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The Torkelsons

The Torkelsons is an American sitcom television series that aired on the NBC television network from September 21, 1991, to June 6, 1993.[1] Produced by Walt Disney Television in season 1 and Touchstone Television in season 2, the series starred Connie Ray, Olivia Burnette, and William Schallert. For the second and final season, the series was retooled and renamed Almost Home.[2] The series lasted a total of two seasons, consisting of 33 episodes.

The Torkelsons
Also known asAlmost Home (season 2 title)
GenreSitcom
Created byLynn Montgomery
Developed byMichael Jacobs
Starring
Theme music composerMichael Jacobs & Ray Colcord
Opening theme"A New Day Promises", performed by The Judds
(season 1)
"Almost Home" performed by Jennifer Warnes and Joey Scarbury
(season 2)
ComposerRay Colcord
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes33
Production
Executive producersMichael Jacobs
Charlotte Brown (season 2)
Producers
Camera setupMulti-camera
Running time22–24 minutes
Production companiesMichael Jacobs Productions
Walt Disney Television
(1991-1992)
(season 1)
Touchstone Television
(1993)
(season 2)
Original release
NetworkNBC
ReleaseSeptember 21, 1991 (1991-09-21) –
June 6, 1993 (1993-06-06)

Cast edit

Main edit

Recurring edit

Notable guest stars edit

  • Drew Carey in the season 1 episode "Say Uncle" (his first appearance in a TV sitcom)
  • Patty Duke in the season 1 episode "Return to Sender" (reuniting with William Schallert, who played her father in The Patty Duke Show)
  • Kevin Clash as Elmo in the season 1 episode "Educating Millicent"
  • Joey Lawrence as Dorothy Jane and Molly's boss in the season 2 episode "Girls and Boy"
  • Erin Gray in the season 2 episode "Sleeping with the Enemy" as Mr. Morgan's love interest
  • Ben Affleck in the season 2 episode "Is That All There Is?" as a basketball player who falls in love with Dorothy Jane
  • Jared Leto in the season 2 episode "The Fox and the Hound" as a football player at a party that Molly throws, whom Dorothy Jane thinks is cute
  • Donal Logue in the season 2 episode "Hot Ticket" as a musician named "Tommy Tom"

Production notes edit

Series creator Lynn Montgomery claims to have gotten the name "Torkelson" from a real life Steven Floyd Torkelson, who had showed her his bug collection, and shared his first kiss with her thirty years earlier.[3]

Episodes edit

Series overview edit

SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
120September 21, 1991 (1991-09-21)June 13, 1992 (1992-06-13)
213February 6, 1993 (1993-02-06)June 12, 1993 (1993-06-12)

