Bless This House (U.S. TV series)

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Bless This House
Bless this house dvd cover.jpg
Created by Bruce Helford
Starring Andrew Dice Clay
Cathy Moriarty
Raegan Kotz
Sam Gifaldi
Composer(s) Ed Alton
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 1
No. of episodes 16
Production
Camera setup Multi-camera
Running time 30 minutes
Production company(s) Mohawk Productions
Warner Bros. Television
Release
Original network CBS
Original release September 11, 1995 (1995-09-11) – January 17, 1996 (1996-01-17)

Bless This House is an American sitcom which starred Andrew Dice Clay and Cathy Moriarty that aired on CBS from September 11, 1995 until January 17, 1996. [1] [2] [3]

United States federal republic in North America

The United States of America (USA), commonly known as the United States or America, is a country composed of 50 states, a federal district, five major self-governing territories, and various possessions. At 3.8 million square miles, the United States is the world's third or fourth largest country by total area and is slightly smaller than the entire continent of Europe's 3.9 million square miles. With a population of over 327 million people, the U.S. is the third most populous country. The capital is Washington, D.C., and the largest city by population is New York City. Forty-eight states and the capital's federal district are contiguous in North America between Canada and Mexico. The State of Alaska is in the northwest corner of North America, bordered by Canada to the east and across the Bering Strait from Russia to the west. The State of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific Ocean. The U.S. territories are scattered about the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, stretching across nine official time zones. The extremely diverse geography, climate, and wildlife of the United States make it one of the world's 17 megadiverse countries.

A sitcom, clipping for situation comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use new characters in each sketch, and stand-up comedy, where a comedian tells jokes and stories to an audience. Sitcoms originated in radio, but today are found mostly on television as one of its dominant narrative forms. This form can also include mockumentaries.

Andrew Dice Clay American comedian and actor

Andrew Dice Clay is an American stand-up comedian, actor, musician, and producer. He rose to prominence in the late 1980s with a brash, macho, offensive persona known as "The Diceman". In 1990, he became the first stand-up comedian to sell out Madison Square Garden for two consecutive nights. That same year, he played the lead role in the comedy-mystery film The Adventures of Ford Fairlane.

Contents

Plot

A postal worker and his wife raise two children in Trenton, New Jersey. [4]

Trenton, New Jersey Capital of New Jersey

Trenton is the capital city of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. it briefly served as the capital of the United States in 1784. The city's metropolitan area is grouped with the New York metropolitan area by the United States Census Bureau, but it directly borders the Philadelphia metropolitan area and is part of the Philadelphia Combined Statistical Area and the Federal Communications Commission's Philadelphia Designated Market Area. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913, making it the state's tenth most populous municipality. The Census Bureau estimated that the city's population was 84,034 in 2014.

Cast

Cathy Moriarty is an American actress and singer whose career spans over 30 years. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Raging Bull (1980). She also starred in films, including Neighbors, White of the Eye, Soapdish, Casper, Analyze That, and The Bounty Hunter. She starred in television roles, such as Tales from the Crypt, Law & Order, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Law & Order: Criminal Intent.

Sam Gifaldi is a former American actor, best known for the voice of Sid on Nickelodeon's Hey Arnold!.

Molly Evan Price is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Faith Yokas in the NBC drama series Third Watch (1999-2005). Price also has appeared in a recurring and guest starring roles in many other television dramas and co-starred in a number of films, include Sweet and Lowdown (1999), Chasing Sleep (2000), and Not Fade Away (2012).

Episodes

No. Title Directed by Written by Original air date
1"Pilot" Barnet Kellman Bruce Helford September 11, 1995 (1995-09-11)
2"A Woman's Work Is Never Done"TBATBASeptember 13, 1995 (1995-09-13)
3"Company Loves Misery"TBATBASeptember 20, 1995 (1995-09-20)
4"A Date Which Will Live in Infamy"TBATBASeptember 27, 1995 (1995-09-27)
5"I Am Not My Sister's Keeper"TBATBAOctober 11, 1995 (1995-10-11)
6"Where There's Smoke, You're Fired"TBATBAOctober 18, 1995 (1995-10-18)
7"The Road to Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions"TBATBAOctober 25, 1995 (1995-10-25)
8"A Fight a Day Keeps the Doctor Away"TBATBANovember 1, 1995 (1995-11-01)
9"Fish and Guests Stink After Three Days"TBATBANovember 8, 1995 (1995-11-08)
10"The Postman Always Moves Twice"TBATBANovember 15, 1995 (1995-11-15)
11"Neither a Borrower nor a Landlord Be"TBATBANovember 22, 1995 (1995-11-22)
12"If It Ain't Broke, Break It"TBATBADecember 13, 1995 (1995-12-13)
13"Misery on 34th Street"TBATBADecember 20, 1995 (1995-12-20)
14"The Bowling Method"TBATBAJanuary 3, 1996 (1996-01-03)
15"One Man's Ceiling Is Another Man's Stereo"TBATBAJanuary 10, 1996 (1996-01-10)
16"Natural Born Parents"TBATBAJanuary 17, 1996 (1996-01-17)

