Dream On (TV series)

American sitcom

Dream On

Genre| Sitcom
Created by|

* Marta Kauffman
* David Crane

Starring|

* Brian Benben
* Chris Demetral
* Denny Dillon
* Wendie Malick
* Dorien Wilson
* Michael McKean

Theme music composer| Michael Skloff
Composer| Michael Skloff
Country of origin| United States
Original language| English
No. of seasons| 6
No. of episodes| 120 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers|

* Kevin Bright
* John Landis

Producers|

* David Crane
* Jeff Greenstein
* Robb Idels
* Marta Kauffman
* Jeff Strauss
* Ron Wolotzky

Camera setup| Single camera
Running time| 30 min
Production companies|

* Kevin Bright Productions
* St. Clare Entertainment
* MCA Television Entertainment

Original release
Network|

* HBO (1990–1996)
* Comedy Central (1996-1999) (edited)

Release| July 8, 1990 (1990-07-08) –
March 27, 1996 (1996-03-27)

Dream On is an American sitcom television series created by Marta Kauffman and David Crane. It follows the family life, romantic life, and career of Martin Tupper, a divorced New York City book editor played by Brian Benben. The show distinctively interjected clips from older black-and-white television series to punctuate Tupper's feelings or thoughts. It ran for six seasons on HBO between July 8, 1990, and March 27, 1996.

## Premise[edit]

The show centered on Martin Tupper's life in an apartment in New York City with his young son, and relating to his ex-wife, while trying to date other women and succeed as an editor for a small book publisher with Toby, his brassy secretary. Judith, his ex-wife, went on to marry Dr. Richard Stone – the never-seen (until the end of the series), most impossibly successful man on the planet (astronaut, brain surgeon, the fifth Beatle and consultant to the Pope); despite Martin's undying love for Judith, he could never compete with the legendary Dr. Stone.

The opening indicates Martin's mother parked him in front of the TV and he then grew up engrossed in it. It briefly shows a babysitter making out with a boyfriend behind young Martin, hence the association of sex with his memories. The show was notable for its frequent use of clips from old movies and TV shows to express Martin's inner life and feelings, which lent it much of its quirky appeal, reminding viewers about the impact of TV on their consciousness.[1] The show was also significant for being one of the first American sitcoms to use uncensored profanity and nudity.[2]

## Cast[edit]

* Brian Benben as Martin Tupper, a book editor for a smaller publishing house that usually specializes in romance novels and other less prestigious literary fare. Having practically been raised by television in the 1950s, his thoughts are shown to the viewer through clips of classic black and white programming. He struggles to find love (or something like it) while sorting out the feelings he still has for his ex-wife, Judith.[3]
* Wendie Malick as Judith Tupper Stone, Martin's ex-wife who has since remarried the literal perfect man, Dr. Richard Stone.[3]
* Chris Demetral as Jeremy Tupper, Martin's teenaged son.[3]
* Dorien Wilson (seasons 2–6) and Jeff Joseph (season 1) as Eddie Charles, a talk show host and Martin's best friend.[4]
* Denny Dillon as Toby Pedalbee, Martin's secretary/assistant
* Michael McKean as Gibby Fiske, Martin's boss (recurring during seasons 2–6)[3]
* Renée Taylor as Martin's mother, Doris Tupper (occasional during seasons 3–5)

## Production[edit]

The show was created by Marta Kauffman and David Crane, who also served as producers. Dream On was executive produced by Kevin Bright and John Landis. Landis also directed several episodes of the series.

## Episodes[edit]

Main article: List of Dream On episodes

Season| Episodes| Originally aired

|
|

First aired| Last aired
1| 14| July 8, 1990 (1990-07-08)| October 7, 1990 (1990-10-07)
2| 15| July 7, 1991 (1991-07-07)| October 6, 1991 (1991-10-06)
3| 26| June 6, 1992 (1992-06-06)| November 21, 1992 (1992-11-21)
4| 25| June 2, 1993 (1993-06-02)| March 30, 1994 (1994-03-30)
5| 13| June 22, 1994 (1994-06-22)| September 14, 1994 (1994-09-14)
6| 27| July 19, 1995 (1995-07-19)| March 27, 1996 (1996-03-27)

## Broadcast[edit]

Dream On first aired on July 8, 1990, on HBO, and was cancelled by HBO in March 1996. A bowdlerized version was later made available in syndication.

