truthaboutdrugs
Growing Pains was a truly funny family show that walked the line between being "too mature" for young audiences and being corny (like Full House). The cast actually likes each other and still gets together to reminisce regularly. This chemistry comes through on screen.Everything from the opening song to the closing credits is great. My only issues with the series were the fat jokes made at Tracey Gold's expense. The producers told her to lose weight, leading her down the dark path to anorexia. Even when she'd dropped from 133 to 112 lbs, they STILL included the occasional fat joke! As any man will tell you, calling a woman 'fat' is the worst thing you can do. Calling a teenage girl fat on national TV every week is beyond cruel. Nevermind the fact that she never WAS fat! Beyond that, I have no complaints about the show. I do prefer the first 3 seasons before "Luke" and "Chrissy" came in (and before Kirk converted to radical Christianity). Alan Thicke's character seemed harsher and meaner around Season 5, which I didn't like. Oh, and the "Carol's Carnival" episode is just sad and creepy.This is sounding like a negative review, but I assure you it's not. Compared to some of the other crap that was on TV during these years, Growing Pains is a brilliant show that stands the test of time.Long Live the Seavers!
superstition2
As with other "family friendly" shows, the underlying theme is how propaganda is good for society. Good people are crafted by presenting a manufactured saccharine reality, rather than actual reality. I can't recall the show doing a good job of demonstrating the pitfalls of hypocrisy and other truly educational matters, unlike Family Ties.It's been a long time since I saw this, but it was similar to Full House, another show that I found unwatchable because of the bland characters and smarminess. At least Michael J. Fox brought energy as well as some reality to his show. Cameron, by contrast, is more interested in knocking cast members away and apparently lobbying against producers to prevent reality from peeking through.The show isn't awful, but when I made a short list of the weakest examples of corporate television, this show was part of it, along with Full House.
haygirl9
Growing Pains is an excellent sitcom! Besides, Kirk Cameron is WAY cute! 8-)! It shows real life situations and deals with them accordingly. It's a show you can sit down and watch with your parents and not be embarrassed. Even the episode where they deal with sex is done in a classy way. I mean, sure, it is about sex, but you could still let a 10-year-old watch it. I think the cast is excellent. Maggie and Jason seem like believable parents. I really connected with Carol. She seemed a lot like me, in the fact that we are both over achievers and want to do well in college and life. I think that Ben is so cute. I especially thought is character was well developed on the episode where he reveals that when he is nervous he eats a lot. It was really funny, especially coming from a 10-year-old kid!
GoTheDistance
Growing Pains lasted 7 seasons (166 episodes) against the toughest competition in TV history: Cheers, Cosby, Golden Girls, Roseanne… I am very glad that this fun show will join the other shows that have been honored with a DVD. This family was wacky, goofy, smart, smart-mouthed, yet full of heart. The show never gets old. It's important to buy the DVD($23!) soon after it comes out to send a message to the studio that made the DVD that we like the show a lot; enough to buy a 2nd Season. Because the only thing better than the 1st season is the 2nd(The Goofy Glue Incident, etc).The characters are meticulously written, and brought to life well by the actors – like Seinfeld, Friends and Cheers. They're characters you get to know, like, care about, and never forget. Same goes for a lot of the episodes:11. "STANDARDIZED TEST" Idaho I.Q. high school test- Quote: "After this, the whole school will know how stupid we are" 4. "CAROL'S ARTICLE" episode that made up a word: "stinkiosity"(I'm laughing right now-20 years later).16. "THE SEAVERS VS. THE CLEAVERS" – with Annette Funicello in a "June Cleaver" parody. Season 2: 29. DO YOU BELIEVE IN MAGIC? – a take on "The Sting". - Ben: "Here's your cut, mom." 41. THE AWFUL TRUTH – The Kids are alone in the house, and make a discovery. - One of my favorite eps of all TV. 44. CONFIDENTIALLY YOURS - The Kids are alone at home again - things happen…involving Goofy Glue.I'll be watching this show for the rest of my life (thanks to the DVD and Warner Brothers). I still remember watching the 1st run of some of these memorable episodes 20 years ago!!....."Who knew?" ;)
