American Dreams

American Dreams: Summary

Airs Next:NBC at Sunday 8:00 PM (60 min.)
Status:Ended
Premiered:September 29, 2002
Last Aired:March 30, 2005
Show Categories:Drama, Soap

This evocative drama, which won two Emmy Awards, is set against the memorable music, the cultural clashes, and the Vietnam war during the 1960s. The third-year drama depicts the American landscape -- as seen through the youthful Pryor family of Philadelphia as they brace for the cultural turbulence ahead that still resonates in this contemporary era.

Seventeen-year-old Meg Pryor (Brittany Snow, �Guiding Light�) is shedding her �good girl� image as she and her outspoken best friend Roxanne (Vanessa Lengies, �Popular Mechanics for Kids�) continue to pursue their dreams of making a difference as they struggle through the transition from teenager to adult. While they continue to dance on Dick Clark�s locally produced �American Bandstand,� they find -- as seniors at East Catholic High School -- that the world around them is growing ever closer with issues of the war, racism, feminism, and even teen marriage and pregnancy.

At the same time, Meg�s mother Helen (three-time Emmy nominee Gail O�Grady, �NYPD Blue�) continues to face the challenge of the era�s modern woman, working and holding the family together. The family�s patriarch, Jack Pryor (Tom Verica, �Providence�), braces himself for the sociological and economic changes as he prepares to run for city councilman, and JJ (Will Estes, �7th Heaven�), a U.S. Marine fighting in Vietnam, struggles to find his way home to his family and his ex-fiancee, Beth Mason (Rachel Boston, �The Andy Dick Show�), who is pregnant with their child. In addition, adolescent Will (Ethan Dampf, �Collateral Damage�) tries to fit in at school after successful polio surgery, and smarty-pants Patty (Sarah Ramos) tries to find a balance between her brilliant mind and social acceptance among her high school peers.

African-American father Henry Walker (Jonathan Adams, �The American Embassy�) remains hopeful that his partnership in Jack Pryor�s electronics store is a sign of positive social changes to come. However, the politics of the time continue to show him that the needs of the black community are not being met. Meanwhile, his son Sam (Arlen Escarpeta, �The Shield�) has mixed feelings concerning the evolving events as he starts his freshman year at the University of Pennsylvania on a track scholarship which forces him on a path of self-discovery.

The drama embraced contemporary musicians as guest stars who portray classic 1960s icons on �American Bandstand.� Last season�s guest stars include Kelly Clarkson (as Brenda Lee), Nick Lachey (as Tom Jones), Alicia Keys (as Fontella Bass), and Hilary and Haylie Duff (as The Shangri-Las). This evocative drama, which won two Emmy Awards, is set against the memorable music, the cultural clashes, and the Vietnam war during the 1960s. The third-year drama depicts the American landscape -- as seen through the youthful Pryor family of Philadelphia as they brace for the cultural turbulence ahead that still resonates in this contemporary era.

Seventeen-year-old Meg...

It's My Life

Aired: Wednesday March 30, 2005

When Chris returns, Meg finds out that he has been drafted to the war and is going to Berkeley to avoid it. Meg must decide between being with Chris or being with her family but her decision is made even harder when Jack threatens to disown her if she leaves. Roxanne begins to cut hair at the Vinyl Crocodile much to Luke's dismay. J.J. begins to feel overwhelmed at work when he volunteers to help on a project. Nathan is given a second chance by Mr. Pryor when he allows Nathan to do deliveries again. Helen decides to accompany a mother to pick up her son's coffin.

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- 16 comments \ add yours

Gail O'GradyHelen Dolan Pryor (photos)
Sarah RamosPatricia "Patty" Pryor
Ethan DampfWilliam "Will" Pryor
Will EstesJohn "J.J." Pryor, Jr. (photos)
Jonathan AdamsHenry Walker (photos)

9.3
00
lisgirl978
member since: Dec 3, 2006
The Bottom Line: "Personal favorite"
This is how TV should be. ...Continue »
As the title tells us, American Dreams is about the good ole days. Think black-and-white TV, record players, phones with cords, plaid skirts. Oh, how I wish I could of grown up in the sixties. In actuality, it's the simplicity and realness of the show that makes it so easy to enjoy. You can imagine that the Pryors are your next-door neighbors, a dysfunctional but lovable family, complete with football star JJ, dancer/music-lover Meg, know-it-all Patty, the adorable but Polio-stricken Will, power freak father Jack, and sweet, compassionate mother Helen. It is incredibly difficult not to love all of them. This is the kind of thing we need to see more of on TV.
03/23/08 02:36pm | report abuse
8
00
SierraNichole
member since: Jan 1, 2008
The Bottom Line: "Bring it back!"
A wonderful little show, cancelled before it should have been. ...Continue »
I remember seeing the previews for "American Dreams" and instantly being intrigued; I've always been a fan of shows about historical events, and the setting just seemed interesting to me. I'd never seen a TV show that focused on the 1960s and the turmoil that people went through at the time.