Season 1 (1991–92) edit

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.
code
Viewers
(millions)
11"Fence Neighbors"Arlene SanfordLynn MontgomerySeptember 21, 1991 (1991-09-21)T-40120.2[4]
Millicent Torkelson is a single mother trying to get by while raising five children in the small town of Pyramid Corners, Oklahoma. When Millicent finds out the family is in dire financial straits, she is forced to take in a boarder, but when Wesley Hodges looks at the place, Millicent's 14-year-old daughter Dorothy Jane is not thrilled when her mom offers Wesley her bedroom to stay in. Meanwhile, a new family moves in next door and Dorothy Jane develops a crush on her new 17-year-old neighbor Riley (Michael Landes).
22"The Cotillion"Arlene SanfordLynn MontgomerySeptember 28, 1991 (1991-09-28)T-40314.7[5]
High school freshman Dorothy Jane has always dreamed of going to her first high school cotillion. Things do not seem as glorious as she thought however, when she cannot find a date and does not even have a dress. Things are made even more complicated when her crush Riley seems to be oblivious and Dorothy Jane lands a date with a boy who is anything but her dream date. Meanwhile, Millicent's mother-in-law tries to find out what is in the letters marked "return to sender" that Wesley has been receiving.
33"A Kiss is Still a Kiss"Arlene SanfordWayne LemonOctober 5, 1991 (1991-10-05)T-40415.6[6]
Dorothy Jane tries to set up a romance between her mom Millicent and the church's new pastor (Jeff McCracken); the pastor sends Steven Floyd home after a hayride, after Millicent's eldest son gets caught french kissing a girl, upsetting Dorothy Jane, who cannot believe her younger brother got his first kiss before her.
44"For Love or Money"Arlene SanfordNorma Safford VelaOctober 12, 1991 (1991-10-12)T-40215.1[7]
Millicent is reluctant to find regular employment outside of her custom upholstery business, feeling it would be an admission that her estranged husband is not coming back, but decides to interview for a job as a telephone operator in order to make ends meet; Dorothy Jane volunteers to take on the responsibility of looking after her siblings Steven Floyd, Mary Sue, Chuckie Lee and Ruth Ann every day after school while Millicent is working, in order to prove to her mom that she can be responsible.
55"Poetry in Motion"Arlene SanfordPhilip LaZebnikOctober 19, 1991 (1991-10-19)T-40613.6[8]
Ruth Ann decides to blackmail Dorothy Jane by revealing some of private romantic poems to the world, but the plan backfires when the revelation ends up emboldening the lovelorn teenager, encouraging Dorothy Jane to write more.
66"An American Almost in Paris"Arlene SanfordStory by : Lynn Montgomery & Diana "Jennie" Ayers & Susan Sebastian
Teleplay by : Lynn Montgomery
October 26, 1991 (1991-10-26)T-40810.7[9]
Dorothy Jane wants desperately to bid adieu to Pyramid Corners, Oklahoma and travel to Paris, and she might get the opportunity if she is selected as the winner in a student foreign exchange competition. When Dreama (Alyson Kiperman) informs Dorothy Jane that the selection committee is visiting the finalists at their homes, Dorothy Jane becomes nervous that her family might jinx her shot at being chosen to be sent to France.
77"Men Don't Leave"Arlene SanfordDiana "Jennie" Ayers & Susan SebastianNovember 2, 1991 (1991-11-02)T-40515.0[10]
The family gets a surprise when Millicent's estranged husband Randall Torkelson (Gregg Henry) returns to Pyramid Corners from Texas more than a year after leaving his wife. Randall's arrival sparks an ill will for Dorothy Jane, who is still upset that her dad left in the first place; Millicent questions whether she wants her husband back when he decides to stay after spending time with his children.
88"Thanksgivingmesomething"Arlene SanfordWayne LemonNovember 24, 1991 (1991-11-24)T-4079.3[11]
Pastor Langley is invited by Millicent to the Torkelson house for Thanksgiving at her daughter Dorothy Jane's insistence, prompting Dorothy Jane, who worries that her mother may never find love again if she does not try to make the next move, to push Millicent to play up her femininity in the hopes her mother will snag a date with him; Millicent also invites Dave, a Native American who has never celebrated Thanksgiving before to spend the holiday with the family.
99"Return to Sender"Arlene SanfordMichael Jacobs & Norma Safford VelaNovember 24, 1991 (1991-11-24)T-4099.3[11]
After Millicent finds a letter in a package mailed to Wesley, she does some well-intentioned butting in to reunite Wesley with the granddaughter he hasn't seen in some time and his estranged former daughter-in-law (Patty Duke).
1010"I Fought the Law"Arlene SanfordPhilip LaZebnikDecember 1, 1991 (1991-12-01)T-4107.6[12]
When Millicent sells her homemade pickled goods, her annual roadside stand is shut down by the police for operating without a license; she decides to stand up for her rights and sell her products in the house illegally, leading to her get taken into custody. The family later discovers that the reason behind the shutdown is due to Millicent's stand competing against a farmer's market run by a town councilman.
1111"A Sigh is Just a Sigh"Arlene SanfordWayne LemonDecember 8, 1991 (1991-12-08)T-41112.1[13]
The school principal calls Millicent when Steven Floyd beats up a bully named Billy Ray Hawkins for talking badly about his mother; when she confronts him about it, Steven Floyd does not tell her the reason behind the fight and gets grounded. After Chuckie Lee gets beaten up by Billy Ray's brother in retaliation, Millicent gives Steven Floyd a major chewing out; when Chuckie Lee tells her why his brother beat up Billy Ray and comes to his room to apologize for being unfair to him, she discovers her son ran away from home. Meanwhile, an ill Dorothy Jane, stuck at home in bed, is paid an unwanted visit by Kirby.
1212"Educating Millicent"Arlene SanfordStory by : Connie Ray & Lynn Montgomery
Teleplay by : Lynn Montgomery
December 22, 1991 (1991-12-22)T-4127.6[14]
When Millicent has trouble helping Dorothy Jane with her homework and her family looks through her old school yearbooks but can't find her picture, she makes the admission to her children that she never finished high school. Wesley suggests that Millicent could take her high school equivalency exam, but she does not think that she can pass the test. Dorothy Jane and Mary Sue convince their mother to take the exam, which ends up taking a toll on Millicent, leading her to imagine that Mary Sue's Elmo (voiced by Kevin Clash) doll has come to life and convinces Millicent to hang in there.
1313"Double Date"Arlene SanfordThomas Szollosi & Richard Christian MathesonJanuary 9, 1992 (1992-01-09)T-41419.7[15]
Dorothy Jane calls talk radio host Kitty Drysdale, also known as the "Love Professor" (Mother Love), about her dilemma of wanting to go out on dates but facing the apprehension of her single mother Millicent about her desire to venture into the dating world, so Kitty drops by the Torkelson house to help Dorothy Jane and Millicent jump-start their dating lives.
1414"The Ice Princess"Arlene SanfordPhilip LaZebnikJanuary 12, 1992 (1992-01-12)T-4139.0[15]
After being rejected by Riley, Dorothy Jane looks to the school's resident ice princess Callie Kimbrough for guidance and makes a radical change to her look, when she resolves to become the type of girl who can make guys melt.
1515"Swear Not By the Moon"Arlene SanfordWayne LemonJanuary 19, 1992 (1992-01-19)T-4157.8[16]
Dorothy Jane auditions for the role of Juliet in the school production of Romeo & Juliet (which is retooled as a western since they're in Oklahoma); when she lands the role, Dorothy Jane is nervous about playing the part, since she is having to play opposite the man of that she dreams of being her own Romeo, her 18-year-old crush Riley Roberts. Things get even tougher when she realizes that he is going to have to kiss her and Millicent is a little uncomfortable since the play calls for a love scene between Romeo and Juliet. Meanwhile, Ruth Ann decides to retaliate after Dorothy Jane rejects her offer to provide music for the play by shaving off Dorothy Jane's left eyebrow in her sleep.
1616"Say Uncle"Arlene SanfordWayne LemonFebruary 16, 1992 (1992-02-16)T-4185.9[17]
Dorothy Jane and Millicent both have members of the Scroggins family with unrequited crushes on them. After seeing Dorothy Jane crush the feelings of lovesick Kirby yet again, Millicent tells her daughter to start being nicer to Kirby even if she does not share his feelings, but the plan backfires when Kirby takes Dorothy Jane's sudden kindness as a sign that she is in love with him and pursues her even more than ever. Dorothy Jane decides to see if Millicent can live up to her own advice by introducing her to Kirby's repulsive uncle Herby Scroggins, who develops a major crush on her.
1717"The Long Goodbye"Arlene SanfordPhilip LaZebnik & Wayne Lemon & Thomas Szollosi & Lynn Montgomery & Richard Christian MathesonMay 2, 1992 (1992-05-02)T-42015.7[18]
Randall Torkelson drops back into his family's lives once again with a big hello for his estranged wife Millicent and their five kids, although none of them are happy about his arrival. Meanwhile, Dorothy Jane is upset because Riley Roberts has graduated high school and gone off to college without telling her goodbye.
1818"The Egg and I"Arlene SanfordPhilip LaZebnikMay 23, 1992 (1992-05-23)T-41710.8[19]
Dorothy Jane is less than thrilled when she is assigned to do a school assignment, which requires them to become "parents" to an egg, with Kirby Scroggins after her original assignment partner gets injured; the two teens eventually learn that parenthood is not all it's cracked up to be.
1919"It's My Party"Robert BerlingerChristopher Vane & Virginia K. HeggeMay 30, 1992 (1992-05-30)T-41911.3[20]
To try to become part of the popular crowd, Dorothy Jane decides to throw a party at her house to increase her social standing and invites almost everybody in the entire school to attend. However, Millicent is less than thrilled when she discovers that Dorothy Jane has left a new close friend of hers off the guest list, because she is not well liked by the invitees.
2020"Aunt Poison"Arlene SanfordThomas Szollosi & Richard Christian MathesonJune 13, 1992 (1992-06-13)T-41610.9[21]
When Millicent's very eccentric aunt dies, she inherits her terribly sick hound dog, a valuable ring, an annoying riddle, and a weird painting. Millicent has some unanswered questions as to why her aunt had refused to speak to her for years and the reason why she was willed the items.

