Revision date: April 15, 1995
Compiled by Loren Heisey
https://innermind.com/myguides/
and John Carr
Series notes
The show was a comedy about a sensitive 14-year-old girl who's mortified by her crazy-quilt unorthodox family. Dorothy Jane just wanted to be thought of as normal, like any teenager, but had a hard time doing so. Her father had walked out on the family and they were always short on money. Her perky, optimistic mom, Millicent, saw sunshine everywhere. The rest of the family consisted of brothers - athletic Steven Floyd and studious Chuckie Lee, and sisters - spunky Ruth Ann and cute Mary Sue. They lived in a big rambling house in Pyramid Corners, Oklahoma. The name for the show came from a real Steven Floyd Torkelson who shared his bug collection and a first kiss with a little girl named Lynn Montgomery. She grew up to create the show some 30 years later.
The Torkelsons apparently turned out to be too down home for most people as it never found much of an audience in its original Saturday night timeslot and even less of one when it was moved to Sundays. After a second hiatus the series was revamped to return in February 1993 as Almost Home. For the new series the family moved to Seattle, where Millicent took a job as a nanny for the two spoiled teenage children of a widower. Two of the Torkelson kids were lost in the move as they never appeared in Seattle and the show pretended they never existed. The new series, which mostly pitted conservative family values against liberal family values, did not do any better in the ratings and disappeared after 13 episodes.
Guide notes
The NBC air dates come from back issues of TV Guide so might not account for schedule changes. The synopses were adapted from TV Guide listings.
The Torkelsons
Cast
| Starring: | |
| Connie Ray | Millicent |
| Olivia Burnette | Dorothy Jane |
| Benj Thall | Steven Floyd [pilot] |
| Aaron Michael Metchik | Steven Floyd [series] |
| Lee Norris | Chuckie Lee |
| Rachel Duncan | Mary Sue |
| Elizabeth Poyer | Ruth Ann [pilot] |
| Anna Slotky | Ruth Ann [series] |
| William Schallert | Wesley Hodges |
Episodes
1. Fence Neighbors
Airdate: 9/21/91 production #T-401
Debut: A homespun family led by a single mom tries to get by, but teenage daughter Dorothy Jane isn't thrilled when her mom's forced to take in a border to make ends meet.
| Written by | Lynn Montgomery |
| Directed by | Arlene Sanford |
| Also Starring: | |
| Ernie Lively | J.W. |
| Guest Starring: | |
| Michael Landes | Riley Roberts |
| Richard McGonagle | Howard Roberts |
| Lynn Milgrim | Lillian Roberts |
| Featuring: | |
| Jeanine Jackson | Appliance Saleslady |
| Gil Roscoe | Tall Man |
| Skip O'Brien | Barly Guy |
2. The Cotillion
Airdate: 9/28/91 production #T-403
Dorothy Jane hopes for a fairy-tale resolution to a school-dance dilemma: she has no dress, no date, and Riley, her Prince Charming next door, seems oblivious.
| Written by | Lynn Montgomery |
| Directed by | Arlene Sanford |
| Guest Starring: | |
| Ronnie Claire Edwards | Bootsie |
| Michael Landes | Riley |
| Paige Gosney | Kirby Scroggins |
| Tanya Fenmore | Laine |
| Co-starring: | |
| Alyson Kiperman | Dreama |
| Nicki Vannice | Shawna |
3. A Kiss is Still a Kiss
Airdate: 10/05/91 production #T-404
Dorothy Jane would like a romance between Millicent and the new pastor but when he comes calling, its only to report that Steven Floyd nearly turned a hayride into a roll in the hay.
| Written by | Wayne Lemon |
| Directed by | Arlene Sanford |
| Guest Starring: | |
| Ronnie Claire Edwards | Bootsie |
| Jeff McCracken | Reverend Langley-Wilson |
| Featuring: | |
| Katie Jane Johnston | Debra Jo |
4. For Love or Money
Airdate: 10/12/91 production #T-402
Millicent deems it necessary to be regularly employed, giving Dorothy Jane the job of looking after the other kids.
| Written by | Norma Safford Vela |
| Directed by | Arlene Sanford |
| Guest Starring: | |
| Ronnie Claire Edwards | Bootsie |
| Michael Landes | Riley |
5. Poetry in Motion
Airdate: 10/19/91 production #T-406
A blackmailing Ruth Ann reveals Dorothy Jane's private poems of passion to the world, but the unveiling ends up emboldening lovelorn Dorothy Jane.
