Hi Honey, I'm Home

The show ran on ABC as part of their TGIF lineup, and on Nick at Night way back in 1991. Only six episodes aired during the summer though, then the show was moved only to Nick. And a bit of trivia: "Honey" was the first show to be an "instant rerun." A new episode would air on ABC on Friday, and then that same episode would air again that Sunday. This was the first time a show aired on two networks at basically the same time. A recent example of this is the ABC show "Once and Again," which also airs later in the week on Lifetime.

I know it's been a long time since "Hi Honey I'm Home" was on (even in re-runs), so I'm not surprised that a lot of people have written incorrect or conflicting info. I was a big fan, and have all the eps on tape. So anyway, here is the real deal:

1. It's "false trivia" about A.J. from the Back Street Boys playing Skunk. He apparently did play him in an unaired pilot, but a different actor played Skunk on all the aired episodes.

2. Although much like "Pleasantville", "Honey" was indeed first (by SEVEN years!) When I saw Pleasantville, I was like, "Oh my God, it's 'Honey' reversed and made into a movie!"

3. The show first played in the summer of '91 as part of ABC's TGIF lineup (not CBS), and was "instantly" rerun two days later (Sundays) on Nick at Nite. After six episodes, ABC did not pick it up for any more. However, Nick at Nite did produce 6-8 more episodes, which only ran on Nick at Nite. They reran them again and again and again before finally dropping it around 1994. I wonder where the characters were re-relocated?

This show was way to short in its run. I was never sure when it was on. But when I caught it I was in seventh heaven. I grew up with black and white TV and although color TV is the way to go. There was a simpler and sweeter mind set to the old TV shows. Even crime dramas back then had a depth and charm that seems to have been lost over the years. My favorite running gag was when a guest star from the "Sitcom World" would do a guest appearance. Someone would pick up the "Remote" and press 'the button' and everything would turn onto Black and White. Then everyone would let out a delighted sigh of pleasure. 'Color is just too colorful." It would always crack me up. Why isn't this show available on DVD?

I looked forward to this show every week. Although it was a low budget series I thought it was well written and well acted. One of its actors has gone on to bigger things (Julie Benz). I wish they would at least show reruns of Hi Honey I'm Home.

I adored this show, and so hope that it will eventually show up on DVD. This show, like so many of Rupert Holmes' creations, was a thinking person's show. It used the contrasts in lifestyles between the 50's Nielsons (one of Rupert's little 'in' jokes...Nielsen ratings...get it?) and the 90's Duffs to show the good parts of both. It was well-written, well-acted, satire, and for those of us old enough to remember, used cameos by 50's and 60's stars to heighten interest (Barbara Billingsley, Jim Nabors, etc.). I miss the show...Good, decent programming.

I do have the pilot episode with A.J. McLean on tape (the only ep I have), so it must have aired sometime.