Yale scholar Matt Carter introduces his wealthy fiancée, Allison, to his family, and initially everything goes smoothly. However, it isn't long before Allison learns that Matt has lied to her about his relatives to mask their failures and dysfunctions. His brother, Tim, flunked out of school and developed a drinking problem, and Matt struggles to keep his own troubling secret from his less than tolerant parents.
Acting
William McNamara's trembling fragility before fragile masculinity was trending.
Writing
Surprisingly nuanced for 1992 network TV — the lie structure actually lands.
Director
Ken Olin
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Premiered on Fox in 1992, this was remarkably early network TV treatment of gay identity as central drama rather than punchline or tragic death sentence.
Ken Olin directed this between thirtysomething episodes; the suburban anxiety DNA is unmistakable. Lori Loughlin plays the oblivious fiancée years before her own real-life performance of fraudulent perfection.
US
