Top Ten #361: Special "Been doing this list for 5 years" edition

1) July 4 weekend: We hope everyone in the States is enjoying the holiday. I just enjoy a chance to bring out Uncle Sam Magoo again.

2) Check It Out!: What better way for me to celebrate last week's Canada Day than to begin watching the episodes on this DVD set my co-conspirator Mike got me?

3) Murder, She Wrote: The series is having a moment, what with astonishing news (The show is now out on Blu Ray--the entire series!), good news (You can now stream the series free on Tubi), and bad news (Peacock, which had MSW since launch, dropped it this month).

4) Casey Kasem: Laurie and I have discovered the I Heart Radio app's American Top 40 livestream, which runs the old radio episodes from the Seventies and Eighties and runs them--get this--without commercials!

5) The Twilight Zone: Thanks to years of tradition, many of us associate this classic with the Fourth of July. Eeeeerie!

Actually, no, it's easily explainable by all the marathons. But it's at least a little odd!

6) Joey and Dad: 50 years ago tonight, this variety show premiered as a summer replacement for Cher. In this episode, Joey Heatherton and her dad Ray welcomed guest stars like Gary Burghoff and the Captain and Tennille, along with regulars Pat Paulsen and Henny Youngman.

Now, Ray Heatherton was a seasoned showbiz pro, but how many people do you think tuned in for "Dad"?

7) National Fried Chicken Day:

8) Burt Ward: Happy 80th!

9) ALF: Shout! TV has a marathon of the series this weekend. As if cats didn't have enough to stress them out with all the fireworks.

10) R.I.P. Michael Madsen:

Top Ten #360

1) The Podcast: Hey, we're still on our between-seasons break, but we aren't going anywhere. Well, I'm going to the pool, but we will be back with a nice, long season eventually!

2) The Bradys: I'm not saying you have to watch this 1990s CBS revival. I'm not saying you should. I'm not even saying--Wait, what am I saying? I'm saying I did. I'm saying I loved it. But this is a personal choice, and I cannot recommend others do so.

3) Board Games: In our Facebook group this week, I shared a couple of cool recent purchases, both TV-related board games!

No plans yet, but if we organize a Dad's Army tournament, you'll be the first to know.

4) Spirit of Excellence: 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games: 40 years ago today, ESPN aired this program--according to The New York Times, "A rerun of that glorious opening spectacle." What about the glorious closing spectacle? I mean, it had Lionel Richie, breakdancing, and a space alien!

5) Superman: Laurie and I have our tickets for the new movie, and we just hope it's a good one. No superhero movie can exceed this one in my heart, though:

6) National Camera Day: Sounds like an excuse to see our old pal Jim Garner again.

7) Three's a Crowd: Antenna TV had a marathon of the series today because--Well, hey, who needs a reason to do a Three's a Crowd marathon, huh?

8) Hal Holbrook: The great Ron Chernow has done it again, creating a huge acclaimed biography of the great performer. I hope he delves into The Senator.

9) Gary Busey: Happy birthday to the one-time star of The Texas Wheelers (and guest on Dan August). I have a feeling if he doesn't like your present, he punches you.

10) R.I.P.: Bobby Sherman, Joe Marinelli, Lynn Hamilton, Lalo Schiffrin, Bill Moyers, Rick Hurst:

John Tesh's other fantastic NBC Sports theme: "Gridiron Dreams"

A few weeks ago, I wrote about John Tesh's "Roundball Rock" and how I was ready to move on from it. Don't get me wrong, I love the iconic NBA on NBC theme, but I wanted to show some love to the fab NBA Game of the Week theme ABC used in the Seventies.

Well, to show there are no hard feelings, I want to tout a Tesh composition that doesn't get the same kind of love: His dynamic song for the NBC's NFL coverage. Here's a nice clean copy of "Gridiron Dreams." This is electric!

And, yes, I chose that upload because of the shot of Tesh with the shades and backwards cap.

Here's a sample of it as aired on NBC: The opening to the 1989 AFC Championship:

Enberg, Tesh, NBC--I love it! The description of Browns QB Bernie Kosar as unconventional, even sometimes awkward, is great.

Top Ten #359

1) Summer: Meteorological summer is here after several weeks of emotional summer. In terms of impact, significance, and lasting memories, may your season be more Gidget than The New Gidget.

2) The Bradys: Laurie and I have been watching the 5-episode 1990 flop, sarcastically known as Bradysomething, on YouTube, and whoa, is this ever...AWESOME! 

3) Robert's Retro Rewind: I want to congratulate this stellar YouTube account for completing a run of videos showcasing short-lived programs going up to Fall 1990. I respect his decision not to continue into the Nineties, though I would have loved to see that, and I look forward to whatever he has coming next.

4) Casablanca: Each year around this time, I like to watch the classic film--maybe the classic film as far as I am concerned--and it reminds me that I have yet to see the ill-fated David Soul TV series. It did get a DVD release years ago but is not in print.

5) Lindsay Wagner: We wish a very happy birthday to the former star of Jesse (shout-out again to Robert's Retro Rewind).

6) The Kopykats: The episode of this impressionist-driven comedy series that aired 50 years ago tonight featured guest star Orson Welles. I'm sure he wowed everyone with his Audrey Hepburn.

