Family Affair: Season One

I remember loving this TV show when I was very young and so I approached re-viewing it 40 years later with much trepidation because I was not sure how it would hold up. I didnt remember this sitcom being heavy with jokes and punchlines, so I worried that it might have aged badly. I'm very relieved to say that the 30 episodes in this set are wonderful and the entire cast is restrained, believable and talented. This is one of those heart-warmer comedies that aren't made any more. Its humor comes from the situations rather than a goofy setup or (worse yet) impossibly adult wisecracks coming out of the mouths of young children. When bachelor Bill Davis (Brian Keith) inherits the three children of his late brother and sister-in-law (Anissa Jones, Johnnie Whittaker and Kathy Garver), he and his butler (er "gentleman's gentleman, Mr. French, played by Sebastian Cabot)find themselves suddenly having to raise three kids. Be forewarned, the first few episodes are real tear-jerkers as the kids continually believe they will be sent away to another relative. The DVD's picture is vibrant--it was one of the first color TV shows besides BONANZA-- and the stories are captivating.

The only confusing part of the DVD experience is that each episode begins with a pre-opening credits sequence--sometimes the scene that plays is a scene you'll see later in the episode and sometimes its the actual beginning of the episode, so don't be too quick to speed past the opening sequence. The DVD doesn't have chapter breaks within each episode. Sadly, there's no commentaries (only Garver and Whittaker are still alive from the core cast) but on the final disk, Garver hosts a special feature that takes you behind the scenes of the show and she's just as effusive and attractive as she was when she was first cast in the show--she was 18 when she was cast as 15-year-old Sissy. She also explains how Brian Keith agreed to do the TV show as long as he could film all his scenes one right after another (much the way Fred MacMurray did on MY THREE SONS), so he would only have to commit to a few months filming a TV show rather than a much lengthier filming period. This meant that many of the cast filmed their reaction shots to sequences weeks later. Even with this knowldge, its almost impossible to spot any odd continuity; it plays seemlessly--which is certainly high praise for William D. Russell, who directed all by the first episode.

Guests stars during this first season (1966)includes Myrna Loy, with reoccurring appearnaces by Heather Angel as another nanny, Miss Faversham. John Williams appears in episodes 18--26 as Mr French's brother, who looks after the family when his brother is called away (Cabot was ill at the time--can anyone explain why Cabot is wearing a bandage on his hand for almost half of the first season's episodes?).

Best episodes for season one include: the first show, "Buffy"; "Take Two Aspirin" (ep #11, when Uncle Bill is in Mexico and Fench gets the flu); "The Thursday Man" (ep #13, which deepens the characters of Sissy and Mr French); "All Around the Town" (ep #17, where the twins get lost in the city); and "Once In Love With Buffy" (ep #21 when Aunt Fran returns and wants Buffy and Sissy to come live with her).

This is a DVD set well worth owning.

NOTE: One of the other reviews posted on Amazon complained that there was no list of the episodes on each disk. My set contained a glossy insert that listed all teh shows and noted which disk they were on. Maybe it was left out of his set. (Although, thanks for the helpful list of season one's episodes.)

Brian Keith and the whole cast made this show a winner. It was funny and the whole family could watch. I am glad that this and other shows of the 60's are being released on DVD. It gives me something to watch. TV has lost it's innocence.

I am so excited to actually be able to see this neglected gem once again. It hasn't been re-run on any networks, even cable, in years and years. Looking forward to Cissy's romance in Tahiti, Jody clipping Mr. French's beard, the substitute Mr. French (played by John Williams--not the orchestra conductor but the actor who did the "Masterpieces of Music" commercial ("I'm sure you recognize this lovely melody as 'Stranger in Paradise,' but did you actually know it is based on the Polovtsian Dance number 2 by Borodin?"), stickball in the park, Uncle Bee-iill, Buffy and her beloved Mrs. Beasley, and the excitement of New York in the 60's. IT'S ABOUT TIME!!!! Now let's get out a few more 60s favorites like "That Girl!"

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 69 reviews  4.8 out of 5 stars