I was a fan of the book ever since third grade, so of course I had watched the movie, read the sequel, and then watched the television show. It was a good show in itself, and now as an adult I still enjoy the show. My only real problem with it was that it didn't follow the book. The first time I saw it, I was so disappointed that I turned it off. But that's coming from a girl who owns a first addition of the book. But after time I decided to give it a try again and ignored the book (kind of like what you have to do with the Harry Potter movies). I found the series wonderful! It was clean cut and something that everyone could enjoy, just the right amount comedy to keep everyone going. It is truly enjoyable! Clean and wonderful!
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chibikarik8 July 2006
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OllieSuave-00726 January 2017This is nice little family drama I happened to catch on a family-oriented TV channel - a series about widowed Jo March Behr (Michelle Burke) and her sisters take over the Plumfield School, a school in the barn on the Bhaer property that was once taught by Jo's husband.
Although this show only lasted for two seasons, it is quite an entertaining TV-series, with decent acting, heartwarming and suspenseful stories and good ol' friendship bonding. I especially liked the chemistry between Jo and caretaker Nicholas Riley (Spencer Rochfort) and the young teen students. There are episodes ranging from heartfelt to dramatic and from adventurous to mysterious.
Overall, a good drama show for the entire family.
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phillipshurett12 February 2022Good insight into the World Of 1872, no automotives , no women's rights. It's a Man's world however a woman runs a school for boys and maneuvers through daily problems, opportunities, and romance.
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I absolutely love the show Little Men! It is without a doubt one of my favorite shows of all time and has been since the first day I watched it. I fell in love with it and made sure to watch every episode; however, I made the mistake of not taping the episodes...one that I regret terribly now. I was extremely disappointed that the show was cancelled as it was such a good, family-oriented program. I miss it terribly and wish the reruns would air. You never had need to worry about what was going to happen in the next scene or whether or not you would approve of the content. It was good, wholesome family entertainment full of adventure, romance, and even a touch of humor. I personally love period pieces, including Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, Road to Avonlea, & Little House on the Prairie, and I think this show does a fairly good job of portraying it. Perhaps the hairstyles are a little inaccurate for the 19th century, but I think it's a nice change and the actors all depict the time in a believable fashion.
I was thrilled to discover that the episodes were being released on DVD and immediately purchased them. I just wish they'd come out faster. I have seen all 8 of the episodes that are out so many times that I have the lines, blocking, gestures, and expressions memorized. The fact of the matter is that if you're looking for good family entertainment, this is one show that you will be sure to find it in.
I will readily admit that the show is drastically different from the Louisa May Alcott books, as well as the movie Little Women. Tomboyish Jo has now become gorgeous and very much a perfectionist...the latter definitely being an attribute that I can relate to---perhaps one of the reasons I love her character. Michelle Rene Thomas does an incredible job in my opinion of portraying Jo...making the emotion very realistic, not to mention the fact that she is stunning. She has quickly become one of my favorite actresses of all time. I personally like the character, Nick, portrayed by Spencer Rochfort; I think he does the personality justice and seems to fit right into the show...of course, there never was such a character in the novels, but I approve of the storyline. The kids are great actors as well and all do an amazing job of making such a story come to life. The facial expressions each actor has to offer are worth a thousand words; you can tell exactly what they are thinking and how they are feeling regardless if any words are actually coming out of their mouths.
And I can understand why the writers chose to make such drastic changes to the novels. They obviously wanted the show to possess a sense of individuality, and it does. By bringing in additional characters and making the children slightly older than in the books, I believe the meaning behind the show becomes so much deeper. It's full of values, morals, and lessons...all things that we can apply to our daily lives. There are so many different things that can be learned from this show in my opinion, such as the meaning of family and love, as well as the strength of integrity, courage, and faith. There is no question that Michelle Rene Thomas portrays a very strong and courageous woman, willing to fight and do anything to succeed and make her dreams a reality...something that each of us truly wants to achieve in a lifetime.
So overall, if you take anything out of this, know that this is one show that you can watch with your family and fully enjoy. It may not be the exact copy of the novel, but I like what the writers, producers, and directors have done with the storyline and characters. Each actor in this show has so much talent and brings to life such a great story, one that I love dearly and am sure that many others will. I love Little Men! -
robbiesizemore14 April 2021I am really enjoying this 1998/1999 series, from two decades ago. Wished it had ran alot longer. Each episode has multi-stories that all blend for a good ending. Jo's character portrayal is priceless. Again, I wish there had been many more.