Season 2 (1993) edit

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.
code
Viewers
(millions)
211"New Moon"Arlene SanfordMichael JacobsFebruary 6, 1993 (1993-02-06)20111.7[22]
Millicent is unable to keep making payments on the house and the family has to leave Pyramid Corners. Millicent accepts a job in Seattle as a nanny for widowed business man Brian Morgan's spoiled teenage children: son Gregory and daughter Molly. When the Torkelsons arrive at the Morgans, Brian's kids take an immediate dislike to the Torkelson family and devise a plan to send them packing back to Oklahoma with Molly trying to change Dorothy Jane's personality and Gregory making Mary Sue and Chuckie Lee his "slaves", but the plan backfires when Millicent finds out. Later, Millicent talks to Brian about his mistakes in fathering his kids, explaining that he had to take on the duties of running his wife's company after her death, spending little time with his kids because he is trying to work hard to make the business a success. Brian explains to his kids that he brought the Torkelsons into their home because they have had a very hard life and he wants his kids to learn about responsibility. Dorothy Jane learns of Molly's plan through a conversation with Millicent, and they both agree that Brian and his kids need some time to get adjusted to them.
222"Girls and Boy"Linda DayPhilip LaZebnikFebruary 13, 1993 (1993-02-13)2059.9[23]
Dorothy Jane enjoys her new job working at a local fast-food chicken joint, mainly because of her young, handsome supervisor Jeff (Joey Lawrence). After learning about Dorothy Jane's new love interest, Molly decides to work at the restaurant as well, something Dorothy Jane wishes not to happen. Meanwhile, Brian becomes too much to bear when he catches the flu and Millicent has to wait on him hand and foot.
233"Sleeping with the Enemy"Arlene SanfordLisa A. BannickFebruary 20, 1993 (1993-02-20)20310.0[24]
Dorothy Jane is extremely horrified when she is informed that she must share a bedroom with Molly. Molly, on the other hand, is not the least bit concerned about the new living situation because she's too busy worrying about her father after catching him with a very attractive woman (Erin Gray).
244"Is That All There Is?"Bruce BilsonPatricia NardoFebruary 27, 1993 (1993-02-27)21310.6[25]
Dorothy Jane tries to tutor the top jock in her new school, Kevin Johnson (Ben Affleck), for a poetry assignment and the two start butting heads initially as he doesn't get the meaning of the poetry being taught to him. After she finally gets through to him, Kevin asks out plain Dorothy Jane, which ends up irritating Molly. Dorothy Jane sports her newfound popularity, but the relationship turns out to be pretty bland.
255"The Fox and the Hound"David TrainerWayne LemonMarch 6, 1993 (1993-03-06)2088.4[26]
When Brian's dinner date decides to cancel on him at the last minute, he asks Millicent to fill in for her since the client he is meeting feels that the man is only as good as the woman he has in his life, but Millicent ends up trying to fend off the client's advances. Meanwhile, Molly throws a party while Brian and Millicent are out of the house, and introduces Dorothy Jane to their school's football player (Jared Leto), but things come to a screeching halt when a boa constrictor Chuckie Lee brings home from school gets loose during the party.
266"Winner Take Millicent"Patrick MaloneyWayne LemonMarch 20, 1993 (1993-03-20)21011.6[27]
Brian receives an unexpected visit from his younger hot-shot sports attorney brother, Jim (Christopher Rich), who decides to ask out Millicent on a date; when things soon heat up between them, the new love connection ends up leaving Brian out in the cold, but he will not admit that he has feelings for Millicent.
277"To Jane Eyre is Human"Patrick MaloneyMark LissonMarch 27, 1993 (1993-03-27)21211.2[28]
Molly decides to plagiarize Dorothy Jane's old book report for Pride and Prejudice, instead of using it as a guide for her own report like Dorothy Jane had intended. After arguing with Molly about it, Dorothy Jane finds out the real reason why Molly ended up copying the report, that Brian is not pleased for her failing report card.
288"Duelling Birthdays"Arlene SanfordPhilip LaZebnikApril 3, 1993 (1993-04-03)20411.9[29]
Dorothy Jane and Molly's have a slight problem when their Sweet 16 birthday parties coincide on the same day as one another. Molly's is a backyard extravaganza, while Dorothy Jane's is a small indoor affair with only her family. Both girls end up longing to have the other one's party for very different reasons.
299"To Date or Not to Date"Arlene SanfordWayne LemonApril 10, 1993 (1993-04-10)2029.1[30]
Millicent disapproves of Molly dating a college-age guy she has been secretly seeing, though Brian already gave his daughter approval to date him. This creates solidarity between Molly and Dorothy Jane, who sneak out of the house together late one night, so that Molly can see her older boyfriend.
3010"The Dance"Linda DayMark LissonApril 17, 1993 (1993-04-17)2067.9[31]
Gregory is in trouble when his tomboy friend Sam, whom he doesn't see as much of a girl, decides to transform herself into a beautiful young lady with Millcent's help and asks him to attend the Girls' Choice Dance with her. When the other boys at the dance notice Sam's new look, he suddenly becomes jealous and confides in his father that he has feelings for her. Meanwhile, Chuckie Lee becomes a magician with Mary Sue as his assistant, but he runs into trouble when he handcuffs Dorothy Jane and Molly together and Millicent has the key.
3111"You Ought to Be in Pictures"Dennis ErdmanLisa A. BannickApril 24, 1993 (1993-04-24)2078.4[32]
Chuckie Lee poses for Brian's clothing catalog, and ends up loving the attention he gets from it. After a director sees his portfolio, Chuckie Lee is offered a role in a commercial. Millicent is not to thrilled with the idea of him doing the ad at first, but Brian convinces her it will be okay, and allows her son to do it. However, Chuckie Lee quickly realizes that working on a commercial is much different than print work.
3212"Hot Ticket"Patrick MaloneyPhilip LaZebnikJune 5, 1993 (1993-06-05)2117.2[33]
To prove to Samantha how much he cares about her, Gregory promises to get his girlfriend tickets to see rock star Tommy Tom in concert. After Molly and Dorothy Jane fail to get tickets themselves, he also promises to get Dorothy Jane, who has always wanted to go to a concert, tickets as well. The only way that Gregory can purchase the tickets is with a credit card, so he decides to use his father Brian's card to buy the tickets, but things do not turn out the way he planned when Brian finds out about the $300 charge. Meanwhile, Brian tries his hand (and fails) at cooking.
3313"Bowling for Daddies"David TrainerLisa A. BannickJune 12, 1993 (1993-06-12)2097.0[34]
Millicent decides to enter the father-son bowling tournament organized by Chuckie Lee's Wilderness Troop, so her son won't be left out. However, that is exactly what happens when Chuckie Lee sees all the other boys with their fathers.

