Family Rules

Jim 1990s

Aired: 1998-1999 (UPN)Holding the Baby

DAD: Nate Harrison (Greg Evigan) / Widower

DAD’S JOB: Basketball Coach

KIDS: Hope (Maggie Lawson) (18), Ann (Shawna Waldron) (15), C.J. (Andi Eystad) (13), and Lucy (Brooke Garrett) (12)

WHERE’S MOM?: Dead!

STAND-IN “MOM”: Phil (Markus Redmond) best buddy and neighbor

Originally named “The Home Team,” UPN announced yet another TV Single Dad show in June of 1998, making *3* new UPN Single Dad shows for the year! This time, Greg Evigan, of the 80’s show My Two Dads, took on the Coach-ish role of a basketball coach for a Major University. Throw in the pitfalls of raising four girls, and of course, wacky hijinks ensued.

Also big Monster News was that this was a HENSON Production, but sans Muppets. Definitely better than Buddy in maintaining viewer interest.

Here’s UPN’s Press Clip on the subject:

If men are from Mars and women are from Venus, then Nate Harrison is in trouble! As the widowed father of 4 teenage girls, Nate is outnumbered, overwhelmed and way out of his element.

Nate is a basketball coach by day, but off the court he’s out of his element, trying to bring his daughters up. They include Hope, a popular blonde girl who the boys can’t resist; Ann, a smart, responsible and wise girl; C.J., the thrill-seeking sports junkie always looking for adventure, and Lucy, the bright-eyed happy-go-lucky youngster.

In watching several episodes now, I’m of two minds. First, the writing was funny and the plots, though predictable, were entertaining. The actors meshed well and the show was more than adequate in enjoyment. However, the positioning of this show between Moesha and Malcolm & Eddie doomed it to an early grave, as the demos for the shows wrapped around Family Rules were significantly older. This show should have been pitched at the ABC TGIF crowd.

UPDATE May 20, 1999: As predicted, this show got the axe when the 1999 Fall Season was announced. A real shame. Bye, Harrison family!