Skywalker
12-05-2008, 11:46 PM
TV REVIEW; 'MY SISTER SAM,' SERIES STARRING PAM DAWBER
By JOHN J. O'CONNOR
Published: October 20, 1986
TOP-HEAVY with parent-child generation differences, television sitcoms are now exploring the demographic potential of sibling gaps. CBS's ''My Sister Sam,'' Mondays at 8:30 P.M., offers preppy-ish Samantha Russell, whose comfortable life as a photographer in San Francisco is disrupted -charmingly, of course - when her kid sister, Patti, suddenly arrives from Oregon wanting to become a rock star. Irrepressible, pretty Patti is 16. Finicky, pretty Sam (the juices in her refrigerator are arranged alphabetically) is 29. The difference of 13 years is enough, the producers hope, for a world of laugh-provoking age collisions.
The scene is set, for the most part, in Sam's nicely appointed loft apartment and business studio. In one corner are Sam (Pam Dawber) and her friends: Dixie (Jenny O'Hara), her wisecracking assistant; J. D. (Joel Brooks), her wisecracking agent, and Jack (David Naughton), her wisecracking neighbor. In the other are Patti (Rebecca Schaeffer) and a passing contingent of teen-age school friends. In the premiere episode a couple of weeks ago - written by Gary Murphy and Larry Strawther, directed by Ellen Falcon - her friend of the moment was Brandon (Dean Cameron), a punk rocker done up in spiked hair and a metal glove.
The predictably horrified Sam was further perplexed when Brandon announced that he was far more interested in her than in Patti. Wondering what to do about Brandon (''Have you spoken to his guidance counselor?'' suggested J. D.), Sam also had to deal with a resentful Patti, who was reduced to ''feeling like floor dust.'' In the end, of course, within the confines of less than 25 minutes, the sisters came to their senses and realized that, well, that's life. A dejected Brandon was sent on his nonconforming way, sweetly but firmly. ''Don't cry,'' Sam warned, ''you'll rust your glove.''
In tonight's episode - Ms. Falcon directs once again, Lisa Albert is the writer - a very nervous Sam agrees to let Patti have the loft for a party to entertain her new school friends. While Sam and her friends try to amuse one another next door, Patti finds her good intentions going out of control. In the end, needless to say, common sense and thoughtfulness triumph even as all sides are seemingly proved right in their suspicions about one another. Dreadful consequences are virtually unheard of in the land of sitcom.
As a harmless and reasonably diverting exercise, ''My Sister Sam,'' created by Stephen Fischer, has two things going for it. There is an attractive cast, topped by Miss Dawber, who won her sitcom combat stripes serving as a charming foil to Robin Williams on ''Mork and Mindy.'' And it is scheduled between two of the best shows on the CBS lineup, ''Kate and Allie'' at 8 and ''Newhart'' at 9. Never underestimate the power of a good time slot.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A0DE7DB143BF933A15753C1A960948260&scp=1&sq=%22My+Sister+Sam%22&st=nyt
By JOHN J. O'CONNOR
Published: October 20, 1986
TOP-HEAVY with parent-child generation differences, television sitcoms are now exploring the demographic potential of sibling gaps. CBS's ''My Sister Sam,'' Mondays at 8:30 P.M., offers preppy-ish Samantha Russell, whose comfortable life as a photographer in San Francisco is disrupted -charmingly, of course - when her kid sister, Patti, suddenly arrives from Oregon wanting to become a rock star. Irrepressible, pretty Patti is 16. Finicky, pretty Sam (the juices in her refrigerator are arranged alphabetically) is 29. The difference of 13 years is enough, the producers hope, for a world of laugh-provoking age collisions.
The scene is set, for the most part, in Sam's nicely appointed loft apartment and business studio. In one corner are Sam (Pam Dawber) and her friends: Dixie (Jenny O'Hara), her wisecracking assistant; J. D. (Joel Brooks), her wisecracking agent, and Jack (David Naughton), her wisecracking neighbor. In the other are Patti (Rebecca Schaeffer) and a passing contingent of teen-age school friends. In the premiere episode a couple of weeks ago - written by Gary Murphy and Larry Strawther, directed by Ellen Falcon - her friend of the moment was Brandon (Dean Cameron), a punk rocker done up in spiked hair and a metal glove.
The predictably horrified Sam was further perplexed when Brandon announced that he was far more interested in her than in Patti. Wondering what to do about Brandon (''Have you spoken to his guidance counselor?'' suggested J. D.), Sam also had to deal with a resentful Patti, who was reduced to ''feeling like floor dust.'' In the end, of course, within the confines of less than 25 minutes, the sisters came to their senses and realized that, well, that's life. A dejected Brandon was sent on his nonconforming way, sweetly but firmly. ''Don't cry,'' Sam warned, ''you'll rust your glove.''
In tonight's episode - Ms. Falcon directs once again, Lisa Albert is the writer - a very nervous Sam agrees to let Patti have the loft for a party to entertain her new school friends. While Sam and her friends try to amuse one another next door, Patti finds her good intentions going out of control. In the end, needless to say, common sense and thoughtfulness triumph even as all sides are seemingly proved right in their suspicions about one another. Dreadful consequences are virtually unheard of in the land of sitcom.
As a harmless and reasonably diverting exercise, ''My Sister Sam,'' created by Stephen Fischer, has two things going for it. There is an attractive cast, topped by Miss Dawber, who won her sitcom combat stripes serving as a charming foil to Robin Williams on ''Mork and Mindy.'' And it is scheduled between two of the best shows on the CBS lineup, ''Kate and Allie'' at 8 and ''Newhart'' at 9. Never underestimate the power of a good time slot.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A0DE7DB143BF933A15753C1A960948260&scp=1&sq=%22My+Sister+Sam%22&st=nyt