Syndication edit

The Disney Channel aired reruns of The Torkelsons and Almost Home on their weekday and weekend lineups from January 1994 to late 1999. All Disney Channel advertising for the shows packaged both seasons under The Torkelsons name, but when the Almost Home episodes aired in circulation, the title was never altered in the opening credits. The Disney Channel also aired the series' episodes in production order.

Accolades edit

References edit

  1. ^ Smith, David (1996). Disney A to Z: The Official Encyclopedia. Hyperion Books. p. 685. ISBN 0-7868-8149-6.
  2. ^ Smith, David (1996). Disney A to Z: The Official Encyclopedia. Hyperion Books. p. 25. ISBN 0-7868-8149-6.
  3. ^ The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946-Present. 2003. pp. 1219T. ISBN 0-345-45542-8.
  4. ^ Donlon, Brian (September 25, 1991). "New faces try to save 'One Life to Live'". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
  5. ^ Donlon, Brian (October 2, 1991). "'Roseanne' comes out on top". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
  6. ^ Donlon, Brian (October 9, 1991). "Cable pulls network's plug". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
  7. ^ Donlon, Brian (October 16, 1991). "Hearings score a win for NBC". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
  8. ^ Donlon, Brian (October 23, 1991). "CBS bats one out of the park". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
  9. ^ Donlon, Brian (October 30, 1991). "Close Series wins big for CBS". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
  10. ^ Donlon, Brian (November 6, 1991). "Ratings contest narrows". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
  11. ^ a b Donlon, Brian (November 27, 1991). "CBS scores a strong win". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
  12. ^ Donlon, Brian (December 4, 1991). "The nut at the door on 'Seinfeld'". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
  13. ^ Donlon, Brian (December 11, 1991). "Football a winner for NBC". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
  14. ^ Donlon, Brian (December 26, 1991). "Ratings for CBS to celebrate". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
  15. ^ a b "Pigskin plays in to CBS win". Life. USA Today. January 15, 1992. p. 3D.
  16. ^ Gable, Donna (January 22, 1992). "Brooks ropes ratings for NBC". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
  17. ^ Donlon, Brian (February 19, 1992). "CBS wins, but ABC gets silver". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
  18. ^ Gable, Donna (May 6, 1992). "'Cosby' goes out on top". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
  19. ^ Gable, Donna (May 28, 1992). "NBC wins week and sweeps". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
  20. ^ Gable, Donna (June 3, 1992). "ABC wins with 'Jack's Place'". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
  21. ^ Gable, Donna (June 17, 1992). "Basketball finals net NBC win". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
  22. ^ Gable, Donna (February 10, 1993). "CBS rides to top on wings of 'Skylark'". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
  23. ^ Gable, Donna (February 17, 1993). "King of Pop and 'Queen' rule the ratings". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
  24. ^ Donlon, Brian (February 24, 1993). "'Queen' rules in CBS' royal sweep". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
  25. ^ Gable, Donna (March 3, 1993). "Grammy show a winner for CBS". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
  26. ^ Gable, Donna (March 10, 1993). "CBS holds steady at No. 1". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
  27. ^ Gable, Donna (March 24, 1993). "Waco standoff lifts CBS' '48 Hours'". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
  28. ^ Gable, Donna (March 31, 1993). "CBS continues its winning streak". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
  29. ^ Gable, Donna (April 7, 1993). "An Oscar to ABC for week's best ratings". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
  30. ^ Gable, Donna (April 14, 1993). "NCAA aside, the big winner is ABC's '20/20'". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
  31. ^ Donlon, Brian (April 21, 1993). "New shows find their niches". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
  32. ^ Donlon, Brian (April 28, 1993). "'Walker' kicks in for CBS". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
  33. ^ Gable, Donna (June 9, 1993). "Chung brings ratings to CBS". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
  34. ^ Gable, Donna (June 16, 1993). "NBC and the NBA a winning match". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.

