1990's
Saturday Night Live and TV Icons
May 19, 2010
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
Saturday Night Live has been and continues to be a launching pad for actors to break into the movies.
Chevy Chase and Foul Play.
John Belushi and Animal House.
Eddie Murphy and 48 Hours.
Mike Myers and Wayne’s World.
Tina Fey and Mean Girls.
But Saturday Night Live is also the launching pad for television icons beyond Saturday nights in Studio 8H in Rockefeller Center.
In 1993, SNL creator and executive producer Lorne Michaels took over NBC’s Late Night franchise after David Letterman bolted for CBS. Michaels tapped Conan O’Brien to succeed Letterman. O’Brien was a writer on Saturday Night Live in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. He hosted Late Night for sixteen years, from 1993 to 2009.
Again, Michaels need to find a Late Night host. He went to the ultimately likable Jimmy Fallon, an SNL icon who had the keystone role of a Weekend Update co-anchor with Tina Fey.
Fey created and stars in the comedy 30 Rock airing Thursday nights on NBC. Michaels’ company Broadway Video produces 30 Rock.
30 Rock, a multiple Emmy Award winner, concerns the behind-the-scenes antics of the staff at TGS or The Girlie Show, an NBC comedy-variety show, like Saturday Night Live. Fey plays Liz Lemon, the head writer. Alec Baldwin, a longtime guest host of SNL, also stars on 30 Rock. He plays NBC executive Jack Donaghy. Donaghy retools TGS by bringing in Tracy Jordan, played by Tracy Morgan in a thinly veiled depiction of his bombastic, hilarious, and affable public persona.
Another former Weekend Update anchor has a Thursday night comedy on NBC. From the team that brought you The Office, you now have Parks and Recreation starring Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope, a dedicated public servant in the fictional Pawnee, Indiana. Though idealistic about Pawnee’s Parks and Recreation Department, she encounters apathy, bureaucracy, and ignorance among her staff, the town, and other public servants.
david@davidkrell.com
Saturday Night Live has been and continues to be a launching pad for actors to break into the movies.
Chevy Chase and Foul Play.
John Belushi and Animal House.
Eddie Murphy and 48 Hours.
Mike Myers and Wayne’s World.
Tina Fey and Mean Girls.
But Saturday Night Live is also the launching pad for television icons beyond Saturday nights in Studio 8H in Rockefeller Center.
In 1993, SNL creator and executive producer Lorne Michaels took over NBC’s Late Night franchise after David Letterman bolted for CBS. Michaels tapped Conan O’Brien to succeed Letterman. O’Brien was a writer on Saturday Night Live in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. He hosted Late Night for sixteen years, from 1993 to 2009.
Again, Michaels need to find a Late Night host. He went to the ultimately likable Jimmy Fallon, an SNL icon who had the keystone role of a Weekend Update co-anchor with Tina Fey.
Fey created and stars in the comedy 30 Rock airing Thursday nights on NBC. Michaels’ company Broadway Video produces 30 Rock.
30 Rock, a multiple Emmy Award winner, concerns the behind-the-scenes antics of the staff at TGS or The Girlie Show, an NBC comedy-variety show, like Saturday Night Live. Fey plays Liz Lemon, the head writer. Alec Baldwin, a longtime guest host of SNL, also stars on 30 Rock. He plays NBC executive Jack Donaghy. Donaghy retools TGS by bringing in Tracy Jordan, played by Tracy Morgan in a thinly veiled depiction of his bombastic, hilarious, and affable public persona.
Another former Weekend Update anchor has a Thursday night comedy on NBC. From the team that brought you The Office, you now have Parks and Recreation starring Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope, a dedicated public servant in the fictional Pawnee, Indiana. Though idealistic about Pawnee’s Parks and Recreation Department, she encounters apathy, bureaucracy, and ignorance among her staff, the town, and other public servants.
Jimmy Smits
November 25, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
Prime time soap operas dominated the 1980’s. In the 2000’s, not so much, except for the teenage version of the genre on the CW television network.
Jimmy Smits was part of an effort to reignite the genre with Cane, a short-lived offering on CBS in 2007. Cane revolved around a Cuban-American family and its power, wealth, and dynasty stemming from its rum and sugar business interests.
This is the third consecutive decade where Jimmy Smits has been a focal point of a prime time television series.
In the 1980’s, he played Victor Sifuentes on L.A. Law. Sifuentes worked in the Public Defender’s office before Michael Kuzak recruited him to the private law firm sector.
While Victor began as the ‘cleanup’ attorney for McKenzie Brackman, Chaney & Kuzak, handling the firm’s pro bono cases and other matters that burdened the firm’s workload, he ventured into other legal territories.
In the episode Victor Sifuentes confronted legendary attorney August Redding, played by legendary actor Ralph Bellamy. Victor’s client sues Redding for legal malpractice. In the episode’s climactic scene, Victor puts Redding on the witness stand. He reveals Redding’s deep loss of memory when the aging lawyer cannot remember Victor’s name.
Victor confronted another legendary attorney in Hamilton Schuyler, a dwarf attorney who specializes in products liability cases.
