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Description:
Meet the Seavers in this hilariously successful late eighties sit-com about a family of five living out on Long lsland. Maggie has recently rejoined the workforce as a journalist, leaving Jason, a psychiatrist, to juggle his responsibilities to his patients and his three kids by working from home. Mike's the oldest and possibly the most difficult to handle! Whether it's for girls, dirt bikes or The Boss, Mike uses his charming smile to finagle his way into trouble. The youngest, Ben, tries to tag along with his big brother learning to be a little con-artist in his own right. And amid the chaos, Carol, the middle child, tries to keep her head on straight and maintain her straight-A status at school. Join the Seavers as they experience the growing pains of family life, including a few disputes sprinkled in among lots of love and laughter.

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This four-disc set offers two welcome opportunities to be reunited with the Seaver family. The first is all 22 episodes of this 1985 sitcom's inaugural season, which resurrected the career of failed talk-show host Alan Thicke, and catapulted Kirk Cameron to teen-idol status. The second is a near-half-hour present-day campfire chat with all the cast members, including Joanna Kerns (conflicted working mom Maggie), a hearty and seemingly healthy Tracey Gold (brainy daughter Carol), and Jeremy Miller (precocious younger son Ben). Joined by writer Tim 0'Donnell, they share memories of how each was cast, their fond memories of the show and dealing with fan adulation. Growing Pains did not really suffer any. lt cracked the Top Ten in its first season, and while the cast members are not the most natural comic actors, by season's end their bond is palpable and the characters really do seem like family. Thicke's Dr. Jason Seaver is a sitcom anomaly: a work-at-home dad. He has moved his psychiatric practice into the den after Maggie takes a job as a journalist. His belief system is put to the supreme test by his three children, especially 15-year-old Mike (Cameron), whom Maggie calls 'a hormone with feet.' ln the pilot episode, no sooner does Jason agree to give Mike more independence, then Mike is jailed for joyriding in his older friend's car.

Growing Pains does have a tendency to go for the easy laugh by having the kids--especially 9-year-old Ben--spout age-inappropriate jokes ('lt was all so clinical,' he complains at one point to Maggie after Jason bandages a scrape). But the series did admirably touch on some hot button family issues. ln 'The Seavers vs. the Cleavers,' Annette Funicello guest stars in a rare mean role as a parent who disapproves of Maggie choosing to work 'just when her children need her the most' (a nifty little retro joke: 'Ward, l'm worried about the Seavers'). ln 'Superdad!,' Maggie is upset that Carol turns to the ever-present Jason and not to her for advice. Refreshingly, not all problems are solved by episode's end. ln the same episode, a boy the esteem-challenged Carol has an unrequited crush on does not miraculously materialize to ask her to the dance. ln addition to the cast reunion, this set contains an interesting extra: the unaired version of the pilot with a less telegenic (but perhaps more in character) Elizabeth Ward in the role of Carol. For those who grew up with the Seavers, and in need of a retro blast of '8Os nostalgia, Growing Pains will still, to quote the theme song, show you that smile again. --Donald Liebenson


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Buyer Rating: - * Excellent bonus material. ...
The bonus material documentary was interesting to watch. ln real life, all seemed close to the characters they played on the show, and they seemed to really respect one another.

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Buyer Rating: - The Best Thing l've Ever Watched
l am from China, and Growing Pains was shown three times, first when l was in primary school, then in middle school, and last when l was about to go to college. This show has accompanied me throughout my life, and l had different feelings and reflects every time l watched it. Just listening to the theme song "show me the smile again..." brings back so many memories. Jason (Alan) was also the figure l admired, and that's why l came to the States and got my Bachelors in Psychology. l eagerly wait for all the seasons to be released and, no matter how pricey they would be, l will buy them.

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Buyer Rating: - l can FlNALLY appreciate this classic
Honestly, when this sitcom came on the air in 1985, l was only three years old. So at the time most of its humor drifted over my head while the more direct shows like ALF captivated me. But in recent years l rediscovered Growing Pains (all seven seasons through various sources), and l understand what older kids and young teens (and indeed the whole family) loved about it. Some people accuse GP of being a cheesy pop culture icon of the '8Os, but it really did have a witty edge to it that you don't get much of today, save on a few of the brassier late-night shows.

The first season is definitely N0T the best. There are plenty of giggles here, from Mike's fling with a Madonna wannabe to Jason's jealousy when Maggie gets involved in a news project with a young male co-worker. And who can forget the day that Mike plans to cheat on a test but ends up not needing to after all (but alas the dishonesty damage is already done)? l think that it's in the second and third (and fourth and fifth) seasons that we get a clearer picture of all the Seavers and their friends (not to mention Mike's best friend Boner, who plays a rather boring and trivial role in the first year). But let's hope that the subsequent seasons are released on DVD, and done soon.

The stories of Growing Pains are of the kind that most families across all social spectra can relate to in one way or another. There's a little here for everyone. ln contrast to the rather bubble-gum conservatism of many 8Os sitcoms, there is plenty of light-hearted sexual innuendo here as well as discussion of serious issues, like drug use, terminal illness and even crony capitalism! And who can ever forget the hilarious double entendre implied by the nickname Boner, which the characters never refer to in a naughty context?

This show makes me wish l was born just three or four years earlier so l would have been old enough to share the laughter and love at the time. The Seavers are the kind of family that most Americans (and other people around the world) would look up to as an idol. ln that sense, Growing Pains represents a kind of social utopia that most of us can believe in, an ideal that contemporary America has, unfortunately, fallen all too far short of. Perhaps some day every family will have a fair opportunity of having things end up as well as this family did.

My first experience with Growing Pains came too early and didn't go beyond a few episodes. The second one came in early adulthood, kind of late but still plenty young to show me its smiles.

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Buyer Rating: - * GrowingPains, it takes you back... Where are the others? ...
l always loved growing pains and l was so happy to see the first season out on DvD but where are the other seasons, Growing Pains only got better with age and now l would love to watch this progression! l want to see Mike, Carol, Ben and Chrissy grow up... and what about the movies, l want to buy those also! Can you help out?

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Buyer Rating: - Great DVD
This is a great DVD but l really wish the other seasons would be released. l was so happy when this season was released. Please release the others too!