| Written by | Philip LaZebnik |
| Directed by | Arlene Sanford |
| Guest Starring: | |
| Michael Landes | Riley |
| Doren Fein | Nancy |
| Suzie Plakson | Verna |
6. An American Almost in Paris
Airdate: 10/26/91 production #T-408
Dorothy Jane wants desperately to bid adieu to Oklahoma and say bonjour to Paris, and she might, if she's selected the winner in a student-exchange competition.
| Teleplay by | Lynn Montgomery |
| Story by | Lynn Montgomery, Diana "Jennie" Ayers & Susan Sebastian |
| Directed by | Arlene Sanford |
| Guest Starring: | |
| Paige Gosney | Kirby |
| Alyson Kiperman | Dreama |
| Lenny Wolpe | Mr. Wheeler |
7. Men Don't Leave
Airdate: 11/02/91 production #T-405
Daddy's home: Randall Torkelson blows in from Texas after more than a year away, but his arrival is an ill wind to Dorothy Jane, and she may be the last gasp of his marriage to Millicent.
| Written by | Diana "Jennie" Ayers & Susan Sebastian |
| Directed by | Arlene Sanford |
| Guest Starring: | |
| Ronnie Claire Edwards | Bootsie |
| Gregg Henry | Randall Torkelson |
8. Thanksgivingsomething
Airdate: 11/24/91 production #T-407
Pastor Langley and his assistant will be guests for Thanksgiving, prompting Dorothy Jane to push Millicent to play up her femininity.
| Written by | Wayne Lemon |
| Directed by | Arlene Sanford |
| Guest Starring: | |
| Jeff McCracken | Reverend Langley-Wilson |
| Michael Horse | David Blackwing |
| Remy Ryan | Jenny Blackwing |
9. Return To Sender
Airdate: 11/24/91 production #T-409
Wesley's estranged former daughter-in-law who, along with his granddaughter, is reunited with Wesley thanks to some good-hearted butting in by Millicent.
| Written by | Michael Jacobs & Norma Safford Vela |
| Directed by | Arlene Sanford |
| Special Guest Star: | |
| Patty Duke | Catharine Jeffers |
| Guest Starring: | |
| Ashley Peldon | Molly Jeffers |
| Dave Florek | Mr. Katsotis |
Notes:
Schallert played Patty's father on the 1960's *The Patty Duke Show*.
10. I Fought the Law
Airdate: 12/01/91 production #T-410
Millicent stands up for the American way, and the right to sell homemade pickled goods, by insisting on operating her annual roadside stand without a license.
| Written by | Philip LaZebnik |
| Directed by | Arlene Sanford |
| Guest Starring: | |
| Paige Gosney | Kirby |
| Stephen Root | Sheriff Bobby Clinton |
| Ken Thorley | Burke Miller |
| Molly McClure | Gertrude Perkins |
| Lou Hancock | Elvira Grandy |
11. A Sigh Is Just a Sigh
Airdate: 12/08/91 production #T-411
Steven Floyd goes to bat for Millicent by beating up a school big mouth - but she doesn't know that until after she's chewed him out and he's run away.
| Written by | Wayne Lemon |
| Directed by | Arlene Sanford |
| Also Starring: | |
| Paige Gosney | Kirby |
12. Educating Millicent
Airdate: 12/22/91 production #T-412
Millicent had her reasons for not finishing high school, but there's no good reason why she couldn't take an equivalency exam now.
| Teleplay by | Lynn Montgomery |
| Story by | Connie Ray & Lynn Montgomery |
| Directed by | Arlene Sanford |
| Special Guest Appearance by: | |
| Kevin Clash | Elmo |
| Also Starring: | |
| Paige Gosney | Kirby |
13. Double Date
Airdate: 1/09/92 production #T-414
Radio "Love Professor" Kitty Drysdale wires into the affairs of Dorothy Jane and Millicent's hearts and jump-starts their dating lives.
| Written by | Thomas Szollosi & Richard Christian Matheson |
| Directed by | Arlene Sanford |
| Also Starring: | |
| Paige Gosney | Kirby |
| Guest Starring: | |
| John Calvin | Michael |
| Omri Katz | Jason |
| Mother Love | Kitty |
Notes:
Kitty was played by radio personality Mother Love.