Nominated for an Emmy Award for Best Actor six times during his L.A. Law tenure, Smits won once.
In the 1990’s, Smits took over the lead position in NYPD Blue after the sudden departure of David Caruso. Smits’ Bobby Simone character is suave, sophisticated, and strong. With quiet confidence, he gains the respect of his partner, Andy Sipowicz. He also wins the love of fellow detective Diane Russell.
NYPD Blue eased out Bobby Simone in a story arc centering on a terrific heart problem. In the episode where Bobby dies, the last scene shows him flatlining and then we see the Executive Producer credits in black against a white background. It’s a direct contrast to the usual format -- white lettering against a black background.
Smits returns as Bobby Simone in an episode near the show’s end. Andy has a waking dream where he talks to Bobby.
Smits also hosted the retrospective that aired near the end of the show’s successful twelve-year run.
Smits did not win an Emmy Award for his work on NYPD Blue, though he received five nominations.
In the 2000’s, Smits appeared on The West Wing as Matthew Santos, a three-term congressman from Texas and former Mayor of Houston who wants to be the Democratic Party’s nominee for president.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Joshua Lyman convinces Santos that he has a legitimate shot at the presidency. Initially an also-ran candidate, Santos slowly gains recognition during the primaries. The Democratic National Convention occurs with the delegates still unsure of a nominee. Santos gives an inspiring speech concerning the voters’ freedom to choose a nominee without the pressure of power brokers making the decision for them.
The speech inspires many delegates to vote for Santos. He also gets a little help from President Bartlet who convinces an influential New York delegate to cast the Empire State’s delegate votes for Santos.
Santos’ choice for the VP nominee slot -- Leo McGarry, President Bartlet’s Chief of Staff.
In a narrow election, Santos beats a veteran politician, Senator Arnold Vinick from Santa Paula, California.
Jimmy Smits’ contributions to television have been significant, enjoyable, and challenging. Making a name for himself while part of an ensemble on L.A. Law. Taking over a lead position on a hit show from an actor who made a notorious exit from success on NYPD Blue. Joining a team that’s played together for several years while adding to the chemistry of the cast on The West Wing.
Bringing interest, enthusiasm, and novelty is a difficult challenge for any actor. Smits met the challenge directly.
By the way, Jimmy Smits also deserves a place in television trivia history. Smits plays Eddie Rivera, the partner of Detective Sonny Crockett in the pilot of Miami Vice. Rivera died in a car bomb explosion triggered by Crockett’s nemesis.
david@davidkrell.com
Prime time soap operas dominated the 1980’s. In the 2000’s, not so much, except for the teenage version of the genre on the CW television network.
Jimmy Smits was part of an effort to reignite the genre with Cane, a short-lived offering on CBS in 2007. Cane revolved around a Cuban-American family and its power, wealth, and dynasty stemming from its rum and sugar business interests.
This is the third consecutive decade where Jimmy Smits has been a focal point of a prime time television series.
In the 1980’s, he played Victor Sifuentes on L.A. Law. Sifuentes worked in the Public Defender’s office before Michael Kuzak recruited him to the private law firm sector.
While Victor began as the ‘cleanup’ attorney for McKenzie Brackman, Chaney & Kuzak, handling the firm’s pro bono cases and other matters that burdened the firm’s workload, he ventured into other legal territories.
In the episode Victor Sifuentes confronted legendary attorney August Redding, played by legendary actor Ralph Bellamy. Victor’s client sues Redding for legal malpractice. In the episode’s climactic scene, Victor puts Redding on the witness stand. He reveals Redding’s deep loss of memory when the aging lawyer cannot remember Victor’s name.
Victor confronted another legendary attorney in Hamilton Schuyler, a dwarf attorney who specializes in products liability cases.
Nominated for an Emmy Award for Best Actor six times during his L.A. Law tenure, Smits won once.
In the 1990’s, Smits took over the lead position in NYPD Blue after the sudden departure of David Caruso. Smits’ Bobby Simone character is suave, sophisticated, and strong. With quiet confidence, he gains the respect of his partner, Andy Sipowicz. He also wins the love of fellow detective Diane Russell.
NYPD Blue eased out Bobby Simone in a story arc centering on a terrific heart problem. In the episode where Bobby dies, the last scene shows him flatlining and then we see the Executive Producer credits in black against a white background. It’s a direct contrast to the usual format -- white lettering against a black background.
Smits returns as Bobby Simone in an episode near the show’s end. Andy has a waking dream where he talks to Bobby.
Smits also hosted the retrospective that aired near the end of the show’s successful twelve-year run.
Smits did not win an Emmy Award for his work on NYPD Blue, though he received five nominations.
In the 2000’s, Smits appeared on The West Wing as Matthew Santos, a three-term congressman from Texas and former Mayor of Houston who wants to be the Democratic Party’s nominee for president.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Joshua Lyman convinces Santos that he has a legitimate shot at the presidency. Initially an also-ran candidate, Santos slowly gains recognition during the primaries. The Democratic National Convention occurs with the delegates still unsure of a nominee. Santos gives an inspiring speech concerning the voters’ freedom to choose a nominee without the pressure of power brokers making the decision for them.
