Dream On (TV series)

Last updated
Dream On
Dream on - screenshot.jpg
Genre Sitcom
Created by
Starring
Theme music composerMichael Skloff
ComposerMichael Skloff
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons6
No. of episodes120 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
Producers
  • David Crane
  • Jeff Greenstein
  • Robb Idels
  • Marta Kauffman
  • Jeff Strauss
  • Ron Wolotzky
Camera setup Single camera
Running time30 minutes
Production companies
Original release
Network
ReleaseJuly 8, 1990 (1990-07-08) 
March 27, 1996 (1996-03-27)

Dream On is an American sitcom television series created by Marta Kauffman and David Crane. It follows the family life, romantic life, and career of Martin Tupper, a divorced New York City book editor played by Brian Benben. The show distinctively interjected clips from older black-and-white television series to punctuate Tupper's feelings or thoughts. It ran for six seasons on HBO between July 8, 1990, and March 27, 1996.

Contents

Premise

The show centered on Martin Tupper's life in an apartment in New York City with his young son, and relating to his ex-wife, while trying to date other women and succeed as an editor for a small book publisher with Toby, his brassy secretary. Judith, his ex-wife, went on to marry Dr. Richard Stone – the never-seen (until the end of the series), most impossibly successful man on the planet (astronaut, brain surgeon, the fifth Beatle and consultant to the Pope); despite Martin's undying love for Judith, he could never compete with the legendary Dr. Stone.

The opening indicates Martin's mother parked him in front of the TV and he then grew up engrossed in it. It briefly shows a babysitter making out with a boyfriend behind young Martin, hence the association of sex with his memories. The show was notable for its frequent use of clips from old movies and TV shows to express Martin's inner life and feelings, which lent it much of its quirky appeal, reminding viewers about the impact of TV on their consciousness. [1] The show was also significant for being one of the first American sitcoms to use uncensored profanity and nudity. [2]

Cast

Production

The show was created by Marta Kauffman and David Crane, who also served as producers. Dream On was executive produced by Kevin Bright and John Landis. Landis also directed several episodes of the series.

Episodes

SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
1 14July 8, 1990 (1990-07-08)October 7, 1990 (1990-10-07)
2 15July 7, 1991 (1991-07-07)October 6, 1991 (1991-10-06)
3 26June 6, 1992 (1992-06-06)November 21, 1992 (1992-11-21)
4 25June 2, 1993 (1993-06-02)March 30, 1994 (1994-03-30)
5 13June 22, 1994 (1994-06-22)September 14, 1994 (1994-09-14)
6 27July 19, 1995 (1995-07-19)March 27, 1996 (1996-03-27)

Broadcast

Dream On first aired on July 8, 1990, on HBO, and was cancelled by HBO in March 1996. A bowdlerized version was later made available in syndication.

Syndication

The series aired in syndication on Comedy Central from 1996 to 1999, with language and nudity edited for broadcast. [5]

Reception

Critical reception

Time magazine called the show "engaging", noting that its use of old clips was "a clever gimmick [that] perks up familiar material" [6] and later called the second season of the "decidedly adult sitcom...better than ever." [7]

The New York Times had mixed opinions about the show. In their first-season review, John J. O'Connor said Dream On was not "different from ordinary network fare...except for, as might be expected, the more freewheeling language and treatments of sex"; by the season's third episode, the show's protagonist is "already becoming just another nice bachelor father, not all that different from the one John Forsythe played on television several decades ago." [8] About a year later, O'Connor said, while the show "has its weak spots, most notably in a pointless tendency to be smarmy" with "clips... that are sometimes less witty than painfully obvious. But Dream On takes unusual chances and has a habit of turning out to be refreshingly original." [9]

Awards and nominations

YearTitleCategoryRecipient
1991 CableACE Award Editing a Comedy Special or Series/Music SpecialJohn Axness (for "The First Episode")
Comedy SeriesKevin Bright, David Crane, Robb Idels, Marta Kauffman, John Landis, Bill Sanders, and Ron Wolotzky
Actress in a Comedy SeriesWendie Malick
1993Actress in a Comedy SeriesWendie Malick
1994Editing in a Comedy/Music Special or SeriesDavid Helfand (for "The Son Also Rises")
Actress in a Comedy SeriesWendie Malick
1995Actress in a Comedy SeriesWendie Malick
1993 Emmy Award Outstanding Individual Achievement in Directing in a Comedy Series Betty Thomas (for "For Peter's Sake")
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series David Clennon (for "For Peter's Sake")
1994 GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding Comedy Series
-
1993 Young Artist Award Best Young Actor Starring in a Cable SeriesChris Demetral

