Remembering the 80's: Growing Pains

Audiences were first introduced in 1985 to a family of 5 known as the Seaver's who lived in Long Island. The family consisted of Maggie, Ben, Carol, Dr. Jason, and Mike Seaver. Maggie and Dr. Jason Seaver raised their 3 children named Ben, Carol, and Mike. Dr. Jason Seaver, played by Alan Thicke, was a stay-at-home psychiatrist who juggled to manage his job while raising 3 teenagers. Dr. Jason's wife, Maggie, worked as a journalist for the local newspaper. She ended up working as a news anchor for a local newschannel,but in the end worked from home working on columns for the local paper.

Dr. Jason's children Mike, Carol, and Ben helped make the popular sitcom a hit with their opposing personalities. Kirk Cameron's portrayal of Mike Seaver helped Cameron earn a top spot as a celebrity teen idol in the late 80's. Audiences were captivated with Mike's looks, wit, and charm on the show. Carol, the second oldest of the children, was the "nerd" of the group. She always tried and maintain straight "A's" in school and struggled with social dealings. Ben, the youngest of the clan, was one who liked to tease both Carol and Mike. At times Mike and Ben would bully Carol, while at other times Ben would harrass Mike.

The show introduced a young Leonardo Dicaprio as "Luke" who played a homeless pre-teen who stayed with the Seaver's. Towards the end of the show the family introduced audiences to Chrissy, who was the youngest child of the Seaver family. The show would go on to last 7 years, and would prove to be a classic tv sitcom for years to come.