Thunder Alley (TV series)

Thunder Alley is an American sitcom that aired from March 9, 1994 to July 4, 1995 on ABC.[1]

Thunder Alley
GenreSitcom
Created byCarmen Finestra
David McFadzean
Matt Williams
Written byBob Burris
Tim Doyle
Carmen Finestra
Bill Freiberger
Steve Gabriel
Barry Gold
Lissa Levin
David McFadzean
Joey Murphy
John Pardee
Michael Ware
Jake Weinberger
Michael Weinberger
Matt Williams
Robert Zappia
Directed byRobby Benson
Andy Cadiff
Pat Doak
Barnet Kellman
John Rago
StarringEdward Asner
Felicity Huffman
Diane Venora (replaced Huffman)
Robin Riker (replaced Venora)
Jim Beaver
Lindsay Felton
Haley Joel Osment
Andrew Keegan
ComposerHoward Pearl
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes27
Production
Executive producersCarmen Finestra
Dan Guntzelman
David McFadzean
Matt Williams
ProducersBob Burris
Tim Doyle
Barry Gold
Dan Guntzelman
Gayle S. Maffeo
Michael Ware
Running time30 minutes
Production companiesWind Dancer Productions
Touchstone Television
Release
Original networkABC
Original releaseMarch 9, 1994 (1994-03-09) 
July 4, 1995 (1995-07-04)

Premise

The show stars Edward Asner as retired race-car driver Gil Jones. The unaired original pilot episode featured Felicity Huffman in the role of Bobbi Turner, Gil's daughter. When ABC picked up the series, Huffman was replaced[2] with actress Diane Venora. The pilot was reshot and Venora played the role for eight episodes before she was replaced by Robin Riker, who played the role for the remainder of the series.[3] The series also starred future Academy Award-nominee Haley Joel Osment.

The story involved Bobbi returning after a divorce to live with her father. In tow were her three children: Claudine (Kelly Vint); Jenny (Lindsay Felton); and Harry (Haley Joel Osment). The new family quintet lived in Gil's home above Thunder Alley, the specialty racing garage Gil operated. Rounding out the cast was Gil's dim-witted mechanic sidekick, Leland DuParte (Jim Beaver). In the show's second season, Andrew Keegan joined the cast as Jack Kelly, a local boy who helped around the garage.

Production notes

Thunder Alley was created and executive produced by Matt Williams, Carmen Finestra and David McFadzean for Wind Dancer Productions and Touchstone Television. The director of a majority of episodes was Robby Benson.

The show debuted to good ratings, finishing its first season the number 12th program with an average household share of 15.9,[4] helped in part by its being paired with the hit Home Improvement, coming from the same producers.[5] However, it struggled in its second season when it was slotted as the lead off show on Wednesday nights. It was cancelled in the spring of 1995.

List of episodes

Season 1 (1994)

No.
overall
No. in
season
Title Original air date
11"The Prototype"March 9, 1994 (1994-03-09)
22"The Love Triangle"March 16, 1994 (1994-03-16)
33"Chore Patrol"March 23, 1994 (1994-03-23)
44"Girl's Night Out"March 30, 1994 (1994-03-30)
55"Bloodsuckers"April 6, 1994 (1994-04-06)
66"Happy Endings"April 13, 1994 (1994-04-13)
77"A Fist Full of Phyllis"April 20, 1994 (1994-04-20)
88"As a Manner of Fact"May 4, 1994 (1994-05-04)

Season 2 (1994–95)

No.
overall
No. in
season
Title Original air date
91"Never Say Die"September 14, 1994 (1994-09-14)
102"Speak No Evil"September 21, 1994 (1994-09-21)
113"Easy Money"September 28, 1994 (1994-09-28)
124"Get a Job"October 5, 1994 (1994-10-05)
135"First Date"October 12, 1994 (1994-10-12)
146"Give 'Em Hell, Bobbi"October 19, 1994 (1994-10-19)
157"Sex, Lies & Popcorn"October 26, 1994 (1994-10-26)
168"The Garage Sale"November 2, 1994 (1994-11-02)
179"Accidentally at First Sight"March 7, 1995 (1995-03-07)
1810"Are We There Yet?"March 14, 1995 (1995-03-14)
1911"Breaking Away"March 21, 1995 (1995-03-21)
2012"The Trouble with Harry"March 28, 1995 (1995-03-28)
2113"Workin' Man's Blues"April 4, 1995 (1995-04-04)
2214"A Little Me Time"April 11, 1995 (1995-04-11)
2315"I Am Spartacus"April 18, 1995 (1995-04-18)
2416"Guess Who's Coming to Dinner"April 25, 1995 (1995-04-25)
2517"Just a Vacation"May 2, 1995 (1995-05-02)
2618"Buzz Off, Buzzard Boy"May 9, 1995 (1995-05-09)
2719"No Swing Set"July 4, 1995 (1995-07-04)

Awards and nominations

Year Award Result Category Recipient
1995Young Artist AwardsNominatedBest Performance: Young Actor in a TV Comedy SeriesAndrew Keegan
Best Performance by an Actress Under Ten in a TV SeriesLindsay Felton

References

  1. Cotter, Bill (1997). The Wonderful World of Disney Television. Hyperion Books. pp. 452–454. ISBN 0-7868-6359-5.
  2. Lowry, Brian (1993-12-07). "Huffman exits ABC's 'Thunder Alley'". variety.com. Retrieved 2008-10-31.
  3. Meisler, Andy (1994-10-16). "A Familiar Name, but I Can't Place the Face". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-10-31.
  4. The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946-Present. Ballantine Books. 2003. p. 1469. ISBN 0-345-45542-8.
  5. Bierbaum, Tom (1994-04-13). "CBS elbows past ABC". variety.com. Retrieved 2008-10-31.
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