Happy Thanksgiving!

We don't want you to miss our brand-new episode today, but we also want to share our traditional Thanksgiving favorite with you. Have a great holiday, everyone!

Show Notes and Video Playlist: Episode 13-6: Mulligan Stew

*Thanks for listening to our exploration of USDA/4H educational 1970s series Mulligan Stew. Do you remember seeing this one? 

The show premiered on PBS stations in 1972 and aired in syndication and in classrooms throughout the decade and beyond.

*Here is the 1974 New York Times article I mention.

*RFK Stadium opened in 1961. The Washington Senators played there until 1971 and then moved to Texas and became the Rangers.

*Teisco was a Japanese guitar brand big in the Sixties. It was owned by Kawai at the time of this series.

*4-4-3-2 = 4 bread and cereal, 4 fruits and vegetables, 3 from milk, 2 from meat.

*This series should not be confused with short-lived 1977 NBC series Mulligan's Stew starring Elinor Donahue.

*ABC aired The Monkees 1966-1968.

*I couldn't find any more information about nutrition expert Peggy Walton.

*Here's a great look at the series and the tie-in comic book!

*I can't find the other series mentioned in the above article: 1986's "Blue sky below my feet adventures in space technology" from 4-H and NASA.

*Leesburg is in Loudon County in Northern Virginia, about 40 miles from Washington D.C.

*Please enjoy our video playlist for this episode with nutritional PSAs, commercials, and more! We put all 6 Mulligan Stew episodes at the front of the list, so just skip through if you don't want to watch all of them. Click below to go right to the list, or you can always visit our official YouTube page for all of our past episodes and similar lists for each one of them!

Episode 13-6: Mulligan Stew

Just in time for Thanksgiving, we whip an episode about Mulligan Stew, the little-remembered but perhaps oft-seen early seventies show about healthy eating habits. Most of the kids of Mulligan Stew fall prey to the easy appeal of the Flim-Flam Man's fad diets, and only Mulligan and Wilbur can save them. Along the way, they sing some songs and teach us such vaulable lessons as 4-4-3-2, VITAMIN D FOR HEALTHY BONES AND TEETH, and meat comes from hogs!

#podcast #tv #retrotv #seventies #eighties #educationaltv #nutrition

 

Read full show notes and more at https://www.battleofthenetworkshows.com/

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Check out this episode!

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YouTube Spotlight: Kate and Allie for TV Guide

One of the clips in this week's playlist for Kate and Allie is this promo for an issue of TV Guide.

I wish there were more of these ads where the cover subjects touted their own appearances in the issues. Usually we'd get a rundown of the contents, maybe a jingle, but not the stars themselves telling us to check it out! I wonder how far in advance this was planned. It would be great to hear Susan and Jane say, "And check out Robert MacKenzie's review of The Rousters!"

Power Rankings: Show titles that wouldn't lose any impact if the names were reversed

I was thinking about this week's subject, Kate and Allie, and pondering what would the world be like if it were named Allie and Kate? In my opinion, not that much different! However, Son and Sanford would be an abject disaster, and such a program would have flamed out and made NBC's 1970s even tougher.

So, then, we rank 10 shows of the BOTNS era that would not lose if the titular names were reversed. the course of TV history would not have changed. If you're thinking the trick is to have the old "one syllable name, conjunction, then two-syllable name" pattern, well, I ask you? What about Hutch and Starsky? Would that sound right?

Well, anything Ernie Anderson said in 1977 sounded right, but you get my meaning.

This list reflects how these reworked show titles would fare on a neutral field in Schenectady, New York.

1) Simon and Simon: Call me crazy, but...I think it sounds better this way.

2) TV's Practical Jokes and Bloopers: I mean, I think I said it this way a half-dozen times on the podcast, so...

3) Marie and Donny: Ladies first, right? I believe it's somewhat gallant to put Marie first. Sonny and Cher and Captain and Tennille are fine, though, because it's like you're rewarded for putting up with the first name.

4) Shirley and Laverne: Would this reversal intensify their feud or lessen it? I'm not sure.

5) Mindy and Mork: No problem at all with "leading up to" Mork.

6) Lacey and Cagney: I think only their agents would care.

