DAY 50: Soap

Series Run : 1977-1981

85 episodes

Network: ABC

Series Premise (as far as I can tell):

Story of 2 sisters: Jessica Tate and Mary Campbell

Episode Watched: Episode 18 (Season 2)

Episode Summary:  Jessica falls for Detective Donahue, Burt confronts Sally, and Danny meets Jodie’s new roommate.

My Thoughts: Unfortunately YouTube pulled down the episode I watched, so in its place I have  put one of the funniest clips I remember from this show. I have a long history with this show, as it was one of the first that I helped my dad to record every episode of, when it was re-running late at night on a local tv station. At the time I had no idea how risqué this series was and how controversial it was. Its depiction of sex, affairs, murder, and an openly gay character ruffled many feathers of the day. Watching now it may seem tame, but at the time it was quite a lightning rod for the network and the creators. Besides being a quality show, which did a great job of moving between serious and hysterical storylines, this entry also spawned another long running sitcom, Benson. The actors are also a who’s who list of folks that went on to star in other long running sitcoms (WKRP, Who’s the Boss, Benson, Empty Nest, Blossom) to name a few. Billy Crystal is in the cast as an openly gay fellow, a portrayal that at first is over-the-top but becomes incredibly complex and layered as the series goes on. While some may still feel the content is still too controversial for them, I still find this show extremely funny and topical, even today. Give it a watch so you can judge for yourself!

Memorable Quotes:

“I could have an affair only if he was blindfolded!”-Mary

“Burt comes in my room in the middle of the night, shakes my bed until I fall out, then says ‘You couldn’t sleep either?'”- Danny

“You want me to get that?”– Benson

Acting Notables:

Billy Crystal- Jodie

Ted Wass- Danny

Richard Mulligan- Burt

Katherine Helmond- Jessica

Tomorrow: ABC Family tackles an unplanned pregnancy

DAY 49: Date With the Angels

Series Run : 1957-1958

33 episodes

Network: ABC

Series Premise (as far as I can tell):

Newlyweds Vickie and Gus go on social outings with friends

Episode Watched: Starstruck (Season 1)

Episode Summary:  Vickie keeps having encounters with superstars, first at the Brown Derby then at her house, but no one believes her.

My Thoughts: As a child of the 1980’s it is fascinating to watch these shows from the early days of television. The copy of this show was so good, it includes the stars introducing the show, and the interlude performance, spouting the glories of show sponsor, Plymouth. It is interesting to see how we evolved into the broadcast tv that we see today. The other standout in this particular show, is for the first time ever, I see a young Betty White, someone who I really just know from Golden Girls and perhaps a little bit of the Mary Tyler Moore Show. Betty White is quite the leading lady here, playing a young newlywed who gets acknowledged by Liberace at the Brown Derby, and then, wait for it…… Dennis Day at the house!!!!! If you are like me you didn’t know who Dennis Day was, but the studio audience certainly did, and he must have been quite the star during the late 50’s, so much so most of the episode is him and Betty having a chat in her living room that concludes with them singing a duet to Dennis’ yet to be released song. There is some attempts at tying up this Dennis Day publicity spot with a plot involving her husband and friends thinking she is crazy, but this show was more about getting Dennis Day to sell records and perhaps trying to break Betty White into the singing business. I doubt all episodes of this show followed this guest star formula, but the Angel’s are a fun, charismatic couple that I could easily see folks stopping by each week to see who they are dining with that night. If you don’t feel like watching the whole show, I highly recommend watching the Busby Berkley Inspired performance about Plymouth during the shows intermission, such a shame we don’t do live commercials anymore… 

Memorable Quotes:

“Honey I was sitting right here and if he said hello, then I’m Donald Duck!”-Gus

“Nothing personal but my wife wouldn’t want me carrying on with a married woman”- Dennis

“They’re not people. They’re Wilma and George!”– Gus

Acting Notables:

Betty White- Vickie

Bill Williams- Gus

Dennis Day- Himself

Liberace- Himself

Tomorrow: Controversial trendsetter with an allstar cast

DAY 48: Love, Inc

Series Run : 2005-2006

22 episodes

Network: UPN

Series Premise (as far as I can tell):

The lives of the women who run a dating service company

Episode Watched: Full House (Season 1)

Episode Summary:  Viviana needs to pass a social studies test to stay in the country, leading to an intelligence fight between Denise and Francine. Meanwhile, Clea accompanies Barry to the city poker tournament.

