Home Free (TV series)

Infobox Television
show_name = Home Free


caption =
genre = Sitcom
starring = Matthew Perry
Marian Mercer
Diana Canova
Anndi McAfee
Scott McAfee
Dan Schneider
Brooke Theiss
Alan Oppenheimer
opentheme = "Home Free" by Christopher Cross
country = USA
language = English
num_seasons = 1
num_episodes = 13
list_episodes =
exec_producer =
co_exec =
producer =
runtime = 30 mins.
channel = ABC
first_aired = March 31, 1993
last_aired = July 2, 1993

"Home Free" is an American sitcom which aired on ABC for 13 episodes in the spring of 1993. It was a starring vehicle for Matthew Perry, who at this point was making his mark in Hollywood and was just over a year away from his landmark role as Chandler Bing on "Friends". Among the well-known co-stars were Marian Mercer and Diana Canova. The series was created by Tim O'Donnell and Richard Gurman.

ynopsis

Matt Bailey (Perry) was a free-spirited, if somewhat lazy, 22-year-old freelance journalist enjoying the good life at home with his indulgent mom Grace (Mercer). He wasn't so concerned about completing his ascent into full-fledged adulthood, nor was he ever in a hurry to get out on his own, until his older, recently divorced sister Vanessa (Canova) returned home with her two kids so they could pick up the pieces and start their lives over. The unexpected arrangements forced Matt to take some crash courses in responsibility, to not only help out around the house, but to provide a good role model to his niece Abby (Anndi McAfee) and nephew Lucas (Scott McAfee), with whom he had particularly close bond. Matt's struggle to maintain his wild, free-living lifestyle while facing his new realities were the focus of most episodes. At the newspaper where he worked as a cub reporter, Matt's other world included co-worker and best friend Walter Peters (Dan Schneider), foxy photographer Laura (Brooke Theiss), of whom Matt was especially attracted to; and their gruff editor, Ben Brookstone (Alan Oppenheimer).

Notes

*While this series was still just the beginning for star Matthew Perry, this would be the last regular TV role for Diana Canova before she decreased her overall show business work and eventually retired from acting in 1998.
*Anndi and Scott McAfee are real-life brother and sister, but not twins; there is a (?) year difference between them.
*This was Dan Schneider's first regular TV role since "Head of the Class" ended for him two years earlier. Subsequently, Schneider would go on to be a successful creator and producer in TV and film, beginning with Nickelodeon's "All That".
*The theme song for "Home Free" was a soft-rock ballad performed by Christopher Cross.
*"Home Free" premiered in a cushy time slot of Wednesdays at 8:30/7:30c, between "The Wonder Years" (which was about to end its run) and "Home Improvement". After only five episodes, the show relocated to the 9:30/8:30c timeslot of ABC's "TGIF", in order to boost its ratings. The show remained there until it was cancelled in July 1993.