THAT WAS THEN: THE THIRTY YEAR ITCH {SERIES PREMIERE} (TV)
Summary
The first in this short-lived drama series about a man who travels back in time to his high school years and attempts to improve his life by altering the past. In this episode, on his thirtieth birthday, Travis Glass speaks at his nephew Ethan's school about his boring job selling doors, but admits that he is in a "funk" because of his dead-end job and the fact that his obnoxious, more successful brother Gregg married "the girl of his dreams," Claudia. Elsewhere, his best friend Pinkus works at a car dealership for a family friend named Sam, and he joins Travis and his family for his dismal birthday party at home. After reflecting on his late father's superstitions about his beloved baseball, Travis says that he would like to go back to 1988, to the day where he embarrassed himself while giving a speech in front of the school and Claudia slept with Gregg for the first time. Pinkus argues that second chances do not exist, remembering that a boy named Timmy Robinson was also hit by a train that week. Later, Travis listens to "Do It Again" by the Kinks, and a lightning strike hits the house. When he awakens, it is indeed 1988 and he is sixteen, startled to see his younger mother and sister and thrilled to see his dad alive again. At school, Pinkus is surprised by his friend's odd behavior, but Travis declares that he will do things better this time around.
Travis receives an award for his speech, which he will soon present to the whole school. He tells Pinkus about his time-travel experience, and though Pinkus is unsure, Travis decides to "save" Claudia from her future with Gregg. At home, his father is unimpressed by his award, and Travis tries to warn him about his health. He also attempts to talk Gregg out of taking Claudia to a "romantic" motel, cautioning him about proper timing. When Travis correctly predicts the outcome of a baseball game, Pinkus believes that he is from the future and resolves to help him change his destiny. Travis tells Claudia that he believes that one should be in love before having sex, and talks to his teacher, Ms. Frisch, about her upcoming thirtieth birthday. He is then dismayed to find that his mother is having an affair with Sam, realizing that his family has problems, but Pinkus urges him to dramatically "kidnap" Claudia from the homecoming game to make a statement. After mysteriously receiving $5,000 from a classmate, he buys a Mustang, though he cannot hide his anger at Sam, who observes that Pinkus has "a knack" for selling cars. At the game, he dons a mask and absconds with a confused Claudia, but then realizes that Timmy will be killed by the train that night and runs off to save him.
Timmy claims that he can "beat" the train, but Travis grabs the wheel, saving their lives but destroying Timmy's truck. Travis then realizes that Claudia met up with his brother anyway after he left, believing that Travis' gesture was all part of Gregg's romantic plan. Upset, he lectures his mother about her affair, but she says that she is "tired of regrets." Travis advises his father on a sports bet and then prepares to give his speech, urged on by Ms. Frisch. He deviates from the script, however, and delivers an impassioned monologue about positively changing one's life "on the way," and the crowd is very impressed. His parents are thrilled when they win big on the game, and Travis and Pinkus attend the cool kids' party for once. He encounters Claudia, who then discovers Gregg with another girl and runs out. Travis is excited that they have broken up, but then suddenly hears "Do It Again" and is sent back to his adult life, waking up to realize that he is the mayor of his town and is also married to Lanie Snider, Pinkus' crush, and has twin daughters. Horrified, he realizes that Pinkus now loathes him for stealing Lanie, Timmy is his political opponent, and Gregg has not seen Claudia since high school, meaning that Ethan does not exist. Includes commercials.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: September 27, 2002 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:00:00
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:73646
- GENRE: Drama, fantasy/science fiction
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, fantasy/science fiction; Time travel
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 2002
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - Clorox bleach
- TV - Commercials - Covington apparell
- TV - Commercials - Eclipse Flash Strips chewing gum
- TV - Commercials - Fisher Price Barney toys
- TV - Commercials - Fisher Price Elmo toys
- TV - Commercials - Home Depot stores
- TV - Commercials - Hormel frozen meals
- TV - Commercials - Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Midas automobile repair
- TV - Commercials - Mitsubishi automobiles
- TV - Commercials - New York Life insurance company
- TV - Commercials - Nicorette smoking cessation gum
- TV - Commercials - Paxil CR medication
- TV - Commercials - Pillsbury biscuits
- TV - Commercials - Sears stores
- TV - Commercials - Sprint cellular phones
- TV - Commercials - Tampax Pearl tampons
- TV - Commercials - Tide laundry detergent
- TV - Commercials - Toyota Camry automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Tums Ultra antacid relief
- TV - Commercials - Visa credit cards
- TV - Promos - "8 Simple Rules...For Dating My Teenage Daughter"
- TV - Promos - "20/20"
- TV - Promos - "According to Jim"
- TV - Promos - "Alias"
- TV - Promos - "Grease" home video
- TV - Promos - "Less Than Perfect"
- TV - Promos - "Life With Bonnie"
- TV - Promos - "Monday Night Football"
- TV - Promos - "Monsters Inc" home video
- TV - Promos - "Prince William" motion picture
- TV - Promos - "Sweet Home Alabama" motion picture
- TV - Promos - "That Was Then" upcoming episode
- TV - Promos - "The Green Mile" motion picture
- TV - Promos - "The Practice"
CREDITS
- Jeff Kline … Executive Producer
- Jeremy Miller … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
- Daniel Cohn … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
- Ron French … Producer
- Stephen McCabe … Co-Producer
- Shana Fischer Huber … Associate Producer
- Peter O'Fallon … Director
- Don Was … Music by
- David Was … Music by
- James Bulliard … Cast, Travis Glass
- Tyler Labine … Cast, Donnie Pinkus
- Kiele Sanchez … Cast, Claudia Wills-Glass
- Brad Raider … Cast, Gregg Glass
- Tricia O'Kelley … Cast, Sophie Frisch
- Andrea Bowen … Cast, Zooey Glass
- Bess Armstrong … Cast, Mickey Glass
- Jeffrey Tambor … Cast, Gary 'Double G' Glass
- Andrew Airlie … Cast, Sam Farrell
- Logan Craig O'Brien … Cast, Ethan Glass
- Rhonda Dent … Cast, Lanie Snider
- David Kopp … Cast, Timmy Robinson
- Emily Holmes … Cast, Adult Zooey Glass
- Judith Maxie … Cast, Principal
- Ron Chartier … Cast, Car Buyer
- Ron Small … Cast, Store Clerk
- Brynne McNabb … Cast, Missy
- Cameryn McNabb … Cast, Chrissy
- Kathryn Kirkpatrick … Cast, Teacher
- Noel Fisher … Cast, Tom Sullivan's Boy
- Saeed Ahmed … Cast, Ty Miller
- Adam Battrick … Cast, Corey Lenhart
- Mark Brandon … Cast, All American Man
- Gaylene Burton … Cast, Party Girl
- Vee Dubois … Cast, Waitress
- Cathleen Chin … Cast, Maid
- Debi Wong … Cast, Girl
- Kimberly Rodriguez … Cast, Kid #1
- Adam Hicks … Cast, Kid #2
- Kyle Massey … Cast, Kid #3