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The Boys aired from August 1993 until September 1993 on CBS.
Relationship comedy about a hip young writer who is inexpicably drawn to 3 grumpy old men and their weekly card game next door. Writer Doug Kirkfield( Chris Meloni), and his girlfriend Molly ( Isabella Hoffman), moved from New York to a small town outside of Seattle, Washington, so he could work on his second novel away from the pressures of the big city. Still suffering from writer's block, he was befriended by 3 eccentric older neighbors who convinced him to join their " boys" club and participate in their weekly gatherings to replace a 4th man who had died. The 3 were Bert ( Ned Beatty), a loud, antagonistic retired fireman; Harlan ( John Harkins), the unmarried owner of a local antique store; and Al ( Richard Venture), a widower who had worked his entire career at a tar factory and was euphoric when talkking about Tar. Bert's knowing wife Doris ( Doris Roberts), who was much friendlier than he was, helped smooth the waters when necessary.
A Review From The New York Times
By Walter Goodman
( August 20, 1993)
'The Boys' CBS, tonight at 9 (Channel 2 in New York) 'The Building' CBS, tonight at 9:30 (Channel 2 in New York)
Trying to assess a new sitcom on the basis of one or two episodes is like trying to guess whether a friendship will grow out of an introduction. Will the new acquaintance hold one's affection or interest for more than an hour or even a season? Any hopes aroused by these two new series being tried out by CBS must be mixed with much melancholy experience.
"The Boys" is an effort to extract humor and sentiment out of a cross-generational encounter. Doug, a high-strung writer (Chris Meloni), and his sensible live-in friend Molly (Isabella Hofmann) relocate to a small town in Washington State. Soon Doug, who is in his 30's, finds himself joining three men in their 60's for weekly get-togethers: Monopoly one night, "Planet of the Apes" another. The host is a retired fireman (Ned Beatty), crusty but soft at the center.
So far, the retirees are shtick figures, and the plotting is a touch obvious: Molly turns the fireman's accommodating wife (Doris Roberts) into a feminist firebrand. But the cast is amiable and the characters, whatever their age, are still young enough to develop. Maybe "The Boys" will grow up into more solid personalities and less pat situations.
A review From Entertainment Weekly
The Boys
Reviewed by Ken Tucker
There aren't many laughs in the boys (CBS, Aug. 20, 9-9:30 p.m.), but its premise is amusingly peculiar: A writer named Doug (Chris Meloni) settles into his new suburban house and meets a trio of older men in the neighborhood-the ironically named ''boys'' of the title-Ned Beatty (Homicide: Life on the Street), John Harkins, and Richard Venture. The geezers hang out together, bickering and playing Monopoly, and they expect Doug to take the place of Ed- the now-deceased former owner of Doug's house-in their lives. These fellows want Doug to behave like their old pal Ed, and they even try to call him Ed, but Doug resists. Sound weird? No, it's just silly, but Beatty, Harkins, and Venture have the sort of old-pro comic skills that keep The Boys from being completely mediocre. C-
(Posted:08/20/93)
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