Tracy Gamble (33 episodes, 2002-2005)
W. Bruce Cameron (21 episodes, 2002-2005)
Bonnie Kallman (11 episodes, 2002-2004)
Martin Weis (10 episodes, 2002-2004)
Paul F. Ciancarelli (7 episodes, 2002-2005)
David S. DiPietro (7 episodes, 2002-2005)
Bill Daly (7 episodes, 2002-2004)
Bill Callahan (6 episodes, 2002-2004)
Seth Kurland (6 episodes, 2003-2005)
Fewer than 5 episodes:
Steve Baldikoski | Bryan Behar | Christy Jacobs White | Philip Wen | Gayle Abrams | David Flebotte | Rob Hanning |Tamiko K. Brooks | Michael Langworthy | Dena Waxman | Janis Hirsch | Rosalind Moore | Hayes Jackson | Grant Nieporte | Robert Spina | Kathy Ann Stumpe | John Peaslee | Judd Pillot
CAST
John Ritter – Paul Hennessy
Katey Sagal – Cate Hennessy
Kaley Cuoco – Bridget Hennessy
Amy Davidson – Kerry Hennessy
Martin Spanjers – Rory Hennessy
Larry Miller – Tommy
Billy Aaron Brown – Kyle
James Garner – Jim Egan
David Spade – C. J. Barnes
Adam Arkin – Principal Ed Gibb
Nikki Danielle Moore - Jenna Sharpe
Liam Kyle Sullivan - Zac
Cole Williams - Anthony
Nicole Mansour - Rachel Sharpe
Thad Luckinbill - Donny Doyle
Artie Anderson - Artie
Howard Alonzo - Andre
COUNTRY
United States
PRODUCED BY
Alan Padula - Producer (42 episodes, 2002-2005)
John Peaslee - Executive Producer (24 episodes, 2004-2005)
Michael Langworthy - Co-Executive Producer (unknown episodes)
Rosalind Moore - Consulting Producer (unknown episodes)
DIRECTED BY
James Widdoes (63 episodes, 2002-2005)
Lynn M. McCracken (3 episodes, 2003-2004)
Robby Benson (2 episodes, 2003)
Mark Cendrowski (2 episodes, 2003)
Terry Hughes (2 episodes, 2003)
Pat Fischer-Doak (2 episodes, 2004-2005)
NO. OF SEASONS
3
NO. OF EPISODES
76
ORIGINAL RUN
September 17, 2002 – August 19, 2005
OPENING/ENDING THEME
Music:
Dan Foliart (66 episodes, 2002-2005)
John Adair (13 episodes, 2004-2005)
Steve Hampton (13 episodes, 2004-2005)
GUEST APPEARANCES
Raquel Welch | Amanda MacDonald | Daniella Monet | Marisa Theodore | Wendie Jo Sperber | John Ratzenberger | Suzanne Pleshette | Jonathan Taylor Thomas | Brian Sites | Kala Savage | Sam Horrigan | Kelsey Batelaan | Dana Workman | Heather Hogan | Patrick Warburton | Kaitlin Cullum | Michael Burger | Julie Davenport | Nick Carter | Cybill Shepherd | Dan Cortese | Pamela Anderson | Lee Garlington | Suzy Nakamura | Connie Stevens | Jamie Starr | Jan Hoag | Monique Lea | Kathryn J. Larsen | Mo Gaffney | Jordi Vilasuso | Paul Wesley | Gregor Trpin | Peter Gannon | Allison Andreas | Cindy Williams | Rachel Bilson
2003 Nominated Excellence in Production Design Award Television - Episode of a Multi-Camera Television Series Jay Pelissier (production designer) for: episode "All I Want for Christmas"
2003 Nominated BAFTA Children's Award Best International "production team"
Casting Society of America, USA
2003 Nominated Artios Best Casting for TV, Comedy Pilot Lori Openden
Directors Guild of America, USA 2004 - 2003 Nominated DGA Award Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series' James Widdoes for episode "Goodbye"
Paul was a typical harried dad in this sunny family sitcom set in the Detroit suburb of Oakdale. A sportswriter, he had missed much of his kids’ growing-up years because he was on the road. Now they were in their teens and his sensible wife, Cate, had gone back to work as a nurse, so it was up to Paul to stay home and take care of the kids. Trouble was, they were no longer the cute little dumplings he remembered. Bridget had matured (if that is the word) into a sexy, thong-wearing, skin-baring teen vamp, who was also a bit of an airhead; Kerry was the smart one but masked her insecurities with sarcasm; and Rory was a little hustler who bonded with Dad because neither of them understood women. Tommy was Paul’s co-worker and Kyle his teenage son, who was Bridget’s and later Kerry’s boyfriend.
