Mary Tyler Moore
Philadelphia TV
November 28, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia returned to FX this fall.
The show about four slackers who run a bar in the City of Brotherly Love derives its comedy from a zany, chaotic, and somewhat nonsensical base.
But it works. And it benefits from veteran actor Danny DeVito playing the father of two of the characters.
Before Sunny rose on FX, Philadelphia served as the setting for other television shows, all of which were short-lived but of solid quality.
Angie aired on ABC in the late 1970’s. This sitcom features a post-Saturday Night Fever Donna Pescow in the title role as working class waitress Angie Falco.
Angie’s paramour was Dr. Brad Benson, member of an old-line, wealthy Philadelphia family. Robert Hays plays Brad.
And before she found fame as Raymond’s mother, Marie Barone, Doris Roberts played Angie’s mom, Theresa Falco.
Angie was a sweet sitcom with likable leads, but despite ABC’s build-up, it did not last more than a couple of seasons.
Neither did The Tony Randall Show, another late 1970’s entry based in Philadelphia. Randall plays Judge Walter O. Franklin in this offering from MTM Productions. Like Mary Tyler Moore, The Tony Randall Show focuses on the home life and work life of its star’s character.
thirtysomething lasted four seasons, from 1987 to 1991. The show’s stories about Philadelphia yuppies in their thirties showed us the true depths of emotions during the time in our lives when we reach adulthood but yearn for our youth.
Shannon’s Deal stars Jamey Sheridan as Philadelphia lawyer Jack Shannon, a former big-time lawyer with a big-time gambling problem. After losing his job and his marriage, Shannon starts over as a solo practitioner.
While Shannon battles the District Attorney, he has a solid support system -- a secretary who works for him in exchange for legal services concerning her boyfriend, a fellow solo practitioner in his office building, and a daughter approaching her teenage years.
Shannon’s Deal was a 1989 pilot. It lasted less than a full season in 1990 on NBC.
The aptly named Philly from Steven Bochco Productions lasted a single season -- 2001-2002.
Philly stars NYPD Blue alumnae Kim Delaney as attorney Kathleen Maguire, a woman trying to balance her work life with a personal life after the ending of her bad marriage to an Assistant District Attorney.
david@davidkrell.com
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia returned to FX this fall.
The show about four slackers who run a bar in the City of Brotherly Love derives its comedy from a zany, chaotic, and somewhat nonsensical base.
But it works. And it benefits from veteran actor Danny DeVito playing the father of two of the characters.
Before Sunny rose on FX, Philadelphia served as the setting for other television shows, all of which were short-lived but of solid quality.
Angie aired on ABC in the late 1970’s. This sitcom features a post-Saturday Night Fever Donna Pescow in the title role as working class waitress Angie Falco.
Angie’s paramour was Dr. Brad Benson, member of an old-line, wealthy Philadelphia family. Robert Hays plays Brad.
And before she found fame as Raymond’s mother, Marie Barone, Doris Roberts played Angie’s mom, Theresa Falco.
Angie was a sweet sitcom with likable leads, but despite ABC’s build-up, it did not last more than a couple of seasons.
Neither did The Tony Randall Show, another late 1970’s entry based in Philadelphia. Randall plays Judge Walter O. Franklin in this offering from MTM Productions. Like Mary Tyler Moore, The Tony Randall Show focuses on the home life and work life of its star’s character.
thirtysomething lasted four seasons, from 1987 to 1991. The show’s stories about Philadelphia yuppies in their thirties showed us the true depths of emotions during the time in our lives when we reach adulthood but yearn for our youth.
Shannon’s Deal stars Jamey Sheridan as Philadelphia lawyer Jack Shannon, a former big-time lawyer with a big-time gambling problem. After losing his job and his marriage, Shannon starts over as a solo practitioner.
While Shannon battles the District Attorney, he has a solid support system -- a secretary who works for him in exchange for legal services concerning her boyfriend, a fellow solo practitioner in his office building, and a daughter approaching her teenage years.
Shannon’s Deal was a 1989 pilot. It lasted less than a full season in 1990 on NBC.