7) Tina and Mr. T: The show was doomed to begin with, or was it? There's something pleasing about doing it this way instead of as Mr. T and Tina. I'm not sure what it is, but it's there.

8) Makepeace and Dempsey: I'm no expert on this British show, but does this lose anything? Absolutely not.

9) Alice and Ted and Carol and Bob: I'm gonna wager that unless you were of moviegoing age when the feature film was released, you'd need a minute or two to get the order right anyway for the 1973 ABC adaptation.

10) Alias Jones and Smith: I mean, how can it matter? They're aliases!

Also receiving votes: Bones and Fitz, Hart to Hart, McCormick and Hardcastle, Company and Charlie.

Top Ten #381

1) Allie & Kate: Yes, the subject of this week's podcast is actually Kate and Allie, but what's wrong with mixing it up every now and then?

2) Susan St. James and Jane Curtin: And I am only putting her first because the Emmys put Curtin first by giving her two Emmys.

3) Deli: Coming out of "Kate's Friend," which we focus on in our Kate and Alliei discussion, who doesn't enjoy a good assortment of deli meats (unless there is some kind of health, philosophical,  or religious reason)?

4) Celebrity Cooks: Our pal Steve talks about this series on this excellent podcast crossover event.

5) The Legend of Valentino: Maybe you're not interested in Rudolph Valentino, the subject of this TV movie that debuted 50 years ago tonight. Well, how can you not be interested in this cast? Franco Nero has the title role, and he's joined by Suzanne Pleshette, Yvette Mimieux, Milton Berle, Lesley Ann Warren, and Judd Hirsch!

6) National Cashew Day: Still my favorite of all nuts.

7) Columbus Circle: 40 years ago today, ABC premiered this Weekend Special comedy which features Nancy Walker in a supporting role as a New York City bag lady.

8) Johnny Mandel: It's the 100th birthday of the composer of the theme from MASH.

9) Open All Night: A couple recent videos by Paul Van Scott have me thinking about this short-lived but very funny (as I remember) ABC sitcom starring George Dzunda. Johnny Mandel had nothin' on this theme!

10) R.I.P.: Bob Caudle, longtime wrestling announcer; and Ralph Senetsky, who died several weeks ago at the age of 102 (!) and left behind a great website, a lot of sharp memories, and an amazing resume of TV direction.

Show Notes and Video Playlist: Episode 13-5: Kate and Allie

*Kate and Allie aired 6 seasons, 1984-1989, Monday nights on CBS, for a total of 122 episodes. It was a top-20 show for its first 4 and a top-10 series in its short first season.

*If you want to check out our McMillan and Wife episode, go here. You will find our original-cast Saturday Night Live episode here.

*The Weekly Reader publication Laurie spotted is 1986's Cosby, Punky, Kate and Allie. Much to my amazement, it's a hardcover.

*"Rear Window" is in the series' second season.

*The episode with "lesbian panic/misunderstandings" we mention is Season 2's "Landlady."

*"Along Comes a Friend" by John Loeffler is the series' theme song.

*"Kate's Friend" premiered December 16, 1985 as the tenth episode of the series' third season.

*Season 3's "Too Late the Rebel" is the episode with Fran Brill and Ben Stiller.

*Walt Simonson's run on the Thor comic book lasted from 1983-1987, with him writing and drawing for most of it.

*The would-be pilot Mike mentions with Andrea Martin is "Stage Mother" in Season 4. Martin and the setting also appear in the next episode, "The Goodbye Girl." The Lindsay Wagner episode is "Late Bloomer," the finale of the third season.

*Kate becomes Joe Namath's assistant in Season 5's "The Namath of the Game."

*Season 5's "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" is when Allie is mistaken for a homeless person.

*"Reruns" in Season 4 has the tribute to I Love Lucy.

*"Gift of the Magi" is also in Season 4.

Please enjoy our video playlist for this episode with promos, intros, commercials, and more! It also contains the full special that we discuss on the podcast. Click below to go right to it, or you can always visit our official YouTube page for all of our past episodes and similar lists for each one of them!