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mcwaterdl24 February 2019I thoroughly enjoy watching this wholesome series! I appreciate the character development, talented actors all, stories completed well in each episode. I think Michelle a perfect Jo. I love all the interaction between characters. I am a middle sister of three so those interactions especially ring true to me. I am so disappointed this show didn't gain the popularity it gained in me to go on. Bravo to this production on all counts!!!
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gazpel13 June 2006I found this show really late at night, and gave it a try. It's a refreshing change from the other kinds of things shown late at night, if you catch my drift. Its simplicity of values and sweetness of hearts helps remind me of the way friendships were as children. It's something I indulge in whenever I find it on (which is rare, maybe I should actually check the listings! haha)..... and the tension between Joe and Nick is so cute. Like any good chick flick, you really get emotionally involved in the characters. Good ol' Louisa May Alcott still inspiring good stories :) So apparently I must complete 10 lines of text in order for my opinion to be valid, so I guess I'll tell you a bit more. The kids are played by talented actors and actresses, and the settings are lovely and nature-filled -- another thing you don't see much on television. I hope everyone gives it a shot. I recognize and am fully aware that it's sappy, but it's good heart. Like I said before, it's refreshing.
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teamtennant332 July 2008I absolutely loved this show. I watched it from the time it first aired in the late 90's to the very last episode. In my honest opinion it was a wonderful family drama that is so rare these days. Definitely a show you could watch with a friend or your children. Yes things have changed a bit with Jo since we last saw her in the books, but it's still compelling with great stories and good lessons. The actress that portrays Jo Bhaer (Michelle Burke) does a wonderful job as does as the actor who plays Nick Riley (Spencer Rochfort) Throughout the series we get to see the developing romance between Jo and Nick as well as the daily stories and lessons the kids and students learn. I recommend this show to anyone.
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sixpence110623 June 2014Its seems most people who saw and reviewed the series feels the same way I do. I guess Tommy in Baltimore didn't care for it, which is his right. Just because something is sugary sweet doesn't make it bad, although I don't feel that this series was sugary sweet. It was just good wholesome family TV. Since I loved the Karate Kid, I thought I would enjoy the Disney series, Kickin It. From the beginning, I thought it was really juvenile. I gave it 3-4 episodes before I couldn't watch anymore. I hated it for "me".. I didn't think it was bad. I just knew it was made for younger kids. My 11 yr old niece has watched every episode and loves it. She doesn't think its juvenile. So, everything is relative. And Little Men did address some subjects that were on the serious side, so life at the school wasn't always happy. I enjoyed the stories, the characters and the acting. I felt the series was well written and produced. Its been ions since I read any of the books, so I couldn't tell you if it was true to the books or not. Since, I don't remember, I don't really care...lol. All I know is that I enjoyed the entire series and I would have loved to have seem more episodes.
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GioiaGioiosa15 September 2012This is a fabulous show that ended way to early. I remember watching it when it originally aired and remember how upset I was when it was canceled. I am a great fan of the three "Little Women" books and this is based off the second book though with a few changes. If you are a big Alcott fan it may be difficult at first to get past these but that will quickly pass and you will find yourself very drawn into the rich characters you know, and those that are original to the series. All the actors do a fine job, making beloved characters come to life, and personally Michelle Rene Thomas is by far my most favorite Jo (I also watch every screen adaption of Alcott's books that I can get my hands on). I find myself imagining what would of happened had the series continued. This show always puts a smile on my face, and leaves me wanting more.
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jannki-475514 February 2022But I didn't like how it portrayed men. Jo and nick. Yuck. Like whatever. Nick would like never show any emotions. Jo Also showed zero emotions. I prefer little house on the prairie by far.
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lcraig-051102 May 2021A gem. Delightful story lines, not too sappy and exciting enough the whole family can enjoy. Acting is top notch. It has humor, heart and wholesome values. Why this was not a mega hit is puzzling. It seems like a third season would have finished the story lines nicely. As a die hard Alcott fan, I appreciated the accuracy and authenticity that were true to the classic novel. Nick, (finely played by Spencer Rochfort) was a great addition to the series version. Jo and Nick's developing attraction was a delight to watch unfold. Family values at its finest. Plus the musical score was superb.
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rogueme28 January 2020The cook is a black woman that talks back and smart mouths her boss. Blacks did not talk this way in the era this series is set in. Being Politically Correct is Incorrect when Liberals write the script.
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Melissa Alice10 February 2000"Little Men" is great for many reasons. Sure it isn't quite like the book, but it stands out from all of the other sleazy and cheesy shows. The actors and actresses are all very good, the script and story-lines are good, and it is entertaining for people of all ages! My whole family enjoys it very much, from me (the youngest) to my parents, who are in their 50's. Comedy, romance and adventure are all things you will encounter in this show, besides the good family values. "Little Men" is a great show that should not be taken off the air!
