My dream for America

I have a dream -- to get you tuning into NBC every Sunday night to watch the television series, "American Dreams." The drama centers on a middle class Philadelphia family during the 1960s as it deals with social challenges brought forth by an era of great transformation. It demonstrates how many found refuge in music and dancing by presenting us with a backstage pass to the show "American Bandstand." Much of the cultural turmoil depicted still echoes today as loudly as the upbeat music of the time. \nBut the odds are stacked against my crusade for "American Dreams." The time slot's jammed with steep competition, the show appears cheesy on the surface and viewers are still devoting their TV watching allotments to shows like "Friends," which ran out of material four years ago. Will nothing short of the introduction of a seventh friend communicate this to people? This reality has left the program with no promise of a second season. \n"American Dreams" is reminiscent of "The Wonder Years" in its innocent view of America, but projects a more serious tone. The show's theme song ("Our Generation" by Emerson Hart) is one of the catchiest opening tunes ever. Dick Clark, who hosted "American Bandstand" from 1957 to 1987, serves as an executive producer of "American Dreams," allowing it to capture credibility and the true essence of his original show. \nThis drama struts its creativity by using chart-topping stars from today's music world to portray legends of the past. Some of the cameos from this season include LeAnn Rimes as Connie Francis, Usher as Marvin Gaye and Ashanti as Dionne Warwick.\nThe most appealing aspect of "American Dreams" is its ability to elicit nostalgic feelings, even if we didn't grow up in the 1960s. Maybe we've never spontaneously jumped out of our car at a drive-through movie to dance (my favorite scene from this season), but seeing this transpire reminds us of simpler times -- times that were more carefree, like childhood. \nThe acting is solid and the characters are genuinely interesting. Upon sight, the show's poster girl, Meg Pryor (Brittany Snow) is instantly captivating. The adorable teenager illuminates the screen as she juggles her "American Bandstand" commitments and the trials of adolescence. The program reveals our resistance to change through Meg's father, Jack Pryor (Tom Verica), as he battles to preserve conservative American values. \n"American Dreams" treats us to an experience, not just a story. And the experiences are plentiful as it tackles a variety of issues. When we read about harsh discrimination in history books or observe it blatantly acted out in a movie, it's easy for us to dismiss the injustices as something we'd never do. \nBut "American Dreams" effectively shows us the American oppression that saturated the early '60s, with characters like Sam (Arlen Escarpeta), Henry (Jonathon Adams) and Helen (Gail O'Grady). We see African-Americans and women denied assistance in times of desperation, overlooked for deserved promotions, longing for self-fulfillment and to hear the words, "anything's possible."\nOf course, no television show could ever fully capture the hardships endured while pursuing civil rights, but this program at least helps us understand we don't always practice what we preach. To see how our unconscious prejudgment can undeservingly discourage good people, "American Dreams" thus formulates the desire within us to be better individuals. \nThe show also examines the "ignorance is bliss" stance, the stresses of being a small business owner and the struggles to maintain righteous values in the countenance of peer pressure. It illustrates the challenges of marriage, such as poor communication and disagreements of the size of the family. Its portrayal of infidelity explains how quickly and easily we can give into temptation without realizing the external and internal ramifications. \nWe become allergic to ineffective parenting practices through the displeased reactions of the Pryor children to their father, Jack. We feel JJ (Will Estes) being pushed to live out his father's dreams, Meg's need for her dad to be involved in her interests and the youngest child Will's (Ethan Dampf) search for support as polio steals any hope for achievement. \nTurning points in American history are brought back to life as each passing episode enhances our identification with the characters. We experience a family feeding off one another to cope with the Kennedy assassination, a child's innocence as he enlists into the Marines just prior to Vietnam and the word "frenzy" defined through the eyes of a giddy teenager engulfed by Beatlemania.\nThere's no single "American Dream." It varies for every race, gender and even each member of a family. To truly appreciate this, join me at 8 p.m. every Sunday night in watching "American Dreams." If nothing else, you're going to learn some pretty sweet dance moves.