External links edit

torkelsons, this, article, about, sitcom, that, later, retitled, almost, home, other, uses, almost, home, disambiguation, american, sitcom, television, series, that, aired, television, network, from, september, 1991, june, 1993, produced, walt, disney, televis. This article is about the sitcom that was later retitled Almost Home For other uses see Almost Home disambiguation The Torkelsons is an American sitcom television series that aired on the NBC television network from September 21 1991 to June 6 1993 1 Produced by Walt Disney Television in season 1 and Touchstone Television in season 2 the series starred Connie Ray Olivia Burnette and William Schallert For the second and final season the series was retooled and renamed Almost Home 2 The series lasted a total of two seasons consisting of 33 episodes The TorkelsonsAlso known asAlmost Home season 2 title GenreSitcomCreated byLynn MontgomeryDeveloped byMichael JacobsStarringConnie RayOlivia BurnetteElizabeth PoyerAnna SlotkyBenj ThallAaron Michael MetchikLee NorrisRachel DuncanErnie LivelyWilliam SchallertBrittany MurphyJason MarsdenPerry KingTheme music composerMichael Jacobs amp Ray ColcordOpening theme A New Day Promises performed by The Judds season 1 Almost Home performed by Jennifer Warnes and Joey Scarbury season 2 ComposerRay ColcordCountry of originUnited StatesOriginal languageEnglishNo of seasons2No of episodes33ProductionExecutive producersMichael JacobsCharlotte Brown season 2 ProducersWayne LemonPhilip LaZebnikArlene Grayson all entire run Dawn TarnofskyThomas SzollosiRichard Christian MathesonLynn MontgomeryMitchell BankArlene Sanford all season 1 Camera setupMulti cameraRunning time22 24 minutesProduction companiesMichael Jacobs ProductionsWalt Disney Television 1991 1992 season 1 Touchstone Television 1993 season 2 Original releaseNetworkNBCReleaseSeptember 21 1991 1991 09 21 June 6 1993 1993 06 06 Contents 1 Cast 1 1 Main 1 2 Recurring 1 3 Notable guest stars 2 Production notes 3 Episodes 3 1 Series overview 3 2 Season 1 1991 92 3 3 Season 2 1993 4 Syndication 5 Accolades 6 References 7 External linksCast editMain edit Connie Ray as Millicent Torkelson Olivia Burnette as Dorothy Jane Torkelson Millicent s daughter Elizabeth Poyer pilot amp Anna Slotky as Ruth Ann Torkelson Millicent s daughter season 1 Benj Thall pilot amp Aaron Michael Metchik as Steven Floyd Torkelson Millicent s son season 1 Lee Norris as Chuckie Lee Torkelson Millicent s son Rachel Duncan as Mary Sue Torkelson Millicent s daughter Ernie Lively pilot as Jacob Presley season 1 William Schallert as Wesley Hodges season 1 Brittany Murphy as Molly Morgan Brian s daughter season 2 Jason Marsden as Gregory Morgan Brian s son season 2 Perry King as Brian Morgan season 2 Recurring edit Paige Gosney as Kirby Scroggins season 1 Michael Landes as Riley Roberts season 1 Ronnie Claire Edwards as Bootsie Torkelson season 1 Alyson Kiperman as Dreama season 1 Mother Love as Kitty Drysdale season 1 Peter Van Norden as Mel season 2 Alyson Hannigan as Samantha season 2 Notable guest stars edit Drew Carey in the season 1 episode Say Uncle his first appearance in a TV sitcom Patty Duke in the season 1 episode Return to Sender reuniting with William Schallert who played her father in The Patty Duke Show Kevin Clash as Elmo in the season 1 episode Educating Millicent Joey Lawrence as Dorothy Jane and Molly s boss in the season 2 episode Girls and Boy Erin Gray in the season 2 episode Sleeping with the Enemy as Mr Morgan s love interest Ben Affleck in the season 2 episode Is That All There Is as a basketball player who falls in love with Dorothy Jane Jared Leto in the season 2 episode The Fox and the Hound as a football player at a party that Molly throws whom Dorothy Jane thinks is cute Donal Logue in the season 2 episode Hot Ticket as a musician named Tommy Tom Production notes editSeries creator Lynn Montgomery claims to have gotten the name Torkelson from a real life Steven Floyd Torkelson who had showed her his bug collection and shared his first kiss with her thirty years earlier 3 Episodes editSeries overview edit SeasonEpisodesOriginally airedFirst airedLast aired120September 21 1991 1991 09 21 June 13 1992 1992 06 13 213February 6 1993 1993 02 06 June 12 1993 1993 06 12 Season 1 1991 92 edit No overallNo inseasonTitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd codeViewers millions 11 Fence Neighbors Arlene SanfordLynn MontgomerySeptember 21 1991 1991 09 21 T 40120 2 4 Millicent Torkelson is a single mother trying to get by while raising five children in the small town of Pyramid Corners Oklahoma When Millicent finds out the family is in dire financial straits she is forced to take in a boarder but when Wesley Hodges looks at the place Millicent s 14 year old daughter Dorothy Jane is not thrilled when her mom offers Wesley her bedroom to stay in Meanwhile a new family moves in next door and Dorothy Jane develops a crush on her new 17 year old neighbor Riley Michael Landes 22 The Cotillion Arlene SanfordLynn MontgomerySeptember 28 1991 1991 09 28 T 40314 7 5 High school freshman Dorothy Jane has always dreamed of going to her first high school cotillion Things do not seem as glorious as she thought however when she cannot find a date and does not even have a dress Things are made even more complicated when her crush Riley seems to be oblivious and Dorothy Jane lands a date with a boy who is anything but her dream date Meanwhile Millicent s mother in law tries to find out what is in the letters marked return to sender that Wesley has been receiving 33 A Kiss is Still a Kiss Arlene SanfordWayne LemonOctober 5 1991 1991 10 05 T 40415 6 6 Dorothy Jane tries to set up a romance between her mom Millicent and the church s new pastor Jeff McCracken the pastor sends Steven Floyd home after a hayride after Millicent s eldest son gets caught french kissing a girl upsetting Dorothy Jane who cannot believe her younger brother got his first kiss before her 44 For Love or Money Arlene SanfordNorma Safford VelaOctober 12 1991 1991 10 12 T 40215 1 7 Millicent is reluctant to find regular employment outside of her custom upholstery business feeling it would be an admission that her estranged husband is not coming back but decides to interview for a job as a telephone operator in order to make ends meet Dorothy Jane volunteers to take on the responsibility of looking after her siblings