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jgregory-1027212 September 2020One of the best. Great writing and acting. Left you on the edge of your seat often. Good tv. So sorry it was cancelled after only 2 seasons.
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TheLittleSongbird6 July 2016The other versions are the 1940 film, which was a terrible adaptation (almost unrecognisable from the book) and a mediocre at best film, and the 1998 film, which was not perfect as an adaptation either but nowhere near as unrecognisable and decent but sometimes variable as a standalone.
While this adaptation also isn't faithful to Louisa May Alcott's book (which is a lovely read if not as memorable as 'Little Women', which is my comfort book and a lifelong favourite, and 'Good Wives') in detail, it is closer in spirit to it than the other two adaptations. It is also by far the best version of 'Little Men' on its own, being the only one of the three to be better than decent, actually quite a lot of it is very good.
'Little Men' does have its faults. It is a shame that Professor Bhaer is replaced by a less interesting and more clichéd character of Nick, though Spencer Rochfort does a quite good job making Nick not as annoying, stiff or too cloying as he could have been, with a good chemistry between Michelle Burke. Dan Chameroy is also rather too grim as Laurie.
Michelle Burke however is the best of the 'Little Men' Jo's. Again she is not the headstrong, tomboyish or prone to losing her temper Jo when younger but she is much less subdued or as bland as Kay Francis or Mariel Hemmingway, playing her with sincerity and spunk. Jennifer Wigmore and Amy Price-Francis are charming as Meg and Amy, and the children are remarkably very good.
It's a great-looking series too, visually the most accomplished and most evocative to the period than the other two adaptations. The period detail is often exquisite and the series is beautifully filmed. The script doesn't fall into juvenile slapstick or maudlin sentiment, and has some depth and a lot of heart. The story is heartfelt, efficiently paced and always compelling, also covering serious and darker subjects that stops the series from being too sentimental or corny. One does wish that the series lasted longer thought.
Overall, very nicely done and while flawed is still the best version of 'Little Men'. 8/10 Bethany Cox -
baffledbyhumanity5 September 2021There's so much about this, but I'm still binging the whole series and about to finish. Enjoyable as a stand-alone. Awful re being true to the book (which it isn't at all). Very much a softball Hallmark channel take on a classic novel. The actor who played Dan got uber irritating only a few episodes in. Acts like Captain Kirk and one-dimensional personality disorder. Hyper impulsive and like a caricature of a teen with runaway testosterone. The sisters together were funny. Nat was the most likable. Emil... awful. Not sure why he wasn't expelled five times over before the end of the second season. Jo wasn't... Jo. She was more like Meg, in the book. Meg was... some sort of Beth/Amy hybrid. Amy, hilarious. Overall I've enjoyed it (except for the constant distraction of Dan).
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Melissa Alice17 June 2000As always, there are some disappointments from this show. But, as I reflect upon all the shows these days, and upon this show, I know there is a big difference. Can you watch without guilt a show where morals and truth are forgotten? Some can, but I know I would rather watch a good show that everyone in the family can enjoy and feel good about watching. Little Men is one of the cleanest shows, and while some connect clean with boring, Little Men is nothing near boring. Even my parents and older brothers and sisters like to watch the show. The show is romantic, emotional, wholesome (for the most part), and adventurous.
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horsegrrl042 November 1999I absolutely LOVE Little Men! I think it is THE best show out there on TV. Any other show you watch will contain sex, violence, drugs, or any other type of sin. Little Men is one of th very few shows where you can watch it without worrying about if the next scene will be appropiate or not. The cast on Little Men is phenominal!! The way they act and use facial expressions is outstanding!! As far as the JO/Nick relationship goes, I think it's wonderful how the writers are taking it. it's true romance, not like any of the other trash you see on other shows. Each episode is filled with good morals. If anything bad takes place in an episode(example prejuidice) is it shown as something bad, and they show an alternative to it. Jo is not portrayed as a perfect person, as you see in episodes such as "Leap of Faith" Little Men is the one show I watch every week and tape every week. i truly think Little Men is THE best show on TV, period.
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glitringangel15 September 2002Little Men is one of my favorite shows. It is good for your whole family to watch. There is Romance, Adventure, and Excitement in every episode. It truly is a one of a kind show!
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Erin6 April 1999This show is wonderful. Based on Louisa May Alcott's book "Little Men", the sequel to "Little Women", this show takes place in Concord, Massachusetts. Jo Bhaer runs a school for boys, which is in financial trouble, so she starts accepting girls.