Episode 13-5: Kate and Allie

Things get iffy between everyone's favorite single-mom roommates Kate and Allie when Kate's demanding college friend moves in for an extended stay. Allie tries to handle it with aplomb because she's "just great!" Plus, a cool T-shirt and a lively guest star turn as a bartender, so get yourself some authentic New York bread and deli, pop on your headphones, and remember just when you think you're all by yourself you're not.

#podcast #tv #retrotv #sitcoms #eighties #kateandallie #susanstjames #janecurtin #breadanddeli

 

Read full show notes and more at https://www.battleofthenetworkshows.com/

Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/371670863237699

Support the show by buying merch at http://tee.pub/lic/FM0uOqq3xzE

 

Check out this episode!

Tomorrow on Battle of the Network Shows...

 

Top Ten #380

1) Program lineups: We had a great time counting down our choices for the best lineups in the BOTNS era! Back to our regular format next week, but we thank you for the kind words and reactions!

We focused on primetime broadcast, but there are all kinds of other lineups, too, of course:

2) Fred Silverman: We can't talk about programming and lineups in the BOTNS era without talking about The Man with the Golden Gut. He may not have always directed each program schedule, but I still think however much we mentioned him on the podcast this week, it wasn't enough!

3) Donny and Marie Osmond Show: 50 years ago tonight, a Donny and Marie special aired on ABC, and it was in essence a pilot for the famous variety show we discussed in our Season 12. In this one, the Osmonds welcomed Bob Hope, Paul Lynde, and Lee Majors.

You know who was instrumental in the siblings getting a weekly series? That's right: Fred Silverman.

4) Joe's World: This great YT account is uploading episodes, and I am enjoying this rare NBC sitcom built around Ramon Bieri. The theme song is a classic, and wait till you see who wrote it!

5) The Love Boat: I just discovered an episode-by-episode Love Boat podcast, and not only that, the official one with Jill Whelan, Fred Grandy, and Ted Lange debuted this month. Do I really need two regular Love Boat podcasts in my life? Well, to paraphrase Clint Eastwood, "Need's got nothing to do with it."

Why was Clint Eastwood never on The Love Boat? Scheduling conflicts, I guess.

6) The Golden Girls: ABC broadcast a new anniversary special this week, and while I haven't seen it, I am sure it was a celebration of the series, a salute to its legacy, and a chance for us all to laugh about how much younger the stars were than we perceived.

7) Sanford and Son/One Day at a Time: Antenna TV announced the series will join its lineup in January. Did Fred Silverman have anything to do with this?

8) National Fast Food Day: Wellllll, I don't usually indulge, but since it's a holiday, I could be persuaded.

9) Lisa Bonet: Happy birthday to someone who is older than all the Golden Girls were when that series started. OK, I told myself I wasn't gonna do that...

10) Richie Brockelman: Shout-out to our pals at Two Hundred Dollars a Day Plus Expenses for tackling this character on their latest episode!

3's Company/Man About the House in 1983: Pairing the original with the remake!

No Power Rankings this week since yesterday's episode is a ranking, but it's a good day to talk about a scheduling quirk I spotted the other day. One of my go-to stations when I was a youth, WNEW in New York, did something interesting for a while:

Yes, they showed Three's Company at 6:00 P.M. weeknights, and then they followed it with Man About the House. As the above promo notes, the station paired reruns of the smash American remake with its British predecessor.

I think this is an interesting decision. I do remember seeing Three's Company on Channel 5 as a kid--quite often--but I don't remember Man About the House being on, let alone back to back with the remake like that. Does anyone out there remember their local stations doing something similar with, say, Sanford and Son, All in the Family, or other United-States-produced sitcoms based on Britcoms?

Show Notes and Video Playlist: Episode 13-4: The Greatest TV Lineups of the '70s and '80s

*We hope you enjoy this subjective examination of the network lineups of the BOTNS era. We'd love to hear from you if we missed or misranked anything! We'd love even more if you told us we nailed it.

*Remember the factors I mention on the pod: pop culture relevance, critical appeal, collective memory, ratings and commercial success, flow, my own personal experience, longevity, and of course just what I felt like when compiling the list.

*Below, we list the rankings as we revealed them on the podcast. If you want to follow along and not have the list spoiled, please listen first, then come back here!