The aptly named Philly from Steven Bochco Productions lasted a single season -- 2001-2002.
Philly stars NYPD Blue alumnae Kim Delaney as attorney Kathleen Maguire, a woman trying to balance her work life with a personal life after the ending of her bad marriage to an Assistant District Attorney.
Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon
November 26, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon is a game that can be played anytime and anywhere by anybody. Perfect light enjoyment for holiday conversation during travel, turkey, or dessert.
The purpose is to connect an actor or actress to Kevin Bacon in six steps or less by using movies as the connectors.
For example, William Holden can be connected in three steps. Holden was in Network with Faye Dunaway. Dunaway was in Chinatown with Jack Nicholson. Nicholson was in A Few Good Men with Kevin Bacon.
Television icons can also be used as starting points because their resumes include movies. Mary Tyler Moore was in Change of Habit with Elvis Presley and Ed Asner. Presley plays a doctor and Asner plays a cop. Asner also plays a cop in Fort Apache, The Bronx with Paul Newman. Newman was in The Road to Perdition with Tom Hanks. Hanks was in Apollo 13 with Kevin Bacon.
Dick Van Dyke was in Mary Poppins with Julie Andrews. Andrews was in 10 with Dudley Moore. Moore was in Arthur with Liza Minelli. Minelli was in New York, New York with Robert de Niro. de Niro was in Sleepers with Kevin Bacon.
Alan Alda was in Same Time, Next Year with Ellen Burstyn. Burstyn was in Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood with Sandra Bullock. Bullock was in Speed with Keanu Reeves. Reeves was in The Devil’s Advocate with Charlize Theron. Theron was in That Thing You Do! with Tom Hanks. Hanks was in Apollo 13 with Kevin Bacon.
Lucille Ball was in Yours, Mine, and Ours with Henry Fonda. Fonda was in Mr. Roberts with Jack Lemmon. Lemmon was in JFK with Kevin Bacon.
Sid Caesar was in Grease with John Travolta. Travolta was in Moment By Moment with Lily Tomlin. Tomlin was in Nine to Five with Dabney Coleman. Coleman was in North Dallas Forty with Nick Nolte. Nolte was in Cape Fear with Robert de Niro. de Niro was in Sleepers with Kevin Bacon.
Bob Hope was in Spies Like Us with Chevy Chase. Chase was in Caddyshack with Rodney Dangerfield. Dangerfield was in Back to School with Sally Kellerman. Kellerman was in M*A*S*H with Tom Skerritt. Skerritt was in Singles with Kyra Sedgwick. And Kyra Sedgwick is married to Kevin Bacon.
david@davidkrell.com
Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon is a game that can be played anytime and anywhere by anybody. Perfect light enjoyment for holiday conversation during travel, turkey, or dessert.
The purpose is to connect an actor or actress to Kevin Bacon in six steps or less by using movies as the connectors.
For example, William Holden can be connected in three steps. Holden was in Network with Faye Dunaway. Dunaway was in Chinatown with Jack Nicholson. Nicholson was in A Few Good Men with Kevin Bacon.
Television icons can also be used as starting points because their resumes include movies. Mary Tyler Moore was in Change of Habit with Elvis Presley and Ed Asner. Presley plays a doctor and Asner plays a cop. Asner also plays a cop in Fort Apache, The Bronx with Paul Newman. Newman was in The Road to Perdition with Tom Hanks. Hanks was in Apollo 13 with Kevin Bacon.
Dick Van Dyke was in Mary Poppins with Julie Andrews. Andrews was in 10 with Dudley Moore. Moore was in Arthur with Liza Minelli. Minelli was in New York, New York with Robert de Niro. de Niro was in Sleepers with Kevin Bacon.
Alan Alda was in Same Time, Next Year with Ellen Burstyn. Burstyn was in Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood with Sandra Bullock. Bullock was in Speed with Keanu Reeves. Reeves was in The Devil’s Advocate with Charlize Theron. Theron was in That Thing You Do! with Tom Hanks. Hanks was in Apollo 13 with Kevin Bacon.
