Tall Hopes aired from August until September 1993 on CBS.
Gentle comedy about a 14-year-old black kid in the shadow of his big bro'. Ernest ( Kenny Blank) was a smart kid and an exceptional student. Unfortunately his father , George ( George Wallace), a none-too-bright transit cop in Philadelphia, paid attention only to big brother Chester ( Terrence Dashon Howard). " Chet the Jet" was even dumber than dad, but he was dad's pride and joy, a high school basketball star who George Hoped would get an athletic scholarship to college. DeeDee ( Karla Green) was little sis, in her own world, and Lainie ( Anna Maria Horsford) the screechy mom, who mediated when necessary. All of them dumped on poor short Ernest, so he talked about his dreams to his camcorder, and those little conversations became a centerpiece of the show.
Originally scheduled for a four-week summer run, Tall Hopes disappeared after only three episodes had been telecast.
A Review from Variety
Tall Hopes
((Wed. (25), 8:30-9 p.m., CBS))
By DREW VOROS
Taped in Los Angeles by Eustis/Elias Prods. in association with Warner Bros. Executive producers-writers, Michael Elias, Richard Eustis; line producer, Bari Halle; supervising producers, Bob Burris, Michael Ware; director, Sam Weisman.
Cast: George Wallace, Anna Maria Horsford, Kenny Blank, Terrence Dashon Howard, Karia Green.
Unfortunately, a new sitcom can't make it on the script's ideals alone, or CBS' new "Tall Hopes" would be a slam dunk. But this family-value-fueled comedy, revolving around mom, dad and three children -- one a heavily recruited basketball player -- can't overcome its shallow feel and rookie production values.
Skein's opening intros Ernest Harris (Kenny Blank), the family's middle son who'd rather shoot movies and videos than free throws. He narrates the episode by talking to his vidcam, both at the beginning and end, which gives rare glimpses of the show's potential.
Family wunderkind Chet (Terence Dashon Howard), a 6-foot-6-inch high school basketball player headed for college ball and beyond, is skedded to meet with a college recruiter, so Ernest is essentially bribed by dear, old dad, George Harris (George Wallace), to do a bit of his brother's homework.
Of course, this is all for naught when Mother Harris (played brashly by Anna Maria Horsfold of "Amen") trips up this scheme and busts all involved.
On paper this might work, but on the set, stiff acting by standup comedian Wallace along with too many scenes with the family crowded together, do little to shake the rigor mortis setting in.
However, Blank's hearty performance as Earnest and the enjoyably boisterous work of Horsford give hope to the possibility the show can be resuscitated with a production facelift and more ensemble interaction.
Scripters Michael Elias and Richard Eustis give "Tall Hopes" lofty themes that are always needed on TV, but without chemistry between players and production, this skein's destined to be benched.
Production qualities from the opening are lost fast. Set posing as the Harris family home looks fake, with the lighting giving the feel of being shot in someone's basement.
A Review from The New York Times
Review/Television; Browsing the Newsmagazines and Happening Upon a New One
By WALTER GOODMAN
Published: August 25, 1993
To judge by last week's opening edition, "Now" aspires to a place in the crowded network newsmagazine racks closer to the heartstring-tugging "20/20" than to the punchy "60 Minutes." But in this genre the similarities are more marked than the differences. Most of the favored stories -- human-interest items, crime cases, exposes or their facsimiles, celebrity puffers -- might, with minor adjustments, fit into any of the dozen or so such shows now on the air or soon to be there.
The easiest way to tell which of them you happen to be watching is by the hosts. "Now" is presided over by Katie Couric and Tom Brokaw, NBC's answer to ABC's Diane Sawyer and Sam Donaldson and Barbara Walters and Hugh Downs. Seated outdoors before a glowing Rockefeller Center, the new couple began somewhat stiffly last week with scripted small talk. Ms. Couric neatly one-upped the predictable reviewer response by cracking that another newsmagazine was "just what America needs."
The first program led off with the already amply covered story of Baby Jessica, the 2 1/2-year-old girl who had lately been returned to her biological parents. Ms. Couric advertised her report as "a personal story," which meant that viewers would be hearing yet again from the adoptive parents, Jan and Roberta DeBoer. (The biological parents, Dan and Karen Schmidt, declined to take part.)
So it was 15 minutes of tears from the DeBoers and cute pictures, many in slow motion, of little Jessica. Whichever side one takes in this painful case, the DeBoers had already dominated the tube, and "Now" seemed bent on squeezing the last ounce of moisture out of them before their names became part of a Trivial Pursuit game. Ms. Couric made scarcely a gesture at adding anything to anyone's understanding of the issues. As she might have said in her wry way, just what American needs.
