John Ritter, Billy Bob Thornton, Markie Post, and Ed Asner make up the core of the cast for Hearts Afire a little remembered sitcom from the early 90’s. The first two seasons are now on DVD (with the third and finale season to be released on February 7). A funny little comedy you just might want to check out.
Hearts Afire – Season One & Season Two
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From the writing and producers that gave us Evening Shade and Designing Women, Hearts Afire tells the tale of John Hartman and Georgie Anne Lahti and their romance that begins in Washington D.C. (Season One) and moves to a small southern town (Seasons Two and Three). Although the show is hurt by having what amounts to two pilot seasons it’s still a nice find with some great performances by Ritter, Post and Thornton. And any show that lovingly makes an Underdog reference is just too good to pass up.
Season One
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John Hartman (John Ritter) works as the chief of staff for Republican Senator Strobe Smithers (George Gaynes) with his best friend Billy Bob Davis (Billy Bob Thornton). Hartman’s life is in a shambles as his wife has left him for their marriage counselor Dr. Ruth Colquist (Conchata Ferrell). Into his life walks down and out liberal journalist Georgie Anne Lahti (Markie Post) who Hartman hires as the new press secretary and allows to move into his home. Sparks fly. Also along for the ride are Clark Duke and Justin Burnette as Hartman’s sons Elliot and Ben and Ed Asner who appears as Georgie Anne’s recently paroled father who moves into house as well.
Good performances abound here as Ritter and Post have great chemistry on screen together and are given opportunities to demonstrate their considerable comedic chops. Thornton gives a nice self-effacing role as a good ol’ southern boy and Asner adds class to the show from his first moment on screen. The supporting performances are also worth noting. Gaynes is terrific as the befuddled, rambling, politically incorrect Senator Smithers. Beth Broderick gives a nice turn as the Senator’s dumbbell secretary and mistress Dee Dee Starr who “thinks faces on Mt Rushmore are a natural phenomenon.” Even the kids are cute!
The storylines move from hot and cold and really rely on the performers to carry the show. Plots from the first season include: the burgeoning romance between Hartman and Georgie Anne and the struggle to consummate it, a reporter friend of Georgie Anne’s snooping around the Senator’s office, the Senator’s wife running for his seat, Georgie Anne’s date with George Hamilton, the end of the Bush and beginning of the Clinton Administration, an attempt ot write a romance novel, Gerogie Anne’s relationship with Fidel Castro, reasons why you should never play Trivial Pursuit with this group, and the battle of the sexes at the Senate offices and at home.
Season Two
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Hartman, Georgie Anne, Billy Bob and the kids leave Washington D.C. and head south to the small town that Hartman and Billy Bob grew up in. They buy a small out of work newspaper and work to get it back up and running. Familiar faces show up in the guise of new characters: Ferrell trades her bisexual Washington psychiatrist for the role of small town shrink Madeline Stoessinger and Broderick shows up as a guest star as Dee Dee’s sister Lee Ann Starr Folsom. Joining the cast is Leslie Jordan as Lonnie Garr, an old friend of Hartman and Billy Bob’s who lusts after Brenda Swain, who works at the local photo hut, despite her illegitamate baby who looks like a pig.
Getting the paper up and running turns out to be quite a chore as the group runs into hard times as the group tries to find financing to get a new printing press and works odd jobs including a stint in the high school cafeteria. Small time life includes taking revenge on Madeline’s ex-husband, the Boy Scouts, Rush Limbaugh’s visit, Billy Bob’s dating life, the Stud Club, and a very special Christmas present.
Sadly Wendi Jo Sperber, who played Thornton’s wife and co-worker in Season One, and George Gaynes don’t make the trip South and Ed Asner only shows up for one episode. It’s the last which is most disappointing because it hurts the father/daughter relationship that developed between Asner and Post in Season One which turned out to be one of the strongest storylines of the series.
Of the two seasons I prefer Season One over Season Two (which is six episodes shorter for the same list price). It’s just hard to struggle through an entirely new premise where the characters are reset (even though once done it works quite well). The acting and dialogue are first rate and at times I just wished the stories would equal them.
Also disappointing are that lack of any real extras here. All that is included is a musical montage containing clips of the show, outtakes and bloopers for each season. The set-up for each disc is good, but it does require you to click to watch each individual episode without the play all option. There is one troubling point I’ll mention if you watch the episodes on a stereo system you’ll find the voice dubbing on certain episodes to a little distracting as the voice overs don’t match (in some cases aren’t even close) to the original, though lucky on most episodes these moments are few and far between.
Still, for formulaic half hour sitcoms Hearts Afire is much better than most and has some serious charm. Ritter and Post both inhabit their characters and the chemistry between them is just right and Thornton provides glimpses of the actor he would become in the following decade. Even with some issues I have with the sets it’s definately worth a look and some of Ritter and Post’s best work.