In 1976, I was just four years back from living in Germany. My dad was in the Armed Forces and we were stationed there for two years. While we were there, there was little TV to watch, unless you wanted to count the German stations. (Watching "Bonanza" in German was a hoot, even at my age.) When we got back, we were pretty much starved for entertainment so we began to spend a lot of evenings watching TV as a family (something that is missing out of most households today). Our tastes were pretty widely spread, and as a family we shared those tastes. I've always said that's why my interests have been so varied and I defied stereotyping myself. Of the handful of series that stand out in my memory, ironically one of them is… "Family." Premiering as a mid-season replacement, the first season only had six episodes but our family, as well as many across the country, was smitten by the Lawrence family. It was a huge hit, ended up running for 5 seasons, being nominted for a ton of Emmy Awards (winning four).

Looking back, this isn't surprising considering the series was born from a team that included Mike Nichols, Jay Presson Allen, Leonard Goldberg and Aaron Spelling.

The aforementioned Lawrence family of the series was made up of Doug (James Broderick), Kate (Sada Thompson) and their children, Nancy (played by Elayne Heilveil in the first season, and by Meredith Baxter Birney in the second season), Willie (Gary Frank) and Buddy (Kristy McNichol). Like any family, the Lawrences had their share of problems. Nancy was a young divorced mother, Willie had all but dropped out of school, and Buddy who was… well… Buddy.

"Family" was one of those shows that pushed the envelope in tackling issues that are all but the norm and expected today. But in the 70's, there were few shows that had the guts to have episodes dealing with teenage drug abuse, drinking, and even familial abuse. Unlike today's TV landscape, where anything goes at anytime, "Family" was considered a little high risk so it was run late in the evening. But my parents were pretty liberal about letting me stay up and we would watch this show together and discuss all of the issues. Of course, I never mentioned to them that I had a crush on Kristy McNicol (who was about the same age as me…)

So when Sony announced that they were finally releasing the series on DVD, the first set delivering seasons 1 & 2, I knew I was going to have to grab a copy. My plan was to watch some of the episodes with my Mom (my Dad passed away quite awhile back), but we were hard pressed to set aside some time with her and my wife. So I opted to watch as many as I could on my own and with my wife and let us catch up with her later.

The series surprisingly felt as relevant today as it did back then. Granted the clothing styles were understandably outdated, but once you get past that the show really has a way of growing on you. The cast was great, especially Broderick (who as you might know is Matthew Broderick's father) and Meredith Baxter Birney (who is great is just about everything.) The episodes for the most part looked pretty good, considering their age and the fact that they were shot on film. You'll find the occasional scratches and some color washout, but not enough to warrant a complaint.

The other great thing about watching great shows like these from the 70's is that you often catch appearances by favorite actors of the day and even some who were just starting out back then and are big stars now. These first two seasons of "Family" boasts guests such as Helen Hunt, Tommy Lee Jones, Genie Frances, Kim Richards, Sheree North and James Woods.

I will say I was a little disappointed, but not surprised by the lack of special features. Sony has been releasing a lot of great older shows, but they rarely offer special features on the sets. With "Family" being a personal favorite of mine and the knowledge that most of the cast are still around, I really would have liked an interview featurette or something. As it is, I'm still curious as to why Elayne Heilweil was replaced by Birney (though I'm glad she was). Hopefully, if the subsequent seasons are released someone will get the idea to add something.

Despite this minor setback, the DVD release for "Family: Seasons 1 & 2" is long overdue and a welcome addition to my collection.

Episodes:
The Best Years (aka Pilot)
Monday Is Forever
A Special Kind of Loving
A Right & Proper Goodbye
Thursday's Child Has Far to Go
A Point of Departure
Coming Apart
Such Sweet Sorrow
Home Movie
Coming of Age
Jury Duty - Part 1
Jury Duty - Part 2
The Cradle Will Fall
Skeleton in the Closet
The Christmas Story
Rites of Friendship
An Eye to the Future
Lovers and Strangers
Return of Engagement
"Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall..."
Someone's Watching
A Safe House
Best Friends
Taking Chances - Part 1
Taking Chances - Part 2
Comings and Goings
There Are More Things in Heaven and Earth
An Endangered Species

Starring: James Broderick, Sada Thompson, Elayne Heilveil, Meredith Baxter Birney, Gary Frank, Kristy Mcnichol
Extras: None
Specifications: Full Screen
Studio: Sony / Columbia Tristar
Release Date: 9/5/2006
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR
Website

We'll give Family: Seasons 1 & 2 a B-.