Everything Old is New Again

By Frank Anthony Polito

Today’s post is two-fold… I’ve been meaning to write about my “new” favorite TV show – which I’ve made mention of on Facebook, but not yet here in the Blogosphere… It’s called thirtysomething. Perhaps some of you have heard of it? As per Wikipedia: “Thirtysomething (usually styled thirtysomething) is an American television drama about a group of baby boomers in their late thirties.”

The show, from the creators of another fave, My So-Called Life, ran from 1987-1991. Back then, I was far too young to have any interest in a show about a bunch of “old” folks. These people were in their 30s – my parents’ age at the time, which looking back seems totally impossible because Michael and Hope Steadman (Ken Olin and Mel Harris – two actors I’ve not ever seen in anything else) were just having their first baby, and I was already almost an adult.

Since joining Netflix, I kept saying, “I have to watch thirtysomething.” So about a month or so ago, when Craig started up with his annual Auto Show-ing, I added season 1 to my queue, and just finished the finale the other night.

There’s no denying it’s a good show. The writing and acting are both stellar. Though truthfully, I feel sorry for these characters. Most of them, I get the impression, are around age 34. Babies, I say… All of them! And here they are worrying about all sorts of things that most of my friends, a good decade older, are only starting to worry about now. Perhaps an updated version called fortysomething is called for?

But what really excites me about this show is… The Steadman’s house!

Since MSCL, I have been obsessed with the Arts & Crafts/Craftsman style home. Near where I grew up, back in Detroit, there are a few different neighborhoods that feature this 1920s type of house – with the large, covered front porch, interior woodwork, window seats, French doors, and “built-ins” galore… Come the day I should ever be fortunate to own my own home, this is the kind of property I will be desperately searching for.

Which brings to me point number two of this post… Sorry so long!

I recently befriended one of my book readers via  Facebook. His name is Ed, and he and his partner, Roger, live in the most gorgeous Craftsman home, located in the Detroit neighborhood of Islandview – which I’d never heard of until now. And… Ed and Roger’s place is currently featured in American Bungalow Magazine. See below for some awesome photos! I am sooo jealous ;-)