### Syndication[edit]

The series aired in syndication on Comedy Central from 1996 to 1999, with language and nudity edited for broadcast.[5]

## Reception[edit]

### Critical reception[edit]

Time magazine called the show "engaging", noting that its use of old clips was "a clever gimmick [that] perks up familiar material"[6] and later called the second season of the "decidedly adult sitcom...better than ever."[7]

The New York Times had mixed opinions about the show. In their first-season review, John J. O'Connor said Dream On was not "different from ordinary network fare...except for, as might be expected, the more freewheeling language and treatments of sex"; by the season's third episode, the show's protagonist is "already becoming just another nice bachelor father, not all that different from the one John Forsythe played on television several decades ago."[8] About a year later, O'Connor said, while the show "has its weak spots, most notably in a pointless tendency to be smarmy" with "clips... that are sometimes less witty than painfully obvious. But Dream On takes unusual chances and has a habit of turning out to be refreshingly original."[9]

### Awards and nominations[edit]

Year  | Title  | Category  | Recipient

|
|
|

1991 | CableACE Award | Editing a Comedy Special or Series/Music Special | John Axness (for "The First Episode")
Comedy Series | Kevin Bright, David Crane, Robb Idels, Marta Kauffman, John Landis, Bill Sanders, and Ron Wolotzky
Actress in a Comedy Series | Wendie Malick
1993 | Actress in a Comedy Series | Wendie Malick
1994 | Editing in a Comedy/Music Special or Series | David Helfand (for "The Son Also Rises")
Actress in a Comedy Series | Wendie Malick
1995 | Actress in a Comedy Series | Wendie Malick
1993 | Emmy Award | Outstanding Individual Achievement in Directing in a Comedy Series | Betty Thomas (for "For Peter's Sake")
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series | David Clennon (for "For Peter's Sake")
1994 | GLAAD Media Awards | Outstanding Comedy Series |

1993 | Young Artist Award | Best Young Actor Starring in a Cable Series | Chris Demetral

## Home media[edit]

Seasons one and two were released on DVD for both regions 1 and 2; seasons three through six have not been released.[10]

## See also[edit]

* Television portal
* United States portal

* Herman's Head (1991)
* What's Alan Watching? (1989)

## References[edit]

1. ^ Rosenberg, Howard (July 7, 1990). "TV REVIEWS : 'Dream On' a Sexy, Urbane Comedy Series on HBO". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 8, 2018.
2. ^ Showtime's Brothers and Steambath preceded this show by several years.
3. ^ a b c d Svetkey, Benjamin (June 19, 1992). "HBO's Dream On is the sauciest show on television". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved February 2, 2016.
4. ^ Mendoza, N. F. (July 9, 1995). "Profile : Dorien Wilson's 'Dream' Role". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 2015-10-16. Retrieved 2016-02-02.
5. ^ Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle (2007). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946-Present (Ninth ed.). Ballantine Books. p. 390\. ISBN 978-0-345-49773-4.
6. ^ "Critics' Voices: Jul. 23, 1990". Time. July 23, 1990. Archived from the original on December 15, 2008. Retrieved 2009-11-09. "A neurotic New Yorker (Brian Benben) copes with divorce, dating and other modern trials, while scenes from old TV shows rattle around in his head. A clever gimmick perks up familiar material in this engaging sitcom series from executive producer John Landis."
7. ^ "Critics' Voices: Sep. 2, 1991". Time. September 2, 1991. Archived from the original on March 8, 2008. Retrieved 2009-11-09. "Book editor and divorced dad Martin Tupper (Brian Benben) is trying to make sense of the '90s. So why do scenes from – '50s TV shows keep popping into his head? In its second season, this decidedly adult sitcom, which makes deft use of old black-and-white clips, is better than ever."
8. ^ O'Connor, John J. (July 10, 1990). "A Modern Life Lived in 50s and 60s Images". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2020-11-16. Retrieved 2009-11-09.
9. ^ O'Connor, John J. (August 2, 1991). "Dream On and Some Other Games People Play". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2020-11-16. Retrieved 2009-11-09.
10. ^ "Dream On - Seasons 1 & 2". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Archived from the original on 2010-10-30. Retrieved 2022-11-07.