Steven Floyd Mary Sue Chuckie Lee and Ruth Ann every day after school while Millicent is working in order to prove to her mom that she can be responsible 55 Poetry in Motion Arlene SanfordPhilip LaZebnikOctober 19 1991 1991 10 19 T 40613 6 8 Ruth Ann decides to blackmail Dorothy Jane by revealing some of private romantic poems to the world but the plan backfires when the revelation ends up emboldening the lovelorn teenager encouraging Dorothy Jane to write more 66 An American Almost in Paris Arlene SanfordStory by Lynn Montgomery amp Diana Jennie Ayers amp Susan SebastianTeleplay by Lynn MontgomeryOctober 26 1991 1991 10 26 T 40810 7 9 Dorothy Jane wants desperately to bid adieu to Pyramid Corners Oklahoma and travel to Paris and she might get the opportunity if she is selected as the winner in a student foreign exchange competition When Dreama Alyson Kiperman informs Dorothy Jane that the selection committee is visiting the finalists at their homes Dorothy Jane becomes nervous that her family might jinx her shot at being chosen to be sent to France 77 Men Don t Leave Arlene SanfordDiana Jennie Ayers amp Susan SebastianNovember 2 1991 1991 11 02 T 40515 0 10 The family gets a surprise when Millicent s estranged husband Randall Torkelson Gregg Henry returns to Pyramid Corners from Texas more than a year after leaving his wife Randall s arrival sparks an ill will for Dorothy Jane who is still upset that her dad left in the first place Millicent questions whether she wants her husband back when he decides to stay after spending time with his children 88 Thanksgivingmesomething Arlene SanfordWayne LemonNovember 24 1991 1991 11 24 T 4079 3 11 Pastor Langley is invited by Millicent to the Torkelson house for Thanksgiving at her daughter Dorothy Jane s insistence prompting Dorothy Jane who worries that her mother may never find love again if she does not try to make the next move to push Millicent to play up her femininity in the hopes her mother will snag a date with him Millicent also invites Dave a Native American who has never celebrated Thanksgiving before to spend the holiday with the family 99 Return to Sender Arlene SanfordMichael Jacobs amp Norma Safford VelaNovember 24 1991 1991 11 24 T 4099 3 11 After Millicent finds a letter in a package mailed to Wesley she does some well intentioned butting in to reunite Wesley with the granddaughter he hasn t seen in some time and his estranged former daughter in law Patty Duke 1010 I Fought the Law Arlene SanfordPhilip LaZebnikDecember 1 1991 1991 12 01 T 4107 6 12 When Millicent sells her homemade pickled goods her annual roadside stand is shut down by the police for operating without a license she decides to stand up for her rights and sell her products in the house illegally leading to her get taken into custody The family later discovers that the reason behind the shutdown is due to Millicent s stand competing against a farmer s market run by a town councilman 1111 A Sigh is Just a Sigh Arlene SanfordWayne LemonDecember 8 1991 1991 12 08 T 41112 1 13 The school principal calls Millicent when Steven Floyd beats up a bully named Billy Ray Hawkins for talking badly about his mother when she confronts him about it Steven Floyd does not tell her the reason behind the fight and gets grounded After Chuckie Lee gets beaten up by Billy Ray s brother in retaliation Millicent gives Steven Floyd a major chewing out when Chuckie Lee tells her why his brother beat up Billy Ray and comes to his room to apologize for being unfair to him she discovers her son ran away from home Meanwhile an ill Dorothy Jane stuck at home in bed is paid an unwanted visit by Kirby 1212 Educating Millicent Arlene SanfordStory by Connie Ray amp Lynn MontgomeryTeleplay by Lynn MontgomeryDecember 22 1991 1991 12 22 T 4127 6 14 When Millicent has trouble helping Dorothy Jane with her homework and her family looks through her old school yearbooks but can t find her picture she makes the admission to her children that she never finished high school Wesley suggests that Millicent could take her high school equivalency exam but she does not think that she can pass the test Dorothy Jane and Mary Sue convince their mother to take the exam which ends up taking a toll on Millicent leading her to imagine that Mary Sue s Elmo voiced by Kevin Clash doll has come to life and convinces Millicent to hang in there 1313 Double Date Arlene SanfordThomas Szollosi amp Richard Christian MathesonJanuary 9 1992 1992 01 09 T 41419 7 15 Dorothy Jane calls talk radio host Kitty Drysdale also known as the Love Professor Mother Love about her dilemma of wanting to go out on dates but facing the apprehension of her single mother Millicent about her desire to venture into the dating world so Kitty drops by the Torkelson house to help Dorothy Jane and Millicent jump start their dating lives 1414 The Ice Princess Arlene SanfordPhilip LaZebnikJanuary 12 1992 1992 01 12 T 4139 0 15 After being rejected by Riley Dorothy Jane looks to the school s resident ice princess Callie Kimbrough for guidance and makes a radical change to her look when she resolves to become the type of girl who can make guys melt 1515 Swear Not By the Moon Arlene SanfordWayne LemonJanuary 19 1992 1992 01 19 T 4157 8 16 Dorothy Jane auditions for the role of Juliet in the school production of Romeo amp Juliet which is retooled as a western since they re in Oklahoma when she lands the role Dorothy Jane is nervous about playing the part since she is having to play opposite the man of that she dreams of being her own Romeo her 18 year old crush Riley Roberts Things get even tougher when she realizes that he is going to have to kiss her and Millicent is a little uncomfortable since the play calls for a love scene between Romeo and Juliet Meanwhile Ruth Ann decides to retaliate after Dorothy Jane rejects her offer to provide music for the play by shaving off Dorothy Jane s left eyebrow in her sleep 1616 Say Uncle Arlene SanfordWayne LemonFebruary 16 1992 1992 02 16 T 4185 9 17 Dorothy Jane and Millicent both have members of the Scroggins family with unrequited crushes on them After seeing Dorothy Jane crush the feelings of lovesick Kirby yet again Millicent tells her daughter to start being nicer to Kirby even if she does not share his feelings but the plan backfires when Kirby takes Dorothy Jane s sudden kindness as a sign that she is in love with him and pursues her even