Reception

The New York Democrat and Chronicle gave the show a favorable review, saying, "it really does remind you of Jackie Gleason and The Honeymooners , without trying to copy that classic. There could be life after Dice; this kinder, gentler Andrew Clay seems like a pretty decent guy." [5] The Los Angeles Times also gave it favorable notice, writing, "Bless This House doesn't quite blow you away, but it's a pleasant half-hour with likable characters and enough start-up humor to make you optimistic about its future." [3]

Jackie Gleason American comedian, actor, and musician

John Herbert Gleason was an American comedian, actor, writer, composer and conductor. Developing a style and characters from growing up in Brooklyn, New York, he was known for his brash visual and verbal comedy, exemplified by his bus driver Ralph Kramden character in the television series The Honeymooners. By filming the episodes with Electronicams, Gleason was later able to release the series in syndication, which increased its popularity over the years with new audiences. He also developed The Jackie Gleason Show, which maintained high ratings from the mid-1950s through 1970. After originating in New York City, filming moved to Miami, Florida, in 1964 after Gleason took up permanent residence there.

<i>The Honeymooners</i> American sitcom

The Honeymooners is a classic American television sitcom created by and starring Jackie Gleason, based on a recurring comedy sketch of the same name that had been part of his variety show. It followed the day to day life of New York City bus driver Ralph Kramden (Gleason), his wife Alice, and his best friend Ed Norton as they get involved with various scenarios in their day to day living. Most episodes revolved around Ralph's poor choices in absurd dilemmas which frequently showed his quick-to-judge attitude in a comedic tone, but have also revolved around more serious issues such as women's rights and social impressions.

<i>Los Angeles Times</i> Daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California

The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper which has been published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It has the fourth-largest circulation among United States newspapers, and is the largest U.S. newspaper not headquartered on the East Coast. The paper is known for its coverage of issues particularly salient to the U.S. West Coast, such as immigration trends and natural disasters. It has won more than 40 Pulitzer Prizes for its coverage of these and other issues. As of June 18, 2018, ownership of the paper is controlled by Patrick Soon-Shiong, and the executive editor is Norman Pearlstine.

Other reviews were mixed. Entertainment Weekly gave the show a C, writing, "Bless has smart things to say about how hardworking parents manage family life, but the show is hobbled by its endless succession of squalid sex jokes." [6] People gave the show a C+, praising the performances of Clay and Moriarty, but concluding "Bless This House is the first TV show I’ve ever seen that would work better on radio." [7] Variety wrote, "Director Barnet Kellman bounces laugh lines along at a brisk clip [...] Creator Bruce Helford’s writing is often ham-handed [...] Clay’s acting is awkward and forced, but Moriarty’s a treasure [...] Though Bless looks to be trying to carbon The Honeymooners, its closest relative would seem to be Married... with Children ." [8] TV Guide ranked Bless This House number 48 on their 50 Worst Shows of All Time list in 2002.[ citation needed ]

<i>Entertainment Weekly</i> American entertainment magazine published by Meredith Corporation

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<i>People</i> (magazine) American celebrity and human interest magazine published by Time Inc.

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<i>Variety</i> (magazine) American weekly entertainment trade magazine owned by Penske Media Corporation

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References

  1. ↑ "New York Times". Nytimes.com. 1996-05-15. Retrieved 2011-02-16.
  2. ↑ "Sun Sentinel". Articles.sun-sentinel.com. 1996-05-11. Retrieved 2011-02-16.
  3. 1 2 "Los Angeles Times". Articles.latimes.com. 1995-09-11. Retrieved 2011-02-16.
  4. ↑ The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946–Present . Ballantine Books. 2003. p. 131. ISBN   0-345-45542-8.
  5. ↑ https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/135994627/
  6. ↑ http://ew.com/article/1995/10/20/bless-this-house-drew-carey-show/
  7. ↑ http://people.com/archive/picks-and-pans-review-bless-this-house-vol-44-no-12/
  8. ↑ https://variety.com/1995/tv/reviews/bless-this-house-1200443009/amp/
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