The speech inspires many delegates to vote for Santos. He also gets a little help from President Bartlet who convinces an influential New York delegate to cast the Empire State’s delegate votes for Santos.
Santos’ choice for the VP nominee slot -- Leo McGarry, President Bartlet’s Chief of Staff.
In a narrow election, Santos beats a veteran politician, Senator Arnold Vinick from Santa Paula, California.
Jimmy Smits’ contributions to television have been significant, enjoyable, and challenging. Making a name for himself while part of an ensemble on L.A. Law. Taking over a lead position on a hit show from an actor who made a notorious exit from success on NYPD Blue. Joining a team that’s played together for several years while adding to the chemistry of the cast on The West Wing.
Bringing interest, enthusiasm, and novelty is a difficult challenge for any actor. Smits met the challenge directly.
By the way, Jimmy Smits also deserves a place in television trivia history. Smits plays Eddie Rivera, the partner of Detective Sonny Crockett in the pilot of Miami Vice. Rivera died in a car bomb explosion triggered by Crockett’s nemesis.
Harry Morgan
November 21, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
Before he was Colonel Potter on M*A*S*H, Harry Morgan was one of Hollywood’s cornerstone character actors. He shared the silver screen with legends.
Inherit the Wind with Spencer Tracy and Fredric March.
High Noon with Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly.
The Glenn Miller Story with Jimmy Stewart and June Allyson.
The Shootist with John Wayne.
Frankie and Johnny with Elvis Presley.
Support Your Local Sheriff with James Garner.
Dragnet with Tom Hanks and Dan Aykroyd. In Dragnet, Morgan reprises his role of Bill Gannon from the television series of the same name in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. Gannon has climbed the ranks to become a police captain.
Morgan played Pete Porter in the television series December Bride and its spinoff -- Pete & Gladys. He also played Judge Bell in the trio of 1990’s Incident tv-movies starring Walter Matthau -- The Incident, Against Her Will: An Incident in Baltimore, Incident in a Small Town.
But Harry Morgan’s role of the authoritative, compassionate, and wise Colonel Potter on M*A*S*H is likely the role most identified with Morgan. Potter is Morgan’s signature character.
Morgan had big shoes to fill. When M*A*S*H producers killed off Colonel Henry Blake in the spring of 1975, the creative decision sparked shock, dismay, and even outrage. Who ever heard of a show killing a major, beloved, and valuable character? Blake’s death offered no chance for a spinoff, return appearance, or revival.
While McLean Stevenson’s popularity soared as the affable, bumbling, and concerned Colonel Blake who was also one of the guys, Harry Morgan won the respect of fans by playing Colonel Potter with dignity, understanding, and a voice of experience.
Potter led Hawkeye, B.J. and the rest of the M*A*S*H 4077th, but he never talked down to them. He was a Regular Army style solider but he ignored the rules and regulations if they interfered with treating wounded soldiers.
Potter was a combat veteran who became a doctor. But he never forgot the courage of soldiers in the field.
In a vicious ocean of injury, violence, and death, Morgan’s Colonel Potter was the calm oasis of experience, wisdom, and compassion.
Harry Morgan actually made a pre-Potter appearance on M*A*S*H. In the third season premiere -- The General Flipped At Dawn -- he plays General Steele, a half-crazed general. Morgan received an Emmy nomination for his guest appearance in this episode that kicked off the 1975-76 season.
For his role as Colonel Potter, Morgan received eight nominations for Best Supporting Actor. He won once. He also received an Emmy nomination for Best Director.
Harry Morgan continued playing Colonel Potter in the sequel After M*A*S*H. The show is set in a stateside Veterans Administration hospital in Missouri. Jamie Farr and William Christopher joined Morgan to continue their roles as Max Klinger and Father Mulcahy respectively.
After After M*A*S*H, Morgan mostly enjoyed guest appearances on television shows -- The Jeff Foxworthy Show, Grace Under Fire, Third Rock from the Sun, and The Simpsons.
On The Simpsons, Morgan once again reprised his role of Bill Gannon.
david@davidkrell.com
Before he was Colonel Potter on M*A*S*H, Harry Morgan was one of Hollywood’s cornerstone character actors. He shared the silver screen with legends.
Inherit the Wind with Spencer Tracy and Fredric March.
High Noon with Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly.
The Glenn Miller Story with Jimmy Stewart and June Allyson.
The Shootist with John Wayne.
Frankie and Johnny with Elvis Presley.
Support Your Local Sheriff with James Garner.
Dragnet with Tom Hanks and Dan Aykroyd. In Dragnet, Morgan reprises his role of Bill Gannon from the television series of the same name in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. Gannon has climbed the ranks to become a police captain.
Morgan played Pete Porter in the television series December Bride and its spinoff -- Pete & Gladys. He also played Judge Bell in the trio of 1990’s Incident tv-movies starring Walter Matthau -- The Incident, Against Her Will: An Incident in Baltimore, Incident in a Small Town.