Lucille Ball was in Yours, Mine, and Ours with Henry Fonda. Fonda was in Mr. Roberts with Jack Lemmon. Lemmon was in JFK with Kevin Bacon.
Sid Caesar was in Grease with John Travolta. Travolta was in Moment By Moment with Lily Tomlin. Tomlin was in Nine to Five with Dabney Coleman. Coleman was in North Dallas Forty with Nick Nolte. Nolte was in Cape Fear with Robert de Niro. de Niro was in Sleepers with Kevin Bacon.
Bob Hope was in Spies Like Us with Chevy Chase. Chase was in Caddyshack with Rodney Dangerfield. Dangerfield was in Back to School with Sally Kellerman. Kellerman was in M*A*S*H with Tom Skerritt. Skerritt was in Singles with Kyra Sedgwick. And Kyra Sedgwick is married to Kevin Bacon.
Sixties Sitcom Music
November 17, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
If music be the food of 1960’s television sitcoms, play on.
In the 60’s, the Beatles headed a British invasion across the Atlantic Ocean and inspired sitcom versions of themselves.
We saw the real-life Standells perform I Want To Hold Your Hand on The Munsters.
And who could forget the Bedbugs -- the F Troop answer to the boys from Liverpool.
Gilligan’s Island welcomed the Mosquitoes, known individually as Bingo, Bango, Bongo, and Irving.
On the same episode featuring the Mosquitoes, we saw the girls from Gilligan’s Island transform themselves into the Honeybees. It was an homage to Diana Ross and the Supremes and other members of the girl group genre.
The Beach Boys introduced us to the surfing sound and we heard Jimmy Darren sing Surfing Craze on The Flintstones as Stone Age rock and roller Jimmy Darrock.
The modern Stone Age family embraced rock and roll as a cornerstone of its adventures. By the way, the puns in the previous sentence are intended.
One example is Ann Margret as prehistoric singing sensation Ann Margrock. To the Flintstones and Rubbles, though, she was simply Annie -- Pebbles’ babysitter.
Fred and Barney take Annie under their wing and even bring her into their soft shoe act. They quite a a shocker at the concert when they realize that Annie is really superstar Ann Margrock.
This episode featured Ann Margret’s wonderful rendition of the lullaby The Littlest Lamb and an nergized performance of I Ain’t Gonna Be Your Fool No More.
Another family sitcom benefited from the musical talents of its stars -- The Dick Van Dyke Show. This program frequently featured title star Dick Van Dyke and co-star Mary Tyler Moore dancing and singing.
She, of the 50,000 watt smile, Capri pants, and famous cry Oh Rob! The whole cast got into the act during the only Christmas themed episode -- The Alan Brady Show Presents. For those who need a reminder, Dick Van Dyke’s character -- Rob Petrie -- is Head Writer for The Alan Brady Show, a network television variety program.
The premise was simple. In a show within a show, Alan Brady gives his staff a chance to perform during his Christmas show. Larry Matthews (Richie Petrie) sings The Little Drummer Boy.
Another scene features Rob Petrie, Laura Petrie, Buddy Sorrell, Sally Rogers, and Mel Cooley sing an old favorite -- I Am A Fine Musician.
The characters are played respectively by Dick Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore, Morey Amsterdam, Rose Marie, and Richard Deacon.
The Dick Van Dyke Show also gave us its version of the Twist -- the Twizzle. It’s a song and dance made popular at a local bowling alley by Randy Twizzle (Jerry Lanning).
Apparently, Rob Petrie also dabbled in writing songs along with writing comedy. When he hears a certain song on the radio, he claims that he co-wrote the song -- Bupkis. Bupkis is a Yiddish term with a not so family friendly translation. In family friendly terms, Bupkis is a lot of nothing. The song’s lyrics reflect that definition.
david@davidkrell.com
If music be the food of 1960’s television sitcoms, play on.
In the 60’s, the Beatles headed a British invasion across the Atlantic Ocean and inspired sitcom versions of themselves.
We saw the real-life Standells perform I Want To Hold Your Hand on The Munsters.
And who could forget the Bedbugs -- the F Troop answer to the boys from Liverpool.