My Thoughts: God bless UPN and its attempts at sitcoms as they tried to start their network! This show is notable for three reasons: 1. Holly Robinson Peete, of 21 jumpstreet and former NFL quarterback wife fame, is the star. 2. The show’s leads were all women, and women of different minority backgrounds. 3. All the episodes titles were names of past tv shows/sitcoms.  As for the relative watchability of the show, sadly it is in the realm of average. I commend the network for such a diverse group of women, but what could have been an edgier update of designing women devolves into stereotyping of the catfights between women. That isn’t to say I didn’t laugh a couple of times during this viewing, I did, but nothing memorable, and nothing that makes me want to start a petition demanding the return of this gem to the airwaves. The sequence in this episode involving the poker tournament is painfully awkward to watch and very juvenile in its portrayal of poker ‘tells’. Alas my dear readers, you could watch this and think of what could have been, or you could just ignore it, as it would seem most people did.

Memorable Quotes:

” Excuse me, but crosswords are the thinking man’s pinball”-Denise

“Did you study the Civil War? Who won that one?”- Denise  “America.” – Viviana

“What the hell?! You folded faster than my sofa bed!”– Clea

Acting Notables:

Busy Philipps – Denise

Reagan Gomez-Peterson- Francine

Holly Robinson Peete- Clea

Vince Vielue- Barry

Tomorrow: Betty White was quite the looker in the 50’s

DAY 47: Bread

Series Run : 1986-1991

74 episodes

Network: BBC

Series Premise (as far as I can tell):

Woman and her adult children trying to get by after her husband leaves them

Episode Watched: Episode 4 (Season 1)

Episode Summary:  Joey confronts his father over stealing the family’s money, Aveline is propositioned to do topless photos for cash, and the youngest son tries to impress a girl.

 My Thoughts: Probably the strangest entry from the BBC thus far, but clearly this show was liked as it lasted quite some time for a series from the U.K. Took me a while to figure out exactly what this show was about, or even compare it to any sitcom I have seen. It seems to tell the story of a mom with her adult kids who go out to find ways to earn money that they then put into a jar for the good of keeping the “family” afloat. I was never quite certain what the kids did, nor why it seemed they were so hard up for cash as the mom didn’t require them to put all the money earned into the communal pot. In this episode we learn the estranged father showed back up and promptly stole the money from the communal jar, which led to a plotline in this show where Joey, the eldest kid, confronting his dad about it. It plays a lot like a family drama, but at the end of each scene there is some big laugh line or act that illicit a laugh track. It is filmed on location somewhere in the U.K. with a lot of outdoor scenes. The characters and actors are interesting enough, and the show isn’t bad, I am just left a little confused at what they were trying to accomplish.

Memorable Quotes:

“I’m doing a couture, not a documentary on puffer fish” -Photographer

“You didn’t need us, you had ‘lie low Lil'”- Joey

Acting Notables:

Victor Mcguire- Jack

Gilly Coman- Aveline

Jonathon Morris- Adrian

Tomorrow: Holly Robinson Peete returns to the small screen

DAY 46: Titus

Series Run : 2000-2002

54 episodes

Network: FOX

Series Premise (as far as I can tell):

The Life of Comedian Christopher Titus

Episode Watched: DeProgramming Erin (Season 1)

Episode Summary:  Christopher enlists his family and friends to kidnap his girlfriend Erin and convince her to move back in with him.