But Harry Morgan’s role of the authoritative, compassionate, and wise Colonel Potter on M*A*S*H is likely the role most identified with Morgan. Potter is Morgan’s signature character.
Morgan had big shoes to fill. When M*A*S*H producers killed off Colonel Henry Blake in the spring of 1975, the creative decision sparked shock, dismay, and even outrage. Who ever heard of a show killing a major, beloved, and valuable character? Blake’s death offered no chance for a spinoff, return appearance, or revival.
While McLean Stevenson’s popularity soared as the affable, bumbling, and concerned Colonel Blake who was also one of the guys, Harry Morgan won the respect of fans by playing Colonel Potter with dignity, understanding, and a voice of experience.
Potter led Hawkeye, B.J. and the rest of the M*A*S*H 4077th, but he never talked down to them. He was a Regular Army style solider but he ignored the rules and regulations if they interfered with treating wounded soldiers.
Potter was a combat veteran who became a doctor. But he never forgot the courage of soldiers in the field.
In a vicious ocean of injury, violence, and death, Morgan’s Colonel Potter was the calm oasis of experience, wisdom, and compassion.
Harry Morgan actually made a pre-Potter appearance on M*A*S*H. In the third season premiere -- The General Flipped At Dawn -- he plays General Steele, a half-crazed general. Morgan received an Emmy nomination for his guest appearance in this episode that kicked off the 1975-76 season.
For his role as Colonel Potter, Morgan received eight nominations for Best Supporting Actor. He won once. He also received an Emmy nomination for Best Director.
Harry Morgan continued playing Colonel Potter in the sequel After M*A*S*H. The show is set in a stateside Veterans Administration hospital in Missouri. Jamie Farr and William Christopher joined Morgan to continue their roles as Max Klinger and Father Mulcahy respectively.
After After M*A*S*H, Morgan mostly enjoyed guest appearances on television shows -- The Jeff Foxworthy Show, Grace Under Fire, Third Rock from the Sun, and The Simpsons.
On The Simpsons, Morgan once again reprised his role of Bill Gannon.
Three Blind Mice
October 02, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
In the 1980’s, America’s three television networks changed hands.
ABC to Capital Cities.
NBC to General Electric.
CBS to Loews.
Ken Auletta’s 1991 book Three Blind Mice: How the TV Networks Lost Their Way chronicles the takeovers, trials and travails of the players involved.
In a ratings game dominated by numbers, the 1980’s saw the rise of the Video Cassette Recorder and the increased attention paid to demographics.
Auletta goes through a tremendously detailed approach to bring the reader the thoughts, strategies, and fears of the media moguls in television’s executive suites.
In the chapter NBC: Tartikoff In His Sandbox, 1987, Auletta writes about a favorite son of the television industry -- NBC Entertainment President Brandon Tartikoff. Auletta zeroes in on the programming wunderkind’s observations of the obstacles for network television.
Nor was Tartikoff sure that with the explosion of buyers -- from cable, Fox, and first-run syndication, among others -- there was sufficient talent to stock a twenty-two hour prime-time schedule. Tartikoff knew that success in network television often came when a producer believed passionately in a project -- be it Norman Lear with All in the Family, James Brooks with The Mary Tyler Moore Show, or Steven Bochco with Hill Street Blues. But Tartikoff also knew the network television production system was a sausage factory.
In addition, the Big Three also faced the VCR, an affordable device by the mid-1980’s that allowed viewers to tape shows off the air and watch them at their leisure. No longer viewers tied to air times.
If viewers could shift the viewing times of their favorite shows, they would probably fast forward through the commercials. Consequently, advertisers become unhappy. Networks become worrisome about the prospect of ad dollars decreasing or disappearing.
In a world where viewers are no longer captive, advertisements can lose their impact.
The Big Three faced another challenge in the upstart FOX network. In its nascent days in the mid-1980’s, FOX did not have seven nights of programming each week. It did not have a network news division. And it did not have recognizable stars, save for one.
Its first programming attempt was The Late Show starring Joan Rivers in November 1986 followed by Sunday night programming in Spring 1987.
But it did have sister companies in other areas of media. A movie studio. A publishing house. Newspapers.
This synergy was attractive. And great ideas have to start somewhere. With the edgy sitcom Married With Children, the innovative cartoon show The Simpsons, and the funny sketch comedy program The Tracey Ullman Show, FOX began to make pinpricks in the armor of the Big Three. Their invulnerability proved to be a fallacy in the 1990’s when FOX attracted the highly valuable younger demographic of teenagers and twentysomethings with nighttime soap operas -- Beverly Hills 92010 and Melrose Place.
In the chapter ABC: More Sancho Panza Than Machiavelli, September to December, 1986, Auletta summarizes the impact of FOX chieftain Rupert Murdoch’s initial foray into network television.
The future also belonged, some feared, to Rupert Murdoch’s scheme to make Fox a fourth network by acquiring stations in six of the top ten markets, lining up affiliated stations, and setting up a programming department, just as the three networks did.
