The Hills of Home
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The Hills of Home was a sitcom that aired on ABC from 1999 to 2006 and was a spinoff of sorts from The Beverly Hillbillies. It featured Philip Brock as Grandpa Philip Hamilton, the patriarch of an Ozark family. The family members were his grouchy daughter Melanie (Melanie Samples), his man-crazy Cousin Pearl Bodine (Sara Holt) and his talking dog, Dennis. They lived in the town of Backville, Missouri, and Philip had been the state legislator for the area from 1953 to 2003.
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[edit] Filming Locations
For the first season, the show was filmed on a closed set at Wade Farm Studios in Mableton, Georgia, with exterior filming taking place at nearby locations. Beginning in the second season however, the show was filmed in front of a live audience in the same studio. The set was similar to the one used in the television sitcom All in the Family. In the 2000 made for television movie "National Hamilton's Vacation," all filming was done on location.
[edit] Storylines
The first season revolved around Pearl and Melanie's fighting mostly, about who was to cook and clean and do the domestic duties, and also their fighting about Joe Laurens, who eventually turned out to be Pearl's boyfriend for good. In the second season, more complex storylines developed. In the later seasons, more socially relevant storylines infiltrated the show, such as great-granddaughter Brittany's pregnancy at 15 years of age.
Sometimes there were crossovers into other series. Cast members from Petticoat Junction showed up in Backville from time to time, and the Hamiltons occasionally ventured over into Hoot County to visit with them. The cast of The Beverly Hillbillies (sans Donna Douglas, Raymond Bailey, and Nancy Kulp) showed up in the second season's wedding episode, and Granny (Irene Ryan) made a visit in the third season. Contrary to some's belief, the cast of Philip Brock's other shows Principal Philip Brock and The Guests Who Came to Stay did not visit with the Hamiltons, though some appeared in different roles on The Hills of Home.
[edit] Cast Members
The cast members who remained through the entire series' run were Philip Brock, Melanie Samples, and Robbie Crawford. Betty White joined the cast as Mrs. April Ladin at the beginning of the third season (2001), having been a recurring guest before. Sara Holt was killed in an automobile accident inbetween the 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 seasons and Pearl was written out as having finally married Joe Laurens. Jean Stapleton returned for several episodes as Aunt Edith, but Melissa Gilbert was added soon after as Philip's youngest daughter, Sara Ann, who came to live with them from 2003 to 2005. Gilbert left after the 04-05 season was ended, and Brittany Crider joined as great-granddaughter Brittany. Edith Holt was seen as prominent matron Teresa Reece, who eventually became mayor of Backville; she was injured in the accident that killed Sara Holt and did not return until the series finale.
Numerous occasional townsfolk were seen on the show as well: Principal Burke (Gerald Cooper), Mrs. Burke (Jo Ann Watson), Will Crosley (Bill Brock), and more. Sara Ann's romantic interest, Bert Crosley (who she later married), was portrayed by Melissa Gilbert's real-life husband, Bruce Boxleitner. Some other famous guest stars appeared too; Dr. Phil McGraw was seen as Philip's son Fred, and Roseanne played his annoying daughter Martha.
[edit] Series Finale
The Hills of Home 's last episode aired on December 24, 2006. Dying Philip met with each of the family members and close friends, telling them his final wishes for each of them, then passes away. We then see the aftermath of his death: Pregnant granddaughter Brittany gives birth to a son and names him Philip Ormond Hamilton Rogers, after Philip, and unfortunately passes away herself; Melanie sells the house and she and Dennis move to Los Angeles to live with Pearl and Joe; Sara Ann and Bert adopt the young Philip; and Backville's economy and quality of life come to a screeching halt. Melissa Gilbert returned for this episode, as did Edith Holt and other former cast members.
[edit] Consistencies, In-Jokes and Allusions
During the show's eight season run, there were numerous in-jokes, allusions, and small plot details that could go unnoticed to all but the most dedicated of THOH fans. For example, any time the characters danced, the funky song "Dazz" by Brick would play. Tyler Perry paid homage to this in his 2005 movie Diary of a Mad Black Woman by having Madea and her family dance to this song as well. Also, the terrible condition of Mrs. Ladin's cardiovascular system was made an issue; she would always come up with some ridiculous excuse as to why she could not go to the emergency room (she had to wash a load of clothes, couldn't miss the new General Hospital, etc.). National Hamilton's Vacation used the theme songs from National Lampoon's Vacation, "Holiday Road" and "Dancin' Across the USA." A fan favorite is the ending credits from the episode in which Melissa Gilbert joins the cast. Instead of the normal "End of a Dream" music, the theme song from "Little House on the Prairie" played as a reference to Gilbert's most famous role, Laura Ingalls Wilder.