## External links[edit]

* Dream On at IMDb

* v
* t
* e

HBO programming

Current and upcoming

| Current|

* 100 Foot Wave (since 2021)
* 30 Coins (since 2021)
* Curb Your Enthusiasm (since 2000)
* Euphoria (since 2019)
* The Gilded Age (since 2022)
* Hard Knocks (since 2001)
* House of the Dragon (since 2022)
* Industry (since 2020)
* The Last of Us (since 2023)
* Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (since 2014)
* My Brilliant Friend (since 2018)
* Rain Dogs (since 2023)
* Random Acts of Flyness (since 2018)
* Real Time with Bill Maher (since 2003)
* The Rehearsal (since 2022)
* The Righteous Gemstones (since 2019)
* Somebody Somewhere (since 2022)
* True Detective (since 2014)
* We're Here (since 2020)
* The White Lotus (since 2021)

|

Upcoming|

* The Regime (2024)
* The Sympathizer (2024)
* The Franchise (TBA)
* Get Millie Black (TBA)

Former

| Series|

| 1970s
debuts|

* HBO World Championship Boxing
* HBO Sports Bowling
* Inside the NFL
* On Location
* Race for the Pennant
* Standing Room Only ("Vanities")
* Tennis on HBO
* Time Was

|

1980s
debuts|

* 1st & Ten
* The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
* America Undercover ("Autopsy", "Real Sex" and "Taxicab Confessions")
* Babar
* Braingames
* Encyclopedia
* Encyclopedia Brown
* The Ghost of Faffner Hall
* The Hitchhiker
* HBO Storybook Musicals
* The Kids in the Hall
* Maximum Security
* Not Necessarily the News
* One Night Stand
* Philip Marlowe, Private Eye
* The Ray Bradbury Theater
* Seabert
* The StoryTeller
* Tales from the Crypt
* Tales of Little Women
* Video Jukebox
* The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

1990s
debuts|

* The Adventures of Paddington Bear
* The Adventures of Tintin
* Arliss
* The Baby-Sitters Club
* Boxing After Dark
* The Chris Rock Show
* The Country Mouse and the City Mouse Adventures
* Crashbox
* Def Comedy Jam
* Dennis Miller Live
* Dream On
* George and Martha
* Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
* HBO Comedy Half-Hour
* Hotel Room
* The Larry Sanders Show
* Lifestories: Families in Crisis
* A Little Curious
* The Little Lulu Show
* Mr. Show with Bob and David
* The Neverending Story
* Oz
* Perversions of Science
* Pippi Longstocking
* Rainbow Fish
* Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel
* Reverb
* Saban's Adventures of Pinocchio
* Sex and the City
* The Sopranos
* Spicy City
* Tenacious D
* Todd McFarlane's Spawn
* Tracey Takes On...

2000s
debuts|

* Animated Tales of the World
* Big Love
* Bored to Death
* Carnivàle
* Cathouse: The Series
* Classical Baby
* The Comeback
* Costas Now
* Da Ali G Show
* Deadwood
* Def Poetry Jam
* Eastbound & Down
* Entourage
* Extras
* Flight of the Conchords
* G String Divas
* Harold and the Purple Crayon
* Hung
* In Treatment
* I Spy
* Joe Buck Live
* John from Cincinnati
* K Street
* Kindergarten
* KO Nation
* The Life & Times of Tim
* Little Britain USA
* Lucky Louie
* The Mind of the Married Man
* The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
* On the Record with Bob Costas
* El Perro y El Gato
* Pornucopia
* Project Greenlight
* Rome
* Six Feet Under
* Stuart Little
* Summer Heights High
* Tales from the Neverending Story
* Tell Me You Love Me
* True Blood
* Tourgasm
* Unscripted
* The Wire

2010s
debuts|

* After the Thrones
* All Def Comedy
* Angry Boys
* Animals
* Any Given Wednesday with Bill Simmons
* Ballers
* Barry
* Big Little Lies
* A Black Lady Sketch Show
* Boardwalk Empire
* The Brink
* Camping
* Crashing
* The Deuce
* Divorce
* Doll & Em
* Enlightened
* Esme & Roy
* Family Tree
* Funny or Die Presents
* Game of Thrones
* Gentleman Jack
* Getting On
* Girls
* Hello Ladies
* Here and Now
* High Maintenance
* His Dark Materials
* How to Make It in America
* Insecure
* Ja'mie: Private School Girl
* Jonah from Tonga
* The Leftovers
* Life's Too Short
* Looking
* Los Espookys
* Luck
* Masterclass
* The Newsroom
* The Ricky Gervais Show
* Room 104
* Sally4Ever
* The Shop
* Silicon Valley
* Succession
* Togetherness
* Treme
* Veep
* Vice
* Vice News Tonight
* Vice Principals
* Vinyl
* Westworld
* Wyatt Cenac's Problem Areas