My Thoughts: A funny thing happened on my way to writing a scathing review of this show….I ended up liking it. For the first 7-8 minutes of this episode, I was appalled at the substance abuse subject matter that was being handled so frivolously, it was jarring the way Titus would interrupt the show and wax philosophic in a black and white dimly lit room, and more importantly I wasn’t laughing. The plot involves a recently sober Titus kidnapping his girlfriend from her parents house, a house full of drug addicts, thieves and psychopaths. Laughing was not first and foremost on my mind. And then it happened, as we approached the second half of the show things started to pay off, and what at first was uncomfortable to watch now became somewhat poignant and funny. It happens about the time Stacy Keach shows up on-screen (weird, I know). Then for the second half of the show, I found myself actually caring about the outcome, I found myself rooting for Titus, and the black & white interludes were now an important aside to the audience. I was shocked at how this show turned me, but the reality is, if I wasnt doing this blog, I would have never made it to minute 9, let alone minute 5 , and that perhaps is what ultimately doomed this show. From what I understand it made a habit of discussing very tough social issues and the controversy didn’t play well with passer-by audiences and ultimately with sponsors. This show was praised by critics, but again, it’s probably because they were forced to sit through entire episodes, which allowed them to reach the same conclusion I had. I’m 45 days in and I have seen some shows that have exceeded my expectations, but this is the first one that changed my opinion so severely from minute one to minute 22. Subject matter isn’t for everyone, but if you can handle it I say give it a full look and you may just find yourself liking it in the end.   Oh, and if you are a fan of Libby from Lost (Hurley’s GF), then you may like this, she plays Titus’ girlfriend.

Memorable Quotes:

“You do not take drugs! You buy your own!” -Erin

“I broke up with a woman made out of hay for you!” –Chris

“Water is wet, fire is hot, and women leave men”– Ken

“You were my white knight!” – Erin  “I’m just a white guy.” – Chris

Acting Notables:

Christopher Titus- Chris

Cynthia Watros- Erin (Chris’ girlfriend)

Stacy Keach- Ken (Chris’ Dad)

Tomorrow: A British family tries to pay the bills

DAY 45: Shasta McNasty

Series Run : 1999-2000

22 episodes

Network: UPN

Series Premise (as far as I can tell):

Struggling pseudo Rap group trying to hit it big

Episode Watched: The F Word (Season 1)

Episode Summary:  The band is trying to find inspiration for a song to be used in a movie when Scott’s ex girlfriend is discovered by Dennis while he’s shopping for Valentine gifts.

My Thoughts: Happy Valentine’s day everybody! The wheel of sitcoms landed on this odd offering from the UPN network and their Valentine themed episode happened to be called “The F Word”, so that is what I watched. I admit I was looking forward to this entry just based on the title alone (later shortened to “Shasta” for the last 10 episodes). What I found was a strange, rather unfunny show starring Gary Busey’s son and mini-me from Austin Powers. It seems to be a derivative of the movie Reality Bites, as well as a precursor to what we see on the current show, New Girl. It also tries to main stream rap music and it fails miserably in that regard.  The show follows a down on their luck pseudo-rap trio who live in a run down apartment in Venice Beach and share a living area with a young ad agency worker, who happens to be in love with the lead singer of the group. Jake Busey is the big name of the cast and he plays the loveable screwup of the group, the top billed star plays Scott who is the angst filled artist of the team, and then you have your token black member, who happens to also have the most common sense of the lot. It’s an odd compilation of scenes with no real sense of story or comedy. In this episode, Scott’s ex shows back up and the guys and the ad exec try to keep them apart, only to fail at the end. I think I laughed once. Oh, did I fail to mention they sort of work at a bar that is owned by mini me? From what I have read this show was mostly known fo its vulgarity and crude subject matter, which I did not see on display at all in the episode I watched. More puzzling to me is the large number of D List guest stars that show up in the episode list, folks like Gary Coleman, Erik Estrada, Gary Busey, Cindy Margolis and Ben Stein. I can only assume UPN threw a lot of cash at these ‘stars’ in hopes of boosting the ratings. Its a show which mimics the network and era it was broadcast, both trying to find an identity in the new millennium.

