‘The Best Years’ Season 1 review
“The Best Years” Season 1 (2007, The-N), episodes 1-10 – The summer’s most impressive new series, “The Best Years,” is enough to cure any doldrums. The hour-long drama airs on The-N, so it’s mostly ignored […]
Teen Drama
‘South of Nowhere’ Season 1 review
“South of Nowhere” Season 1 (2005-06, The-N) – “South of Nowhere,” about a conservative religious family that moves from Ohio to Los Angeles, has gotten a lot of press for main character Spencer Carlin (natural […]
‘Jack & Bobby’ review
“Jack & Bobby” Season 1 (2004-05, WB), episodes 1-7 – “Jack & Bobby’s” mother (Christine Lahti) is a living, breathing stereotype of a liberal college professor who feels out of sorts in Small Town, Missouri. […]
‘The O.C.’ Season 1 review
Brainerd Dispatch: TV review Great cast treads familiar ground in ‘The O.C.’ By JOHN HANSEN Aug. 21, 2003 With its beautifully filmed shots of beautiful people mingling along beautiful California beaches (backed by the kinda […]
‘Friday Night Lights’ Season 1 review
“Friday Night Lights” Season 1 (2006-07, NBC), episodes 1-5 – This present-day adaptation of H.G. Bissinger’s late-’80s expose on Texas high school football is more about the team than individuals. That’s why episode one could […]
‘American Dreams’ Season 1 review
“American Dreams” Season 1 (2002-03, NBC) – OK, I’m not going so far as to say this series is actually good, but the “American Bandstand” segments and pre-Vietnam innocence are charming enough that I’ll continue […]
‘Gossip Girl’ Season 1 review
“Gossip Girl” Season 1 (2007-08, CW) – Sure, these Upper East Siders’ personal dramas are small compared to the world’s. But in their world, prep school power struggles and cash-driven courtships are everything – and uber-blogger […]
‘The Paper’ review
John’s “The Paper” (episodes 1-4) review, Brainerd Dispatch, May 8, 2008
‘90210’ Season 1 reviews
John’s “90210” Season 1 review, johnvhansen.com, May 23, 2009 John’s “90210” Season 1 (episodes 1-6) review, Brainerd Dispatch, Oct. 2, 2008
‘Swingtown’ first episode impressions
John’s “Swingtown” first episode impressions, Brainerd Dispatch, June 19, 2008