more than ever Dorothy Jane decides to see if Millicent can live up to her own advice by introducing her to Kirby s repulsive uncle Herby Scroggins who develops a major crush on her 1717 The Long Goodbye Arlene SanfordPhilip LaZebnik amp Wayne Lemon amp Thomas Szollosi amp Lynn Montgomery amp Richard Christian MathesonMay 2 1992 1992 05 02 T 42015 7 18 Randall Torkelson drops back into his family s lives once again with a big hello for his estranged wife Millicent and their five kids although none of them are happy about his arrival Meanwhile Dorothy Jane is upset because Riley Roberts has graduated high school and gone off to college without telling her goodbye 1818 The Egg and I Arlene SanfordPhilip LaZebnikMay 23 1992 1992 05 23 T 41710 8 19 Dorothy Jane is less than thrilled when she is assigned to do a school assignment which requires them to become parents to an egg with Kirby Scroggins after her original assignment partner gets injured the two teens eventually learn that parenthood is not all it s cracked up to be 1919 It s My Party Robert BerlingerChristopher Vane amp Virginia K HeggeMay 30 1992 1992 05 30 T 41911 3 20 To try to become part of the popular crowd Dorothy Jane decides to throw a party at her house to increase her social standing and invites almost everybody in the entire school to attend However Millicent is less than thrilled when she discovers that Dorothy Jane has left a new close friend of hers off the guest list because she is not well liked by the invitees 2020 Aunt Poison Arlene SanfordThomas Szollosi amp Richard Christian MathesonJune 13 1992 1992 06 13 T 41610 9 21 When Millicent s very eccentric aunt dies she inherits her terribly sick hound dog a valuable ring an annoying riddle and a weird painting Millicent has some unanswered questions as to why her aunt had refused to speak to her for years and the reason why she was willed the items Season 2 1993 edit No overallNo inseasonTitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd codeViewers millions 211 New Moon Arlene SanfordMichael JacobsFebruary 6 1993 1993 02 06 20111 7 22 Millicent is unable to keep making payments on the house and the family has to leave Pyramid Corners Millicent accepts a job in Seattle as a nanny for widowed business man Brian Morgan s spoiled teenage children son Gregory and daughter Molly When the Torkelsons arrive at the Morgans Brian s kids take an immediate dislike to the Torkelson family and devise a plan to send them packing back to Oklahoma with Molly trying to change Dorothy Jane s personality and Gregory making Mary Sue and Chuckie Lee his slaves but the plan backfires when Millicent finds out Later Millicent talks to Brian about his mistakes in fathering his kids explaining that he had to take on the duties of running his wife s company after her death spending little time with his kids because he is trying to work hard to make the business a success Brian explains to his kids that he brought the Torkelsons into their home because they have had a very hard life and he wants his kids to learn about responsibility Dorothy Jane learns of Molly s plan through a conversation with Millicent and they both agree that Brian and his kids need some time to get adjusted to them 222 Girls and Boy Linda DayPhilip LaZebnikFebruary 13 1993 1993 02 13 2059 9 23 Dorothy Jane enjoys her new job working at a local fast food chicken joint mainly because of her young handsome supervisor Jeff Joey Lawrence After learning about Dorothy Jane s new love interest Molly decides to work at the restaurant as well something Dorothy Jane wishes not to happen Meanwhile Brian becomes too much to bear when he catches the flu and Millicent has to wait on him hand and foot 233 Sleeping with the Enemy Arlene SanfordLisa A BannickFebruary 20 1993 1993 02 20 20310 0 24 Dorothy Jane is extremely horrified when she is informed that she must share a bedroom with Molly Molly on the other hand is not the least bit concerned about the new living situation because she s too busy worrying about her father after catching him with a very attractive woman Erin Gray 244 Is That All There Is Bruce BilsonPatricia NardoFebruary 27 1993 1993 02 27 21310 6 25 Dorothy Jane tries to tutor the top jock in her new school Kevin Johnson Ben Affleck for a poetry assignment and the two start butting heads initially as he doesn t get the meaning of the poetry being taught to him After she finally gets through to him Kevin asks out plain Dorothy Jane which ends up irritating Molly Dorothy Jane sports her newfound popularity but the relationship turns out to be pretty bland 255 The Fox and the Hound David TrainerWayne LemonMarch 6 1993 1993 03 06 2088 4 26 When Brian s dinner date decides to cancel on him at the last minute he asks Millicent to fill in for her since the client he is meeting feels that the man is only as good as the woman he has in his life but Millicent ends up trying to fend off the client s advances Meanwhile Molly throws a party while Brian and Millicent are out of the house and introduces Dorothy Jane to their school s football player Jared Leto but things come to a screeching halt when a boa constrictor Chuckie Lee brings home from school gets loose during the party 266 Winner Take Millicent Patrick MaloneyWayne LemonMarch 20 1993 1993 03 20 21011 6 27 Brian receives an unexpected visit from his younger hot shot sports attorney brother Jim Christopher Rich who decides to ask out Millicent on a date when things soon heat up between them the new love connection ends up leaving Brian out in the cold but he will not admit that he has feelings for Millicent 277 To Jane Eyre is Human Patrick MaloneyMark LissonMarch 27 1993 1993 03 27 21211 2 28 Molly decides to plagiarize Dorothy Jane s old book report for Pride and Prejudice instead of using it as a guide for her own report like Dorothy Jane had intended After arguing with Molly about it Dorothy Jane finds out the real reason why Molly ended up copying the report that Brian is not pleased for her failing report card 288 Duelling Birthdays Arlene SanfordPhilip LaZebnikApril 3 1993 1993 04 03 20411 9 29 Dorothy Jane and Molly s have a slight problem when their Sweet 16 birthday parties coincide on the same day as one another Molly s is a backyard extravaganza while Dorothy Jane s is a small indoor affair with only her family Both girls end up longing to have the other one s party for very different