# Dream On (1990)

> A divorced New York book editor navigates dating, family, and work, with old black and white TV clips punctuating his feelings.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/1021

## Facts

- Seasons: 6
- Episodes: 120
- Episode runtime: 30 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: comedy
- Created by: David Crane, Marta Kauffman
- Network: HBO
- Cast: Brian Benben, Wendie Malick, Chris Demetral, Jeffrey Joseph, Dorien Wilson, Denny Dillon, Dawnn Lewis, Paul Williams
- TMDB rating: 7.6/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098780/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: none
- Tone: witty, sardonic, wistful, breezy

## What critics say

Critics admired Dream On for its bold inserted black and white clips and Brian Benben's sardonic lead performance, while finding the writing uneven across its run.

## Synopsis

Dream On (1990-1996) is an American network sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman for HBO, running six seasons across 120 episodes. Brian Benben stars as Martin Tupper, a divorced New York City book editor trying to rebuild his love life while managing a demanding career and a tangled family circle. Wendie Malick plays his ex-wife Judith Tupper Stone, a sharp foil whose own relationships keep stirring old feelings, and Chris Demetral appears as his son Jeremy, grounding the show in everyday domestic friction. Each episode is built from brisk office scenes, awkward first dates, and cringe-inducing confrontations with friends and colleagues, all cut together with the show's signature inserted clips from older black and white television series that punctuate Martin's inner reactions. The engine is simple and funny: a man who wants a second chance at romance keeps colliding with his own neuroses. The tone is witty and sardonic, with a bittersweet undercurrent about divorce and aging in the city. Fans of Seinfeld, Mad About You and Sex and the City will find resonance in its urban romantic wit and ensemble chemistry.

## Shows like Dream On

- [The Exes (2011)](https://ember.film/tv/37140)
- [NewsRadio (1995)](https://ember.film/tv/3775)
- [The Michael J. Fox Show (2013)](https://ember.film/tv/52721)
- [Ellen (1994)](https://ember.film/tv/251)
- [Living Single (1993)](https://ember.film/tv/4057)
- [A to Z (2014)](https://ember.film/tv/54635)
- [Undateable (2014)](https://ember.film/tv/45990)
- [Casual (2015)](https://ember.film/tv/56735)
- [Sports Night (1998)](https://ember.film/tv/1894)
- [Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (2006)](https://ember.film/tv/1590)

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