14. The Ice Princess
Airdate: 1/12/92 production #T-413
Dorothy Jane resolves to become the kind of girl who makes guys melt, and she looks to the school's resident ice princess for guidance.
| Written by | Philip LaZebnik |
| Directed by | Arlene Sanford |
| Also Starring: | |
| Paige Gosney | Kirby |
| Guest Starring: | |
| Michael Landes | Riley |
| Amy Hathaway | Callie |
| Featuring: | |
| Scott Campbell | big jock |
| Rachel O'Neill | Daisy |
15. Swear Not By the Moon
Airdate: 1/19/92 production #T-415
Never was there a story of more woe (except maybe one) than of Dorothy Jane's trial playing Juliet in the school play opposite her Romeo, Riley Roberts.
| Written by | Wayne Lemon |
| Directed by | Arlene Sanford |
| Also Starring: | |
| Paige Gosney | Kirby |
| Guest Starring: | |
| Michael Landes | Riley |
| Rick Lieberman | Mr. Whitman |
| Vinessa Shaw | Meredith Reed |
| Shawn Phelan | Mercurio |
| Alyson Kiperman | Dreama |
| Danuel Pipoly | Benvolio |
| Ian Bohen | Capulet |
16. Say Uncle
Airdate: 2/16/92 production #T-418
Dorothy Jane and Millicent get a double dose of relentless wooing by two Scroggins men: Kirby and his big-talkin' uncle, who takes a liking to Millicent.
| Written by | Wayne Lemon |
| Directed by | Arlene Sanford |
| Also Starring: | |
| Paige Gosney | Kirby |
| Guest Starring: | |
| Drew Carey | Herby Scroggins |
| Featuring: | |
| Sara Rose Johnson | young Dorothy Jane |
| Adam Wylie | young Kirby |
17. The Long Goodbye
Airdate: 5/02/92 production #T-420
Randall Torkelson returns with a big hello for Millicent and the kids, but Dorothy Jane is fretting over college-bound Riley, who didn't say goodbye.
| Written by | Philip LaZebnik, Wayne Lemon, Richard Christian Matheson, Lynn Montgomery & Thomas Szollosi |
| Directed by | Arlene Sanford |
| Also Starring: | |
| Paige Gosney | Kirby |
| Guest starring: | |
| Gregg Henry | Randall Torkelson |
| Mother Love | Kitty Drysdale |
Notes:
This appears to have been intended to be the final episode although
NBC did not air it that way.
18. The Egg and I
Airdate: 5/23/92 production #T-417
Dorothy Jane and Kirby learn parenthood isn't all it's cracked up to be when a school assignment requires them to care for an egg.
| Written by | Philip LaZebnik |
| Directed by | Arlene Sanford |
| Also Starring: | |
| Paige Gosney | Kirby |
| Guest starring: | |
| Mother Love | Kitty Drysdale |
| Featuring: | |
| Noah Cristopher | Greg |
| Kelsea & Kassandra Gibbs | Jennie |
19. Its My Party
Airdate: 5/30/92 production #T-419
Dorothy Jane is exposed to the perils of popularity when she throws a party to increase her social standing, but leaves a new friend standing out in the cold.
| Written by | Christopher Vane & Virginia K. Hegge |
| Directed by | Robert Berlinger |
| Also Starring: | |
| Paige Gosney | Kirby |
| Guest Starring: | |
| Amy Hathaway | Callie Kimbro |
| Alanna Ubach | Willie |
| Featuring: | |
| Nick Ayers | Bobby Jo |
20. Aunt Poison
Airdate: 6/13/92 production #T-416
Among the things that Millicent's eccentric aunt willed her are a sick dog, a valuable ring, an annoying riddle, an ugly painting ... and a lot of unanswered questions.
| Written by | Thomas Szollosi & Richard Christian Matheson |
| Directed by | Arlene Sanford |
| Guest Starring: | |
| Steven Gilborn | Dr. Euless |
| Wayne Tippit | Strickland |
| Featuring: | |
| Patrick Reilly | delivery boy |
Almost Home
Cast
| Starring: | |
| Connie Ray | Millicent Torkelson |
| Olivia Burnette | Dorothy Jane Torkelson |
| Lee Norris | Chuckie Lee Torkelson |
| Rachel Duncan | Mary Sue Torkelson |
| Brittany Murphy | Molly Morgan |
| Jason Marsden | Gregory Morgan |
| Perry King | Brian Morgan |
The production number is the order the episodes are re-run on the Disney channel as they have shown other sitcoms in the production order.
Episodes
1. New Moon
Airdate: 2/6/93 production 1
Debut: "The Torkelsons" get a new start, as Millicent and her kids move to Seattle, where she takes a job as a nanny for the two spoiled children of widower Brian Morgan. In the opener, Brian's daughter Molly plots to create dissension between Dorothy Jane and Millicent.
| Written by | Michael Jacobs |
| Directed by | Arlene Sanford |
2. Girls and Boy
Airdate: 2/13/93 production 5
Dorothy Jane enjoys her new job at a fast-food chicken joint, mainly because of her handsome supervisor, but Molly also wants a piece of this action.