Auletta delves deeply beneath the surface to get to the heart of the matter for television networks. Really, it is the heart of the matter for business. Money.
Auletta frequently writes about the costs of contracts and programming. He shows that programs may be part creativity, part talent, and part instinct. But it is part dollars and cents, too.
david@davidkrell.com
In the 1980’s, America’s three television networks changed hands.
ABC to Capital Cities.
NBC to General Electric.
CBS to Loews.
Ken Auletta’s 1991 book Three Blind Mice: How the TV Networks Lost Their Way chronicles the takeovers, trials and travails of the players involved.
In a ratings game dominated by numbers, the 1980’s saw the rise of the Video Cassette Recorder and the increased attention paid to demographics.
Auletta goes through a tremendously detailed approach to bring the reader the thoughts, strategies, and fears of the media moguls in television’s executive suites.
In the chapter NBC: Tartikoff In His Sandbox, 1987, Auletta writes about a favorite son of the television industry -- NBC Entertainment President Brandon Tartikoff. Auletta zeroes in on the programming wunderkind’s observations of the obstacles for network television.
Nor was Tartikoff sure that with the explosion of buyers -- from cable, Fox, and first-run syndication, among others -- there was sufficient talent to stock a twenty-two hour prime-time schedule. Tartikoff knew that success in network television often came when a producer believed passionately in a project -- be it Norman Lear with All in the Family, James Brooks with The Mary Tyler Moore Show, or Steven Bochco with Hill Street Blues. But Tartikoff also knew the network television production system was a sausage factory.
In addition, the Big Three also faced the VCR, an affordable device by the mid-1980’s that allowed viewers to tape shows off the air and watch them at their leisure. No longer viewers tied to air times.
If viewers could shift the viewing times of their favorite shows, they would probably fast forward through the commercials. Consequently, advertisers become unhappy. Networks become worrisome about the prospect of ad dollars decreasing or disappearing.
In a world where viewers are no longer captive, advertisements can lose their impact.
The Big Three faced another challenge in the upstart FOX network. In its nascent days in the mid-1980’s, FOX did not have seven nights of programming each week. It did not have a network news division. And it did not have recognizable stars, save for one.
Its first programming attempt was The Late Show starring Joan Rivers in November 1986 followed by Sunday night programming in Spring 1987.
But it did have sister companies in other areas of media. A movie studio. A publishing house. Newspapers.
This synergy was attractive. And great ideas have to start somewhere. With the edgy sitcom Married With Children, the innovative cartoon show The Simpsons, and the funny sketch comedy program The Tracey Ullman Show, FOX began to make pinpricks in the armor of the Big Three. Their invulnerability proved to be a fallacy in the 1990’s when FOX attracted the highly valuable younger demographic of teenagers and twentysomethings with nighttime soap operas -- Beverly Hills 92010 and Melrose Place.
In the chapter ABC: More Sancho Panza Than Machiavelli, September to December, 1986, Auletta summarizes the impact of FOX chieftain Rupert Murdoch’s initial foray into network television.
The future also belonged, some feared, to Rupert Murdoch’s scheme to make Fox a fourth network by acquiring stations in six of the top ten markets, lining up affiliated stations, and setting up a programming department, just as the three networks did.
Auletta delves deeply beneath the surface to get to the heart of the matter for television networks. Really, it is the heart of the matter for business. Money.
Auletta frequently writes about the costs of contracts and programming. He shows that programs may be part creativity, part talent, and part instinct. But it is part dollars and cents, too.
George Clooney
August 25, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
For the first time in fifteen years, ER will not be a part of the NBC Thursday night lineup.
When the show aired its last episode in April of 2009, it left a legacy of excellence that network television will be hard pressed to match.
When the show aired its first episode in September of 1994, it nicely filled the 10:00 pm cleanup hitter spot in Thursday night prime time with sheer dominance. ER steamrolled every program that competed.
And a familiar face found his breakout role.
Not yet a star, but on his way.
In the late 1980's and early 1990's, George Clooney's steady work makes his breakout role of pediatrician Doug Ross on ER seem inevitable in retrospect.
He had a nice run as Falconer, a cop and love interest of Sela Ward's character on Sisters -- Teddy.
He was part of the ensemble cast on the short-lived CBS detective show Bodies of Evidence with Lee Horsley of Matt Houston fame.
And in early episodes of Roseanne, he played Booker Brooks, the boss of Roseanne and Jackie.
When we first meet George Clooney as Dr. Doug Ross in the pilot of ER, the setting is Saint Patrick's Day 1994 in Chicago.
And he is drunk with a shift starting in a few hours.
Dr. Mark Greene, Chief Resident and Doug's friend, treats Doug with an IV to sober him.
Beyond a drinking problem, Doug Ross is a womanizer.
He cheats on his girlfriend, Nurse Carol Hathaway, played by Julianna Marguiles.
She attempts suicide in the pilot with a drug overdose. Unclear is the motive, though the fractured relationship with Doug could be a contender.
Also debuting on NBC in September of 1994, Friends immediately captured the hearts and minds of America.
Three commonalities exist between the two shows.