reasons 299 To Date or Not to Date Arlene SanfordWayne LemonApril 10 1993 1993 04 10 2029 1 30 Millicent disapproves of Molly dating a college age guy she has been secretly seeing though Brian already gave his daughter approval to date him This creates solidarity between Molly and Dorothy Jane who sneak out of the house together late one night so that Molly can see her older boyfriend 3010 The Dance Linda DayMark LissonApril 17 1993 1993 04 17 2067 9 31 Gregory is in trouble when his tomboy friend Sam whom he doesn t see as much of a girl decides to transform herself into a beautiful young lady with Millcent s help and asks him to attend the Girls Choice Dance with her When the other boys at the dance notice Sam s new look he suddenly becomes jealous and confides in his father that he has feelings for her Meanwhile Chuckie Lee becomes a magician with Mary Sue as his assistant but he runs into trouble when he handcuffs Dorothy Jane and Molly together and Millicent has the key 3111 You Ought to Be in Pictures Dennis ErdmanLisa A BannickApril 24 1993 1993 04 24 2078 4 32 Chuckie Lee poses for Brian s clothing catalog and ends up loving the attention he gets from it After a director sees his portfolio Chuckie Lee is offered a role in a commercial Millicent is not to thrilled with the idea of him doing the ad at first but Brian convinces her it will be okay and allows her son to do it However Chuckie Lee quickly realizes that working on a commercial is much different than print work 3212 Hot Ticket Patrick MaloneyPhilip LaZebnikJune 5 1993 1993 06 05 2117 2 33 To prove to Samantha how much he cares about her Gregory promises to get his girlfriend tickets to see rock star Tommy Tom in concert After Molly and Dorothy Jane fail to get tickets themselves he also promises to get Dorothy Jane who has always wanted to go to a concert tickets as well The only way that Gregory can purchase the tickets is with a credit card so he decides to use his father Brian s card to buy the tickets but things do not turn out the way he planned when Brian finds out about the 300 charge Meanwhile Brian tries his hand and fails at cooking 3313 Bowling for Daddies David TrainerLisa A BannickJune 12 1993 1993 06 12 2097 0 34 Millicent decides to enter the father son bowling tournament organized by Chuckie Lee s Wilderness Troop so her son won t be left out However that is exactly what happens when Chuckie Lee sees all the other boys with their fathers Syndication editThe Disney Channel aired reruns of The Torkelsons and Almost Home on their weekday and weekend lineups from January 1994 to late 1999 All Disney Channel advertising for the shows packaged both seasons under The Torkelsons name but when the Almost Home episodes aired in circulation the title was never altered in the opening credits The Disney Channel also aired the series episodes in production order Accolades editYear Association Category Nominee Result 1992 Young Artist Awards Best New Family Television Series The Torkelsons Nominated Best Young Actress Starring in a New Television Series Olivia Burnette Nominated Exceptional Performance by a Young Actor Under Ten Lee Norris Nominated Exceptional Performance by a Young Actress Under Ten Rachel Duncan Nominated 1993 Young Artist Awards Best Young Actress Starring in a Television Series Olivia Burnette Nominated Outstanding Actress Under Ten in a Television Series Rachel Duncan NominatedReferences edit Smith David 1996 Disney A to Z The Official Encyclopedia Hyperion Books p 685 ISBN 0 7868 8149 6 Smith David 1996 Disney A to Z The Official Encyclopedia Hyperion Books p 25 ISBN 0 7868 8149 6 The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946 Present 2003 pp 1219T ISBN 0 345 45542 8 Donlon Brian September 25 1991 New faces try to save One Life to Live Life USA Today p 3D Donlon Brian October 2 1991 Roseanne comes out on top Life USA Today p 3D Donlon Brian October 9 1991 Cable pulls network s plug Life USA Today p 3D Donlon Brian October 16 1991 Hearings score a win for NBC Life USA Today p 3D Donlon Brian October 23 1991 CBS bats one out of the park Life USA Today p 3D Donlon Brian October 30 1991 Close Series wins big for CBS Life USA Today p 3D Donlon Brian November 6 1991 Ratings contest narrows Life USA Today p 3D a b Donlon Brian November 27 1991 CBS scores a strong win Life USA Today p 3D Donlon Brian December 4 1991 The nut at the door on Seinfeld Life USA Today p 3D Donlon Brian December 11 1991 Football a winner for NBC Life USA Today p 3D Donlon Brian December 26 1991 Ratings for CBS to celebrate Life USA Today p 3D a b Pigskin plays in to CBS win Life USA Today January 15 1992 p 3D Gable Donna January 22 1992 Brooks ropes ratings for NBC Life USA Today p 3D Donlon Brian February 19 1992 CBS wins but ABC gets silver Life USA Today p 3D Gable Donna May 6 1992 Cosby goes out on top Life USA Today p 3D Gable Donna May 28 1992 NBC wins week and sweeps Life USA Today p 3D Gable Donna June 3 1992 ABC wins with Jack s Place Life USA Today p 3D Gable Donna June 17 1992 Basketball finals net NBC win Life USA Today p 3D Gable Donna February 10 1993 CBS rides to top on wings of Skylark Life USA Today p 3D Gable Donna February 17 1993 King of Pop and Queen rule the ratings Life USA Today p 3D Donlon Brian February 24 1993 Queen rules in CBS royal sweep Life USA Today p 3D Gable Donna March 3 1993 Grammy show a winner for CBS Life USA Today p 3D Gable Donna March 10 1993 CBS holds steady at No 1 Life USA Today p 3D Gable Donna March 24 1993 Waco standoff lifts CBS 48 Hours Life USA Today p 3D Gable Donna March 31 1993 CBS continues its winning streak Life USA Today p 3D Gable Donna April 7 1993 An Oscar to ABC for week s best ratings Life USA Today p 3D Gable Donna April 14 1993 NCAA aside the big winner is ABC s 20 20 Life USA Today p 3D Donlon Brian April 21 1993 New shows find their niches Life USA Today p 3D Donlon Brian April 28 1993 Walker kicks in for CBS Life USA Today p 3D Gable Donna June 9 1993 Chung brings ratings to CBS Life USA Today p 3D Gable Donna June 16 1993 NBC and the NBA a winning match Life USA Today p 3D External links editThe Torkelsons at IMDb nbsp Almost Home at IMDb nbsp The Torkelsons Almost Home at epguides com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Torkelsons amp oldid 1204379549, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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