Tim Doyle Movies
- 2007
This CW sitcom was set in Medora, Wisconsin, where dwelled the Tolchuck family: Father Gary (Scott Patterson), mother Franny (Amy Pietz), son Justin (Dan Byrd) and daughter Claire (Lindsay Shaw). Desperate to fit in with the cool kids at school, the nerdish Justin (who narrated the series, Malcolm in the Middle style) decided if he couldn't make friends, he'd "import" one. Thus, he talked his parents into being the sponsors for an exchange student from Pakistan, an amiable Muslin teenager named Raja (Adhir Kalyan). Though Justin and Raja formed an immediate bond, mom Claire was a bit frightened by her guest, her head filled with news reports of middle-east terrorism and such. Conversely, dad Gary was quite impressed by Raja's courtesy, loyalty, and strong work ethic--and besides, he was getting $500 a month for sponsoring the kid. As for Claire, she was too preoccupied with being the "dream girl" of every jock in school, and the actual girlfriend of classmate Jeffrey (Harlan Jackson), to concern herself with Raja. In case the reader hasn't caught on by now, the purpose of this series was to dispel viewers in the post-9/11 era of the idotic assumption that every Muslim posed an eminent threat to the American way of life: Indeed, Raja may have been the most lovable and nonthreatening TV alien since Robin Williams' Mork From Ork. Aliens in America debuted October 1, 2007. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dan Byrd, Adhir Kalyan, (more)
- 2005
First telecast March 13, 2005, the ABC sitcom Jake in Progress starred John Stamos as Jake Phillips, a handsome, stylishly dressed celebrity publicist who worked for the Magnum PR Agency. It was Jake's function in life to handle damage control for the rich and famous -- and to endure the constant insults hurled his way by his high-strung boss Naomi (Wendie Malick), who in the earliest episodes was twice as contentious as usual because she was in the last stages of pregnancy. Although supremely in charge on the job, Jake was less fortunate in his private life, unable to sustain any sort of lasting romantic relationships. Offering comfort and advice to the protagonist were his two friends, a dentist named Adrian (Ian Gomez) and a funky (and remarkably ubiquitous) street magician named Patrick (Rick Hoffman). Almost universally panned by critics during its initial 13-week run, Jake in Progress went on a lengthy hiatus, resurfacing on January 9, 2006. Evidently taking the criticism to heart, the producers endeavored to make the somewhat abrasive Jake more likeable and the episode plotlines more credible; also, two new regular characters were added, Annie (Charlotte Ross) and Mark (Dondre Whitfield). However, the series still languished in the ratings, posting the lowest numbers of the four major networks in its time period. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Stamos, Ian Gomez, (more)
- 2003
A young Russian model dies while shoplifting at a trendy clothing store, apparently the victim of an overdose of prescription drugs. During their investigation, the detectives cross the path of a controversial and extremely abrasive "Dr. Feelgood" named Ellis Heinz (Jonathan Hogan). But as much as the DA's office would like to send Heinz to prison for his unorthodox drug ministrations, it is just possible that the dead model was the victim of something other than a reckless misdiagnosis. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2001
Former Seinfeld stalwart Jason Alexander returned to series television as the eponymous star of the ABC sitcom Bob Patterson. On this occasion, Alexander portrayed a high-profiled motivational speaker, author of such best-selling tomes as I Know More Than You Do and I Still Know More Than You. Despite his success in his chosen field -- not to mention the abundance of testimonials from real-life celebrities (endearingly if not always convincingly cast as themselves) -- Bob Patterson was not always successful in carrying over his winning philosophies into his personal life. The series' basic joke was reminiscent of the "physician heal thyself" premise of NBC's Frasier -- which was telecast opposite Bob Patterson on Tuesday nights. Appearing in support of the versatile Jason Alexander (who also wrote several of the scripts) were Robert Klein as Bob's business partner, Landau; Jennifer Aspen as his ex-wife, Janet Patterson; and James Guidice as Bob's lethargic son, Jeffrey. Co-produced by 20th Century Fox and Touchstone Television, Bob Patterson premiered October 2, 2001, its originally September 25 debut date scuttled by ongoing TV coverage of the World Trade Center bombing. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jason Alexander, Robert Klein, (more)
- 1998
This highly acclaimed but shortly lived half-hour comedy focused on the staff of a cable sports news program called "Sports Night." As the anchors and producers duck and weave through their career goals, workplace romances, rough divorces, and a love/hate relationship with professional sports, the power-plays on the court, in the office, and behind closed doors create a dynamic and often hilarious environment. Written by Aaron Sorkin, Sports Night has been praised for the balance in depicting the inner-workings of its setting, the relationships between its characters, and the unique overarching world of sports journalism that draws them together. Networks had trouble finding the show an audience and eventually it was canceled. While Sorkin was offered the chance to continue the series on cable, he declined to focus on his new series The West Wing, which found tremendous success and was praised for many of the same merits as Sports Night. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide
- 1994
In this television remake of Disney's zany feature, a teenager under a magic spell keeps turning into a sheepdog, much to his father's chagrin. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ed Begley, Jr., Scott Weinger, (more)
Footage from three separate horror projects was assembled for this semi-anthology, framed by the premise of a mad scientist (Martin Kove) who uses virtual-reality technology to delve into the phobias of three different subjects. The first tale, "Jenny Porter," describes a paranoid woman (Vivian Schilling) trapped in her house by a pack of mad dogs; "The Roommate" features Bill Paxton as a psychotic living companion; and "Mr. Petrified Forest" is the story of a death-obsessed photographer (Sam Clay) who experiences a surreal close call with mortality. There are a few inspired moments -- particularly in the final segment -- but overall the weakly plotted stories will likely fail to maintain viewers' interest. The unrated version contains several minutes of gory footage excised from the R-rated print. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Vivian Schilling, Martin Kove, (more)
- 1989
Described by one critic as "a post-Bruce Weber Rebel Without a Cause, Writer/director Everett Lewis' Natural History of Parking Lots can also be labelled--as a coming-of-age film. Charlie Bean plays the alienated teenage son of an affluent black Beverly Hills family. Upon learning that Charlie gets his kicks by hot-wiring expensive cars, his father orders the boy's older brother B. Wyatt to keep an eye on him. Unfortunately, and unbeknownst to dad, Wyatt is heavily involved in a gun-running operation. Rated R for sex, violence and profanity, Natural History of Parking Lots wound up on several reviewers' "ten best" lists, thought it has yet to receive a widespread national distribution. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1989
One's enjoyment of Road Lawyers and Other Briefs is contingent upon one's fondness for student film projects. Three of the segments in this four-part film are student-produced short subjects, with the expected sharp variance in quality. "Road Lawyers" is a broad takeoff of the Mad Max school, its single joke given away by its title. "Escape from Heaven" is all about a nun whose chattering piety drives everyone crazy. And "Hairline" concerns itself with...a hairline. The final segment of this omnibus feature is a gagged-up snippet from the 1951 Republic serial Radar Men From the Moon, which was "funny" enough originally without the overdubbed dialogue. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1987
- R
In this horror film, young Andrea (Virginia Madsen) discovers that the students at her new boarding school seem to be a little unusual. However, when she discovers that they are being preyed upon by a group of administrators in search of eternal youth, she must struggle to avoid meeting the same fate. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Virginia Madsen, Richard Cox, (more)
