://www.nbc.com/American_Dreams/

[lawladyprof]

1. I'll second that emotion

NT

[SammyWinstonJack]

2. I love that show!

:bounce: or TV series! LOL

edited for clarification

[tuvor]

3. Wasn't the main actress also

the psycho-chick hot for Fez on That 70's show?

[Kanary]

4. Oh, great...... you're trying to get me addicted to one more thing... ^_^

I remember seeing something about this before last season started, and for some reason, never saw it. After your glowing review, I will definitely have to watch! Given that that was my generation ( I used to run home from high school, turn on the TV, and learn all the newest dances on Bandstand!), it would be dereliction of duty if I were to miss it. :)

Problem is..... I know see that it overlaps, timewise, a bit with Jack And Bobby, another good new series. sigh..... Feast or famine....

Thanks for the alert! :toast:

And, yes, Mods...... please don't move to Lounge. I never would have seen it there, and sometimes fiction can be just as instructive as non-fiction. Especially for those of us with older brain cells. :)

Kanary

[donco6]

5. I've never watched it. . . .

. . . but I'd noticed the ads lately and was beginning to become intrigued. Thanks for the recomm, I'll TIVO it.

[Upfront]

6. Thanks For The Reminder

Wife and I never miss it. It is all you say and more.

[Eloriel]

7. It really is.

To me, it's almost as indescribable as the 60s themselves. :evilgrin:

Thanks, all.

For those of you who haven't seen it, it MIGHT take a little getting used to in terms of becoming familiar with the various cast members. It's an ensemble cast, of course. I do remember even when I first started watching it last year, it took a little "getting into" it.

Also, it took me a while to "like" some of the characters. Mr. Pryor (Meg's dad), for example. Then I realized, OMG -- he's slightly wooden with little or no ability to show emotion because THAT'S HOW MEN WERE back then! He seemed so one-dimensional for a while. Then, of course, when he does show just a wee little emotion, it's very powerful. I've grown to like him and all the characters.

Initially, I thoguht J.J. (the young Marine) was just -- well, robotic and plain ole lousy as an actor. But he's actually a superb actor. It's just that a lot of the acting required is fairly static and emotionless -- again, totally in sync with how emotionally repressed most males were during that era.

Watch it. Give it 2 or 3 weeks. You'll be hooked.

Also, (Kanary, this is for you). While there are light moments, it's very serious and sobering. In fact, from my perspective, the whole season, from the first episode to the last, just built and built and built in intensity. By mid-season, most episodes were leaving me with tears streaming down my cheeks by the end of the hour. And the LAST episode of the season just tore me up. Not "light" viewing, but oh, so worth it.

[Kool Kitty]

10. I can't wait!

I LOVE THIS SHOW!! I agree with you, Eloriel. It really does capture the feeling of the 60s, as I remember it anyway (I'm 52). And the music! Geez, practically every song triggers a ral memory for me. Just terrific, the music, the acting, etc. Probably my fave show of the past few years, anyway.

[Eloriel]

8. Oh, c'mon, people

KICK this thing. :D

[Kanary]

9. okayyyyyyyy....

:kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick:
:kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick:
:kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick:
:kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick:
:kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick:
:kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick:
:kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick:
:kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick:

:hi:

Kanary

[Eloriel]

11. LOl. That's the spirit

:evilgrin:

Another :kick: 'cause I want more DUers to know about this fabulous, fabulous show.

[AbbeyRoad]

12. It's one of my favorite shows

and I'm one of those people who was born after the 60's. I'll be watching tonight. I feel like they've been moving slowly toward a romance between Sam and Meg. I don't know if I completely like that idea yet cause it's kind of cliche, and I really enjoy their friendship. Maybe they can do it an original way.

Roxanne is probably my favorite character. I think the girl who plays her is a really good actress. Did Roxanne and Luke officially break up? I can't remember. The guy who plays Luke is a cutie. Of course, I'm partial to the geek look. I found out he's about the same age as me which was a relief. Mary Kay Letourneau, I ain't.

"American Dreams" definitely has the best TV theme song on TV right now. I can sing along to the whole thing, and I do. :D

[LizW]

13. Love it. I've been waiting all summer.

I even love the opening credits, with the interwoven shots from the sixties and the old-fashioned NBC peacock. I am the age of the youngest son (six years old when Kennedy was killed.) I love the dinner table conversations of the family and the realistic sounds of the television they watch. I have never seen a show or movie that takes me back to my childhood so much.

It is sort of poignant that, even though those times were scary and there was so much social and political upheaval, they seem rather tame compared to the fear we're experiencing now.

Unfortunately, I went to the NBC website to see when the new season started and their blurb about the show totally spoiled two of the major cliff-hangers you mention! Pfffftt.

Of course I'll be watching anyway. I'm taping Jack and Bobby for later.

[MotorCityMan]

14. We just want to dance all night...

You're not over-stating, Eloriel, it really is that good.

Actually, this is the third season starting. They had a blurb about it in Entertainment Weekly's Fall TV issue; the producers are hoping to get better ratings as it is so similar to what is going on now.

I originally started watching for the Bandstand gimmick (which is handled REALLY effectively), but I have gotten to truly LIKE and care about ALL of the charactors on the show.

[Eloriel]

15. Thanks.

And yes, don't you LOVE the way they do the Bandstand segments? Amazing. I love seeing the old TV shots, of Bandstand and even the commercials. So true to life.

Something I thought was so fabulous about the last episode last season -- stuck with me for a long time. At the very end, students at the university were being dragged off and those shots were interspersed with J.J. in the Marines in 'Nam dragging off his wounded buddies. These interspersed storylines/shots are so dynamic and creative and ... so provocative.

Something else I think is good about the show. It doesn't really take sides. It just presents the two or more different sides of a question (abortion, Vietname, homosexuality, etc.) and the weight of the matter sorta hangs there in mid-air, pregnant with meaning and import and life's contradictions.

BTW, the first season is available on DVD. I WILL own one of those at some point.