"And I've learned that life is an adventure."
October 14, 2015 9:54 AM   Subscribe

In May 1991, ABC launched a half-hour drama series called "My Life and Times." The premise: An 85 year old man living in a retirement community in 2035 looks back on his life and shares his experiences with friends and family. Framing sequences were set in 2035 while the bulk of the episodes featured flashbacks to the 1970s, 1980s or 1990s. The show begins on April 9, 2035.

Premise
Each episode began and ended with conversations between Ben and his friends or family members in 2035. Most of the story was told in flashbacks. "Someone he knew came to him with a problem, or was obviously troubled about something, and Ben would share his own life experience in an attempt to provide guidance or help. He provided additional narration during the flashbacks."

Reception
Despite generally positive reviews from critics, the show attracted few viewers and was quickly cancelled. "My Life and Times" was only shown once on ABC. Only six of the seven episodes produced were aired. It has never been released commercially. Its seventh episode was not aired in the United States, and does not seem to be online.

Cast
Tom Irwin played 85-year-old Ben Miller. Irwin also portrayed Miller in flashbacks. Megan Mullally co-starred as Susan Valentine, one of the aides at the retirement community. Helen Hunt played Ben's wife Rebecca Miller in flashbacks.

The Show (1990-91)
* Opening Credits
1) "April 9, 2035" / Parts 1 and 2
2) "Jessie" / Parts 1 and 2 (With Claudia Christian)
3) "Our Wedding" / Parts 1 and 2
4) "Millennium" / Parts 1 and 2
5) "Fare on Park Avenue" / Parts 1 and 2
6) "The Collapse of '98" / Parts 1 and 2
posted by zarq (21 comments total) 31 users marked this as a favorite
 
I've been trying to remember the name of this show for the longest time and almost used an AskMe on it. Thanks!
posted by Rob Rockets at 10:05 AM on October 14, 2015


Older Ted: Kids, I'm gonna tell you an incredible story. The story of how I met your mother.
Son: Are we being punished for something.
Older Ted: No.
Daughter: Yeah, is this gonna take awhile?
Older Ted: Yes. Twenty-five years ago, before I was "dad" I had this whole other life. I was 27, just starting out as an architect, living with your uncle Marshall. My life was good. Then your uncle Marshall went screwed the whole thing up.


Oh, this wasn't that show? Weird. Eerie even.
posted by General Malaise at 10:23 AM on October 14, 2015 [4 favorites]


Collapse of '98, eh? Early by 10 years, in the event.
posted by chavenet at 10:31 AM on October 14, 2015 [1 favorite]



Collapse of '98, eh? Early by 10 years, in the event.


Or two years depending on how bad of collapse you want.
posted by drezdn at 10:34 AM on October 14, 2015 [2 favorites]


I really enjoyed this show for the brief time it was on. It seemed like with the apparent production costs it would probably have to be a major hit to keep going, and could easily run out of steam or ideas pretty quickly anyway. So, I don't know that it could have had a much longer run than it did, but it was a nice little thing for a bit. I guess sort of a precursor to current productions following the British model of shorter seasons or being presented as miniseries rather than something with a continuous run.
posted by LionIndex at 10:42 AM on October 14, 2015


Megan Mullally co-starred as Susan Valentine, one of the aides at the retirement community.

Please tell me she plays a hilarious drunk—"It's time for your meds, Mr. Miller—no, I'm sorry, dear, it's time for mine!" [laughter]

A year or so ago I remarked on wanting to see this so thanks for rounding it up.
posted by octobersurprise at 10:45 AM on October 14, 2015 [2 favorites]


A year or so ago I remarked on wanting to see this so thanks for rounding it up.

Yep! It's been on my long-term 'posts to do' list since you pointed it out in that thread. Thanks for the idea! :)
posted by zarq at 10:56 AM on October 14, 2015


April 9, 2035

Weird, that'll be my 58th birthday assuming any of us live that long.
posted by Strange Interlude at 11:13 AM on October 14, 2015


Several of ABC’s potential new series for Fall 1990 had unusual concepts: ... Plymouth was about a small town forced to live on the Moon due to a chemical spill

Wait, wait, wait. Hold on just a second. So your plan is to just slide past that with a quick head check and talk about a show about some retirement home guy in the future reminiscing about his life in the present? Really? That's how you want to play it?
posted by Naberius at 11:30 AM on October 14, 2015 [8 favorites]


Oh man, poor Plymouth. A promising show that ended up being a throwaway pilot turned movie. Of course it's on Youtube.
posted by General Malaise at 12:00 PM on October 14, 2015 [1 favorite]


So your plan is to just slide past that with a quick head check and talk about a show about some retirement home guy in the future reminiscing about his life in the present? Really? That's how you want to play it?

