Almost Home New Moon

Thanks to transplanted setting and dramatic clashes with new characters, "Almost Home," a revamped "The Torkelsons," is almost there.

Thanks to transplanted setting and dramatic clashes with new characters, “Almost Home,” a revamped “The Torkelsons,” is almost there.

Family-fare pro Michael Jacobs, co-exec producer and writer, has added several improving elements to creator Lynn Montgomery’s original concept. The dirt-poor Oklahoma Torkelson clan — brassy mom Millicent (Connie Ray) and her three young ‘uns — move to trendy Seattle to live with well-off single dad Brian Morgan (Perry King) and his two precocious brats. The rich kids are in dire need of discipline and Mrs. T. takes the job as their live-in nanny.

Good-as-gold teen Torkelson Dorothy Jane (Olivia Burnette) is pitted against plotting, looks-conscious Molly Morgan (Brittany Murphy). Brother Gregory Morgan (Jason Marsden) keeps junior Torks Mary Sue (Rachel Duncan) and chipmunky Chuckie Lee (Lee Norris) busy.

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Meanwhile, preliminary sparks fly between the Mrs. and Mr. They’re like a dysfunctional Brady Bunch, only the mom and dad aren’t married. Very ’90s.

King is surprisingly deft as the hard-driving power guy who cares about his kids but doesn’t have time for them.

Ray and Burnette have always been a solid mother-daughter team. Literate Dorothy Ray delivers exposition and homilies via long talks with the moon (her absent father). Millicent marches around the house dispensing don’t-mess-with-me one-liners.

Conflicts and gags, crisply rendered by director Arlene Sanford, are still fairly stock. But prospects for the once-impoverished Torkelsons are looking up.

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