| Written by | Philip LaZebnik |
| Directed by | Linda Day |
| Special Guest Star: | |
| Joey Lawrence | Jeff Thornton |
| Guest Starring: | |
| Peter Van Norden | Mel |
| James Gleason | Male Customer |
| Shirley Prestia | Female Customer |
| Kimberlee Corney | Megan |
3. Sleeping With the Enemy
Airdate: 2/20/93 production 3
It's far from a perfect match when Dorothy Jane and Molly must share a bedroom, but the possibility of Brian's match with an attractive woman is what really bothers Molly.
| Written by | Lisa A. Bannick |
| Directed by | Arlene Sanford |
| Special Guest Appearance by: | |
| Erin Gray | Jennifer |
4. Is That All There Is?
Airdate: 2/27/93 production 13
The top jock in school asks out plain old Dorothy Jane, who sports newfound popularity in exchange for a rather bland relationship.
| Written by | Patricia Nardo |
| Directed by | Bruce Bilson |
| Guest Starring: | |
| Ben Affleck | Kevin Johnson |
5. The Fox and the Hound
Airdate: 3/06/93 production 8
When Brian's dinner date cancels at the last minute, he asks Millicent to fill in since the client he is meeting feels the man is only as good as the woman in his life.
| Written by | Wayne Lemon |
| Directed by | David Trainer |
| Guest Starring: | |
| Paxton Whitehead | Sir Reginald Harrington |
| Sarah Douglas | Lady Harrington |
| Jared Leto | Rick Aiken |
| Frank Birney | Captain |
6. Winner Take Millicent
Airdate: 3/20/93 production 10
Brian's hotshot brother Jim asks out Millicent, and when things heat up between the two, Brian is left cold.
| Written by | Wayne Lemon |
| Directed by | Patrick Maloney |
| Guest Starring: | |
| Christopher Rich | Jim Morgan |
7. To Jane Eyre Is Human
Airdate: 3/27/93 production 12
Molly plagiarizes Dorothy Jane's book report in order to please Brian, who's not pleased at all with Molly's recent report card.
| Written by | Mark Lisson |
| Directed by | Patrick Maloney |
8. Duelling Birthdays
Airdate: 4/03/93 production 4
Dorothy Jane and Molly's sweet-16 birthday parties coincide: Molly's is a back-yard extravaganza, while Dorothy Jane's is a plain affair with just the family.
| Written by | Philip LaZebnik |
| Directed by | Arlene Sanford |
| Guest Starring: | |
| Marguerite Moreau | Kimberly |
| Stephanie Brown | Chandice |
| Trish Ramish | Linda |
| Devon Gummersall | Party Boy |
9. To Date or Not To Date?
Airdate: 4/10/93 production 2
Millicent's decree that Molly can't date a college-age guy creates solidarity between Molly and Dorothy Jane, who sneak out of the house together.
| Written by | Wayne Lemon |
| Directed by | Arlene Sanford |
| Featuring: | |
| James Calvert | Patrick |
| Curnal Aulisio | Bill |
| Vincent Ventresca | Dave |
10. The Dance
Airdate: 4/17/93 production 6
Gregory's in trouble when friend Sam transforms herself into a pretty young lady and asks him to the Girls' Choice Dance.
| Written by | Mark Lisson |
| Directed by | Linda Day |
| Guest Starring: | |
| Alyson Hannigan | Samantha |
| Richard Panebianco | Craig Keets |
| James Gleason | Mr. Hacker |
| Jay Lambert | Tom |
11. You Ought To Be In Pictures
Airdate: 4/24/93 production 7
The camera loves Chuckie Lee, who loves the attention he gets posing in Brian's clothing catalogue. And when he gets a chance at a commercial, a reluctant Millicent acquiesces.
| Written by | Lisa A. Bannick |
| Directed by | Dennis Erdman |
| Guest Starring: | |
| Christine Rose | The Director |
| Mark Shera | Paul |
| Linda Larkin | Kim |
| Wayne Federman | Assistant |
12. Hot Ticket
Airdate: 6/05/93 production 11
Gregory gets it but good when he uses Brian's credit card in a desperate effort to land hard-to-get tickets to a big rock concert.
| Written by | Philip LaZebnik |
| Directed by | Patrick Maloney |
| Guest Starring: | |
| Alyson Hannigan | Samantha |
| Donal Logue | Tommy Tom |
| Peter Van Norden | Mel |
13. Bowling For Daddies
Airdate: 6/12/93 production 9
Millicent and Chuckie Lee enter themselves in Chuckie Lee's Wilderness Troop's father-son bowling tournament.
| Written by | Lisa A. Bannick |
| Directed by | David Trainer |
| Guest Starring: | |
| Robert Costanzo | Big Bob Petrelli |
| Jacob Kenner | Bobby Petrelli |
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