First, a cross-promotion of sorts took place that inaugural year with George Clooney and co-star Noah Wyle guest starring on an episode of Friends as New York City hospital doctors.
Second, besides airing on NBC, Friends and ER had another production factor in common. Warner Brothers produced both shows.
And third, both shows featured a character with similar names. Dr. Mark Greene's daughter was Rachel Greene. She was a recurring character on ER while Jennifer Aniston starred on Friends as Rachel Green.
In 1999, Doug Ross leaves County General in Chicago for Seattle, not knowing that Carol is pregnant by him with twin girls.
The real-life reason was George Clooney's pursuit of a full-time film career after starring in films including One Fine Day and Batman and Robin.
Carol later realizes that Doug is her soul mate and she leaves for Seattle to be with him.
In this pivotal episode, George Clooney makes a cameo at the end, welcoming Carol.
Warner Brothers kept the guest appearance a secret, so NBC was unable to promote it.
Clooney shot the cameo appearance on location in Massachusetts where he was shooting The Perfect Storm.
Clooney and Marguiles reprised their ER roles in an episode towards the end of the series. Still happily married, they were unwittingly involved in the donation of a kidney that went to a former colleague -- Dr. John Carter, played by Noah Wyle.
david@davidkrell.com
For the first time in fifteen years, ER will not be a part of the NBC Thursday night lineup.
When the show aired its last episode in April of 2009, it left a legacy of excellence that network television will be hard pressed to match.
When the show aired its first episode in September of 1994, it nicely filled the 10:00 pm cleanup hitter spot in Thursday night prime time with sheer dominance. ER steamrolled every program that competed.
And a familiar face found his breakout role.
Not yet a star, but on his way.
In the late 1980's and early 1990's, George Clooney's steady work makes his breakout role of pediatrician Doug Ross on ER seem inevitable in retrospect.
He had a nice run as Falconer, a cop and love interest of Sela Ward's character on Sisters -- Teddy.
He was part of the ensemble cast on the short-lived CBS detective show Bodies of Evidence with Lee Horsley of Matt Houston fame.
And in early episodes of Roseanne, he played Booker Brooks, the boss of Roseanne and Jackie.
When we first meet George Clooney as Dr. Doug Ross in the pilot of ER, the setting is Saint Patrick's Day 1994 in Chicago.
And he is drunk with a shift starting in a few hours.
Dr. Mark Greene, Chief Resident and Doug's friend, treats Doug with an IV to sober him.
Beyond a drinking problem, Doug Ross is a womanizer.
He cheats on his girlfriend, Nurse Carol Hathaway, played by Julianna Marguiles.
She attempts suicide in the pilot with a drug overdose. Unclear is the motive, though the fractured relationship with Doug could be a contender.
Also debuting on NBC in September of 1994, Friends immediately captured the hearts and minds of America.
Three commonalities exist between the two shows.
First, a cross-promotion of sorts took place that inaugural year with George Clooney and co-star Noah Wyle guest starring on an episode of Friends as New York City hospital doctors.
Second, besides airing on NBC, Friends and ER had another production factor in common. Warner Brothers produced both shows.
And third, both shows featured a character with similar names. Dr. Mark Greene's daughter was Rachel Greene. She was a recurring character on ER while Jennifer Aniston starred on Friends as Rachel Green.
In 1999, Doug Ross leaves County General in Chicago for Seattle, not knowing that Carol is pregnant by him with twin girls.
The real-life reason was George Clooney's pursuit of a full-time film career after starring in films including One Fine Day and Batman and Robin.
Carol later realizes that Doug is her soul mate and she leaves for Seattle to be with him.
In this pivotal episode, George Clooney makes a cameo at the end, welcoming Carol.
Warner Brothers kept the guest appearance a secret, so NBC was unable to promote it.
Clooney shot the cameo appearance on location in Massachusetts where he was shooting The Perfect Storm.
Clooney and Marguiles reprised their ER roles in an episode towards the end of the series. Still happily married, they were unwittingly involved in the donation of a kidney that went to a former colleague -- Dr. John Carter, played by Noah Wyle.
Underdog
August 11, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
There's no need to fear, Underdog is here!
That's the motto of America's Canine Crusader.
With speed of lightning and roar of thunder, Underdog sprung onto the pop culture scene in 1964 on NBC.
He made a lasting impression on the hearts and minds of baby boomers who grew up cheering him in his adventures.
Mega-star Tom Hanks proved Underdog's enduring popularity into the 1990's by recanting the theme song word-for-word on The Rosie O'Donnell Show.
In addition, Friends mentioned the Underdog balloon, a Thanksgiving Day Parade staple. The occasion was a story line focused on the holiday.
And in 2008, Underdog reached the big screen in a live-action feature film of the same name.
Only a year after his television debut, Underdog made his inaugural Thanksgiving Parade appearance with a special showcase following the parade.
In a shrewd cross-promotion, NBC aired the parade from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm Eastern on Thanksgiving Day -- November 25, 1965. A thirty-minute Underdog show followed from 12:00 pm to 12:30 pm. The name of the episode is No Thanksgiving.