The show delivered wonderfully. Focusing on the Pryor family, it began with the assassination of President Kennedy and showed the reactions of everyone in the family--from the WWII vet father, Jack, to the youngest child, Will. Confusion, fear, anger, the family went through it all. The characters were fleshed out and took on meaning within just a few episodes--Helen was a caring mother conflicted by the troubles in the world, JJ the star football player, Meg the girl who starred in American Bandstand and talked boys with her best friend Roxanne, smart Patty and adorable Will. They may sound one-dimensional, but as the show went on, they really came to life.

My favorite storyline from the show was JJ joining the USMC and his deployment to Vietnam, it certainly wasn't original, as almost everyone guessed that would happen when the show first came on the air, but it was still effective. One of the scenes that still sticks out in my mind is when JJ leaves for Vietnam early in the morning, his mother is out getting milk and when she comes inside he's in uniform, ready to go. There's a thick feeling of awkwardness, and I got a feeling of nausea, just like I did the day I left for a deployment back in 2005 (getting up early in the morning still makes me ill, just like I felt the day I left). The reactions from JJ's family were realistic, and the episode where it's discovered that JJ is MIA and most likely not coming home is heartbreaking. The show also dealt with JJ's return home very well, without butchering his character, but still showing us a deeply troubled young man.

As in any show, it did have it's downs: I never liked the character of Beth, and thought she was incredibly unsupportive and inconsiderate to JJ while he was gone. It also got a bit too preachy when it came to the Civil Rights movement sometimes, while most of the time it handled it nicely. And I wasn't a fan of the bandstand theme, just seemed too "out there" for me, as MOST 15-year-old girls in the '60s didn't dance on national TV.

Overall, this show was a gem amongst many, unoriginal, dull shows (Law & Order, CSI, Crossing Jordan, etc.), and NBC shouldn't have cancelled it so early. It's a shame that the entire three seasons haven't been released on DVD, I would sure buy them!
01/11/08 02:45pm | report abuse
10
10
CATG80
member since: Nov 21, 2007
The Bottom Line: "Personal favorite"
There are no words to describe how good this show was. I wish it could have gone on forever. ...Continue »
This show would have to be one of the best series i have seen in my life. When i watch this it is like i am there. I get totally emersed in the 60s - the fashion, the music, the events - it is like you are really there. It is like you are a part of the pryor family. It is so crazy how a tv show can do this to you. I am totally in love with JJ and was on the edge of my seat to see what would happen with JJ and Beth. What a gorgeous couple. I was so happy when they got married. Why cant i meet a guy like JJ. I am in australia and they completely butchered it over here. I missed so many episodes and then they changed the name. I was DEVASTATED when they stopped making it. With all the crap that is on tv today and they take a fantastic, innovative, addictive show like this off air because it didnt get the ratings. I know anyone else who was a fan will know what i am talking about.

cathy
11/20/07 09:52pm | report abuse
10
00
Savy1714
member since: Nov 20, 2007
The Bottom Line: "Bring it back!"
An absolute wonderful show!!! It broke my heart when it was taken off air. ...Continue »
American Dreams was such a blast to the past in a middle class family. It really gave you insight into what life was like back then. I especially love how they have a charcter that could conect with almost all ages and relate to everyone. It reminded me of " 7th Heaven" but with a timewarp and a little more sin. I also think that this show wasn't as popular as it should of been.It truely broke my heart when it was taken off the air. I think they should bring it back and give the show another shot to make a bigger impression on the public. I definetly rate this show a 10!
11/19/07 11:46pm | report abuse
8.9
00
ktfahel
member since: Jul 19, 2007
The Bottom Line: "Underappreciated"
Americana at the point in time when Americana was going just a little out of whack. ...Continue »
I couldn't believe how at home I felt with the family in this show. In a few ways it reminded me of my own family. I remember being a Catholic girl in the late 60s (granted, I was born in 1964) and witnessing some of, if not the events, some of the emotions that were happening at this time.

I found it a stroke of genius to center the show on one of the greatest music shows of all time, "American Bandstand". Since music is a huge touchstone for a lot of people, myself included, it adds to the nostalgia in a whole different level.

I loved how they had stars of today portraying the stars of yesteryear. It gave a few artists a chance to stretch their musical chops, and to play with acting (and, of course, vice versa for the actors who portrayed musicians).

Best friends Meg and Roxanne reminded me of me and my best friend growing up: I was the good little Catholic girl, and Michelle was the wild & worldly one. Of course, Meg was braver than I'll ever be, but the resemblence was still there.

I loved this show, and miss it.
11/05/07 10:30am | report abuse