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Tuesday, October 31, 2023
Happy Halloween from Battle of the Network Shows!
Sunday, October 29, 2023
Top Ten #272: Special "I don't want to dress up, but I want some Reese's pumpkins" Edition!
Monday, October 23, 2023
The Strange Case of Columbo on Blu-Ray
Sunday, October 22, 2023
Top Ten #271: Special "Hey, a lot of books in this one" Edition
1) Viva Valdez: I had a great time seeing the pilot of this 1976 ABC series on Sony's Classic TV Rewind YouTube channel. Join us in our Facebook group to discuss it!
2) Kojak: Get TV celebrates the series' 50th anniversary this week by showcasing the highest-rated episodes according to IMDB. I hope it doesn't always run annoying banner ads on the top of the screen.
3) Jeff Goldblum: Happy Birthday to Season 10 Batty winner Jeff Goldblum! He had a big night last October, winning for Outstanding Performance as Oneself and also watching his meat locker win for Outstanding Non-Human!
4) Herbie Pilato: The prolific author just released a book about Sean Connery from BearManor Media, and while Connery didn't appear in a Norman Lear sitcom in the late Eighties (Oh, if he would have!), we include it here because of the blurbs! The book features praise from Michael Learned (Sadly, at this point it's easy to assume it's not Michael Lerner) and Genius Award winner John Schuck!
5) Opryland USA: This TV special aired in 1973. Wow! She was on network TV that early? What, did she give away little toy Ford Pintos to all the audience members?
Oh, wait, OPRYland. Sorry. I guess this had something to do with country music.
6) Joan Collins: Her new book, Behind the Shoulder Pads, comes out this week. I hope she finally covers her guest appearance on Future Cop. It feels like the book should be printed on cashmere.
7) Ed Begley Jr.: The other glamour icon of the Eighties released his new book, To the Temple of Tranquiliity...and Step on It! also came out this month. It feels like the book should be released on biodegradable, edible paper--Hey, you know, maybe it is. I should check that.
8) Showtime Sports: After over 30 years, Paramount is closing the division, which focused on boxing. Where do people even see boxing anymore? I miss the old days when it was also super expensive to watch the big fights...but not as super expensive because you could see the replays on HBO and Showtime.
9) Miss Marple: A Caribbean Mystery: This TV movie debuted 40 years ago tonight on CBS and starred the legendary Helen Hayes, the great Barnard Hughes, and the demographically beneficial Jameson Parker! Please tell me the movie ends with Billy Ocean singing an early version of "Caribbean Queen."
10) R.I.P. Suzanne Somers and Lara Parker:
Sunday, October 15, 2023
Top Ten #270
Monday, October 9, 2023
Great Moments in 70s and 80s TV History: Jessica Fletcher has eyes for...Dick Butkus?
Sunday, October 8, 2023
Top Ten #269: Special "Call the day whatever you want tomorrow; I still gotta work" edtiion!
Saturday, October 7, 2023
YouTube Spotlight: J.R. on "Eyewitness News?"
I love it when the real world and the TV world intersect in the form of "in-character" appearances by fictional people--especially on the local news!
In this clip posted by the anchor himself, Jon Crane, J.R. Ewing makes an appearance of sorts to help promote the newscast on KIEM, a Northern California station then affiliated with CBS. This may look kind of goofy--and by goofy I mean awesome--but what small-market station is gonna turn down a chance to get on the Dallas train in that era?
I would love to see the segment end with, "And now, here's Cliff Barnes with the weather!"
Thursday, October 5, 2023
Show Notes and Video Playlist: Episode 11-14: Dallas!
Episode 11-14: Dallas
In our Season 11 finale, all roads lead to Dallas and Southfork Ranch! That's right. We finally tackle the grandpappy of the nighttime soaps, and we go all the way back to the very first episode. This one has everything you'd expect: oil, scheming, bakstabbing, family feuds, and cowboy hats! It also have a few things you might not expect like grounded sincerity. Join us for all the fun and a few Larry Hagman chuckles.
#podcast #tv #retrotv #seventies #eighties #dallas #soaps #larryhagman #patrickduffy #victoriaprincipal #oil #jrewing