7) Michael Lerner: Happy birthday to the star of The Waltons. Wait, being told that this is actually the birthday of the late Michael Lerner, guest extraordinaire on our Streets of San Francisco episode.

8) The Golden Girls: You gotta read this article about a recent Pride Month panel devoted to the show--that is, unless you want to believe Bea Arthur and Betty White were pals.

9) National Kissing Day: I found my thrill...on Blueberry Hill...

10) R.I.P.. Gailard Sartain: Talk about a guy with a body--and a name--for comedy.

Top Ten #358

1) Father's Day: You know what that means! To all you fathers out there, happy birthday!

2) Too Close for Comfort: Antenna TV has a marathon of the Eighties sitcom today because when you think of TV dads, you think of Henry Rush!

3) My Two Dads: Rewind has a marathon today because when you think of TV dads, you--Well, hey, in this case you get TWO dads, so why complain?

4) Portrait of the Press: 40 years ago tonight, this edition of NBC White Paper looked at the news media (What, you were expecting a rumination on Nolan Richardson's full-court press at the University of Arkansas)? There was some behind-the-scenes drama with CBS apparently refusing to authorize use of its news clips. They should have talked about that for an hour!

5) Pryor's Place: The comedian's children's show aired for the final time on CBS 40 years ago this morning and made it an entire 9 months without any "m-----------"s being uttered. Unfortunately, the streak ended the next week when Land of the Lost aired in the same timeslot.

6) Eischeid: Because any new-to-me promo for this show deserves some attention!

7) The French Open: An instant classic aired on TNT last weekend, but 50 years ago today, Bjorn Borg dispatched Guillermo Vilas in straight sets.

8) Courteney Cox: Happy birthday to the Misfits of Science star!

9) WPIX: Happy birthday to my favorite TV station of my youth, New York's Channel 11, which debuted on this day in 1948. I'd like to think its first broadcast was The Honeymooners, even though it hadn't been created yet.

10) R.I.P.: Chris Robinson:

Terry Louise Fisher:

Harris Yulin:

Top Ten #357

1) The Tony Awards: Last year, Tony Danza and Tony Franciosa were the big winners, but this year insiders expect Tony O'Dell to be honored for his work on Head of the Class.

2) Murder, She Wrote: The long-running series, which we cover here, is now on Tubi. Have I mentioned I've seen all 260+ episodes? I feel that's my biggest accomplishment in life over the last 5 years.

3) Simon and Simon: Finally hitting streaming this month is this former CBS top-10 hit, which I mentioned in our "forgotten hits" episode last season. Roku Channel added this last week.

4) Quincy and The Equalizer: Roku added a bunch of other Universal shows, too, like Emergency! and The Six Million Dollar Man. Considering Simon and Simon is now available and Kojak is on Roku, Prime, and Tubi, I am putting these two shows on notice! It's time to bring them back to streaming.

5) The French Open: 40 years ago today, Chris Evert beat Martina Navratilova in the final. The clay was flying, the croissants were flaking...Ah, it's just like you were there, isn't it?

6) Late Night with David Letterman: Also 40 years ago, SNL's timeslot was occupied by a rerun of Late Night's third-anniversary special.

6) Vaudeville: This was an odd syndicated series that aired sporadically and featured variety acts, mostly comedy, with a series of guest hosts. 50 years ago this weekend, Red Buttons emceed and welcomed the likes of Barbara McNair.

7) Fred Stoller: The comedian guested on the Inside Late Night podcast last week and told interesting stories about Norm MacDonald and others. Stoller is always an engaging presence, and this is a good listen.

8) National Best Friends Day: Just remember, you can speak your mind, but not on my time. Was that song supposed to be Kip and Henry addressing each other?

9) Pee Wee Herman: He goes here because Laurie and I just saw the first half of the new HBO docuseries Pee Wee Herman as Himself, and it's excellent.

10) R.I.P. Crackle: this must be the third or fourth time I have lamented the loss of Crackle, but it looks like the once-great VOD site is finally gone, with the website vanishing. Well, "great" is a bit strong; the selection was often great, but the app never worked well. Still, any outlet that bothers to give us reruns of Melba should be celebrated.

NBA Game of the Week > Roundball Rock?

This may be a controversial statement, but maybe NBC should not bring back John Tesh's "Roundball Rock" when it carries the NBA again starting next season. I am here to tell you that instead of looking back to the Nineties, the network ought to go to the Seventies:

I love "Roundball Rock," but here are some reasons for my suggestion:

1) It's already been played out with people speculating/celebrating/discussing it.

2) It's been used by Fox Sports for years and isn't as fresh as it otherwise would be.

3) NBC itself killed it with a cheesy promo announcing its return.

On the positive side of things, here is why I embrace the earlier song:

1) It has LYRICS! Every sports theme song should have lyrics.

2) And WHAT lyrics! "Sit back and do something nice for yourself." What could be more evocative of professional basketball?

3) The song combines several musical styles.

4) It still has some mystery. One of the joys of seeing that clip is reading all the comments wondering if it's Terry Kath on vocals.

5) Just imagine this song leading right to Keith Jackson and Bill Russell. That scenario makes me smile on even my darkest days.

If NBC won't do it, maybe new NBA TV partner Amazon Prime Video will. Someone should do it! If not, then please find a higher-quality clip of the original we can all enjoy.