No Thanksgiving features Underdog squaring off against Simon Barsinister.
The evil scientist wants to use a time machine to cancel the first and all subsequent Thanksgivings so he can stop the current parade and capture the entire city.
Underdog's name has great appeal because everyone has felt like an underdog at one time or another.
Indeed, character names were descriptive.
Riff Raff is a stogie-smoking bad buy whose name tells us he is nothing more than a common hood.
Simon Barsinister's name certainly sends a message that the character's scientific knowledge will not be used to help society.
Sweet Polly Purebred's name tells us that she is the ideal dog.
The mutual devotion between this rather perky television news reporter and her champion reinforces a romantic match made in doggie heaven.
After all, every hero needs a damsel in distress.
Underdog valiantly fights evildoers, changing immediately from his identity as Shoeshine Boy whenever he saw trouble on the horizon. Each episode put Underdog in a seemingly impossible situation to overcome. But he always emerged the victor.
Shrinking Water -- Simon Barsinister wants to become the biggest man in the world.
Vacuum Gun -- Simon Barsinister captures crooks to build his own criminal army.
Safe Waif -- Underdog's focus is a young boy who gets locked in a bank vault.
Riffraffville -- Underdog fights Riff Raff when the villain leaves the city to take over the west. The story culminates in an old-fashioned showdown in a western town.
From Hopeless to Helpless -- Riff Raff uses an Underdog lookalike to commit crimes.
Tricky Trap By Tap Tap -- A sequel to From Hopeless to Helpless showing what happens to Underdog's lookalike, Tap Tap, when he tries to disguise himself as the Canine Crusader again.
Because Underdog originally appeared during the Space Age of the 1960's, space themes fit naturally in some episodes.
Underdog vs. Overcat -- Underdog fights the toughest alien in the galaxy -- Overcat.
The Flying Sorcerers -- Aliens force Sweet Polly Purebred to bake for them, but she falls into the giant mixer.
david@davidkrell.com
There's no need to fear, Underdog is here!
That's the motto of America's Canine Crusader.
With speed of lightning and roar of thunder, Underdog sprung onto the pop culture scene in 1964 on NBC.
He made a lasting impression on the hearts and minds of baby boomers who grew up cheering him in his adventures.
Mega-star Tom Hanks proved Underdog's enduring popularity into the 1990's by recanting the theme song word-for-word on The Rosie O'Donnell Show.
In addition, Friends mentioned the Underdog balloon, a Thanksgiving Day Parade staple. The occasion was a story line focused on the holiday.
And in 2008, Underdog reached the big screen in a live-action feature film of the same name.
Only a year after his television debut, Underdog made his inaugural Thanksgiving Parade appearance with a special showcase following the parade.
In a shrewd cross-promotion, NBC aired the parade from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm Eastern on Thanksgiving Day -- November 25, 1965. A thirty-minute Underdog show followed from 12:00 pm to 12:30 pm. The name of the episode is No Thanksgiving.
No Thanksgiving features Underdog squaring off against Simon Barsinister.
The evil scientist wants to use a time machine to cancel the first and all subsequent Thanksgivings so he can stop the current parade and capture the entire city.
Underdog's name has great appeal because everyone has felt like an underdog at one time or another.
Indeed, character names were descriptive.
Riff Raff is a stogie-smoking bad buy whose name tells us he is nothing more than a common hood.
Simon Barsinister's name certainly sends a message that the character's scientific knowledge will not be used to help society.
Sweet Polly Purebred's name tells us that she is the ideal dog.
The mutual devotion between this rather perky television news reporter and her champion reinforces a romantic match made in doggie heaven.
After all, every hero needs a damsel in distress.
Underdog valiantly fights evildoers, changing immediately from his identity as Shoeshine Boy whenever he saw trouble on the horizon. Each episode put Underdog in a seemingly impossible situation to overcome. But he always emerged the victor.
Shrinking Water -- Simon Barsinister wants to become the biggest man in the world.
Vacuum Gun -- Simon Barsinister captures crooks to build his own criminal army.
Safe Waif -- Underdog's focus is a young boy who gets locked in a bank vault.
Riffraffville -- Underdog fights Riff Raff when the villain leaves the city to take over the west. The story culminates in an old-fashioned showdown in a western town.
From Hopeless to Helpless -- Riff Raff uses an Underdog lookalike to commit crimes.
Tricky Trap By Tap Tap -- A sequel to From Hopeless to Helpless showing what happens to Underdog's lookalike, Tap Tap, when he tries to disguise himself as the Canine Crusader again.
Because Underdog originally appeared during the Space Age of the 1960's, space themes fit naturally in some episodes.
Underdog vs. Overcat -- Underdog fights the toughest alien in the galaxy -- Overcat.
The Flying Sorcerers -- Aliens force Sweet Polly Purebred to bake for them, but she falls into the giant mixer.
The Ultimate TV Network
July 21, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
If I created the ultimate television network, the prime time program lineup would probably look like this:
On Sunday, I would start with the legends. I Love Lucy at 8:00pm followed by The Jack Benny Program at 8:30pm.
