# Life Goes On (1989)

> The Thatcher family of suburban Chicago faces ordinary and extraordinary challenges, including raising a son with Down syndrome.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/5026

## Facts

- Seasons: 4
- Episodes: 83
- Episode runtime: 60 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: drama, family
- Created by: Michael Braverman
- Network: ABC
- Cast: Bill Smitrovich, Patti LuPone, Chris Burke, Kellie Martin, Chad Lowe, Tracey Needham, Monique Lanier, Elizabeth Berkley
- TMDB rating: 7.2/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096635/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: none
- Tone: earnest, hopeful, sincere, warm, gentle

## What critics say

Critics widely admired the show's groundbreaking disability representation and warm, sincere family storytelling, while noting its sentimental leanings.

## Synopsis

Life Goes On is an American family drama that originally aired on ABC from 1989 to 1993 across four seasons. It follows the Thatcher family in suburban Chicago: patient father Drew, his wife Elizabeth, and their children, most notably Corky, a young man with Down syndrome whose independence and place in the household drive many storylines. The show's engine is the everyday negotiation of growing up and holding a family together, as teenage daughters navigate school, romance, loyalty and adolescent pressures. Episodes are built around household conflicts, school and dating dilemmas, and moments when the family must adjust its expectations of one another. Notable as one of the first television series to feature a major character with Down syndrome, it presents itself as a warm, earnest network drama in the sentimental tradition of domestic family storytelling. Its tone is hopeful and sincere, balancing lighter comedic beats with moments of emotional candor and a steady focus on resilience, patience and unconditional love.

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