That Was Then

I taped this show Friday, didn't get to see it til Monday, and boy did I really enjoy it. It was great to hear the #41 hit by the Kinks "Do It Again" used as the key element to the time travel.

Great acting, interesting concept, it's like Back To The Future, meets Quantum Leap Meets Early Edition.

I just hope a Friday time slot doesn't doom this show!!

"That Was Then" grabbed my attention in mid-July when ABC started running promos for the new fall season. I'm a big fan of the "Back to the Future" movies so I was really hoping they would pull this one off in the same way.

Flash forward to late September: The show airs and I love it instantly. The writing, the acting, everything, is perfect. I laugh, I feel inspired, and I believe I've just witnessed the birth of a very popular show.

Though James Bulliard (Travis Glass), looks a little old to be in high school, we soon forget this as he plays the part to a T. Tyler Labine (Donnie Pinkus) is the perfect wise cracking mulleted-buddy. He steals every scene he's in, and plays one of the funniest new characters on TV this season. Top that off with the beautiful Kiele Sanchez (Claudia), who turns in great performance as the innocent "love that got away" from Travis. I actually remember seeing her on MTV a few years back on the wannabe VJ contest, and I was happy to see her career blossoming.

Along with the youthful stars, veterans Jeffrey Tambor (who could forget him on "The Larry Sanders Show") and Bess Armstrong round out the cast as Travis's parents.

The cast is perfect. The writing is perfect. This is a great show, one that I certainly hope will get a second chance in a much better time slot than 8 on Friday night. It deserved better, and I can only hope ABC will have sense enough to bring it back when the time is right.

This was such a great series, so of course ABC canceled it after just two episodes. The story was great, and so was the '80s music. The only problem with this series was the time slot (Friday night at 8pm.) If ABC had put this series in a decent time slot, it might have had a chance. What a shame.

Wow, I'm impressed! This is far and away the best written series premiere that I've seen this season. I was on the edge of my seat fifteen minutes into the show and didn't leave that spot until the show was over. Will I be back? You better believe it!

This show, along with Push Nevada, are two of the best new shows I've seen in years. What a shock that the networks would actually invest time in something other than another unamusing, irritating sitcom.

The fact that network television has no clue about what is good and what isn't is the reason I'm not surpised that both of these shows have already been cancelled.

That Was Then was not given a proper chance. You can't properly judge a TV show after three episodes.

I suppose anything other than a sappy evening drama or yet another cookie cutter sitcom doesn't agree with the modern TV watcher's attention span.

I'm seriously considering giving up on network TV altogether.