Gilligan’s Island welcomed the Mosquitoes, known individually as Bingo, Bango, Bongo, and Irving.
On the same episode featuring the Mosquitoes, we saw the girls from Gilligan’s Island transform themselves into the Honeybees. It was an homage to Diana Ross and the Supremes and other members of the girl group genre.
The Beach Boys introduced us to the surfing sound and we heard Jimmy Darren sing Surfing Craze on The Flintstones as Stone Age rock and roller Jimmy Darrock.
The modern Stone Age family embraced rock and roll as a cornerstone of its adventures. By the way, the puns in the previous sentence are intended.
One example is Ann Margret as prehistoric singing sensation Ann Margrock. To the Flintstones and Rubbles, though, she was simply Annie -- Pebbles’ babysitter.
Fred and Barney take Annie under their wing and even bring her into their soft shoe act. They quite a a shocker at the concert when they realize that Annie is really superstar Ann Margrock.
This episode featured Ann Margret’s wonderful rendition of the lullaby The Littlest Lamb and an nergized performance of I Ain’t Gonna Be Your Fool No More.
Another family sitcom benefited from the musical talents of its stars -- The Dick Van Dyke Show. This program frequently featured title star Dick Van Dyke and co-star Mary Tyler Moore dancing and singing.
She, of the 50,000 watt smile, Capri pants, and famous cry Oh Rob! The whole cast got into the act during the only Christmas themed episode -- The Alan Brady Show Presents. For those who need a reminder, Dick Van Dyke’s character -- Rob Petrie -- is Head Writer for The Alan Brady Show, a network television variety program.
The premise was simple. In a show within a show, Alan Brady gives his staff a chance to perform during his Christmas show. Larry Matthews (Richie Petrie) sings The Little Drummer Boy.
Another scene features Rob Petrie, Laura Petrie, Buddy Sorrell, Sally Rogers, and Mel Cooley sing an old favorite -- I Am A Fine Musician.
The characters are played respectively by Dick Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore, Morey Amsterdam, Rose Marie, and Richard Deacon.
The Dick Van Dyke Show also gave us its version of the Twist -- the Twizzle. It’s a song and dance made popular at a local bowling alley by Randy Twizzle (Jerry Lanning).
Apparently, Rob Petrie also dabbled in writing songs along with writing comedy. When he hears a certain song on the radio, he claims that he co-wrote the song -- Bupkis. Bupkis is a Yiddish term with a not so family friendly translation. In family friendly terms, Bupkis is a lot of nothing. The song’s lyrics reflect that definition.
The Official Dick Van Dyke Show Book
October 23, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
From 1961 to 1966, America watched the adventures and misadventures of a television comedy writer at work and at home.
The Dick Van Dyke Show broke ground as the first sitcom to regularly show the father’s workplace as a significant part of the show. The workplace was the writers’ room for The Alan Brady Show. It also provided a rich source for story lines.
In 1994, Vince Waldron wrote the definitive book about the program -- The Official Dick Van Dyke Show Book.
It’s a terrific resource.
The episode guide has the following information -- episode titles, air dates, guest stars and their respective characters, writers, directors, and story synopses.
In addition, Waldron details Carl Reiner’s pilot -- Head of the Family. It was the progenitor of The Dick Van Dyke Show.
Head of the Family aired on CBS on July 19, 1960 with Carl Reiner in the lead role of Rob Petrie.
Reiner tweaked his creation and it became The Dick Van Dyke Show.
Waldron also plunges into other parts of the show’s history.
The casting of Mary Tyler Moore as Laura Petrie.
The brink of cancellation because of sponsor Procter & Gamble almost pulling its sponsorship.
The effect of the John Kennedy assassination on the show’s production schedule, not to mention the emotions of the cast and production staff.
Waldron also describes the background, history, and production of key episodes. One example is It May Look Like A Walnut, a takeoff on The Twilight Zone.
The Dick Van Dyke Show was successful largely because of Carl Reiner’s devotion to reality. In the chapter Playing To An Empty House, writer Jerry Belson tells Waldron about Reiner’s commitment to finding realies.
