Bless This House was a Syndication network sitcom series created by Bruce Helford which aired from September 11, 1995 to January 17, 1996, lasting for one season & 16 episodes.
Plot[]
The series centered on the lives of Burt and Alice Clayton, who live in Trenton, New Jersey raising their two kids, Danny & Sean, and dream of scraping together enough money to buy a house for their family.
Cast[]
- Andrew Dice Clay as Burt Clayton
- Cathy Moriarty as Alice Clayton
- Raegan Kotz as Danny Clayton
- Sam Gifaldi as Sean Clayton
- Molly Price as Phyllis
- Don Stark as Lenny
- Wren T. Brown as Cuba
Reception[]
The New York Democrat and Chronicle gave "Bless This House" a favorable review, saying: "it really does remind you of Jackie Gleason and The Honeymooners, without trying to copy that classic. There could be life after Dice; this kinder, gentler Andrew Clay seems like a pretty decent guy."
The Los Angeles Times also gave it favorable notice, writing: "Bless This House doesn't quite blow you away, but it's a pleasant half-hour with likable characters and enough start-up humor to make you optimistic about its future."
However, other reviews were mixed.
Entertainment Weekly gave the show a "C", writing: "Bless has smart things to say about how hardworking parents manage family life, but the show is hobbled by its endless succession of squalid sex jokes."
People gave the show a C+, praising the performances of Andrew Dice Clay and Cathy Moriarty, but concluding "Bless This House is the first TV show I’ve ever seen that would work better on radio."
Variety wrote: "Director Barnet Kellman bounces laugh lines along at a brisk clip [...] Creator Bruce Helford’s writing is often ham-handed [...] Clay’s acting is awkward and forced, but Moriarty’s a treasure [...] Though Bless looks to be trying to carbon The Honeymooners, its closest relative would seem to be Married... with Children."
TV Guide ranked Bless This House #48 on their "50 Worst Shows of All Time" list in 2002.