Main Cast: Michael Rapaport, Anita Barone, Kyle Sullivan, Kaylee DeFer, Dean Collins
Release Year: 2005
Country: US
Run Time: 30 minutes
Plot
Created by Rob Lotterstein, the Fox network sitcom The War at Home tackles a problem faced by millions of parents of the early 21st century: how can one who was raised in the "anything goes" 1970s and 1980s, with no barriers, boundaries, or taboos, suddenly be expected to discipline their own children and set down ground rules without coming off as a hypocrite? This was the dilemma of Dave (Michael Rapaport) and Vicki (Anita Barone), who despite the many wild oats sown in their own teen years felt obliged to go through the motions of tough-love parenthood with their three hormone-driven kids: 15-year-old Larry (Kyle Sullivan), who may or may not be gay; 16-year-old Hillary (Kaylee DeFer), just entering the dating scene; and 13-year-old Mike (Dean Collins), obsessively dedicated to his violent video games and precious little else. One critic cited the series as an amalgam of amusing leftovers from All in the Family, Everybody Loves Raymond, and Arrested Development. The War at Home debuted September 11, 2005. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Tom McGowan; Richard F. Whiten; Dreux Pierre Frederic; Rami Malek; Shirley Prestia
Credit
Debbie Barylski - Casting, Andy Cadiff - Director, Andrew Chulack - Editor, Michael Hanel - Executive Producer, Mindy Schultheis - Executive Producer, Rob Lotterstein - Executive Producer, W.G. "Snuffy" Walden - Composer (Music Score), John Shaffner - Production Designer, Donald M. Morgan - Cinematographer, Randy Cordray - Producer, Suzan Bymel - Producer, Rob Lotterstein - Show Creator, Rob Lotterstein - Screenwriter
The War at Home is an Americansitcom that ran from September 11, 2005 to April 22, 2007 on Fox. It follows the antics of a largely dysfunctional and bitter Long Island family. It ran for 2 full years but was not picked up for a 3rd season.
The show depicts the life of Dave and Vicky and their three children as they live their lives in Long Island, New York. Dave is a middle classJewishinsurance salesman. He is sometimes portrayed as a paranoid, overprotective and hypocritical bigot, and his family (especially Larry) have a hard time putting up with him. Dave is constantly chewed and cussed out (and even punched once) by Larry for always picking on him. It is established toward the end of season one that Dave is the way he is because he had a father who constantly badgered him. Dave's wife Vicky is an attractive ItalianCatholic interior designer. Generally levelheaded, she usually spends her time dealing with Dave's unreasonable behavior, but can be quite obnoxious herself.
Of their three children, the oldest is Hillary (Kaylee DeFer), a typical 17-year old who frequently misbehaves, trying to get away with mischief behind the backs of her parents, who often regard her with suspicion. Second oldest is 16-year-old Larry (Kyle Sullivan), an eccentric misfit given to emotional outbursts (such as when Vicky denies him permission to see Brian Boitano star as Bilbo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings On Ice). Larry is often seen with his best friend Kenny. Initially Dave believes that the boys are both gay, but it is later revealed to the audience that while Larry is not gay, Kenny has a secret crush on Larry. Dave, and to a lesser extent Vicky, often treat Larry's flamboyancy with wary eyes. The youngest child, the pubescent 14-year-old Mike (Dean Collins), must deal with issues such as masturbation, dating and underage gambling.
The series frequently breaks the fourth wall between segments of an episode, during which Dave or occasionally other characters delivers a rant or other comment directly relating to the scene.
Response
Critical reception
A review by Sterfish from Blogcritics say: "I have read reviews of FOX's The War At Home that chastise it for being borderline racist, homophobic, and sexist. It is indeed all those things and that doesn't concern me. There is one reason (and only one reason) why I think The War At Home is a terrible show...it's unfunny." [1]