There were plenty of generation-gap lines (to Dad: “Stop calling me care-bear!”; “What do you know, you’re like, a hundred”), lots of misunderstandings and traumas about dates, but also plenty of love.
On September 11, 2003, star John Ritter, 54, died suddenly of an undetected heart problem while filming an episode. Several episodes were already complete and the season premiered as planned, but then took a short hiatus during October while ABC decided what to do. When the series returned on November 4th, the Hennessy family was grieving; in the storyline Paul had dropped dead while at the supermarket and Cate’s estranged parents, Jim and Laura Egan (James Garner, Suzanne Pleshette) arrived to console the family. It was a realistic portrayal of a family’s grief, with loving tributes to a beloved father mixed with moments of sadness and even flashes of anger (“It’s so unfair! Why would God do this?”). The aftermath continued through several episodes as each family member coped in their own way.
Grandpa Jim moved in, providing a father figure and puttering around the house – sometimes with disastrous results. In January Cate’s wayward nephew C.J. moved in as well, providing a questionable role model for the kids. Eventually everybody was in the dating scene, including Cate and even Grandpa Jim (after Laura divorced him). In the final season Cate accepted the position of nurse at her kids’ school and gradually began a romantic relationship with Principal Gibb. After a series of dead-end jobs, C.J. surprised everyone by becoming a teacher at the school. Bridget became student body president, Kerry revealed that she had lost her virginity while in Europe over the summer and Rory continued to make his embarrassed way through puberty.
The title of the series was shortened to 8 Simple Rules on November 18, 2002. Based on the best-selling book 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter and Other Tips from a Beleaguered Father (Not That Any of Them Work) by W. Bruce Cameron.
INTERESTING FACTS
The 8 Simple Rules are:
Rule One: If you pull into my driveway and honk you'd better be delivering a package, because you're sure as heck not picking anything up.
Rule Two: You do not touch my daughter in front of me. You may glance at her, so long as you do not peer at anything below her neck. If you cannot keep your eyes or hands off of my daughter's body, I will remove them.
Rule Three: I am aware that it is considered fashionable for boys of your age to wear their trousers so loosely that they appear to be falling off their hips. Please don't take this as an insult, but you and all of your friends are complete idiots. Still, I want to be fair and open minded about this issue, so I propose this compromise: You may come to the door with your underwear showing and your pants ten sizes too big, and I will not object. However, In order to assure that your clothes do not, in fact, come off during the course of your date with my daughter, I will take my electric staple gun and fasten your trousers securely in place around your waist.
Rule Four: I'm sure you've been told that in today's world, sex without utilizing a "barrier method" of some kind can kill you. Let me elaborate: when it comes to sex, I am the barrier, and I WILL kill you.
Rule Five: In order for us to get to know each other, we should talk about sports, politics, and other issues of the day. Please do not do this. The only information I require from you is an indication of when you expect to have my daughter safely back at my house, and the only word I need from you on this subject is "early."
Rule Six: I have no doubt you are a popular fellow, with many opportunities to date other girls. This is fine with me as long as it is okay with my daughter. Otherwise, once you have gone out with my little girl, you will continue to date no one but her until she is finished with you. If you make her cry, I will make YOU cry.
Rule Seven: As you stand in my front hallway, waiting for my daughter to appear, and more than an hour goes by, do not sigh and fidget. If you want to be on time for the movie, you should not be dating. My daughter is putting on her makeup, a process which can take longer than painting the Golden Gate Bridge. Instead of just standing there, why don't you do something useful, like changing the oil in my car?
Rule Eight: The following places are not appropriate for a date with my daughter: Places where there are beds, sofas, or anything softer than a wooden stool. Places lacking parents, policemen, or nuns. Places where there is darkness. Places where there is dancing, holding hands, or happiness. Places where the ambient temperature is warm enough to induce my daughter to wear shorts, tank tops, midriff T-shirts, or anything other than overalls, a sweater, and a goose down parka zipped up to her chin. Movies with a strong romantic or sexual theme are to be avoided; movies which feature chainsaws are okay. Hockey games are okay.
REVIEWS
Parents need to know that despite a bit of iffy language ("damn," "ass") and some fairly light sexual innuendo, this sitcom offers a positive representation of family, teens, and parental guidance. The first season focuses on a father who becomes more involved with his teenagers' lives after his wife goes back to work; in later episodes, coping with the sudden death of a parent and living/coping with extended family become central themes of the show. Reviewed by: Common Sense Media.