2020s
debuts|

* Avenue 5
* Betty
* How To with John Wilson
* The Idol
* Lovecraft Country
* The Nevers
* Painting with John
* Pause with Sam Jay
* Perry Mason
* Run
* The Time Traveler's Wife
* The Vow
* Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty

Miniseries|

* Agents of Chaos
* All the Rivers Run
* Allen v. Farrow
* Angels in America
* Assume the Position with Mr. Wuhl
* The Baby
* Band of Brothers
* The Case Against Adnan Syed
* The Casual Vacancy
* Catch and Kill: The Podcast Tapes
* Catherine the Great
* Chernobyl
* The Corner
* Elizabeth I
* Empire Falls
* Exterminate All the Brutes
* From the Earth to the Moon
* Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways
* Generation Kill
* Gunpowder
* House of Saddam
* I Know This Much Is True
* I May Destroy You
* I'll Be Gone in the Dark
* Irma Vep
* The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst
* John Adams
* The Lady and the Dale
* Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York
* Landscapers
* Laurel Avenue
* Mare of Easttown
* McMillions
* Mildred Pierce
* Mind Over Murder
* Mosaic
* Mrs. Fletcher
* The New Pope
* The Night Of
* Nuclear Family
* Olive Kitteridge
* Our Boys
* The Outsider
* The Pacific
* Parade's End
* Phoenix Rising
* The Plot Against America
* Pray, Obey, Kill
* Q: Into the Storm
* Scenes from a Marriage
* The Seekers
* Sharp Objects
* Show Me a Hero
* Small Town News: KPVM Pahrump
* Tanner '88
* Telemarketers
* The Third Day
* The Undoing
* Watchmen
* We Are Who We Are
* We Own This City
* White House Plumbers
* Years and Years
* The Young Pope

See also
Max
HBO Storybook Musicals
HBO Asia original series
HBO Canada original series
HBO Europe original series
HBO Latin America original series

* v
* t
* e

GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Comedy Series

* Doctor Doctor (1990)
* Doctor Doctor (1991)
* Roseanne (1992)
* Roseanne (1993)
* Dream On (1994)
* Roseanne / Friends (1995)
* Spin City (1997)
* Ellen (1998)
* Will & Grace (1999)
* Will & Grace (2000)
* Will & Grace (2001)
* Will & Grace (2002)
* Will & Grace (2003)
* Sex and the City (2004)
* Will & Grace (2005)
* Will & Grace (2006)
* Ugly Betty (2007)
* Ugly Betty (2008)
* Desperate Housewives (2009)
* Glee (2010)
* Glee / Modern Family (2011)
* Modern Family (2012)
* The New Normal (2013)
* Orange Is the New Black (2014)
* Transparent (2015)
* Transparent (2016)
* Transparent (2017)
* Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2018)
* Vida (2019)
* Schitt's Creek (2020)
* Schitt's Creek (2021)
* Saved by the Bell (2022)
* What We Do in the Shadows (2023)

* v
* t
* e

John Landis

Feature films|

* Schlock (1973)
* The Kentucky Fried Movie (1977)
* National Lampoon's Animal House (1978)
* The Blues Brothers (1980)
* An American Werewolf in London (1981)
* Trading Places (1983)
* Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
* Into the Night (1985)
* Spies Like Us (1985)
* Three Amigos (1986)
* Amazon Women on the Moon (1987)
* Coming to America (1988)
* Oscar (1991)
* Innocent Blood (1992)
* Beverly Hills Cop III (1994)
* The Stupids (1996)
* Blues Brothers 2000 (1998)
* Susan's Plan (1998)
* Burke & Hare (2010)

Documentaries|

* Coming Soon (1982)
* Slasher (2004)
* Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project (2007)

Music videos|

* "Thriller" (1983)
* "Spies Like Us" (1985)
* "Black or White" (1991)

Television|

* Dream On (1990–1996)
* "Deer Woman" (2005)
* "Family" (2006)
* "American Duos" (2007)

Authority control databases: National |

* France
* BnF data

|

*[No.]: Number
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template