Oliver Beene

2003

Seasons & Episodes

  • 2
  • 1
  • 0

7.4| 0h30m| en
Synopsis

Oliver Beene is an American sitcom. Set in 1962 and 1963, the show chronicled the trials and tribulations of the 11-to-12-year-old Oliver Beene, in first person perspective. Oliver Beene's other main characters are his parents Jerry and Charlotte Beene, his brother Ted Beene, and his two friends Joyce and Michael. The narrator, an older Oliver reflecting on his experience, is voiced by David Cross. Often in episodes, the story is interrupted by flashbacks and flash-forwards.

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Trailers & Clips

Reviews

GamerTab That was an excellent one.
Chirphymium It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional
Tymon Sutton The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.
Fatma Suarez The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful
VanillaLimeCoke First off, in my opinion this was not the best sitcom but I am kind of surprised it lasted 2 seasons. I remember my sister being into this show more than me. It seemed pretty good but just out of date and too original.I had thought that after Season 1 the show didn't do so well but then learned it came back for another season and that was it. I thought it was doing so well. But I don't know. I think airing it on FOX might have been the problem since Malcolm in the Middle was better at the time. Had it aired on another station it would have done better. Also I think Elkie kind of ruined the show. I just kind of found her annoying and bland after a bit.The show was definitely funny and always kept you guessing. It had a very likable cast of characters. Oliver's parents were not the crazy control freaks like Malcolm on The Middle or The Wonder Years. Ted, Oliver's brother just for some reason reminded me of Wally from Leave it to Beaver. I relate this show to The Wonder Years fusing with Leave it to Beaver, because The Wonder Years had a voice over and the show's characters seemed like ones from Leave it to Beaver, especially Ted.Two of the best guest stars I liked were Louis Lombardi (from the hit show 24 as Edgar in Seasons 4 + 5) who plays a stressed out neighbor and Jon Polito (often a mobster in many films like Millers Crossing, but most memorably a reformed man in a MillenniuM episode) who played a very heavyset but yet unhealthy gym teacher. Ted also had a friend named Harvey who would cause trouble like wildfires. One such incident was when he insulted a fat guy while the kids were home alone, resulting in the fat guy coming over and trying to kill the kids. Harvey had been supposedly banned after throwing a wild party with Ted while Oliver and his parents were out once.Jerry, Oliver's dad plays as a dentist who is very friendly and cheerful but has a very short but funny temper. Not to mention the fact that he will act like a 10 year old at times. Overall, I found the series pretty good and surprised that it lasted only 2 seasons instead of one or more. If you enjoyed Wonder Years, Leave it to Beaver, Malcolm in the Middle, Grounded for Life, and/or The Bernie Mac Show, I would recommend seeing it (if they ever put them on DVD, Netflix, or Hulu (or wait, I left Hulu, so maybe (yeah right) there on there).
General_G Oliver Beene was a great, funny show. It upsets me that they went to Fox though. Fox isn't exactly the best network to go to for new shows. If they had gone to CBS this show would have probably been successful. Fox doesn't even give the shows a chance. Oliver Beene, The Pitts, The Jury, Quituplets..... Anyway, what I liked about this show was the time setting and also I have always seemed to like shows with weird or goofy families. Jerry was my favorite. Hes always mad at someone and trying to get even with them or coming up with some strange idea. My all time favorite episode was the parking space episode where Jerry was fighting Mr. Novogroder to get the best space out in front of the building. It was funny at the end where Novogoder won and kept that old Ford Galaxie there for eternity.
knsevy I'm really not sure what killed this show. Could just be a general feeling of surfeit regarding the 60s, or perhaps the sense that 'The Wonder Years' already milked this cow dry. Either way, it's gone.I watched the first (only?) two episodes, and failed to get much of a feel for it. Oliver was the only character who engendered any sympathy; the father and mother were distant, and the big brother was just a jerk - but a cute one. I wouldn't turn him down, if I didn't have to talk to him.The show didn't handle itself all that badly, didn't have impossible characters, and possessed some decent writing. So I really can't guess what killed it. Maybe other viewers felt as I did: Yeah, it's got some jokes, but nothing stands out.If so, it's ironic that this mediocre show died and 'Friends' and 'Seinfeld' got made, at all.
saimahuq Set in 1960s, voiceover by adult retelling his childhood, mean older brother, dream girl he can never have, nerd best friend (a girl this time) --- this is Kevin Arnold of "The Wonder Years". Nobody is fooled. This seems like an entertaining enough show but it's all been done before, so why bother?