As an hour-long drama, "Little Men" is very much in the vein of "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman" and "Road to Avonlea". Well written and acted, kids and parents should enjoy this show together. -
Dynapink10 May 1999A refreshing and entertaining series, owing more to the "Avonlea" tv series than to the Alcott novels. The family/school spirit of the original survives intact, but with substantially changed details. Louisa May Alcott would NOT approve, but personally, anything that kills off the odious Herr Professor Bhaer and keeps the good characters around has to be a good thing. And, for the most part, it is.
The scripts fail to rise above the usual mediocre television standard, but the cast of mostly unknowns breathes life into the characters, making their little trials interesting and entertaining... without feeling the need to constantly preach to the audience. -
Lee-10723 June 2000This series is entertaining and even at times endearing i.e if we forget that it is based on Louisa May Alcott's 'Little Men'. When I first started watching this series, being a great Alcott loyalist, I was slightly enraged at the changes they made - killing Jo's husband Fritz Bhaer and instead introducing a non-Alcott character, that of the hunky Nick Reilly. Also the ages of all the kids have been raised by at least 2-4 years than how old they are in the novel. It was after I got accustomed to these changes that I started enjoying this series.
Michelle Rene Thomas is a bit too pretty to fit into tom-boyish Jo's shoes and I think, to date, it is only Katherine Hepburn who has best suited the character of Jo(in spite of being one of the most beautiful women on earth). Yet Thomas as Jo, with Jennifer Wigmore as Meg and Amy Price-Francis as Amy make a nice threesome. Their rapport is best seen in the episode in which the three get lost in the woods after the horse harnessed to their carriage is stolen by an impudent female delinquent. Told in retrospect by Jo, Meg and Amy, who relate the details of their adventure according to their individual personalities, it is one of the funniest episodes of the series! As to the rest of the cast, they all have done a good job with their characters. Robin Dunne's exit was a bit disappointing. He was really cute as Franz! Among the kids I liked Trevor Blumas(Nat), Brittney Irvin(Nan) and Matt Robinson(Tommy) the best!
The inclusion of the character of Nick Reilly is debatable. Did the creators of the show feel that a series about an old German professor married to an attractive fiery woman running a home-school would be too boring for the audience? Did they think they made an unromantic couple? I guess they did. So they introduced Nick Reilly - a character who is an antithesis to Jo's deceased husband. I'm afraid, however much they wanted the attraction between Jo and Nick to seem as something more than just physical, in the end it seemed only that. Spencer Rochfort as Nick however has done his best to do justice to his character. Dan Chameroy as Laurie needed a little getting used to. His character is too grim and mirthless to be The Laurie as created by Alcott.
This series was nice and playful. It certainly lacked the authenticity and depth of characterization of a truly brilliant period series like 'Road to Avonlea'. The costumes and hair-styling didn't seem very 19th century like - especially the latter. But all in all, this series was enjoyable and definitely a good alternative to some other contemporary shows. And I know many people who would otherwise never watch period shows, assuming them to be heavy and boring(an unfortunate misconception), who tuned into 'Little Men' and got hooked to it! The title tune of the series composed my Milan Kymlicka is one of the best I've heard, I used to look forward to hearing it every time! -
Tommy-9217 August 1999I have read "Little Women" but not "Little Men", though I have seen the movie with Mariel Hemingway and now this TV series. Both are awfully sugary-sweet and predictable, but this show far outweighs the movie in both departments. If you expect this to be anything like "Little Women", you have another thing coming. Sure, it's got the March sisters, but that's about it. First off, Jo's husband, Fritz, is dead, so she has to run their school all by herself. Second, a sailor just happened to blow in and start working there, so there's some sexual tension between him and Jo. Third and most disconcerting, the wild, free-spirited, fun-loving Jo of "Little Women" has turned into an insufferable Little Miss Perfect. I would never expect her to run around and put on "wild theatricals", but that's supposedly what she did as a child. Now she's the prissiest, most righteous character on TV, which may be a good thing for family values groups but is hard for me, (and, I'm sure, many others), to stand. The show is so predictable you can tell how the whole story will turn out in the first scene. The scripts just are never good. It tries to be Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, but ends up feeling like an old, boring English novel. Yes, Louisa May Alcott would not approve; she'd probably try to stop it from production. I'd say bravo.
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toastrgrl423 October 2000I found this show accidentally while channel surfing and was intrigued because I have read the book "Little Men." The series is drastically different from the book (Nick's character annoys me; I think the show could do without it) but it is still fun to watch. Louisa May Alcott wouldn't approve, I think, but I still recommend the show. A great one for families.