He was always saying, “We need more realies! Give me more realies!” Carl would ask us, “How do you use that rubber thing on the end of a toothbrush? Well, put that in the show!” Carl didn’t care about funny, he wanted realies. If you sat down with Carl, instead of saying, “What’s funny?” he would sit you down and say, “Okay, what happened to you this week? What’d you fight with your wife about?” And those things that happened to you were the realies that Carl wanted. And so we were always searching for more realies.
The Dick Van Dyke Show aired 158 episodes in black and white. Was color given serious thought? Waldron explains in a footnote in the chapter Curtain Calls.
Although Reiner chose not to heed his executive producer’s [Sheldon Leonard] advice to keep the series on the air, Reiner insists that both he and Sheldon Leonard had given serious thought to filming The Dick Van Dyke Show in color as early as the show’s third season. But, says Reiner, the plan was quickly abandoned as soon as they discovered that filming the show in the more expensive color process would have added about seven thousand dollars to their weekly budget. “It didn’t seem to make any sense at the time,” explains the producer. “There was no big argument. It was like, ‘What do we do? It’ll cost us seven thousand dollars a week more to go to color.’ ‘Oh. Well, in that case, let’s not.’”
For a fan of television sitcoms in general and The Dick Van Dyke Show in particular, The Official Dick Van Dyke Show Book by Vince Waldron is a fine addition to the bookshelf.
david@davidkrell.com
From 1961 to 1966, America watched the adventures and misadventures of a television comedy writer at work and at home.
The Dick Van Dyke Show broke ground as the first sitcom to regularly show the father’s workplace as a significant part of the show. The workplace was the writers’ room for The Alan Brady Show. It also provided a rich source for story lines.
In 1994, Vince Waldron wrote the definitive book about the program -- The Official Dick Van Dyke Show Book.
It’s a terrific resource.
The episode guide has the following information -- episode titles, air dates, guest stars and their respective characters, writers, directors, and story synopses.
In addition, Waldron details Carl Reiner’s pilot -- Head of the Family. It was the progenitor of The Dick Van Dyke Show.
Head of the Family aired on CBS on July 19, 1960 with Carl Reiner in the lead role of Rob Petrie.
Reiner tweaked his creation and it became The Dick Van Dyke Show.
Waldron also plunges into other parts of the show’s history.
The casting of Mary Tyler Moore as Laura Petrie.
The brink of cancellation because of sponsor Procter & Gamble almost pulling its sponsorship.
The effect of the John Kennedy assassination on the show’s production schedule, not to mention the emotions of the cast and production staff.
Waldron also describes the background, history, and production of key episodes. One example is It May Look Like A Walnut, a takeoff on The Twilight Zone.
The Dick Van Dyke Show was successful largely because of Carl Reiner’s devotion to reality. In the chapter Playing To An Empty House, writer Jerry Belson tells Waldron about Reiner’s commitment to finding realies.
He was always saying, “We need more realies! Give me more realies!” Carl would ask us, “How do you use that rubber thing on the end of a toothbrush? Well, put that in the show!” Carl didn’t care about funny, he wanted realies. If you sat down with Carl, instead of saying, “What’s funny?” he would sit you down and say, “Okay, what happened to you this week? What’d you fight with your wife about?” And those things that happened to you were the realies that Carl wanted. And so we were always searching for more realies.
The Dick Van Dyke Show aired 158 episodes in black and white. Was color given serious thought? Waldron explains in a footnote in the chapter Curtain Calls.
Although Reiner chose not to heed his executive producer’s [Sheldon Leonard] advice to keep the series on the air, Reiner insists that both he and Sheldon Leonard had given serious thought to filming The Dick Van Dyke Show in color as early as the show’s third season. But, says Reiner, the plan was quickly abandoned as soon as they discovered that filming the show in the more expensive color process would have added about seven thousand dollars to their weekly budget. “It didn’t seem to make any sense at the time,” explains the producer. “There was no big argument. It was like, ‘What do we do? It’ll cost us seven thousand dollars a week more to go to color.’ ‘Oh. Well, in that case, let’s not.’”
