---
title: "A Year in the Life"
year: 1987
canonical_url: "https://www.archytele.com/show/a-year-in-the-life-1987"
media_type: "tv"
tmdb_id: 10756
imdb_id: null
status: "Ended"
seasons_count: 1
episodes_count: 22
runtime_minutes: 60
community_rating: 7.2
vote_count: 0
content_rating: "NR"
---

# A Year in the Life (1987) — Television & Cinema Intelligence Dossier

> **Archytele Living Vault Canonical Record**: https://www.archytele.com/show/a-year-in-the-life-1987

## Executive Summary & Cultural Positioning

A Year in the Life is a television series first released in 1987. Catalogued under Drama. Produced and broadcast by NBC. Current status: Ended. Spans 1 seasons and 22 tracked episodes.

## The Hook & The Verdict

**The Hook**: "A Seattle family navigates love, divorce and new beginnings in a heartfelt 1987 drama."

### Why Watch
- Explores multi-generational family dynamics
- Features diverse character perspectives
- Shows everyday challenges of a business-owning patriarch

### Caveats & Content Note
- May feel episodic rather than tightly plotted
- Some storylines focus on domestic issues that can feel slow
- Tone & Suitability: The series presents mature family themes and occasional conflict, suitable for adult audiences.

**Micro-Themes & Vibe Matrix**: family, drama, character-driven

## Streaming Availability Matrix

Direct streaming licensing updates dynamically. Consult the live tracking interface at https://www.archytele.com/show/a-year-in-the-life-1987#watch.

## Season Architecture & Lore Primers

### Season 1 (22 Episodes)
## Filler vs. Essential Episode Classifier

- **Total Tracked Episodes**: 22
- **Crucial Mytharc Episodes**: 3 (14%)
- **Character Core Episodes**: 19 (86%)
- **Side Quest / Filler Episodes**: 0 (0%)

## Creative Credits

- **Created by**: Joshua Brand, John Falsey
- **Networks / Studios**: NBC

## Key Cast Continuity

- **Richard Kiley** as *Joe Gardner*
- **Trey Ames** as *David Sisk*
- **Adam Arkin** as *Jim Eisenberg*
- **Jayne Atkinson** as *Lindley Gardner Eisenberg*
- **David Oliver** as *Sam Gardner*
- **Sarah Jessica Parker** as *Kay Erickson*
- **Amanda Peterson** as *Sunny Sisk*
- **Wendy Phillips** as *Anne Gardner Maxwell*
- **Morgan Stevens** as *Jack Gardner*
- **Diana Muldaur** as *Dr. Alice Foley*

## Canonical Frequently Asked Questions

### Q: What is the premise of 'A Year in the Life'?
It follows the daily lives of the Gardner family in Seattle, focusing on their personal and relational challenges.

### Q: Who is the patriarch of the Gardner family?
Joe Gardner, the owner of a successful plastics business.

### Q: Which family members return home or have new babies?
Divorced daughter Anne returns with her two teenage children, and daughter Lindley and husband Jim welcome a newborn daughter.

### Q: When did the series originally air?
The drama series premiered in 1987 following a three-part miniseries of the same name.

### Q: Is the series a continuation of a miniseries?
Yes, it was developed after the success of the three-part miniseries titled 'A Year in the Life.'

## Grounded Source Citations

- [A Year in the Life — The Movie Database (TMDB)](https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/10756)
- [A Year in the Life 85% (1987) | Kinobox.cz](https://www.kinobox.cz/film/164765-a-year-in-the-life)
- [A Year in the Life (1987–1988) | SerialZone.cz](https://www.serialzone.cz/serial/a-year-in-the-life/)
- [A Year in the Life (1987 - 1988)](https://www.sms.cz/serial/a-year-in-the-life)
- [A Year in the Life (1986) | ČSFD.cz](https://www.csfd.cz/film/82189-a-year-in-the-life/prehled/)
- [Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life (2016, seriál) - FDb.cz](https://www.fdb.cz/serial/160038-gilmore-girls-a-year-in-the-life)

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*Generated by Archytele Open Intelligence Systems. Data verified against TMDB and JustWatch APIs.*