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Just the Ten of Us

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Just the Ten of Us
GenreSitcom
Created byDan Guntzelman
Steve Marshall
Directed byJohn Tracy (season 1)
StarringBill Kirchenbauer
Deborah Harmon
Heather Langenkamp
Jamie Luner
Brooke Theiss
JoAnn Willette
Matt Shakman
Heidi Zeigler
Opening theme"Doin' It the Best I Can" performed by Bill Medley
ComposerSteve Dorff
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons3
No. of episodes47 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producersDan Guntzelman
Steve Marshall
Mike Sullivan
ProducersHenry Johnson
Nick LeRose
Running time22–24 minutes
Production companiesGuntzelman-Sullivan-Marshall Productions
Warner Bros. Television
Original release
NetworkABC
ReleaseApril 26, 1988 (1988-04-26) –
May 4, 1990 (1990-05-04)
Related
Growing Pains

Just the Ten of Us is an American sitcom starring stand-up comedian Bill Kirchenbauer as Coach Graham Lubbock, a teacher and the head of a large Catholic family with eight children living in Eureka, California. The series is a spin-off of Growing Pains, in which Kirchenbauer portrayed the same character on a recurring basis.[1] As the series progressed, Coach Lubbock's four eldest daughters, the teenagers Marie (Heather Langenkamp), Cindy (Jamie Luner), Wendy (Brooke Theiss), and Connie (JoAnn Willette), became the primary focus of the show.

Just the Ten of Us aired on ABC starting with a trial run from April 26 to May 17, 1988. After the first four episodes in an abbreviated first season were aired, the show was renewed for two more seasons, eventually ending after 47 episodes on May 4, 1990. The show was a part of ABC's early TGIF programming block.

Synopsis

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The series focuses on Graham Lubbock (Bill Kirchenbauer), a Catholic gym teacher who used to teach at the high school that Growing Pains characters Mike and Carol Seaver (Kirk Cameron and Tracey Gold) had attended on Long Island, and the father of eight children.

In the pilot episode (which aired on Growing Pains in the spring of 1988), Graham's job is in jeopardy due to district budget cutbacks. Mike leads a protest after he learns that Lubbock is trying to support a large family (including yet another baby on the way). Despite this, Graham loses his job but soon receives an offer at St. Augustine's Academy, an all-boys private Catholic school in Eureka, California. Graham and his pregnant wife Elizabeth promptly move their family to California.

By special arrangement, the older children — four teenage girls — were allowed to attend St. Augustine's, much to the chagrin of the school's administration (and, of course, the delight of the male students). They were:

The younger children — two girls and two boys — were:

  • 11-year-old Graham, Jr. (Matt Shakman), familiarly known as "J.R."
  • eight-year-old Sherry (Heidi Zeigler)
  • toddler Harvey (Jason and Jeremy Korstjens)
  • infant Melissa – not yet born when the show began.

The first season consisted of four episodes for a trial run in the spring of 1988. ABC was pleased with their success and ordered a second season. In the second season, Cindy and Wendy seemed to switch personalities, with Cindy becoming more ditzy, and Wendy becoming the schemer. Also, the show focused more and more on the four older girls and frequently revolved around the family's efforts to save money, dating, and other typical family sitcom issues. In later episodes, the four teenage girls formed a singing group called "The Lubbock Babes" (partly to help bring in much-needed extra income). The girls had many boyfriends and love interests that Graham took great pride in testing—and in most cases, fending off—but the most permanent fixture among them was Marie's goofy boyfriend, Gavin Doosler (Evan Arnold).

Those on the St. Augustine's staff included Father Robert Hargis (Frank Bonner), the affable headmaster; Coach Duane Johnson (Dennis Haysbert), Graham's earnest young assistant during the first two seasons and pulled some strings with Father Hargis to hire Lubbock; and in the third season, featured teachers Father Budd (Lou Richards) and elderly, madcap Sister Ethel (Maxine Elliott).

Cast

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Response

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Ratings

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A week after the series debuted on April 8, 1988, the show placed 7th in ratings.[2] The second season garnered a total of 20.1 million viewers.[3]

Episodes

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Main article: List of Just the Ten of Us episodes
SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
14April 26, 1988 (1988-04-26)May 17, 1988 (1988-05-17)
220October 28, 1988 (1988-10-28)April 28, 1989 (1989-04-28)
323September 13, 1989 (1989-09-13)May 4, 1990 (1990-05-04)
Broadcast History
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  • April 1988 – May 1988, ABC Tuesday 8:30–9:00
  • September 1988 – June 1989, ABC Friday 9:30–10:00
  • July 1989, ABC Wednesday 8:30–9:00
  • August 1989 – July 1990, ABC Friday 9:30–10:00

Syndication

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USA Network picked up the entire series in reruns shortly after it was canceled, and aired the show on a daily basis until 1996.

International broadcast

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In France, the show aired on Antenne 2 as part of a block called Giga in 1990 for 24 episodes, then on France 2 in 1996 under the name as Un toit pour dix (A Roof for Ten).

In Germany, the show aired on Pro 7 in 1990 under the name as Chaos hoch zehn (Chaos To The Power of Ten).

In Italy, the show aired on Canale 5 in 1992 under the name as Diece sono pochi (Ten is Not Enough).

In Spain, the show aired on Antena 3 in 1990 under the name as Somos Diez (There Are Ten of Us).

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Recipient Result
1989 ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards Top TV Series John Bettis Won
1990 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic) for a Comedy Series George Spiro Dibie
(For episode "Highway To Heaven") 		Won
Young Artist Award Best Young Actor/Actress Ensemble in a Television Comedy, Drama Series or Special Heather Langenkamp, Jamie Luner, Matt Shakman, Brooke Theiss, JoAnn Willette and Heidi Zeigler Nominated
Best Family Television Series Just the Ten of Us Nominated
Best Young Actress Supporting Role in a Television Series Heidi Zeigler Nominated

References

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  1. ^ Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (2003). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946–Present (8 ed.). Random House Digital, Inc. p. 627. ISBN 0-345-45542-8.
  2. ^ Voland, John (May 4, 1988). "TV RATINGS : New Programs Open Strong". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  3. ^ "RETRO 89–90 : le classement intégral de la saison 89–90". September 10, 2009. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  4. ^ Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle (2007). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946–Present (Ninth ed.). Ballantine Books. pp. 723–724. ISBN 978-0-345-49773-4.
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