There was a time when the Nashville Network had a line of original series. The original iteration of TNN (Now the Paramount Network) was a destination for country music fans in the mid-80's up until its' transformation at the dawn of the 21st century.
I-40 Paradise was a daily sitcom, ran for three years (1983-6), and is noted for being the first sitcom to complete production on an episode in a single day. With a largely unknown cast, that's a feat unto itself.
Future country singer Lionel Cartwright not only was a cast member, but the show's musical director as well. He'd hit the charts after Paradise ended, releasing three albums over a three year period (1988-91). Cast member Phil Campbell is the son of Hee Haw icon Archie Campbell, and even appeared on Hee Haw for a time, likely alongside his father.
Here's a sample episode from 1985.
It aspired to be Alice or its spin-off, Flo, on a smaller budget. It was more like the Little Engine That Could, lasting as long as it did. I don't think it's on DVD, though.
Rating: B-.
4 comments:
I only saw a single episode of this show, shortly after our cable company first gave us TNN. The only things I remember about it were bits of the theme song, that there were musical numbers and a bearded con-man character named Lathrop. That's literally all I know.
Even back then, I remember thinking how weird it was that all the other characters were more or less grounded in reality (albeit sitcom reality, but still...) while Lathrop and this big-haired waitress character were straight-up human cartoons that looked like they escaped from Hee Haw's Cornfield County (or was it Kornfield Kounty?). They seemed like a better fit for The Red Green Show (after seeing an episode or 2 of that).
Yes, it was Kornfield Kounty on Hee Haw.
Interesting show that was a true pioneering sitcom on cable TV. The regular actor who played Orvis the Truck Driver was Vernon Bradshaw and has somehow been left out of the various write-ups about this show that you can find online. But you can clearly tell he was one of the main cast members from this example show that has been posted. Seem's like he's the third cast member shown in the intro segment. Vernon did a good job. Of course this show is like a send-up of itself even, but that is how country humor rolled back in the day, a bit goofy and sometimes really goofy. Watching it now is just about like traveling backwards in time...
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