In the hosts' post-episode exchange, Mr. Brokaw seemed a little uncomfortable with this throwback to the true-story pulps, but that might have been only one viewer's wishful imagination. He was quite at home in the second, more substantial feature, an account of the raid two years ago on a remote mountain cabin in Idaho that left Randy Weaver's wife and 14-year-old son dead. Mr. Weaver's crime was selling two shotguns to an undercover agent.
Here, too, the program's sympathy was all on one side, that of Mr. Weaver, a self-proclaimed white separatist, who was interviewed in jail, and of his lawyer, the splashy yet engaging Gerry Spence. But in this case there was justification, since they had not enjoyed anything approaching the sympathetic attention accorded the DeBoers.
The forces involved in the attack -- including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Army, the National Guard and the state police -- chose not to be interviewed. Attorney General Janet Reno was seen assuring Mr. Brokaw that the events were under investigation. But the program's message came from Mr. Spence: Neither Mr. Weaver's offense nor his obnoxious opinions were cause enough for the assault and the killings. As Mr. Spence said, "Police can't kill because they have a badge on."
Ms. Couric returned to end the first show with a promotional get-together with Bette Midler, who is on a national tour. Their talk climaxed with the scoop that the singer, who admits to being 47 years old, is going to try to have a second baby next year.
Tonight's program, which was not made available for review, will include a report by Ms. Couric on what is alleged to have been a gang rape in upstate New York, and an interview by Mr. Brokaw with Marina Oswald.
For now, any evaluation of "Now" must be tentative. As the show develops, the main questions will be how the producers allot their time between subjects with proven appeal and chancier ones of broader significance, and whether they glide over issues or dig into them. One must hope that Mr. Brokaw will not be perpetually embarrassed. 'Tall Hopes' CBS at 8:30 P.M. (Channel 2 in New York)
Tonight the Harrises of Philadelphia join the other black families who have settled into sitcom society. The newcomers could raise property values in an already flourishing neighborhood.
The title, "Tall Hopes," refers most directly to 16-year-old Chester (Terrence Dashon Howard), better known as Chet the Jet, a high school basketball star. What Chet lacks in brains is more than compensated for by 14-year-old Ernest (Kenny Blank), who plans to make brilliant movies and in the meantime acts as the program's host. They have a cute little sister named DeeDee (Karla Green).
The opening episode gets into the ethical shortcuts Dad (George Wallace), a transit cop, is willing to take to advance and exploit Chester's career. He is blocked from the primrose path by Mom (Anna Maria Horsford), the family moralist and disciplinarian. (Why do the women in sitcoms tend to be less childish than the men?)
The show is nicely packaged and lightly delivered. Ernest has the best lines; he calls his ratty sneakers "toxic waste dumps with laces" and complains that the only way he can get Dad to notice him is by not putting a subway token into the turnstile. Mr. Wallace brings solidity, along with sharp timing, to the part of Dad. A weekly visit with the Harrises should not be hard to take. Now With Tom Brokaw and Katie Couric NBC, tonight at 9 (Channel 4 in New York) Dana Adams, Mike Boettcher, Chris Hansen, Noah Nelson and Elizabeth Vargas, correspondents; Fred Francis, senior correspondent. Directed by Guy Pepper; Beth O'Connell, senior producer; Paul Greenberg, managing editor; Jeff Zucker, executive producer. Tom Brokaw and Katie Couric, anchors.
A Review from Entertainment Weekly
TV Review
BASKET CASE
IT PITS BRAINS VS. HEIGHT, BUT THERE'S NO DEPTH IN 'HOPES'
--By Ken Tucker
The barely beating heart of tall hopes (CBS, Aug. 25, 8:30- 9 p.m.) is in the right place. This summer-tryout sitcom, about an African- American family with a big, kind of dumb, athletic son, Chet (Terrence Dashon Howard), and a small, kind of brilliant, studious son, Ernest (Kenny Blank), wants to teach us that racial stereotypes are ridiculous. This is admirable, but it's not funny. The debut's plot revolved around Chet's trying to get Ernest to do his homework for him; Chet wants to go to a basketball game, and part of the bribe for Ernest involves a new pair of expensive sneakers. Tall Hopes' weak script includes a silly, blustering father (stand-up comedian George Wallace, who does the best with what he's handed) and a firm, wise mother (Anna Maria Horsford, of Amen and Rhythm & Blues). The entire show is as earnest as young Ernest, but that's not enough. C-
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