Andrew D. Weyman Movies

Imagine The Honeymooners with four-letter words and All in the Family with full-frontal nudity, and you'll have a pretty good idea of what to expect with the half-hour HBO sitcom Lucky Louie. Debuting June 11, 2006, the series was created by Emmy-winning comedy writer Louis C.K., the man responsible for the cult-movie favorite Pootie Tang. The creator also played the leading role of Louie, a blue-collar oaf who held down a part-time job as a muffler-shop mechanic while his wife, Kim (Pamela S. Adlon), a full-time nurse, provided most of the family's income. Louie spent much of his time in his dingy little apartment, looking after his ill-mannered daughter, Lucy (Kelly Gould), and matching half-wits with his various friends and neighbors. These included his fully employed friend (and boss) Mike (Mike Hagerty) and Mike's wife, Tina (Laura Kightlinger), who doled out sex to her husband on a strictly conditional basis; his African-American neighbors Walter (Jerry Minor) and Ellen (Kim Hawthorne), who had their hands full caring for their own daughter, Lisa; Kim's rudderless brother, Jerry (Rick Shapiro), who was unemployed and often imposed on Kim and Louie for everything from food to the use of their shower; and Louie's pal Rich (Jim Norton), who still lived with his mom and supported himself with a variety of illegal business ventures. The series was greeted with uniformly devastating reviews, with most critics harping on its stereotypical treatment of working-class families and its overbearing obsession with sex and sex-talk (the first episode found Louie masturbating to a picture of Jessica Simpson -- imagine Ralph Kramden doing that). For diehard HBO fans, the series' surprise element was not its surfeit of nudity and profanity but the fact that Lucky Louie was the network's first sitcom to be filmed with multiple cameras in front of a live audience. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Is it possible to continue stoking the flames of a raucous high school romance 15 years after the fact? This was the question posed by the CBS situation comedy Still Standing. Mark Addy and Jami Gertz starred as Bill and Judy Miller, a fun-loving blue-collar Chicago couple who began dating as teenagers and who nearly two decades later were happily married and the parents of three children. So where was the "situation"? Well, it seemed that the Millers still thought and acted like troublemaking schoolkids, which caused any number of amusing crises as they endeavored to properly raise their three children -- notably their nerdish and uptight son Taylor Ball. For the most part, Bill and Judy made up their parental game plan as they went along, though usually things turned out all right. Created by Joey Gutierrez and Diane Burroughs, who based the series on their own enduring romantic relationship, Still Standing originally aired on September 30, 2002. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This TV sitcom series centers around Denver advertising man Jack McLaren (Tom Selleck), such a powerhouse that he's nicknamed "The Legend." In the opening episode, his agency's biggest client is the U.S. Army, but after Jack beats the President of the United States on the golf course, he's out of a job the same week he's being divorced by his wife (Joanna Kerns). Turning down a competitor's offer, Jack snaps back into action with his own agency, assembling his team of veteran creative director Carl Dobson (Ed Asner), geeky copywriter Bruno (David Krumholtz), sharp-talking secretary Beverly (Suzy Nakamura), and Ivy League accountant Erica (Penelope Ann Miller). Meanwhile, he has to deal with his daughter Alex (Hedy Burress), who wants to drop out of college. Filmed in Burbank, the series began February 23, 1998 on CBS. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide

Jackie and Roseanne get the news that their father has died. Roseanne makes the arrangements, comforts Jackie, and ends up getting a drink with her father's girlfriend, Joan Crinshaw (Kay Arnold, Tom Arnold's aunt), who finally meets Bev (Estelle Parsons) for the first time. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

In this conclusion of a two-part episode, Roseanne helps Jackie to leave her abusive boyfriend, Fisher (Matt Roth), while Dan spends the night in jail for his actions. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

Darlene wants David (Johnny Galecki) to move into the Conners' home. Roseanne disagrees at first, but then she meets David's mom, Barbara Healy (Sally Kirkland), and convinces Dan to let him stay. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide