Chicago
Year in Review
December 31, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
As 2009 turns into 2010, we take a look back at the year in television.
We saw Ziva David leave her role as a Mossad liaison in NCIS and return to the Mossad full-time under the reign of her father, Mossad Chief Eli David.
After she got captured during a mission in North Africa, the NCIS crew rescued her.
And Ziva returned to NCIS as a full-fledged member of the team, thereby abandoning any remaining and confusing loyalties to her father.
We met the team’s Los Angeles counterparts in a crossover appearance that set the stage for the spinoff NCIS: Los Angeles.
We saw Sarah Palin confront David Letterman in the media because of a joke about her daughter’s pregnancy.
And we saw David Letterman in another media controversy rooted in his extracurricular relationships with female staff members.
We saw Jay Leno move to 10:00 pm with the slogan It’s About Time. We saw Conan O’Brien move into The Tonight Show host position with a new studio at NBC Universal.
We saw Jimmy Fallon take over Conan’s old job as the host of Late Night.
We saw Julianna Marguiles return to network prime time as the scorned spouse of an adulterous Chicago politician in The Good Wife. Her character returns to the practice of law after a 15-year absence so she can support her children.
We saw a story line span all three CSI shows during the November sweeps period.
On Entourage, we saw Ari Gold merge his agency, Miller Gold, with the agency of his mentor and nemesis, Terrence McQuewick.
We saw Johnny Chase get his big break with a network holding deal for a television series to be centered on him.
We saw Eric fold up his small talent management company to take a job with a legendary talent management company.
We saw Turtle and Jamie-Lynn Sigler break up.
And we saw Eric and Sloane get engaged.
On cable news channels, we saw a balloon that looked like a huge Jiffy Pop container travel across Colorado and we feared that a six-year-old boy was inside the balloon.
We soon learned that no one was inside. It was a hoax so the parents could get media attention and pitch themselves for a reality show.
We saw Jon and Kate split up.
We saw Southland get cancelled before its second season even aired one episode because its content is suited for a 10:00 pm broadcast time slot, but NBC does not have that time slot available. TNT picked up the show.
We saw the return of sitcom favorites.
Courtney Cox in Cougar Town.
Ed O’Neill in Modern Family.
Kelsey Grammer in Hank.
Patricia Heaton in The Middle.
Ray Romano in Men of a Certain Age.
We saw Jim and Pam get married on The Office.
We saw the end of King of the Hill and the launch of its replacement -- Family Guy spinoff The Cleveland Show.
We saw The Simpsons begin its 20th season.
We saw the debut of Amy Poehler’s comedy, Parks and Recreation.
We saw Chevy Chase finally ready for prime time as part of the ensemble cast of NBC’s rookie comedy, Community.
And we saw America’s favorite high school football coach, Eric Taylor, begin the next chapter of his career in Friday Night Lights. Same town -- Dillon, Texas. Different high school -- East Dillon High.
We saw unknown Taylor Schilling capture our hearts as the lead character in Mercy, Veronica Callahan, a nurse at the fictional Mercy Hospital in Jersey City, New Jersey.
We saw Saturday Night Live begin its 35th season.
We saw a remake of The Prisoner, the revolutionary late 1960’s drama.
And we saw a Seinfeld reunion of sorts on Curb Your Enthusiasm.
We said hello to Royal Pains, White Collar, and Castle.
We said goodbye to Monk, The Unusuals, and Life on Mars.
We also said goodbye to icons of the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s.
Soupy Sales, who entertained children of the 1960’s as an unofficial precursor to Pee Wee Herman.
Farrah Fawcett, who inspired women in the late 1970’s to wear their hair long and feathered.
And Michael Jackson, who helped launch MTV in the 1980’s with videos that told stories.
2010 is just around the corner. If it’s anything like 2009, it should take us on quite an odyssey in the world of television.
david@davidkrell.com
As 2009 turns into 2010, we take a look back at the year in television.
We saw Ziva David leave her role as a Mossad liaison in NCIS and return to the Mossad full-time under the reign of her father, Mossad Chief Eli David.
After she got captured during a mission in North Africa, the NCIS crew rescued her.
And Ziva returned to NCIS as a full-fledged member of the team, thereby abandoning any remaining and confusing loyalties to her father.
We met the team’s Los Angeles counterparts in a crossover appearance that set the stage for the spinoff NCIS: Los Angeles.
We saw Sarah Palin confront David Letterman in the media because of a joke about her daughter’s pregnancy.
And we saw David Letterman in another media controversy rooted in his extracurricular relationships with female staff members.
We saw Jay Leno move to 10:00 pm with the slogan It’s About Time. We saw Conan O’Brien move into The Tonight Show host position with a new studio at NBC Universal.
We saw Jimmy Fallon take over Conan’s old job as the host of Late Night.
We saw Julianna Marguiles return to network prime time as the scorned spouse of an adulterous Chicago politician in The Good Wife. Her character returns to the practice of law after a 15-year absence so she can support her children.
We saw a story line span all three CSI shows during the November sweeps period.
On Entourage, we saw Ari Gold merge his agency, Miller Gold, with the agency of his mentor and nemesis, Terrence McQuewick.
We saw Johnny Chase get his big break with a network holding deal for a television series to be centered on him.
We saw Eric fold up his small talent management company to take a job with a legendary talent management company.
We saw Turtle and Jamie-Lynn Sigler break up.
And we saw Eric and Sloane get engaged.
On cable news channels, we saw a balloon that looked like a huge Jiffy Pop container travel across Colorado and we feared that a six-year-old boy was inside the balloon.
We soon learned that no one was inside. It was a hoax so the parents could get media attention and pitch themselves for a reality show.
We saw Jon and Kate split up.
We saw Southland get cancelled before its second season even aired one episode because its content is suited for a 10:00 pm broadcast time slot, but NBC does not have that time slot available. TNT picked up the show.
We saw the return of sitcom favorites.
Courtney Cox in Cougar Town.
Ed O’Neill in Modern Family.
Kelsey Grammer in Hank.
Patricia Heaton in The Middle.
Ray Romano in Men of a Certain Age.
We saw Jim and Pam get married on The Office.
We saw the end of King of the Hill and the launch of its replacement -- Family Guy spinoff The Cleveland Show.
We saw The Simpsons begin its 20th season.
We saw the debut of Amy Poehler’s comedy, Parks and Recreation.
We saw Chevy Chase finally ready for prime time as part of the ensemble cast of NBC’s rookie comedy, Community.
And we saw America’s favorite high school football coach, Eric Taylor, begin the next chapter of his career in Friday Night Lights. Same town -- Dillon, Texas. Different high school -- East Dillon High.
We saw unknown Taylor Schilling capture our hearts as the lead character in Mercy, Veronica Callahan, a nurse at the fictional Mercy Hospital in Jersey City, New Jersey.
We saw Saturday Night Live begin its 35th season.
We saw a remake of The Prisoner, the revolutionary late 1960’s drama.
And we saw a Seinfeld reunion of sorts on Curb Your Enthusiasm.
We said hello to Royal Pains, White Collar, and Castle.
We said goodbye to Monk, The Unusuals, and Life on Mars.
We also said goodbye to icons of the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s.
Soupy Sales, who entertained children of the 1960’s as an unofficial precursor to Pee Wee Herman.
Farrah Fawcett, who inspired women in the late 1970’s to wear their hair long and feathered.
And Michael Jackson, who helped launch MTV in the 1980’s with videos that told stories.
2010 is just around the corner. If it’s anything like 2009, it should take us on quite an odyssey in the world of television.
Thursday Nights at 10pm
November 27, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
Now that The Jay Leno Show is in the 10 pm time slot on NBC, a look back at Thursday nights at 10 on the Peacock Network reveals an amazing consistency of quality for nearly thirty years.
Hill Street Blues debuted in 1981 and changed the production of television drama.
Story lines became story arcs and lasted several episodes.
Moving cameras shifted seamlessly from one set of characters having a conversation to another set of characters. Gone were standard cuts.
And sometimes the good guys lost.
Hill Street Blues focused on the gritty, tough, and somewhat chaotic life in an unnamed metropolitan precinct, specifically, an area known as ‘The Hill.’ However, early visual evidence indicates Chicago and early dialogue indicates New York City.
Created by Steven Bochco and Michael Kozoll, Hill Street Blues ended its run in 1987.
Just a year prior, L.A. Law premiered in the Friday at 10 pm time slot following Miami Vice. Steven Bochco teamed with Terry Louise Fisher to create this show about yuppie lawyers in Los Angeles.
When Hill Street Blues ended, L.A. Law took its Thursday at 10 pm time slot and enjoyed a successful tenure until its end in 1994. Eight years of serious legal issues, comical legal issues, and everyday legal issues.
ER continued the tradition of quality drama. It captivated the audience immediately upon its debut in September 1994. And it secured the NBC Must See TV Thursday night programming block.
Revived from an old movie script by Michael Crichton, the ER pilot showed life in a Chicago emergency room on Saint Patrick’s Day.
Casts changed. Characters died. Quality continued.
For fifteen years.
An astounding record for a television show.
Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law, and ER won several Emmy awards, broke ground in the issues they covered and how they covered them, and captured our hearts.
For twenty-eight years, from 1981 to 2009
From Captain Frank Furillo’s leadership to Sergeant Phil Esterhaus’ avuncular delivery at Roll Call.
From Arnie Becker’s sleazy tactics as McKenzie Brackman’s family law attorney to Arnie Becker’s heart of gold in acting like a big brother at times to mentally retarded office worker Benny.
From Mark Greene’s quiet determination to practice emergency medicine in the face of massive bureaucracy, office politics, and budget concerns to John Carter’s slow emergence from clueless intern to confident ER chief.
And hey, one more thing -- Let’s be careful out there.
david@davidkrell.com
Now that The Jay Leno Show is in the 10 pm time slot on NBC, a look back at Thursday nights at 10 on the Peacock Network reveals an amazing consistency of quality for nearly thirty years.
Hill Street Blues debuted in 1981 and changed the production of television drama.
Story lines became story arcs and lasted several episodes.
Moving cameras shifted seamlessly from one set of characters having a conversation to another set of characters. Gone were standard cuts.
And sometimes the good guys lost.
Hill Street Blues focused on the gritty, tough, and somewhat chaotic life in an unnamed metropolitan precinct, specifically, an area known as ‘The Hill.’ However, early visual evidence indicates Chicago and early dialogue indicates New York City.
Created by Steven Bochco and Michael Kozoll, Hill Street Blues ended its run in 1987.
Just a year prior, L.A. Law premiered in the Friday at 10 pm time slot following Miami Vice. Steven Bochco teamed with Terry Louise Fisher to create this show about yuppie lawyers in Los Angeles.
When Hill Street Blues ended, L.A. Law took its Thursday at 10 pm time slot and enjoyed a successful tenure until its end in 1994. Eight years of serious legal issues, comical legal issues, and everyday legal issues.
ER continued the tradition of quality drama. It captivated the audience immediately upon its debut in September 1994. And it secured the NBC Must See TV Thursday night programming block.
Revived from an old movie script by Michael Crichton, the ER pilot showed life in a Chicago emergency room on Saint Patrick’s Day.
Casts changed. Characters died. Quality continued.
For fifteen years.
An astounding record for a television show.
Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law, and ER won several Emmy awards, broke ground in the issues they covered and how they covered them, and captured our hearts.
For twenty-eight years, from 1981 to 2009
From Captain Frank Furillo’s leadership to Sergeant Phil Esterhaus’ avuncular delivery at Roll Call.
From Arnie Becker’s sleazy tactics as McKenzie Brackman’s family law attorney to Arnie Becker’s heart of gold in acting like a big brother at times to mentally retarded office worker Benny.
From Mark Greene’s quiet determination to practice emergency medicine in the face of massive bureaucracy, office politics, and budget concerns to John Carter’s slow emergence from clueless intern to confident ER chief.
And hey, one more thing -- Let’s be careful out there.
ER
November 25, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
An emergency room in a Chicago hospital.
A multi-racial cast.
Humor covering up the pain of working in a trauma situation.
Sounds like ER.
It is ER. But it’s not the one that immediately comes to mind.
Not the one that debuted in 1994.
Not the one that was a cornerstone of NBC’s Thursday night lineup for fifteen years.
This ER lasted only one season.
It was a sitcom based on a 1982 play. It was a nicely written, nicely acted, nicely produced show that aired on CBS during the 1984-85 season.
Elliott Gould plays Dr. Howard Sheinfeld, a twice divorced doctor who moonlights at Clark Street Hospital’s Emergency Room to pay his alimony bills. With Gould’s veteran comedy instincts, ER seems like a good idea for a sitcom. And it was, particularly in hindsight considering
the show’s talent, star power, and ensemble performances.
Conchatta Ferrell plays veteran nurse Thor. She later appeared on L.A. Law as entertainment attorney Susan Bloom. Currently, she stars as Berta, the wisecracking maid on Two and a Half Men.
Mary McDonnell took over the role of Dr. Eve Sheridan, Sheinfeld’s boss and potential love interest. Five years after ER, McDonnell captured America’s attention in Dances With Wolves. Marcia Strassman, Julie Kotter in Welcome Back, Kotter, plays Sheridan in the ER pilot.
Pamela Adlon plays Jenny Sheinfeld, the daughter of Dr. Sheinfeld. She voiced Bobby Hill on the long-running cartoon series King of the Hill.
Before he found fame, accolades, and notoriety as Larry David’s alter ego on Seinfeld -- George Costanza -- Jason Alexander played hospital administrator Harold Stickley on ER.
Lynne Moody plays young, love-seeking, good-natured nurse Julie Williams. In a bit of inspired crossover casting, Sherman Helmsley brought his George Jefferson character to ER as Julie’s uncle in a guest appearance.
Luis Avalos plays Dr. Tomas Esquivel. Avalos is probably best known to Generation Xers from The Electric Company.
And, of course, George Clooney. He appears on both ER shows. In the sitcom, he is Ace -- a heart-throbbing, pulse pounding, personality plus paramedic with rock and roll dreams. The name of his band is The Body Fluids.
Ace’s nickname reinforces his reputation as a ladies man -- My Place Ace. Coincidentally, Tomas reminisces about his younger days with a corresponding nickname -- Mi Casa Tomasa.
Like Night Court, Barney Miller, or Taxi, ER revolved around the workplace. But the potential romance between Sheinfeld and Sheridan, the wonderful acting and writing, and the quirky patients who populated the emergency room at Clark Street Hospital were not enough to keep ER from flatlining.
ER holds a special significance for me. In one episode, a guest character named Dr. Krell makes an appearance. Dr. Sheinfeld remarks on the name. He says, If I wasn’t a Sheinfeld, I’d like to be a Krell.
david@davidkrell.com
An emergency room in a Chicago hospital.
A multi-racial cast.
Humor covering up the pain of working in a trauma situation.
Sounds like ER.
It is ER. But it’s not the one that immediately comes to mind.
Not the one that debuted in 1994.
Not the one that was a cornerstone of NBC’s Thursday night lineup for fifteen years.
This ER lasted only one season.
It was a sitcom based on a 1982 play. It was a nicely written, nicely acted, nicely produced show that aired on CBS during the 1984-85 season.
Elliott Gould plays Dr. Howard Sheinfeld, a twice divorced doctor who moonlights at Clark Street Hospital’s Emergency Room to pay his alimony bills. With Gould’s veteran comedy instincts, ER seems like a good idea for a sitcom. And it was, particularly in hindsight considering
the show’s talent, star power, and ensemble performances.
Conchatta Ferrell plays veteran nurse Thor. She later appeared on L.A. Law as entertainment attorney Susan Bloom. Currently, she stars as Berta, the wisecracking maid on Two and a Half Men.
Mary McDonnell took over the role of Dr. Eve Sheridan, Sheinfeld’s boss and potential love interest. Five years after ER, McDonnell captured America’s attention in Dances With Wolves. Marcia Strassman, Julie Kotter in Welcome Back, Kotter, plays Sheridan in the ER pilot.
Pamela Adlon plays Jenny Sheinfeld, the daughter of Dr. Sheinfeld. She voiced Bobby Hill on the long-running cartoon series King of the Hill.
Before he found fame, accolades, and notoriety as Larry David’s alter ego on Seinfeld -- George Costanza -- Jason Alexander played hospital administrator Harold Stickley on ER.
Lynne Moody plays young, love-seeking, good-natured nurse Julie Williams. In a bit of inspired crossover casting, Sherman Helmsley brought his George Jefferson character to ER as Julie’s uncle in a guest appearance.
Luis Avalos plays Dr. Tomas Esquivel. Avalos is probably best known to Generation Xers from The Electric Company.
And, of course, George Clooney. He appears on both ER shows. In the sitcom, he is Ace -- a heart-throbbing, pulse pounding, personality plus paramedic with rock and roll dreams. The name of his band is The Body Fluids.
Ace’s nickname reinforces his reputation as a ladies man -- My Place Ace. Coincidentally, Tomas reminisces about his younger days with a corresponding nickname -- Mi Casa Tomasa.
Like Night Court, Barney Miller, or Taxi, ER revolved around the workplace. But the potential romance between Sheinfeld and Sheridan, the wonderful acting and writing, and the quirky patients who populated the emergency room at Clark Street Hospital were not enough to keep ER from flatlining.
ER holds a special significance for me. In one episode, a guest character named Dr. Krell makes an appearance. Dr. Sheinfeld remarks on the name. He says, If I wasn’t a Sheinfeld, I’d like to be a Krell.
SNL at the Movies
October 14, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
Saturday Night Live is in its 35th season.
35 years of sketches, recurring characters, and Weekend Update.
35 years of Live from New York, it’s Saturday night!
35 years of laughter.
Shortly after it premiered in 1975, cast members started appearing in movies. They soon became box office gold.
Animal House, Caddyshack, Beverly Hills Cop, Wayne’s World, Wedding Crashers, Stripes, Meatballs, The Blues Brothers, Foul Play, Land of the Lost, Old School, Ghostbusters, Trading Places, Scrooged, Seems Like Old Times, Tootsie, Tommy Boy, 48 Hours, Driving Miss Daisy, Anchorman, Semi-Pro, Dr. Doolittle, Mean Girls, Baby Mama, and Shrek.
These movies all starred or featured at least one SNL cast member in a prominent role.
Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin are not and were never cast members of Saturday Night Live, but their numerous appearances as guest host arguably give them honorary cast member status.
Add their movies to the SNL cast member movie roster.
Altogether, the total box office gross of these movies will likely be in the billions.
Quite a contribution for a show that was christened Saturday Night Dead by the media at several times in its history.
Saturday Night Live cast members leave Studio 8H in Rockefeller Center for the big screen.
It’s part of the show’s history dating back to a little movie directed by John Landis that captures America’s fascination with a time that was simpler -- before the Vietnam War, the JFK assassination, and Watergate.
The setting was 1962.
The film was National Lampoon’s Animal House.
Produced on a budget reportedly less than $3 million in 1978, Animal House became a pop culture icon, conquered the box office dragon, and secured John Belushi’s rightful place as a box office attraction.
He was the first SNL cast member to truly break through the television-film barrier.
Belushi was also a good dramatic actor. The romantic comedy Continental Divide pits Belushi’s hardened, cynical, Chicago newspaper columnist Ernie Souchak against Blair Brown’s environmentally aware eagle researcher Nell Porter.
Belushi died in 1981 from a drug overdose at the age of 33. His premature death prevented us from knowing the true depths of his acting talents.
But Belushi’s breakthrough role as Bluto in Animal House set a trend that continues today.
From Eddie Murphy to Mike Myers.
From Dan Aykroyd to Tina Fey.
From Bill Murray to Will Ferrell.
david@davidkrell.com
Saturday Night Live is in its 35th season.
35 years of sketches, recurring characters, and Weekend Update.
35 years of Live from New York, it’s Saturday night!
35 years of laughter.
Shortly after it premiered in 1975, cast members started appearing in movies. They soon became box office gold.
Animal House, Caddyshack, Beverly Hills Cop, Wayne’s World, Wedding Crashers, Stripes, Meatballs, The Blues Brothers, Foul Play, Land of the Lost, Old School, Ghostbusters, Trading Places, Scrooged, Seems Like Old Times, Tootsie, Tommy Boy, 48 Hours, Driving Miss Daisy, Anchorman, Semi-Pro, Dr. Doolittle, Mean Girls, Baby Mama, and Shrek.
These movies all starred or featured at least one SNL cast member in a prominent role.
Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin are not and were never cast members of Saturday Night Live, but their numerous appearances as guest host arguably give them honorary cast member status.
Add their movies to the SNL cast member movie roster.
Altogether, the total box office gross of these movies will likely be in the billions.
Quite a contribution for a show that was christened Saturday Night Dead by the media at several times in its history.
Saturday Night Live cast members leave Studio 8H in Rockefeller Center for the big screen.
It’s part of the show’s history dating back to a little movie directed by John Landis that captures America’s fascination with a time that was simpler -- before the Vietnam War, the JFK assassination, and Watergate.
The setting was 1962.
The film was National Lampoon’s Animal House.
Produced on a budget reportedly less than $3 million in 1978, Animal House became a pop culture icon, conquered the box office dragon, and secured John Belushi’s rightful place as a box office attraction.
He was the first SNL cast member to truly break through the television-film barrier.
Belushi was also a good dramatic actor. The romantic comedy Continental Divide pits Belushi’s hardened, cynical, Chicago newspaper columnist Ernie Souchak against Blair Brown’s environmentally aware eagle researcher Nell Porter.
Belushi died in 1981 from a drug overdose at the age of 33. His premature death prevented us from knowing the true depths of his acting talents.
But Belushi’s breakthrough role as Bluto in Animal House set a trend that continues today.
From Eddie Murphy to Mike Myers.
From Dan Aykroyd to Tina Fey.
From Bill Murray to Will Ferrell.
TV Doctors
October 09, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
A medical situation forces you to seek the insight of a doctor.
In the televerse, you have many choices.
For a heart problem, you might go to St. Eligius Hospital in Boston and meet with Dr. Mark Craig. Egotist. Patrician. And an expert cardiac surgeon who even developed his own version of an artificial heart.
Perhaps you will go to San Francisco Memorial Hospital and seek the advice of Trapper John, M.D. John McIntrye has been battle tested in surgery, in a matter of speaking. He operated on Korean War soliders at the M*A*S*H 4077th.
If it’s a kind father figure with a good bedside manner you seek, then Marcus Welby is your man. I you think the exterior to his home and office looks a lot like the exterior of the home of Wally and Beaver Cleaver, you’d be right. They’re identical because the houses are one and the same.
You may want a doctor’s practice with a one-stop-shopping approach.
Look no further than the Oceanside Wellness Center in Santa Monica.
Formerly of Seattle Grace Hospital, Addison Montgomery is an OB/GYN and a neo-natal surgeon.
You’ll also find an alternative medicine specialist who used to work in the Doctors Without Borders program, a fertility specialist, an internal medicine specialist, a psychiatrist, and a pediatrician.
The aforementioned Seattle Grace Hospital is home base for one of the country’s leading neurosurgeons -- Dr. Derek Shepherd. By the way, his paramour is Dr. Meredith Grey. Dr. Grey’s mother was a groundbreaking doctor.
If you are in south Florida and you need a children’s doctor, you may want to visit Dr. Harry Weston, pediatrician and neighbor of Blanche, Rose, Sophia, and Dorothy, a.k.a. the Golden Girls.
In an emergency situation, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better team than the one at Rampart Hospital in Los Angeles.
Starting with paramedics Roy DeSoto and John Gage of Engine 51, the team consistently shows how to perform successfully in pressure situations. Engine 51’s Rampart Hospital counterparts consist of Dr. Joe Early, Dr. Kelly Brackett, and the incomparable, beautiful, and inspiring Dixie McCall, nurse extraordinaire.
Also in southern California are young Dr. Joe Gannon and his mentor, Dr. Paul Lochner. They work at a university hospital. We just say they work at Medical Center.
You will find the young doctor / senior doctor paradigm a constant in the televerse. Trapper John and Gonzo Gates at San Francisco Memorial Hospital. Dr. Ben Casey and Dr. David Zorba at County General. Dr. James Kildare and Dr. Leonard Gillespie at yet another large metropolitan hospital.
Dr. Perry Cox leads a team of dedicated, sometimes goofy doctors at Sacred Heart Hospital in an unnamed metropolis.
But don’t let Dr. Cox’s crass treatment of the younger doctors throw you off balance. He treats them with toughness because he wants them to be as good as he is, if that’s possible. So he rides them hard.
For the extremely intricate diagnosis, you will want to visit Dr. Gregory House at Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital and his team of younger doctors.
Dr. House specializes in the seemingly impossible diagnosis, though his all-around blunt, sometimes caustic manner may throw off patients and doctors alike, even those who are his friends.
But his commitment to treating the patient and defeating the condition, illness, or disease is unparalleled.
In Chicago, you can visit a group of talented, unappreciated, and undervalued emergency room doctors at Cook County General Hospital -- Dr. Peter Benton, Dr. John Carter, Dr. Doug Ross, Dr. Mark Greene, Dr. Kerry Weaver.
Also in Chicago, you can visit the smaller ER staffed by Dr. Howard Sheinfeld and Dr. Eve Sheridan at Clark Street Hospital or the glossier Chicago Hope Hospital.
No matter what your ailment, you will find doctors throughout the televerse.
They are experts.
They are dedicated.
And they might even tell you that laughter is the best medicine.
david@davidkrell.com
A medical situation forces you to seek the insight of a doctor.
In the televerse, you have many choices.
For a heart problem, you might go to St. Eligius Hospital in Boston and meet with Dr. Mark Craig. Egotist. Patrician. And an expert cardiac surgeon who even developed his own version of an artificial heart.
Perhaps you will go to San Francisco Memorial Hospital and seek the advice of Trapper John, M.D. John McIntrye has been battle tested in surgery, in a matter of speaking. He operated on Korean War soliders at the M*A*S*H 4077th.
If it’s a kind father figure with a good bedside manner you seek, then Marcus Welby is your man. I you think the exterior to his home and office looks a lot like the exterior of the home of Wally and Beaver Cleaver, you’d be right. They’re identical because the houses are one and the same.
You may want a doctor’s practice with a one-stop-shopping approach.
Look no further than the Oceanside Wellness Center in Santa Monica.
Formerly of Seattle Grace Hospital, Addison Montgomery is an OB/GYN and a neo-natal surgeon.
You’ll also find an alternative medicine specialist who used to work in the Doctors Without Borders program, a fertility specialist, an internal medicine specialist, a psychiatrist, and a pediatrician.
The aforementioned Seattle Grace Hospital is home base for one of the country’s leading neurosurgeons -- Dr. Derek Shepherd. By the way, his paramour is Dr. Meredith Grey. Dr. Grey’s mother was a groundbreaking doctor.
If you are in south Florida and you need a children’s doctor, you may want to visit Dr. Harry Weston, pediatrician and neighbor of Blanche, Rose, Sophia, and Dorothy, a.k.a. the Golden Girls.
In an emergency situation, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better team than the one at Rampart Hospital in Los Angeles.
Starting with paramedics Roy DeSoto and John Gage of Engine 51, the team consistently shows how to perform successfully in pressure situations. Engine 51’s Rampart Hospital counterparts consist of Dr. Joe Early, Dr. Kelly Brackett, and the incomparable, beautiful, and inspiring Dixie McCall, nurse extraordinaire.
Also in southern California are young Dr. Joe Gannon and his mentor, Dr. Paul Lochner. They work at a university hospital. We just say they work at Medical Center.
You will find the young doctor / senior doctor paradigm a constant in the televerse. Trapper John and Gonzo Gates at San Francisco Memorial Hospital. Dr. Ben Casey and Dr. David Zorba at County General. Dr. James Kildare and Dr. Leonard Gillespie at yet another large metropolitan hospital.
Dr. Perry Cox leads a team of dedicated, sometimes goofy doctors at Sacred Heart Hospital in an unnamed metropolis.
But don’t let Dr. Cox’s crass treatment of the younger doctors throw you off balance. He treats them with toughness because he wants them to be as good as he is, if that’s possible. So he rides them hard.
For the extremely intricate diagnosis, you will want to visit Dr. Gregory House at Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital and his team of younger doctors.
Dr. House specializes in the seemingly impossible diagnosis, though his all-around blunt, sometimes caustic manner may throw off patients and doctors alike, even those who are his friends.
But his commitment to treating the patient and defeating the condition, illness, or disease is unparalleled.
In Chicago, you can visit a group of talented, unappreciated, and undervalued emergency room doctors at Cook County General Hospital -- Dr. Peter Benton, Dr. John Carter, Dr. Doug Ross, Dr. Mark Greene, Dr. Kerry Weaver.
Also in Chicago, you can visit the smaller ER staffed by Dr. Howard Sheinfeld and Dr. Eve Sheridan at Clark Street Hospital or the glossier Chicago Hope Hospital.
No matter what your ailment, you will find doctors throughout the televerse.
They are experts.
They are dedicated.
And they might even tell you that laughter is the best medicine.
Crime Story
October 01, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
In the 1980’s, an NBC show about cops had it all.
A new look.
Story arcs that existed over several episodes.
And the elevation of lesser known actors into household name status.
Hill Street Blues? No.
Miami Vice? No.
Crime Story.
Michael Mann’s production of a Chicago cop and his mobster prey only lasted two seasons from 1986-1988.
But it was a terrific two years.
Set in the early 1960’s, Crime Story followed the exploits of Chicago Police Department Lt. Mike Torello and his squad at MCU or Major Crimes Unit. Their mission is to take down mobster Ray Luca.
When Luca moves his base of operations to Las Vegas, Torello and team follows, only to trade in their Chicago police badges to work for the feds.
At the end of the first season, Ray Luca and his addlebrained sidekick, Paulie Taglia, escape to the desert where they find themselves in the middle of nuclear testing. Because they survive, the federal government gives them immunity from prosecution and increases the difficulty of Torello’s job.
The medical information learned from their survival is simply invaluable during the Cold War and immunity from prosecution is the government’s compensation.
Crime Story was created by Gustave Reininger and Chuck Adamson. It starred Dennis Farina as Mike Torello. In a perfect example of art imitating life, Adamson and Farina worked for the Chicago Police Department before their show business careers. John Santucci played Paulie Taglia. Santucci was a thief in Chicago in his previous career. Adamson and Farina knew Santucci from their Chicago days. They arrested him!
Anthony Denison played Ray Luca. He went to the other side of law enforcement during a brief stint on Wiseguy when he replaced Ken Wahl. Denison played a former FBI agent drawn back into the fight against crime.
A reading of the list of guest stars on Crime Story is impressive.
Kevin Spacey. David Caruso. Julia Roberts. Ving Rhames. Gary Sinise. David Hyde-Pierce. Billy Zane. Laura San Giacomo. Dennis Haysbert.
Regular and recurring actors on Crime Story will also be familiar.
Before he was Corky’s dad on Life Goes On, Bill Smitrovich was Detective Danny Krycheck.
Before he was a single dad looking for a chance at true love on Once and Again, Billy Campbell was Detective Joey Indelli.
And before he sold out sports arenas, comedian Andrew Dice Clay was Max Goldman, a savvy partner of Ray Luca.
Del Shannon’s Runaway was the show’s theme song. It set the tone perfectly for the series. An upbeat tune balanced by somber words.
Crime Story paid great attention to style, setting, and detail. It captured the viewer. In Chicago, Torello and his squad often regrouped at a bar called the Orbit Room, a nod to the fascination inspired by the Space Age of the 1960’s.
In one episode, Torello and the guys talk about the Chicago Bears. He says that Ditka is the best player on the team. It was essentially a wink to the viewer. Mike Ditka played for the Bears in the 1960’s and coached the team during the mid-1980’s, the period of the show’s broadcast history.
Cars with fins. Suits with thin ties. Men with hats. All details of another era. But Crime Story recaptured them in an old-fashioned good guy vs. bad guy story line.
Crime Story ended with a cliffhanger. The principal characters airborne in a pilotless plane. Maybe one day, a tv-movie will tie up loose ends. And we will find out the ultimate destiny of Torello and Luca. Until then, you can create your own Crime Story ending.
david@davidkrell.com
In the 1980’s, an NBC show about cops had it all.
A new look.
Story arcs that existed over several episodes.
And the elevation of lesser known actors into household name status.
Hill Street Blues? No.
Miami Vice? No.
Crime Story.
Michael Mann’s production of a Chicago cop and his mobster prey only lasted two seasons from 1986-1988.
But it was a terrific two years.
Set in the early 1960’s, Crime Story followed the exploits of Chicago Police Department Lt. Mike Torello and his squad at MCU or Major Crimes Unit. Their mission is to take down mobster Ray Luca.
When Luca moves his base of operations to Las Vegas, Torello and team follows, only to trade in their Chicago police badges to work for the feds.
At the end of the first season, Ray Luca and his addlebrained sidekick, Paulie Taglia, escape to the desert where they find themselves in the middle of nuclear testing. Because they survive, the federal government gives them immunity from prosecution and increases the difficulty of Torello’s job.
The medical information learned from their survival is simply invaluable during the Cold War and immunity from prosecution is the government’s compensation.
Crime Story was created by Gustave Reininger and Chuck Adamson. It starred Dennis Farina as Mike Torello. In a perfect example of art imitating life, Adamson and Farina worked for the Chicago Police Department before their show business careers. John Santucci played Paulie Taglia. Santucci was a thief in Chicago in his previous career. Adamson and Farina knew Santucci from their Chicago days. They arrested him!
Anthony Denison played Ray Luca. He went to the other side of law enforcement during a brief stint on Wiseguy when he replaced Ken Wahl. Denison played a former FBI agent drawn back into the fight against crime.
A reading of the list of guest stars on Crime Story is impressive.
Kevin Spacey. David Caruso. Julia Roberts. Ving Rhames. Gary Sinise. David Hyde-Pierce. Billy Zane. Laura San Giacomo. Dennis Haysbert.
Regular and recurring actors on Crime Story will also be familiar.
Before he was Corky’s dad on Life Goes On, Bill Smitrovich was Detective Danny Krycheck.
Before he was a single dad looking for a chance at true love on Once and Again, Billy Campbell was Detective Joey Indelli.
And before he sold out sports arenas, comedian Andrew Dice Clay was Max Goldman, a savvy partner of Ray Luca.
Del Shannon’s Runaway was the show’s theme song. It set the tone perfectly for the series. An upbeat tune balanced by somber words.
Crime Story paid great attention to style, setting, and detail. It captured the viewer. In Chicago, Torello and his squad often regrouped at a bar called the Orbit Room, a nod to the fascination inspired by the Space Age of the 1960’s.
In one episode, Torello and the guys talk about the Chicago Bears. He says that Ditka is the best player on the team. It was essentially a wink to the viewer. Mike Ditka played for the Bears in the 1960’s and coached the team during the mid-1980’s, the period of the show’s broadcast history.
Cars with fins. Suits with thin ties. Men with hats. All details of another era. But Crime Story recaptured them in an old-fashioned good guy vs. bad guy story line.
Crime Story ended with a cliffhanger. The principal characters airborne in a pilotless plane. Maybe one day, a tv-movie will tie up loose ends. And we will find out the ultimate destiny of Torello and Luca. Until then, you can create your own Crime Story ending.
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.
Have No Fear, Hulu Is Here!
May 18, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
Greetings from Seattle! Home of Dr. Frasier Crane, Seattle Grace Hospital, and the 1992 film Singles that inspired the Generation X-themed powerhouse sitcom Friends.
Seattle is also home to the 2009 International Trademark Association's Annual Meeting. Approximately 8,000 trademark owners, attorneys, and branding executives come to the Annual Meeting to discuss their challenges, experiences, and solutions in being the guardians of their respective brands.
Besides providing unparalleled education, INTA's Annual Meeting has networking around the clock. And you never know who you're going to meet.
At the opening reception last night, I met the attorney from Loeb & Loeb who handles the Green Hornet character. A movie featuring the Green Hornet is in pre-production. Seth Rogen is set to star.
After months of telephone conference calls, I met the leader of our workshop group for INTA's 2010 Annual Meeting in Boston where I will have the privilege of being a faculty member. I will tailor my Write This Way 2.0 workshop for an INTA writing workshop featuring panelists from the Jackson Walker law firm and General Electric.
I chatted with Alan Drewsen, Executive Director of INTA. A couple of weeks ago, I had the unique opportunity to pre-tape an interview with Mr. Drewsen for TV Confidential. The interview will air on a future program.
And I also had a brush with celebrity when I met supermodel turned brand owner Elle Macpherson at the Loeb & Loeb dessert reception. Read today's blog entry at Write This Way 2.0 for more about Ms. Macpherson's Keynote Speech at last night's opening ceremony.
The networking continues tonight. I put together a group of eight people to go to the Mariners vs. Angels game.
