Dear John 1988
“Life after divorce is never easy, but it's easier with friends”
What is Dear John?
Dear John is a television series that premiered in 1988 featuring Judd Hirsch as the lead character, John Lacey. John Lacey is an easygoing teacher at Drake Prep high school.
- Type
- TV series
- Year
- 1988
- Status
- Ended
- Episodes
- 90
- Runtime
- 30 minutes
- First aired
- Oct 6, 1988
- Last aired
- Jul 22, 1992
- Original language
- EN
- Origin
- US
- Networks
- NBC
- Genres
- Comedy
- Updated
How long to binge?
Estimate the schedule using 90 episodes and an average 30-minute runtime.
Trailer
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Find the trailer on YouTube ↗Overview
Dear John is a television series that premiered in 1988 featuring Judd Hirsch as the lead character, John Lacey. John Lacey is an easygoing teacher at Drake Prep high school. The plot begins when his wife, Wendy, ends their marriage by sending him a letter. Following the divorce settlement, Wendy receives custody of their son and takes possession of their shared assets. This forces John to relocate to an apartment situated in Ozone Park, Queens. Seeking support, John joins the One-2-One Club, which is a self-help organization designed for people who are widowed, divorced, or lonely. The group is led by Louise, a British woman who is described as being sex-obsessed. Other members of the club include a sweet divorcée named Kate McCarron and a cocky ladies' man named Kirk Morris. The series focuses on the interactions between these individuals as they navigate their personal lives within the context of the group.
Should you watch it?
“A high school teacher navigates life and love after his wife leaves him via letter.”
- engaging ensemble cast
- relatable premise
- features dated social dynamics
Watch it if you enjoy classic eighties sitcoms centered on group dynamics and personal recovery.
This series contains adult themes and suggestive humor typical of eighties television sitcoms.
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Cast
Episode guide
Season 1 · 22 episodes
Open the complete Season 1 guide →- E1 Pilot Oct 6, 1988
- E2 Ralph's Curse Oct 27, 1988
- E3 Hello/Goodbye Nov 3, 1988
- E4 The Younger Girl Nov 10, 1988
- E5 Matthew's Dilemma Nov 17, 1988
- E6 Dear Mike Nov 24, 1988
- E7 Politics as Usual Dec 1, 1988
- E8 Dancing in the Dark Dec 15, 1988
- E9 Was It Good for Me? Jan 5, 1989
- E10 Honest John Jan 12, 1989
- E11 The Return of Ricky Jan 19, 1989
- E12 Dream Babe Jan 26, 1989
- E13 Stand by Your Man Feb 16, 1989
- E14 Love and Marriage Feb 23, 1989
- E15 For a Friend Mar 2, 1989
- E16 The Second Time Around Mar 9, 1989
- E17 The Last Dance Mar 16, 1989
- E18 Sisters Mar 30, 1989
- E19 Gone Camping Apr 6, 1989
- E20 Margo Apr 27, 1989
- E21 Friends and Lovers May 4, 1989
- E22 Bound for Gloria May 11, 1989
Season 2 · 24 episodes
- E1 A New Leash on Life Sep 28, 1989
- E2 The Other Group Oct 12, 1989
- E3 Ralph's Second Chance Oct 19, 1989
- E4 John's Blind Date Nov 2, 1989
- E5 The Secret of Success Nov 9, 1989
- E6 The British Are Coming Nov 16, 1989
- E7 Something on the Side (aka Mike's Other Girl) Nov 23, 1989
- E8 Fathers Know Best Nov 30, 1989
- E9 The Dilemma with Emma Dec 7, 1989
- E10 Kate, a Date & Fate Dec 21, 1989
- E11 Honolulu Baby Jan 4, 1990
- E12 Breaking Up Is Hard to Do Jan 11, 1990
- E13 Kirk's Problem Jan 17, 1990
- E14 John's Friend Jan 24, 1990
- E15 Unwelcome to the Club Feb 7, 1990
- E16 Some Nights to Remember Feb 12, 1990
- E17 John's New Job (1) Feb 14, 1990
- E18 John's New Job (2) Feb 21, 1990
- E19 Babyface Feb 28, 1990
- E20 John's Night Out Mar 8, 1990
- E21 True Confessions Mar 14, 1990
- E22 To John with Love May 2, 1990
- E23 Aunt Red May 9, 1990
- E24 No More Mr. Nice Guy May 16, 1990
Season 3 · 22 episodes
- E1 Pretty Man Sep 19, 1990
- E2 And Baby Makes Four (1) Sep 26, 1990
- E3 And Baby Makes Four (2) Oct 3, 1990
- E4 A Priest's Story Oct 10, 1990
- E5 That's Big of Me Oct 24, 1990
- E6 Hot Lips Lacey Oct 31, 1990
- E7 Hole in One Nov 7, 1990
- E8 The Blunder Years Nov 14, 1990
- E9 Down and Out in Rego Park Nov 28, 1990
- E10 Homeward Bound Dec 12, 1990
- E11 Matter of Trust (1) Dec 19, 1990
- E12 Matter of Trust (2) Dec 19, 1990
- E13 Molly and Me Jan 5, 1991
- E14 Love Stories (1) Jan 19, 1991
- E15 Love Stories (2) Jan 26, 1991
- E16 Love Stories (3) Feb 2, 1991
- E17 John and Kirk's Excellent Adventure Feb 9, 1991
- E18 The Poet (1) Feb 16, 1991
- E19 The Poet (2) Mar 2, 1991
- E20 Louise, the Hero Mar 13, 1991
- E21 Matthew and the Baby Mar 20, 1991
- E22 John's Week Off May 1, 1991
Season 4 · 22 episodes
- E1 Brothers Sep 19, 1991
- E2 Kirk's Ex-wife Sep 20, 1991
- E3 Kate's Cop Sep 27, 1991
- E4 Whose Soap Opera Is It Anyway? Oct 4, 1991
- E5 Hello, Annie Oct 25, 1991
- E6 Lust & Death Nov 8, 1991
- E7 The Bachelor Shower Nov 15, 1991
- E8 I Do, Baby (1) Dec 13, 1991
- E9 I Do, Baby (2) Dec 13, 1991
- E10 Once I Had a Secret Love Dec 20, 1991
- E11 'Twas the Fight Before Christmas Dec 27, 1991
- E12 Do the Wrong Thing Jan 3, 1992
- E13 The Big Payday Apr 1, 1992
- E14 John's Divided Heart Apr 15, 1992
- E15 Who's Who Jun 12, 1992
- E16 Poor John (1) Jul 15, 1992
- E17 Poor John (2) Jul 22, 1992
- E18 The Write Stuff
- E19 Heartburn and Heartache Jun 7, 1992
- E20 Adult Education
- E21 Freddy's Back
- E22 The Nightmare Continues
Frequently asked questions
Who is the main character?
The series stars Judd Hirsch as John Lacey, a high school teacher.
Where does John live?
Following his divorce, John moves into an apartment in Ozone Park, Queens.
What is the One-2-One Club?
It is a self-help group for people who are divorced, widowed, or lonely.
Who leads the group?
The group is led by a British woman named Louise.
What is the premise of the show?
The show follows John Lacey as he adjusts to life after his wife leaves him and joins a support group.