Memorable Quotes:

“200 dollars a bottle! That’s more than we paid for our car!” -Dennis

Acting Notables:

Jake Busey- Dennis

Verne Troyer- Verne

Carmine Giovinazzo- Scott

Tomorrow: A show which I wanted to hate

DAY 44: The Van Dyke Show

Series Run : 1988

10 episodes

Network: CBS

Series Premise (as far as I can tell):

Dick Van Dyke’s son, Barry, was given his own show

Episode Watched: Death Can Be Catching (Season 1)

Episode Summary:  Doc, the stagehand, feels underappreciated so he fakes a heart attack to get time off of work. Unfortunately, Matt feels guilty and insists he stays at his house, leading to complications in the ruse.

 My Thoughts: This show is very difficult to find, and as a result I watched about 90% of this episode, as it was all that’s available. All you should need to know, is that I found the Australian commercials much more intriguing than the show itself. Alas, there is nothing terribly wrong with this show, the production values are fine, the cast is competent, and the setting is similar to a handful of shows that were on at the time. In the end though, Dick Van Dyke’s name wasnt enough to bring viewers in, as somewhere along the line the show had to be funny, which it is not. Everyone is trying very hard to be funny, but it just doesn’t work. Perhaps there was a backlash against the younger Van Dyke, Barry, and people thought he didn’t deserve a show centered around him? Or maybe folks couldn’t handle a white-haired Dick Van Dyke running around in a velour track suit for the majority of episodes. In any case, I had no idea this show existed, furthermore that this was the 3rd sitcom Dick had attempted, with another Dick Van Dyke show in the late 70’s/early 80’s, which I am sure we will get to discuss before this year is over. Only benefits to watching this is to admire those wacky Australian commercials, or for Newsradio and ER fans to treat themselves to an early outing by Maura Tierney.

Memorable Quotes:

“Are burgers supposed to make sound when you bite into them?”-Eric

“It doesn’t keep good time and it gives me a rash, I hope you like it”- Doc

Acting Notables:

Dick Van Dyke- Dick

Barry Van Dyke- Matt

Kari Lizer- Kris

Maura Tierney- Jillian

Whitman Mayo- Doc

Tomorrow: A show from the fledgling UPN network

DAY 43: Cheers

Series Run : 1982-1993

270 episodes

Network: NBC

Series Premise (as far as I can tell):

The antics of the employees and patrons of a Boston bar

Episode Watched: Wedding Bell Blues (Season 9)

Episode Summary:  Rebecca is getting married to Robin Colcort, despite telling Sam she doesn’t love him. Sam sets out to make sure she doesn’t go through with it.

My Thoughts: The closest I have gotten to watching an episode of Cheers since it went off the air was playing the rather depressing Cheers-themed slot machines in Las Vegas. It was a show for me that lacked the desire to re-watch. I am here to say I was very wrong, as time has been kind to this series, and after seeing this episode, it has rekindled that desire to visit this bar again. Cheers for me breaks into two distinct eras, the Sam-centric era, where the show was driven mostly by the Sam and Diane romance, the second era, which to me is far more enjoyable, is the screwball era, where the show revolves around all the characters in the ensemble and their wacky lives and interaction. This second era, began after Diane left in season 3/4 and lasted until the end of the series. The screwball humor is on display in this entry, where we see Rebecca’s wedding to Robin Colcort, and our favorite bar-goers try to behave themselves in a church setting. The wedding is disastrous in many ways, and all the personality flaws of our favorite characters are on display. I was very surprised at my enjoyment watching this and how well it has aged. I urge all of you to take a second look when you have a chance, but DO NOT play the slot machines, they don’t pay well, and the music makes the experience rather depressing.

Memorable Quotes:

“Ordinarily Sam, people don’t deal with depression by putting on a wedding dress and acting giddy.” -Lilith

“Miss Howe, I didn’t find the garter in your car, but I found these jumper cables”- Woody

“I thought he was bluffing Sam”– Rebecca

Acting Notables:

Ted Danson- Sam

Woody Harrelson- Woody

George Wendt- Norm

Rhea Perlman- Carla

Tomorrow: Dick Van Dyke’s 3rd sitcom

DAY 42: Complete Savages

Series Run : 2004-2005

20 episodes

Network: ABC

Series Premise (as far as I can tell):

Divorced father trying to raise 5 sons

http://www.veoh.com/watch/v20319390XsewW3B8

Episode Watched: Pilot (Season 1)

Episode Summary:  Nick tries to teach the kids responsibility by refusing to hire a housekeeper. The kids rebel by refusing to clean up anything.