Baseball and INTA is a tradition for me. Luckily, I've been able to combine my passion for baseball with my passion for intellectual property.
In 2005, INTA held its Annual Meeting in San Diego. A fellow INTA attendee and I had a steak dinner and went to a Padres game with her mom.
In 2006, we repeated the cycle at INTA's Annual Meeting in Toronto. We went to two Blue Jays games at the Skydome -- one with the roof retracted, one with the roof in service.
In 2007, INTA's Annual Meeting took place in Chicago. The White Sox were in town. The tradition continued.
2008 can be classified as N/A because the Annual Meeting occurred in Berlin, Germany.
And the tradition continues tonight.
Only this time we've extended the group.
Next year, the Annual Meeting is in Boston. My friend, a devoted citizen of Red Sox Nation, hopes the Red Sox will play at home during the 2010 Annual Meeting and allow us to keep pace with our tradition.
While I'm looking forward to the game, I'm also going to miss tonight's Season Finale of 24. Will Kim Bauer escape from the creepy couple at the airport? Will Tony Almeida break under interrogation techniques that he knows about and maybe even helped invent? Will the president's daughter get arrested for her participation in Jonas Hodges' murder?
After four months of not missing an episode this season, I may have to read about the Season Finale on the Internet. Not exactly the same as watching it.
At least that's what I thought until I discovered hulu.com puts episodes of 24 on its site the day after the episodes air. So, I'll be a few hours behind the rest of the world in seeing how Jack Bauer solves his latest crisis. But I'll see it.
The convergence of television and the Internet takes a massive step forward in hulu.com. The site provides television programming with limited commercial interruption. Full-scaled programs, not the clips of ten minutes or less that you see on YouTube.
By the way, hulu.com doesn't just post episodes from current series -- Lost, House, 24. There's also a nice offering of shows from decades past -- Charlie's Angels, The White Shadow.
Will appointment television be a thing of the past because of hulu.com and potential similar sites and business models yet to be created?
Stay tuned.
david@davidkrell.com
Greetings from Seattle! Home of Dr. Frasier Crane, Seattle Grace Hospital, and the 1992 film Singles that inspired the Generation X-themed powerhouse sitcom Friends.
Seattle is also home to the 2009 International Trademark Association's Annual Meeting. Approximately 8,000 trademark owners, attorneys, and branding executives come to the Annual Meeting to discuss their challenges, experiences, and solutions in being the guardians of their respective brands.
Besides providing unparalleled education, INTA's Annual Meeting has networking around the clock. And you never know who you're going to meet.
At the opening reception last night, I met the attorney from Loeb & Loeb who handles the Green Hornet character. A movie featuring the Green Hornet is in pre-production. Seth Rogen is set to star.
After months of telephone conference calls, I met the leader of our workshop group for INTA's 2010 Annual Meeting in Boston where I will have the privilege of being a faculty member. I will tailor my Write This Way 2.0 workshop for an INTA writing workshop featuring panelists from the Jackson Walker law firm and General Electric.
I chatted with Alan Drewsen, Executive Director of INTA. A couple of weeks ago, I had the unique opportunity to pre-tape an interview with Mr. Drewsen for TV Confidential. The interview will air on a future program.
And I also had a brush with celebrity when I met supermodel turned brand owner Elle Macpherson at the Loeb & Loeb dessert reception. Read today's blog entry at Write This Way 2.0 for more about Ms. Macpherson's Keynote Speech at last night's opening ceremony.
The networking continues tonight. I put together a group of eight people to go to the Mariners vs. Angels game.
Baseball and INTA is a tradition for me. Luckily, I've been able to combine my passion for baseball with my passion for intellectual property.
In 2005, INTA held its Annual Meeting in San Diego. A fellow INTA attendee and I had a steak dinner and went to a Padres game with her mom.
In 2006, we repeated the cycle at INTA's Annual Meeting in Toronto. We went to two Blue Jays games at the Skydome -- one with the roof retracted, one with the roof in service.
In 2007, INTA's Annual Meeting took place in Chicago. The White Sox were in town. The tradition continued.
2008 can be classified as N/A because the Annual Meeting occurred in Berlin, Germany.
And the tradition continues tonight.
Only this time we've extended the group.
Next year, the Annual Meeting is in Boston. My friend, a devoted citizen of Red Sox Nation, hopes the Red Sox will play at home during the 2010 Annual Meeting and allow us to keep pace with our tradition.
While I'm looking forward to the game, I'm also going to miss tonight's Season Finale of 24. Will Kim Bauer escape from the creepy couple at the airport? Will Tony Almeida break under interrogation techniques that he knows about and maybe even helped invent? Will the president's daughter get arrested for her participation in Jonas Hodges' murder?
After four months of not missing an episode this season, I may have to read about the Season Finale on the Internet. Not exactly the same as watching it.
At least that's what I thought until I discovered hulu.com puts episodes of 24 on its site the day after the episodes air. So, I'll be a few hours behind the rest of the world in seeing how Jack Bauer solves his latest crisis. But I'll see it.
The convergence of television and the Internet takes a massive step forward in hulu.com. The site provides television programming with limited commercial interruption. Full-scaled programs, not the clips of ten minutes or less that you see on YouTube.
By the way, hulu.com doesn't just post episodes from current series -- Lost, House, 24. There's also a nice offering of shows from decades past -- Charlie's Angels, The White Shadow.
Will appointment television be a thing of the past because of hulu.com and potential similar sites and business models yet to be created?
Stay tuned.