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Down Home aired from April 1990 until August 1991 on NBC.
It wasn't exactly Green Acres, but city met country in this laid back comedy. Kate ( Judith Ivey), was a high-powered New York Executive who came home to the sleepy Gulf Coast fishing villiage of Hadley Cove, Texas, to visit her dad's dockside bait and tackle shop and cafe-only to discover that it was about to be leveled for a conduminium development. This being a sitcom, she of course stayed and tried to save the rickety, money-losing place. Behind the condo scheme was Wade ( Ray Baker), the boyfriend Kate had dumped many years before, but who still had eyes for her. Drew ( Eric Allan Kramer), was Kate's big dumb brother; Walt ( Dakin Matthews), her crochety Dad; Grover *( Timothy Scott), a rustic townfolk; and Tran ( Gedde Watanabe), The Vietnamese cook at the cafe.
Cheers Star Ted Danson was the Co-Producer of this series which featured mostly New York stage actors ( Judith Ivey was a multiple Tony winner), and had a uniquely-for TV-" stage" look.
A Review from USA TODAY
TV PREVIEW/BY MATT ROUSH
'Home:' Where the heart isn't
Judith Ivey, a moon-faced minx who has distinguished herself in significant supporting roles on stage ( Hurlyburly and Steaming) isn't so lucky in her first sitcom vehicle.
Tart and authentically Texan-in fact she may be the only genuine article here-Ivey comes off shrill and stident in Down Home, another comedy that says you can go home again. The unanswered question remains: Why on earth would you want to?
This flat and depressingly typical series opens as Ivey returns from New York to her backwater and economically depressed Gulf Coast hometown, where her pop's bait-and-tackle diner is about to go under. Sorry to blow the punchline , but yes, she decides to stick around for however long the show lasts.
Shouldn't be long. After tonight, it moves to Saturdays at 10:30 p.m. EST/PST, where it's likely to drift away, leaving barely a ripple. Or a chuckle.
Ivey, who has a firm grip on how to deliver a sour line is out to sea when asked to be a chipper cheerleader. Her bland love interest, who wants to develop this cove into a high-rise resort, adds nothing. Her brainless hulk of a brother, soulmate to Coach's Dauber, adds even less.
Down Home condescends to its local yokels, most of whom sound like they'd be as comfy in a New England fishing villiage as in this so-called Texas trap. Also annoying is Gedde Watanabe ( Grand, Gung Ho), pulling off another unfunny Asian caricature as the diner's Hop Sing-of-all-trades.
" Oh, buy some class!" snaps Ivey at the end of tonight's episode. Honey, there's not enough money, even in Texas.
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