Home media

Seasons one and two were released on DVD for both regions 1 and 2; seasons three through six have not been released. [10]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>The Larry Sanders Show</i> American television sitcom (1992–1998)

The Larry Sanders Show is an American television sitcom set in the office and studio of a fictional late-night talk show. The series was created by Garry Shandling and Dennis Klein and aired from August 15, 1992, to May 31, 1998, on the HBO cable television network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don Rickles</span> American comedian and actor (1926–2017)

Donald Jay Rickles was an American stand-up comedian and actor. He became known primarily for his insult comedy. His film roles include Run Silent, Run Deep (1958), Enter Laughing (1967), Kelly's Heroes (1970), and Casino (1995). From 1976 to 1978, Rickles had a two-season starring role in the NBC television sitcom C.P.O. Sharkey, having previously starred in two eponymous half-hour programs, an ABC variety show titled The Don Rickles Show (1968) and a CBS sitcom identically titled The Don Rickles Show (1972).

<i>Whos the Boss?</i> American television sitcom (1984–1992)

Who's the Boss? is an American sitcom television series created by Martin Cohan and Blake Hunter, that aired on ABC from September 20, 1984, to April 25, 1992, with a total of 196 half-hour episodes spanning eight seasons. It was produced by Hunter-Cohan Productions in association with Embassy Television and Columbia Pictures Television and stars Tony Danza as Tony Micelli, a former Major League Baseball athlete who strives to raise his daughter, Samantha Micelli, outside of the hectic nature of New York City and relocates her to Fairfield, Connecticut, where he works as a live-in housekeeper for a beautiful single advertising executive named Angela Bower. The series' cast also includes Katherine Helmond as Angela's mother, Mona Robinson, and Danny Pintauro as Angela's young son, Jonathan Bower.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Demetral</span> American former actor

Chris Demetral is an American former actor best known for playing the character Jeremy Tupper, the son of newly divorced New York book editor Martin Tupper on the HBO series Dream On and also Jack in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. He played the title character in the short-lived series The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne on the Sci Fi Channel. He also played Christopher Ewing in Dallas: J.R. Returns.

<i>Cosby</i> (TV series) American television series

Cosby is an American television sitcom that aired on CBS from September 16, 1996, to April 28, 2000. The program starred Bill Cosby and Phylicia Rashad, who had previously worked together in the NBC sitcom The Cosby Show (1984–1992). Madeline Kahn portrayed their neighborly friend, Pauline, until her death in 1999. The show was adapted from the British sitcom One Foot in the Grave.

<i>The Steve Harvey Show</i> American television sitcom (1996-2002)

The Steve Harvey Show is an American television sitcom created by Winifred Hervey and directed by Stan Lathan that aired on The WB from August 25, 1996 to February 17, 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wendie Malick</span> American actress (born 1950)

Wendie Malick is an American actress and former fashion model, known for her roles in various television comedies. She starred as Judith Tupper Stone in the HBO sitcom Dream On, and as Nina Van Horn in the NBC sitcom Just Shoot Me!, for which she was nominated for two Primetime Emmys and a Golden Globe Award.

<i>Sledge Hammer!</i> American television crime comedy series (1986–1988)

Sledge Hammer! is an American satirical police sitcom produced by New World Television that ran for two seasons on ABC from September 23, 1986, to February 12, 1988. The series was created by Alan Spencer and stars David Rasche as Inspector Sledge Hammer, a caricature of the standard "cop on the edge" character.

<i>Head of the Class</i> American sitcom television series

Head of the Class is an American sitcom television series that ran from 1986 to 1991 on the ABC television network.

See You Next Wednesday is a recurring gag in most of the films directed by John Landis, usually referring to a fictional film that is rarely seen and never in its entirety. Each instance of See You Next Wednesday in Landis's films seems to be a completely different film.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian Benben</span> American actor

Brian Edward Benben is an American actor, best known for his role as Martin Tupper in the HBO comedy television series Dream On (1990–1996), and also known as Sheldon Wallace on ABC medical drama Private Practice (2008–2013), and as Larry in I Come in Peace (1990).

John Frink is an American television writer and producer. He has written several episodes of the American animated sitcom The Simpsons, many of which he co-wrote with his former writing partner Don Payne. Frink and Payne started their career in television writing for the short-lived sitcom Hope and Gloria. They wrote their first episode of The Simpsons in 2000, and Frink still works on the show as a writer and executive producer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Engler</span>

Michael Engler is an American theater director, and a Directors Guild of America and Emmy nominated television director and producer.