[edit] National Hamilton's Vacation
The Hills of Home kicked off its second season (2000-2001) with a two hour made for TV movie that was a remake of National Lampoon's Vacation. Philip decided to take the whole family on a trip to Hollywood, and they were forced to drive the Beverly Hillbillies truck (Pearl's truck) out there. They loaded it up and it looked just like the Clampetts, complete with Dennis riding on top in the rocking chair. Of course, the trip ends up disastrous; Aunt Edith (Jean Stapleton) must ride with the family to Palm Springs for her 80th class reunion, and Philip spends the whole trip hoping she won't die (she doesn't). They almost eat raw hamburgers at a grimy diner, drive off a cliff near the Grand Canyon, and finally drop Aunt Edith off safely at the fancy hotel. But their troubles are far from over- the truck dies in the Los Angeles ghetto of Watts and they are forced to stay there while the truck is repaired. After all the trouble, Dennis has to get back to school before he fails for having excessive absences, so they only see Hollywood from the old raggedy truck on their way out of town. This TV movie won the Golden Globe and Emmy Awards for Best TV Movie. It was aired in August of 2000, and was edited into three parts to be aired as the opening episodes of the second season.
[edit] Awards
Emmy Award: Outstanding Comedy Series, 2000-2001
Emmy Award: Sara Holt, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, 1999-2000, 2000-2001, 2002-2003 (posthumously)
Emmy Award: John Dykstra, Ellen Woodham, James Herring, Outstanding Special Visual Effects, 2000-2001
Emmy Award: Betty White, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, 2002-2003
Emmy Award: Philip Brock, Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series, 2000-2001, Of the Day's Annoyances
Golden Globe Award: Best Comedy Series, 2003-2004
Golden Globe Award: Melissa Gilbert, Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, 2004-2005
Emmy Award: Outstanding Comedy Series, 2005-2006
[edit] Releases
Seasons 1-7 of all 8 seasons have been released on DVD, and all feature the original, uncut episodes and a variety of bonus features. The Season 2 set contains the uncut version of "National Hamilton's Vacation." Season Eight is set for a release date of July 27, 2007. The first five episodes were released on videocassette in 2000 under a title "The Hills of Home: Down-Home Fa-Vor-Ites."
Two CDs of music from the series have been released as well. The first was the soundtrack for "National Hamilton's Vacation," which featured music from that movie; the second was a two-disc Ultimate Collection featuring all of the show's background music and other songs used on the program, as well as the opening and ending theme songs (Sally Goodin' and End of a Dream, respectively). A limited edition three-disc release of both soundtracks was given out with the first 100 copies of the Fifth Season DVD set on May 15, 2005.
[edit] Episode Guide
Season One 1999-2000
1. Pilot 8/20/1999
2. Family Feud 8/27/1999
3. Mountain Romance 9/3/1999
4. When the Cat's Away the Mice Play 9/10/1999
5. Pearl's New Job 9/17/1999
6. Those Weren't the Days 9/24/1999
7. Dennis Goes to School 10/1/1999
8. A Short Visit 10/8/1999
9. Party Time 10/15/1999
10. Joe's Family Reunion 10/22/1999
11. Dennis' Halloween 10/29/1999
12. Uro-What??? 11/5/1999
13. Melanie the Stockholder 11/12/1999
14. With Two You Get Trouble 11/19/1999
15. The Day After Thanksgiving 11/26/1999
16. O Say Can You...Sing? 12/3/1999
17. Black Is the Color of My True Love's Fur 12/10/1999
18. Martha's Visit 12/17/1999
19. A Christmas Story, Backville-Style 12/24/1999
20. Uncle Shabs 1/7/2000
21. Joy Ride 1/14/2000
22. Cousin Randy 1/21/2000
23. Backville's Sister City 1/28/2000
24. The Church Trouble 2/4/2000
25. Hearts Afire 2/11/2000
26. The Relative Came 2/18/2000
27. Everbody Knows the Truth 2/25/2000
28. Here Comes the Bride 3/1/2000
Season Two 2000-2001
29. National Hamilton's Vacation pt. 1 9/22/2000
30. National Hamilton's Vacation pt. 2 9/29/2000
31. National Hamilton's Vacation pt. 3 10/6/2000
32. Homecoming 10/13/2000
33. The Garden Party 10/20/2000
34. Neighborhood Watch 10/27/2000
35. The Wedding pt. 1 11/3/2000
36. The Wedding pt. 2 11/10/2000
37. The Fab Forties 11/17/2000
38. The Return of Joe Laurens 11/24/2000
39. Woman of the Year 12/1/2000
40. A Dead Ringer 12/8/2000
41. The Obscene Phone Call 12/15/2000
42. The Present 12/22/2000
43. Dennis, Social Activist 12/29/2000
44. Melanie's Birthday 1/5/2001
44. Shopping Spree 1/12/2001
45. Overworked and Underpaid 1/19/2000
46. Of the Day's Annoyances 1/26/2001
47. Philip Fixes Up Lily 2/2/2001
48. Melanie's White Lie 2/23/2001
