Family Repair

There is something very wrong about the WB networks retelling of the old television show "Family Affair." For those who may not be familiar with the premise, a upwardly mobile New York bachelor (Bill) and his proper British butler (Mr. French) are suddenly charged with caring for two 6-year-old twins and their 14-year-old sister.

(And BTW, does anyone find it odd that they use a Netscape logo as their FavIcon? That's a little too much synergy for me)

The first thing that really bothers me about this show is mainly, that it is being remade at all. Of ALL the old sit-coms, why would you pick "Family Affair" to mine for comic gold? It wasn't all that great to begin with. I remember watching the reruns after school, but I think I only watched because it had children on it.

But I have to give them credit, they left the theme song the same. Kudos for that.

The next problem started a mere 2 minutes into the show. The scene: an actual sidewalk outside of a Ritzy apartment building. Bill, played by Gary Cole (who was a much better Dad as Mike Brady in the "Brady Bunch Movie") makes a comment to the doorman. The gruff New York doorman then makes a wise crack about said comment, and the audience cracks up! Hahahahah! WHAT? What audience? How can there be an audience on a New York sidewalk? Because there isn't one, it is a "laugh track." There is not an actual audience at any point in the show. The show producers seem to think I don't know when to laugh, so they put a pre-recorded audience laughing on there for me. Thanks. And guess what? I didn't laugh because it wasn't funny! So I now have been insulted, and have also been clued in to the fact that this is going to be a bad show.

The WB's press release for "Family Affair" says: "Blending the same comical dilemmas and family values that made the original show a hit..." From this you would expect maybe a show you could watch with the family. Nope. The next scenario we are presented with shows Bill talking to a model at night on his penthouse patio. He then talks suggestively about helping her out of her underwear. Nice. Then later when the twins (Buffy & Jody) find their room, they are jumping on the bed. As his date departs, Bill strolls in and says "Ah, testing out the bedsprings are you?" Then mumbles "I was planning to do that too until you arrived...." Oh, isn't that cute and hilarious! Sure it will fly over the heads of most kids, but does it even need to be included? Oh, such family fare!

Just because we live in the double-oughts doesn't mean EVERYTHING in prime time television has to have sexual innuendo does it? Or maybe that is what family values have come down to in this decade.

But by far the WORST thing about this show is Tim Curry as Mr. Frech. OK, stop right there. I love Tim Curry. I mean, he IS Frank N. Furter. He is also makes one of the best Bad Guys in the movies (I loved his arc on WiseGuy). But to see him reduced to a servant is just too much. I am used to seeing him in command, as a strong character in almost everything he does. In this, he is a wimpy girly-man. It is just awful! Oh he does a fine job, but I just don't like seeing him rolling his eyes, mugging to the camera, and acting like such a ninny with the children. Even Sebastian Cabot's Mr. French had more of a backbone. But I guess that's my problem since Curry says "it's a damn good part." Oooooh-kay Mr. Curry, your call.

After about 15 minutes I had all I could take. I didn't even see how they older sister was brought into the mix. I shut off the tape and thanked my lucky starts I didn't invest an entire hour that would never come back to me.

The new "Family Affair" is just a really, really bad show. If it lasts 6 episodes I will be truly shocked.

file this under TV & Movies
Posted by on September 13, 2002 @ September 13, 2002 08:37 AM    
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