Suzanne Pleshette and Hal Linden
Suzanne Pleshette and Hal Linden
"Stars add chemistry to sitcom.
'Boys' stumbles, but Pleshette, Linden dance.
How could a sitcom that stars proven, beloved veterans like Suzanne Pleshette and Hal Linden miss?. . . [T]he pace of the pilot is awkward, the characters are poorly defined and the cuter-than-cute grandchildren are annoying. Nevertheless, with Pleshette and Linden on board, you hope the series will settle down and improve after the pilot. . . . Despite the pilot's flaws, The Boys Are Back is worth watching for improvement. Linden and Pleshette are terrific together, even when the material isn't up to speed." —Diane Holloway, Austin American-Statesman (9/11/94)
"Pleshette and Linden's easy byplay is pleasurable. . . . Never underestimate the drawing power of charming, familiar stars." —Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly (9/16/94)
"Linden and Pleshette dignify a standard-issue sitcom. It's fascinating to see what two TV pros can do with the slight sitcom material in The Boys Are Back. . . . C" —Ken Tucker, Entertainment Weekly (9/16/94)
"[O]n CBS's numbingly bland The Boys Are Back, Hal Linden and Suzanne Pleshette's two Gen-X sons 'boomerang' back home to live with their parents." —Rick Marin, Newsweek (9/19/94)
"Better think twice, critics said regarding David Caruso's decision to leave NYPD Blue this season. . . . Good parts aren't easy to come by, and viewers won't always accept a purported star in another role. You'll find further proof on TV's fall schedule. The unlucky examples are Hal Linden, so fondly remembered as Barney Miller, and Suzanne Pleshette, everyone's favorite sitcom wife on The Bob Newhart Show.Good idea, bringing them back to weekly TV on the same series. Not so good when the show turns out like The Boys Are Back. . . . See you next show, Hal and Suzanne." —Tom Feran, The Plain Dealer (9/10/94)
"It's a tired premise for a sitcom that's invigorated by the sharp timing and engaging rapport of the costars. My score: 5." —Skip Carrington, TV Guide (9/10/94)
"I don't much care about these boys being back—I'm just glad that Hal Linden and Suzanne Pleshette are. After their memorable sitcom runs on Barney Miller and The Bob Newhart Show, each made forgettable stabs at drama (Pleshette on Nightingales and Bridges to Cross, Linden on Blacke's Magic). But now they've returned to where they belong: comedy. Not that either is exactly a cutup. They are straight men with a remarkably similar style, delivering their lines with the same foghorn-clear, eye-rolling, wise and weary but still amused touch. And now each actor has found the perfect partner and part. . . . Boys is filled with such sharp and funny moments, all masterfully handled by a good cast—especially Linden and Pleshette. Yes, the pros are back." —Jeff Jarvis, TV Guide (10/1/94)
"Its stars are throwbacks to a greater age, at least for them: Hal Linden and Suzanne Pleshette, gamely trying to establish comic rhythm in their remarkably upscale empty nest—complete with pool and boat—when their grown-up loser kids move back in. . . . Give it 13 weeks." 1 1/2 stars (out of 4) —Matt Roush, USA Today (9/12?/94)
Ratings:
Sunday, 9/11/94 (Debut episode): #12
(18.5 million viewers; opposite the Emmys; 60 Minutes
was lead-in)
Week from 9/5-11/94 (Debut Episode): #11
(18.5 million viewers; tied with Full House)
Wednesday, 9/14/94: #44
(First show in regular time slot)
Wednesday, 9/28/94: #61
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