Blossom (TV series)

infobox television
show_name = Blossom


caption = Blossom title Card
format = Sitcom/Drama
executive_producer = Don Reo
Gene Reynolds
Rob LaZebnik
David Amico
Paul Junger Witt
Allan Katz
Tony Thomas
Judith D. Allison (co-executive producer)
producer = Racelle Rosett Schaefer
John Ziffren
Roxie Wenk Evans
Kenneth R. Koch
Josh Goldstein
Jonathan Prince
David Landsberg
Glen Merzer
Jonathan Schmock (co-producer)
runtime = 22 minutes
distributor = USA:
Buena Vista Television
NBC
Non-USA:
Buena Vista International
location = Columbia/Sunset Gower Studios - 1438 N. Gower St., Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
creator = Don Reo
starring = Mayim Bialik
Joey Lawrence
Michael Stoyanov
Jenna von Oÿ
Ted Wass
Finola Hughes
Courtney Chase
David Lascher
Barnard Hughes
Melissa Manchester
Sean Pasternak
Portia Dawson
country = Flagicon|USA United States
network = NBC
first_aired = January 3, 1991
last_aired = May 22, 1995
num_seasons = 5
num_episodes = 114
list_episodes = List of Blossom episodes
imdb_id = 0101050
tv_com_id = 465

"Blossom" was a half-hour comedy television series broadcast from 1991 to 1995 on NBC, Mondays at 8:30pm. The series starred Mayim Bialik as Blossom Russo, a teenage girl living with her father and two brothers. It was created by Don Reo.

ynopsis

The series begins with Blossom's mother having left the family to pursue her own life and career and the family trying to adjust. Blossom's dad Nick (Ted Wass) is a session musician who was frequently between gigs and tours. Her oldest brother Anthony (Michael Stoyanov) is a recovering alcoholic and drug addict. Joey (named Donny in the pilot episode) (Joey Lawrence), the other brother, is a fairly stereotypical "dumb jock", known for the drawn-out delivery of his catch phrase, "whoa".

Blossom's best friend Six LeMeure (Jenna von Oÿ) also plays a significant part in her life. Six, an especially fast talker, was best known for her tendency to ramble at an almost incoherent pace. Blossom also frequently received advice from famous celebrities in fantasy scenes, as Mr. T, Hugh Hefner, Phylicia Rashad (who played Blossom's vision of the ideal mother in the first episode) and Will Smith all made guest appearances during the show's run.

Production

Five seasons of "Blossom" were produced, with a total of 114 episodes. The theme music was "My Opinionation" by Mike Post and Steve Geyer and performed by recording artist Dr. John. The show was in syndication from 1995-1998. Many of the episodes were directed by Incredible Hulk star Bill Bixby, until his death.

Influence

The phrase "a very special "Blossom"" entered into slang lexicon in reference to the unusually large number of episodes advertised as such by the network.Fact|date=October 2008 The term has since become used pejoratively to refer to television shows with heavy-handed moralizing.Fact|date=October 2008

The phrase was mocked in the "Friends" first season episode "The One Where Underdog Gets Away":

Joey: Set another place for Thanksgiving, my entire family thinks I have V.D.
Chandler: ...tonight on a very special "Blossom".

The phrase was also used on the show The Venture Brothers - In the episode "Escape to the House of Mummies, Part II", Doctor Orpheus claims to Dr. Venture that he can "make you think you're a 'Very Special Episode of Blossom!'"

On The Dana Carvey Show, the show is once again referenced during the "Germans Who Say Nice Things" sketch, with the line "Last night, we watched a very special episode of Blossom, und we cried!"

"Blossom" also helped briefly popularize casual hats with flowers on the brims, which were colloquially referred to as "Blossom hats."Fact|date=October 2008

Episodes

DVD Release

On January 27, 2009, Shout! Factory (under license from Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment) will release Seasons 1 & 2 of "Blossom" on DVD in Region 1 for the very first time. [http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Blossom-Seasons-1-and-2/10623]

Foreign broadcasts

* The series also found some popularity in the United Kingdom in the early 1990s, where it was shown on Channel 4. The pilot aired July 5, 1990. This is made reference to by comedian Bill Hicks on his album . "Why are you exporting our American horseshit?" Re-runs of the first two seasons began airing on Nickelodeon UK in 2005 but ceased towards the end of that year. Episodes from later seasons can currently be seen airing in the UK and Ireland on Trouble.

* The series was also a huge hit on Spanish television where it aired on TVE1 in the early 1990s in a prime time slot (8pm). The series was so popular that it led TVE to rescreen the entire run of the sitcom numerous times both on TVE1 and on second channel TVE2.

ee also

* Very Special Episode

External links

*imdb title|0101050|Blossom
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/b/blossom_7770810.shtml BBC Comedy Guide]
* [http://www.blossom.fan-club.it/ Blossom.the first italian fanclub]