Oh, that definitely deserves a whole post of its own. :D
posted by zarq at 12:13 PM on October 14, 2015 [1 favorite]


Oh my god the moon town show has some killer lines:

"Next week it will be eight years since we lost your father. He was just as sure as you are right now that nothing could ever catch him looking the wrong way. That's the moon out there Jed. And it can take your life quicker than any tree that ever fell in Oregon!"

"The president wants to personally congratulate Mayor McKenzies and your town council on their completing their relocation to the moon."

"But what if re-entry proves too much for the fetus?"

"It's not just Addy. You got this whole town pregnant!"
posted by compartment at 12:58 PM on October 14, 2015 [6 favorites]


Yeesh the makeup. Couldn't get past ol' Leatherface en cardigan waxing maudlin about his youth. "Hey, why now if it isn't my old girlfriend over there" from back when he was a teenager. Yup. 80 years old bending over the steam tray. Its her alright.
posted by hal9k at 1:07 PM on October 14, 2015


Just realized this is that show with the (earthquake?) where a brick wall collapses on a car trapping the driver whose legs start feeling cold. A quick look at the problem and a fireman advises our man here to stay with him while he runs off to save others. It. was. grim.
posted by hal9k at 1:15 PM on October 14, 2015


Ooh, we get to wear shapeless, dull-colored shifts in the future! I'm sold.

Also, in the one about their wedding, I am reminded of the recent FPP on Wedding Dresses Through the Ages that had an unconvincing 80s version. This show is more accurate; THAT is what 80s wedding dresses looked like. Big sleeves, giant frothy headdress that explodes from the back of the head, floofy hair to match. Glittery.
posted by emjaybee at 1:16 PM on October 14, 2015 [2 favorites]


Just realized this is that show with the (earthquake?) where a brick wall collapses on a car trapping the driver whose legs start feeling cold. A quick look at the problem and a fireman advises our man here to stay with him while he runs off to save others. It. was. grim.

I watched most of these episodes as a first-year college student. The earthquake depicted in the show was the 1989 Loma Prieta quake in San Francisco, which I lived through. The dying man trapped in the car (one of his fellow stockbrokers--maybe Ben's boss?), told Ben that he was a terrible broker and that he should find a more meaningful job. As a wavering student, hearing that type of advice from a character killed in a real-world event I survived weighed heavily on my mind.

The only other things I remember from the show were the maglev train from the opening credits and Ben asking whether Milk Duds were still available in 2035.

Separate shout-out for South Central, the other short-lived experimental show from the 90's that I watched in college.
posted by JDC8 at 3:09 PM on October 14, 2015


So now that we've hit peak Back to the Future, is this the next milestone we have to look forward to?
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 4:05 PM on October 14, 2015


Oh, man, Plymouth is what that thing was called? I had completely forgotten about it until seeing the teaser linked above. I vaguely remember watching it, and there being lots of outer space danger cliché scenes along the lines of They have to get back inside before running out of oxygen! They have to get back inside before the solar flare! They have to get back inside before getting stuck on the dark side of the moon! They have to get back inside but the airlock is malfunctioning! But mostly I remember being all "Hey, it's the guy from Pet Sematary!"
posted by usonian at 4:47 PM on October 14, 2015


I liked that!!! I had to laugh when the kid said he didn't get into Princeton and his life was ruined. (Somehow being sad over not getting into Harvard or Stanford is more relatable and less humorous than being sad about not getting into Princeton. Though I guess Princeton used to seem less douchey back in the day.)

The elderly Guy's makeup looks good for its time but it's so dated and obvious now.

One more thought: what a pretty retirement home! I better save up and get rich fast!
posted by discopolo at 5:38 PM on October 14, 2015


So now that we've hit peak Back to the Future, is this the next milestone we have to look forward to?

No, we are NOT! Shut your piehole, please and thank you.
posted by discopolo at 5:40 PM on October 14, 2015


Prodigious!
posted by zooropa at 3:20 AM on October 15, 2015


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