More than five decades after Family Affair ended, Kathy Garver still has strong feelings about the classic sitcom and the attempt to bring it back. The actress, who played Cissy Davis on the original series, recently shared her unfiltered opinion of the short-lived 2002 reboot.
According to People, Kathy Garver believes the remake failed to capture an important quality that made the original series special. Although the reboot featured established stars such as Gary Cole and Tim Curry, she felt the characters and relationships lacked the warmth audiences had come to love.
Kathy Garver Says The ‘Family Affair’ Reboot ‘Sucked’
The original Family Affair aired from 1966 to 1971 and followed bachelor Bill Davis after he became guardian to his late brother’s three children. Brian Keith played Uncle Bill, while Sebastian Cabot starred as Mr. French. Garver portrayed eldest sibling Cissy alongside Johnny Whitaker as Jody and Anissa Jones as Buffy. Their chemistry helped turn the family comedy into a television favorite.
More than 30 years later, The WB revived the sitcom with Gary Cole playing Uncle Bill and Tim Curry taking over as Mr. French. Garver even made a guest appearance, giving her firsthand experience with the new production. Looking back, she didn’t soften her assessment. “Excuse my language; it sucked,” she told Entertainment Weekly. Garver argued that remaking beloved shows can prove difficult because audiences already have strong connections to the original characters.
She Believes The Original Cast Had Something The Reboot Couldn’t Replace
For Kathy Garver, much of the difference came down to the personalities behind the characters. She remembered the original cast as warm and friendly, both on and off camera. While she praised Curry as a funny performer, she believed his edgier style changed Mr. French significantly. Sebastian Cabot, she explained, brought a natural warmth to the character that played an important role in the original show’s appeal.
Garver expressed similar feelings about Gary Cole, whom she praised as an actor but struggled to see as Uncle Bill. She believed Brian Keith possessed a unique combination of toughness, sensitivity, and genuine affection for children that naturally came through in his performance. In her view, those qualities helped make the original Family Affair memorable and proved difficult for the 2002 reboot to recreate.