- Release Date: March 31, 2009
- Publisher: Shout Factory
- Price: $35.99 on Amazon.com (Buy It
)
- Rating: G
- Run Time: 690 minutes
- Special Features: “Let’s Do It! Reuniting California Dreams,” Video Jukeboxes
- Starring: Kelly Packard, Gail Ramsey, Michael Cade, Michael Cutt, Heidi Lenhart, Brent Gore, Ryan O’Neill, William J. Jones
- Genre: Comedy
Before watching this DVD I had no idea what “California Dreams” was about but from the back of the box it sounded like a mix between “The Partridge Family” and “Saved By the Bell.” I didn’t think I would like it but Shout Factory has introduced me to a lot of great comedies so I gave it a shot. Unfortunately, I wasn’t very impressed after getting through the 31 episodes. “California Dreams” isn’t one bit original and suffers from lame lines (ex. “The early bird gets the babes”) and below average acting performances.
“California Dreams” was an NBC Saturday morning sitcom that originally focused on the Garrison family. Matt and Jenny Garrison both played in a band unsurprisingly called California Dreams (this is where the comparison to “The Partridge Family” comes in). In season two, the show shifted its focus even more to the band. The humor is very similar to what you would see on “Saved by the Bell” or the other teen comedies of the ’90s.
I thought most of the actors in “California Dreams” were pretty poor overall. Kelly Packard was really the only one to have any success after the show ended so I’m guessing I’m not the only one who didn’t like the actors. Most of the cast members just had no comedic timing whatsoever. However, they didn’t have much to work with since the writing was also pretty poor. With poor acting and writing it isn’t too surprising that this show isn’t that funny.
Shout Factory usually does a good job with the video and audio on their TV releases and “California Dreams” is no exception. You can definitely tell it aired in the early ’90s but I can’t see the content looking any better than it does on this DVD set. Since this is a show about a band, it’s a good thing the audio quality is also great. The soundtrack is very good as well.
The extras are alright but since I didn’t even enjoy the show all that much, I can’t say that they are must-watches. The video jukeboxes aren’t much but “Let’s Do It” is a decent piece that looks at the cast of the show.
I didn’t really enjoy “California Dreams” much but I know the show has its fans. If you did love the show, go ahead and pick this set up. The video and audio quality are great and the set even includes a few extras that you should enjoy.