My Thoughts: There was a time where Mel Gibson was an absolute megastar. Beloved by millions, adored by the masses, he had the midas touch. People flocked to anything and everything he did. In 2004, ABC did just that and greenlit this show that Mel created, produced, directed the pilot and even made some cameos in later episodes. The series starred Keith Carradine, brother of kung fu master David, and if my recollection is correct was known more for creepy, dramatic roles then his comedy chops. But I digress, this show presents us with a hard-working divorced dad who has his 5 boys, aged 12 through their early 20’s, each of which has their own personality quirk. It’s a combination of the kids personality quirks, coupled with Carradine’s “straight man” that is where the laughs come from. Now to say this is a funny show is not exactly true, it depends on what you find funny. Some of the kids are funny, others are downright rude, and the male chauvinism that permeates just below the surface of this episode gives us an eerie sign of what was to come from our hero, Mel. I wish I coud tell you that one of the kids went on to star in something memorable, or that they have a recognizable name, but they don’t. I also understand that Betty White was a semi-regular in later episodes as their crotchety “old lady” neighbor, which I am sure gave this family more chances to offend the finer sex.  This is a strange show, and an odd watch, made that much more strange when you add in the time it was made as it relates to the height of the Mel Gibson phenomenon. In that sense the show is watchable, but without that little factoid, this would not be worth a second look.

 Memorable Quotes:

“Nobody’s going gay, I didn’t go gay after your mother left, and it wasnt for lack of offers.” -Nick

“You have to be willing to risk a ‘no’, if you’re ever going to get a ‘yes'”- Nick

“The important thing is I got what I wanted”– Nick

Acting Notables:

Keith Carradine- Nick

Tomorrow: An 80’s icon that has aged quite well

DAY 41: The Beverly Hillbillies

Series Run : 1962-1971

274 episodes

Network: CBS

Series Premise (as far as I can tell):

Backwoods family gets rich, moves to California

Episode Watched: The Trotting Horse (Season 4)

Episode Summary:  Mr. Drysdale buys the Clampetts a race horse, Granny thinks the race horse is for her to use to run errands because she doesn’t drive a car.

My Thoughts: Mindless fun. That would be the idea behind this show. For 9 years and 274 episodes viewers tuned in to watch the antics of the Clampetts, trying to understand this wacky place called California. This show is about as deep as the oil that happened to be under Jed’s cabin. I believe most people know this show and have come across it in one way or another, and for the first time I think I have found a show where all the episodes essentially have the same plot. Each show starts with the Clampetts confused about something in the Beverly Hills culture, Mr. Drysdale mis-interprets their discussion and takes some action, and then we get a payoff of laughs when the Clampetts and Drysdale come together. Sure they hide this plot behind the focus on individual characters, but rest assured you know exactly what you are going to get week to week. I suppose that is why it lasted so long, there is some comfort in having shows where you know exactly what you are going to see week to week, and if you enjoy the actors, or relate to the characters, I guess there is nothing wrong with it. The good news for those of you with little time on your hands, if you watch one episode of Beverly Hillbillies, know that you can be confident that you have seen all 274 of them.

Memorable Quotes:

“That’s what I need! A high-stepping trotter with a shiny buggy.” -Granny

“I sure am gettin’ a lot of kisses that ain’t rightly mine”- Jed

“I won some money at a park once, shooting them ducks as they went by”– Jethro

Acting Notables:

Buddy Ebsen- Jed

Irene Ryan- Granny

Donna Douglas- Ellie May

Max Baer, Jr- Jethro

Tomorrow: A Mel Gibson Produced & Directed relic