The pairing makes sense since Lucille Ball and Jack Benny were not only show business icons, but also neighbors in real life. They lived next door to each other on North Roxbury Drive in Beverly Hills.
Then, we turn to the rural heavyweights. The Andy Griffith Show at 9:00pm and The Beverly Hillbillies at 9:30pm.
Sunday nights should be nice and easy, after all. And what's nicer and easier than our friends in Mayberry and the hillbilly transplants to the land of Rodeo Drive?
At 10:00pm, The Sopranos.
On Monday nights, I would pair The Dick Van Dyke Show and Mary Tyler Moore in the 8 o'clock hour, followed by M*A*S*H and Murphy Brown in the 9 o'clock hour.
At 10:00pm, St. Elsewhere.
Tuesday nights would start with family comedy. The Cosby Show and Family Ties 8:00pm and 8:30pm respectively.
Everybody Loves Raymond at 9:00pm and Two and a Half Men at 9:30pm.
At 10:00pm, Law & Order.
Wednesday nights would start with sophistication.
Frasier at 8:00pm and The Odd Couple at 8:30pm. I'm sure Felix Unger would have enjoyed talking wine, opera, and art with the Crane brothers.
The 9 o'clock hour would consist of You'll Never Get Rich starring Phil Silvers as Sergeant Bilko and The Twilight Zone.
At 10:00pm, Hill Street Blues.
Of course, Thursday nights would truly be Must See TV with Cheers, Taxi, Seinfeld, and Friends followed by ER at 10:00pm.
Friday night would be another family-friendly night, starting with The Brady Bunch at 8:00pm and The Wonder Years at 8:30pm.
At 9:00pm, Friday Night Lights, a depiction of a west Texas town obsessed with high school football.
At 10:00pm, The Wire.
Saturday night begins with cartoons.
The Simpsons at 8:00pm and King of the Hill at 8:30pm.
The Honeymooners at 9:00pm and Curb Your Enthusiasm at 9:30pm.
At 10:00pm, Homicide: Life on the Street, an undervalued, underrated, and underwatched program during its tenure on NBC in the 1990's.
Reasonable minds can differ.
Should Happy Days be in the lineup instead of The Brady Bunch?
What about L.A. Law, thirtysomething, Scrubs, or All in the Family?
What's the standard for making the linuep?
All good questions.
For now, it's merely instinctive.
Programs can be replaced.
Or I can start another network.
david@davidkrell.com
If I created the ultimate television network, the prime time program lineup would probably look like this:
On Sunday, I would start with the legends. I Love Lucy at 8:00pm followed by The Jack Benny Program at 8:30pm.
The pairing makes sense since Lucille Ball and Jack Benny were not only show business icons, but also neighbors in real life. They lived next door to each other on North Roxbury Drive in Beverly Hills.
Then, we turn to the rural heavyweights. The Andy Griffith Show at 9:00pm and The Beverly Hillbillies at 9:30pm.
Sunday nights should be nice and easy, after all. And what's nicer and easier than our friends in Mayberry and the hillbilly transplants to the land of Rodeo Drive?
At 10:00pm, The Sopranos.
On Monday nights, I would pair The Dick Van Dyke Show and Mary Tyler Moore in the 8 o'clock hour, followed by M*A*S*H and Murphy Brown in the 9 o'clock hour.
At 10:00pm, St. Elsewhere.
Tuesday nights would start with family comedy. The Cosby Show and Family Ties 8:00pm and 8:30pm respectively.
Everybody Loves Raymond at 9:00pm and Two and a Half Men at 9:30pm.
At 10:00pm, Law & Order.
Wednesday nights would start with sophistication.
Frasier at 8:00pm and The Odd Couple at 8:30pm. I'm sure Felix Unger would have enjoyed talking wine, opera, and art with the Crane brothers.
The 9 o'clock hour would consist of You'll Never Get Rich starring Phil Silvers as Sergeant Bilko and The Twilight Zone.
At 10:00pm, Hill Street Blues.
Of course, Thursday nights would truly be Must See TV with Cheers, Taxi, Seinfeld, and Friends followed by ER at 10:00pm.
Friday night would be another family-friendly night, starting with The Brady Bunch at 8:00pm and The Wonder Years at 8:30pm.
At 9:00pm, Friday Night Lights, a depiction of a west Texas town obsessed with high school football.
At 10:00pm, The Wire.
Saturday night begins with cartoons.
The Simpsons at 8:00pm and King of the Hill at 8:30pm.
The Honeymooners at 9:00pm and Curb Your Enthusiasm at 9:30pm.
At 10:00pm, Homicide: Life on the Street, an undervalued, underrated, and underwatched program during its tenure on NBC in the 1990's.
Reasonable minds can differ.
Should Happy Days be in the lineup instead of The Brady Bunch?
What about L.A. Law, thirtysomething, Scrubs, or All in the Family?
What's the standard for making the linuep?
All good questions.
For now, it's merely instinctive.
Programs can be replaced.
Or I can start another network.