"One World" (1998) TV series 1998-2001

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3

Release Date:

12 September 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

The show is about 6 kids from different backgrounds who all live together under the same roof, with their foster parents.

Plot Keywords:

Teen | Foster Family | Florida | Mixed Culture

Awards:

2 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Bryan Kirkwood	...	Ben Blake (39 episodes, 1998-2001)
Arroyn Lloyd	...	Jane Blake (39 episodes, 1998-2001)
Harvey Silver	...	Neal Smith (39 episodes, 1998-2001)
Alisa Reyes	...	Marci Blake (39 episodes, 1998-2001)
Michelle Krusiec	...	Sui Blake (39 episodes, 1998-2001)
Brandon Baker	...	Cray Blake (39 episodes, 1998-2001)
Michael Toland	...	Dave Blake (39 episodes, 1998-2001)
Elizabeth Morehead	...	Karen Blake (39 episodes, 1998-2001)
Jordana Spiro	...	Alex (39 episodes, 1998-2001)

Runtime:

30 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Raleigh Studios - 5300 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

NBC Enterprises

Quotes:

Karen Blake: I know we've always told you kids to pursue your dreams.
Marci Blake: Except for me.
Sui Blake: Well Marcy, that's because Cuba already has a dictator with a beard.

Stale Attempt at Ethnic Diversity

The main reason that teen-oriented sitcoms saturated the Saturday morning landscape is due to the unfortunate decline of creativity in cartoons. First, there was "Saved by the Bell"/ "Good Morning, Miss Bliss". Due to the success of this franchise, this led to so many others: "Saved by the Bell: The New Class", "City Guys", "Hang Time", "USA High", "California Dreams", "All About Us", etc. These shows share one important common bond: They dealt with teens as they interacted with each other in the high school setting. Of course, each show took place in a different city. These shows also tried to include "ethnic diversity" in the cast. Then we come around to "One World".

First, the show tried to be blatantly diverse in ethnicities: the Whites, the Asian, the Black, the Hispanic, the American Indian. (Did I leave anything out?) Given the forced diversity and the way they dressed, the show looked like an advertisement for the United Colors of Benetton. Second, the show centered around their lives at home, and getting along while they lived together. This was different from the other shows, which centered around how the teens got along while in school together.

The rest of the show can be called "predictable", because the plots, jokes, and morality messages have existed in the same forms on the rest of the teen sitcoms. However, this series clearly showed that the "teen sitcom" genre was getting extremely stale and overused. The show tried to be different due to the focus being at home rather than at school, but it was all the same. This oversaturation of this genre led to its demise. Because it was so stale, it was simply canceled. This was unlike "Saved.." or "Hang Time", when the final episodes gave a sense of closure to those series.

Because the characters of "One World" got along so well, this was an attempt to show teens that racism is dead, or something like that. Please…