Nos plus belles années 

Seven thirtysomethings living in Philadelphia struggle with everyday adult angst.

Creators:

Marshall Herskovitz, Edward Zwick

Stars:

Timothy Busfield, Polly Draper, Mel Harris

Won 2 Golden Globes. Another 26 wins & 63 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Timothy Busfield	...	Elliot Weston 85 episodes, 1987-1991
Polly Draper	...	Ellyn Warren 85 episodes, 1987-1991
Mel Harris	...	Hope Murdoch Steadman 85 episodes, 1987-1991
Peter Horton	...	Gary Shepherd 85 episodes, 1987-1991
Melanie Mayron	...	Melissa Steadman 85 episodes, 1987-1991
Ken Olin	...	Michael Steadman 85 episodes, 1987-1991
Patricia Wettig	...	Nancy Krieger Weston 85 episodes, 1987-1991
Brittany Craven	...	Janey 66 episodes, 1987-1991
Lacey Craven	...	Janey 66 episodes, 1987-1991
Luke Rossi	...	Ethan Weston / ... 41 episodes, 1987-1991

Storyline

Hope and Michael are a married couple in their thirties, living in Philadelphia, and struggling with everyday adult angst. Michael runs an ad agency with his friend Elliot, whose marriage to Nancy is beginning to show the cracks of age, as is the friendship between Hope and her best friend Ellyn. Michael's best friend, Gary, on the other hand, is trying to get on with his womanising life, and get over the mutually-destructive affair he had with Michael's cousin, Melissa. It all sounds like just another soap, but is given a unique atmosphere by the production team (the Bedford Falls company, also responsible for 'My So Called Life') whose intelligent scripts, believable characters and frequent dips into the slightly surreal world of the character's minds places the series as one of the highlights of the late 1980s.

---

Plot Keywords:

cult favorite | arizona | best friend | marriage | friendship | 

---

Genres:

Drama | Romance

---

Did You Know?

Trivia

Almost immediately after the introduction of the show, the term "Thirtysomething" became a catchphrase used to designate baby boomers in their thirties. This cultural shift was reinforced by the Oxford English Dictionary, which added Thirtysomething in 1993 (under the word thirty) and defined the term as follows:

• Draft additions 1993 - n. [popularized as a catch-phrase by the U.S. television programme thirtysomething, first broadcast in 1987] colloq. (orig. U.S.) an undetermined age between thirty and forty; spec. applied to members of the 'baby boom' generation entering their thirties in the mid-1980s; also attrib. or as adj. phr. (hence, characteristic of the tastes and lifestyle of this group).

---

Quotes

Prof. Gary Shepherd: Even Hemingway wasn't good at being Hemingway.

---

Crazy Credits

Throughout season 1 and season 2 Elliot's and Ellyn's names are spelled incorrectly in the opening credits. Elliot's is spelled with two 't's ("Elliott"), and Ellyn's is spelled with a second 'e' instead of a 'y' ("Ellen"). "Ellyn" is not corrected until the first episode of season 3 (3.1 "Nancy's mom") and "Elliot", not until the fourth episode of season 3 (3.4 "new baby").

---

Connections

Referenced in Les craquantes: The Auction (1989)

User Reviews

Ken Olin

WOW Ken Olin was so handsome back during 30 something- tonight in 2013 seeing him heavy with a gray beard in an Episode of Criminal Minds its so incredible to believe how much he has changed-Patty pretty much looks the same.

I was wondering what happened to the rest of the cast the person that played Melissa I never saw after the show, I saw Hope in one LMN movie years ago as well as Timothy but the rest where have they gone?

The TV shows were much better back during the 30 something days now its all about one reality show after another- whether its singing, dancing, eating bugs surviving or bachelors and bachelorettes or cooking - no more really good family shows, Brothers and Sisters, Once and Again , Knots Landing- now those were the days my friends!

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 January 1989 (France)

Also Known As:

Nos plus belles années

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

The Bedford Falls Company, MGM Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min (85 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1