United States

Comparisons to that other whine-fest "Thirty-Something" are apt. This show was 90 percent talk with virtually no action! The topics were mundane, to say the least, the effect quite snooze-worthy.

It might do better today when broadcast TV is an entirely female medium with prime-time soaps dominating the schedule. This transformation was incomplete in 1980 so naturally a good portion of the audience said "Huh?' when the show premiered and never again tuned in.

After this experience Beau Bridges, a very talented actor, stayed away from TV. The idiosyncratic Helen Shaver has since found her true métier: as a director.

This was a short lived gem. Man and wife, adult, discussing adult issues with sensitivity and humor, and without the comic "all ends happily after" at the end of each 30 minutes. Entertaining, and made you smile without demeaning. If it ever comes back (unlikely) worth a view.

I watched this show with great interest and quickly got hooked by this family who was actually intelligent and did not find quick and easy solutions to their problems. They were educated, upper class, and had respect for each other. Fine writing, beautiful sets and creative humor was the highlight. Of course it would not hold up on commercial television, it was far too interesting and well written, but I do hope the studio will release all 6 episodes on DVD. This series would surely find an audience with today's more sophisticated viewers. How times have changed and today we openly talk about the subjects this show brought up. It's time has come!

What a priceless gem this show was! It lasted just six weeks, but it had a timeless freshness, a bright optimism that Americans really did want more than the standard, predictable sitcom fare. I would love to get the episodes on DVD or video. Every time really good TV comes along, it just doesn't seem to have a chance to last. Such was the case with "United States." The husband and wife actually talked WITH each other instead of yelling or purring one-liners at each other. The children were actually listened to by their parents. I so appreciated that everything didn't turn out neatly in 22 minutes plus commercials. The statements that were funny were indeed funny rather than fodder for knee-jerk reactions to canned or prompted studio laughter.

One of the best of a generation! Larry Gelbart wrote the episodes (MASH fame). What killed it was Jimmy Carter!

It was an smart/excellent show that was not doing well in the ratings (just like MASH), however, it was being promoted by NBC, was on the cover of TV Guide its final week - so what happened? Jimmy Carter did a TV National speech on the IRAN hostage situation, and it was at 6:00 p.m. PST/9:00 EST - the SAME TIME that it was scheduled to be broadcasted EST - But - It wasn't broadcast due to the Presidents speech. And - because the Presidents speech interrupted the East Coast time, NBC decided NOT to broadcast the West coast episode. And - 2 days later the shop was cancelled. And the viewing public was left with Threes Company and such ...