Denise Dillon is an American actress and comedian best known for starring as Toby Pedalbee on the HBO comedy Dream On from 1990 to 1996. Dillon was first known for her stage work and was nominated for a Tony Award on Broadway. Other television credits include spending one season as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1980 to 1981 and co-starring on the Fox sitcom Women in Prison. She subsequently continued to act in theater and both teaches and performs improv comedy.

<i>The Colgate Comedy Hour</i> American TV series or program

The Colgate Comedy Hour is an American comedy-musical variety series that aired live on the NBC network from 1950 to 1955. The show featured many notable comedians and entertainers of the era as guest stars. Many of the scripts of the series are archived at the UCLA Library in their Special Collections.

Dorien Leon Wilson is an American actor known for his role as Professor Stanley Oglevee on the UPN sitcom The Parkers, which ran from 1999 to 2004, his recurring role as Terrence Winningham on the ABC/The WB sitcom Sister, Sister and his supporting role as Eddie Charles on Dream On. Most recently, he has starred as Jay Weaver on the Bounce TV comedy sitcom In the Cut.

<i>Flight of the Conchords</i> (TV series) American sitcom

Flight of the Conchords is an American sitcom that was first shown on HBO on June 17, 2007. The show follows the adventures of Flight of the Conchords, a two-man band from New Zealand, as its members seek fame and success in New York City. The show stars the real-life duo of Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie, who play fictionalised versions of themselves. A second season was announced on August 17, 2007 and shown from January 18, 2009. On December 11, 2009, the duo announced that the series was not going to be returning for a third season.

<i>Holliston</i> (TV series) American TV series or program

Holliston is an American horror sitcom created by Adam Green, which debuted on April 3, 2012 on the FEARnet cable television network as their only original series. Aside from the FEARnet cable television network, the show is also offered to watch on outlets such as Hulu, iTunes, and FEARnet On-Demand.

<i>The Hogan Family</i> American television series

The Hogan Family is an American sitcom television series that began airing on NBC on March 1, 1986, and finished its run on CBS on July 20, 1991, for a total of six seasons. It was produced in association with Lorimar Productions (1986), Lorimar-Telepictures (1986–1988), and Lorimar Television (1988–1991).

<i>In the Cut</i> (TV series) American sitcom

In the Cut is an American television sitcom created by Bentley Kyle Evans that aired on Bounce TV from August 25, 2015, to November 18, 2020. The series stars Dorien Wilson as Jay Weaver, a barbershop owner who meets a young man named Kenny the unknown biological son from a fling thirty years ago. The first season has six episodes. John Marshall Jones, Kellita Smith, Dorion Renaud and Laura Hayes are also series regulars, while Vanessa Bell Calloway and Golden Brooks had recurring roles.

References

  1. Rosenberg, Howard (July 7, 1990). "TV REVIEWS : 'Dream On' a Sexy, Urbane Comedy Series on HBO". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved July 8, 2018.
  2. Showtime's Brothers and Steambath preceded this show by several years.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Svetkey, Benjamin (June 19, 1992). "HBO's Dream On is the sauciest show on television". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved February 2, 2016.
  4. Mendoza, N. F. (July 9, 1995). "Profile : Dorien Wilson's 'Dream' Role". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on 2015-10-16. Retrieved 2016-02-02.
  5. Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle (2007). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946-Present (Ninth ed.). Ballantine Books. p. 390. ISBN   978-0-345-49773-4.
  6. "Critics' Voices: Jul. 23, 1990". Time . July 23, 1990. Archived from the original on December 15, 2008. Retrieved 2009-11-09. A neurotic New Yorker (Brian Benben) copes with divorce, dating and other modern trials, while scenes from old TV shows rattle around in his head. A clever gimmick perks up familiar material in this engaging sitcom series from executive producer John Landis.
  7. "Critics' Voices: Sep. 2, 1991". Time . September 2, 1991. Archived from the original on March 8, 2008. Retrieved 2009-11-09. Book editor and divorced dad Martin Tupper (Brian Benben) is trying to make sense of the '90s. So why do scenes from – '50s TV shows keep popping into his head? In its second season, this decidedly adult sitcom, which makes deft use of old black-and-white clips, is better than ever.
  8. O'Connor, John J. (July 10, 1990). "A Modern Life Lived in 50s and 60s Images". The New York Times . Archived from the original on 2020-11-16. Retrieved 2009-11-09.
  9. O'Connor, John J. (August 2, 1991). "Dream On and Some Other Games People Play". The New York Times . Archived from the original on 2020-11-16. Retrieved 2009-11-09.
  10. "Dream On - Seasons 1 & 2". TVShowsOnDVD.com . Archived from the original on 2010-10-30. Retrieved 2022-11-07.