For a fan of television sitcoms in general and The Dick Van Dyke Show in particular, The Official Dick Van Dyke Show Book by Vince Waldron is a fine addition to the bookshelf.
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.
Farewell, Bea Arthur
April 26, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
Yesterday, the entertainment world lost an icon -- Bea Arthur passed away at the age of 86.
Bea Arthur broke ground, shattered ceilings, and dominated the airwaves as Maude Findlay in the 1970's.
She debuted Maude in the Cousin Maude's Visit episode of All in the Family. Where Archie Bunker was reactive, conservative, and expressive, Maude was deliberate, liberal, and calm. At least calmer than Archie.
The episode originally aired on December 11, 1971. By that time, Archie Bunker was firmly entrenched as a popular culture icon. All in the Family had been on the air for a little under a year. And Archie dominated his household at 704 Hauser Street in the face of loyal opposition from son-in-law Mike and daughter Gloria. But Maude matched Archie evenly where Archie's kin failed.
When Bea Arthur got her own show in 1972, the political legacy begun by All in the Family continued. Like its progenitor, Maude went to the core of hot-button issues -- alcoholism, abortion, menopause, drug use, suicide, bankruptcy, adultery, nervous breakdowns. Maude was set in the comfortable village of Tuckahoe in Westchester County, New York. Where All in the Family was working class, Maude was business class.
Women have been television icons since and before Maude. We loved Lucy. We believed Mary might just make it after all. And we saw Farrah capture America's fascination with a toothy smile, flowing hair, and hormone-igniting poster.
But Bea Arthur's Maude was the first female character to take on issues of the day with an unfailing certainty of correctness. But certainty sometimes gave way to self-doubt when Maude questioned her original point of view. In Maude's Dilemma, the landmark two-part episode about abortion, Maude deeply struggled with the question of whether to give birth at the age of 47 or have an abortion. The limousine liberal from Tuckahoe faced a massive decision fraught with guilt, emotional pressure, and continuing doubt no matter the ultimate decision. Maude and her husband Walter decided that 47 is not the proper age to start raising another child.
The show's theme song lyrics end with a perfect summary of Maude: That old compromisin', enterprisin', anything but tranquilizing, right on Maude!
david@davidkrell.com
Yesterday, the entertainment world lost an icon -- Bea Arthur passed away at the age of 86.
Bea Arthur broke ground, shattered ceilings, and dominated the airwaves as Maude Findlay in the 1970's.
She debuted Maude in the Cousin Maude's Visit episode of All in the Family. Where Archie Bunker was reactive, conservative, and expressive, Maude was deliberate, liberal, and calm. At least calmer than Archie.
The episode originally aired on December 11, 1971. By that time, Archie Bunker was firmly entrenched as a popular culture icon. All in the Family had been on the air for a little under a year. And Archie dominated his household at 704 Hauser Street in the face of loyal opposition from son-in-law Mike and daughter Gloria. But Maude matched Archie evenly where Archie's kin failed.
When Bea Arthur got her own show in 1972, the political legacy begun by All in the Family continued. Like its progenitor, Maude went to the core of hot-button issues -- alcoholism, abortion, menopause, drug use, suicide, bankruptcy, adultery, nervous breakdowns. Maude was set in the comfortable village of Tuckahoe in Westchester County, New York. Where All in the Family was working class, Maude was business class.
Women have been television icons since and before Maude. We loved Lucy. We believed Mary might just make it after all. And we saw Farrah capture America's fascination with a toothy smile, flowing hair, and hormone-igniting poster.
But Bea Arthur's Maude was the first female character to take on issues of the day with an unfailing certainty of correctness. But certainty sometimes gave way to self-doubt when Maude questioned her original point of view. In Maude's Dilemma, the landmark two-part episode about abortion, Maude deeply struggled with the question of whether to give birth at the age of 47 or have an abortion. The limousine liberal from Tuckahoe faced a massive decision fraught with guilt, emotional pressure, and continuing doubt no matter the ultimate decision. Maude and her husband Walter decided that 47 is not the proper age to start raising another child.
The show's theme song lyrics end with a perfect summary of Maude: That old compromisin', enterprisin', anything but tranquilizing, right on Maude!