Growing Pains: Return of the Seavers (DVD, 2011)

The second of two made-for-television "reunion" movies starring the cast of the popular TV series GROWING PAINS (1985-1992), this one begins as newly retired psychologist Jason Seaver (Alan Thicke) and his wife Maggie (Joanne Kerns, who also directed the film) prepare to sell the family house and spend their declining years elsewhere. Jason wants to "hit the road" in an RV, but Maggie has her heart set on purchasing a villa in Tuscany. Meanwhile, the Seaver's children all react different to the news that their house is for sale. Wheeler-dealer Ben (Jeremy Seaver) is delighted, since he is the real estate agent who brokered the deal; older brother Michael (Kirk Cameron) and his wife Kate (Chelsea Noble) are less than delighted, since they'd hoped to leave their children with Jason and Maggie while Michael took on a new job in Japan; oldest sister Carol (Tracey Gold) is appalled, inasmuch as she needs to have her parents around to help her juggle motherhood and a career; and youngest sister Chrissy (Ashley Johnson), an aspiring rock singer, had intended to "crash" in her parents' home while looking for show-biz gigs. Thus is set up a situation straight out of the "original" GROWING PAINS, with Jason and Maggie each endeavoring to win the other over to their indivudal retirement plans, Mike and Carol going to extreme lengths to sabotage Ben's sale, and Chrissy setting herself up for another disillusionment. Also known as GROWING PAINS II: HOME EQUITY, this film first aired October 16, 2004, on the ABC Family Channel.