(Shows listed from 8:00 to 11:00, from start to finish)

10) CBS Monday Night 1979:

White Shadow, MASH, WKRP, Lou Grant.

Honorable mention: CBS Sunday Night (1979, 1980, 1981):
60 Minutes, Archie Bunker's Place, One Day at a Time, Alice, The Jeffersons, Trapper John M.D.

9) NBC Saturday Night (1987, 1988 1989):

227, Amen, Golden Girls, Empty Nest, Hunter

8) ABC Tuesday Night (1978):
Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, Three's Company, Taxi, Starsky & Hutch

Honorable mention: ABC Tuesday Night (1977):
Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, Three's Company, Soap, Family

7) CBS Thursday Night (1976, 1977, 1978, 1979):
The Waltons, Hawaii Five-0, Barnaby Jones

6) ABC Saturday Night (1982, 1983):

T.J. Hooker, Love Boat, Fantasy Island

5) CBS Thursday Night (1982, 1983, 1984, 1985):
Magnum P.I., Simon and Simon, Knots Landing

4) ABC Friday Night (1971, 1972):
The Brady Bunch; The Partridge Family; Room 222; The Odd Couple; Love, American Style

3) CBS Friday Night (1979, 1980, 1981):
The Incredible Hulk, The Dukes of Hazzard, Dallas

Honorable mention: CBS Friday Night (1982, 1983, 1984):

The Dukes of Hazzard, Dallas, Falcon Crest

2) NBC Thursday Night (1984, 1985, 1986):
The Cosby Show, Family Ties, Cheers, Night Court, Hill Street Blues

Honorable mention: NBC Thursday Night (1988, 1989):

The Cosby Show, A Different World, Cheers, Dear John, L.A. Law

1) CBS Saturday Night (1973):

All in the Family, MASH, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Bob Newhart Show, The Carol Burnett Show

Honorable mention: CBS Saturday Night (1972):
All in the Family, Bridget Loves Bernie, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Bob Newhart Show, Mission Impossible

Bonus selections (Some lineups of interest that didn't make the list):

The worst lineup? NBC Friday Night (1983):

Mr. Smith, Jennifer Slept Here, Manimal, For Love and Honor

Click here for our episode talking about NBC's disastrous 1983-84 season!

More honorable mentions:

ABC Monday Night (1980, 1981, 1982, 1983):
That's Incredible, Monday Night Football

CBS Sunday Night (1986-1994):
60 Minutes; Murder, She Wrote; CBS Sunday Night Movie

In case people wonder about the ABC TGIF phenomenon:

ABC Friday Night (1989):

Full House, Family Matters, Perfect Strangers, Just the Ten of Us, 20/20

ABC Friday Night (1988):

Perfect Strangers, Full House, Mr. Belvedere, Just the Ten of Us, 20/20

CBS Monday Night (1987):
Frank's Place, Kate and Allie, Newhart, Designing Women, Cagney and Lacey

NBC Wednesday Night (1980):

Real People, Diff'rent Strokes, Facts of Life, Quincy

ABC Tuesday Night (1987):

Who's the Boss, Growing Pains, Moonlighting, Thirtysomething

ABC Tuesday Night (1988):
Who's the Boss, Roseanne, Moonlighting, Thirtysomething

NBC Friday Night (1974):
Sanford and Son, Chico and the Man, Rockford Files, Police Woman

ABC Wednesday Night 1976:
Bionic Woman, Baretta, Charlie's Angels

CBS Monday Night 1974:

Gunsmoke, Maude, Rhoda, Medical Center

CBS Wednesday Night (1973):

Sonny and Cher, Cannon, Kojak

NBC Thursday Night (1972):

Flip Wilson Show, Ironside (sometimes Bob Hope), The Dean Martin Show

Please enjoy our video playlist for this episode with promos touting most of the top 10 lineups! We even kick it off with a tribute to...flow?  Click below to go right to it, or you can always visit our official YouTube page for all of our past episodes and similar lists for each one of them!

Episode 13-4: The Greatest TV Lineups of the '70s and '80s

We've talked about a lot of great shows over the course of the podcast, and sometimes, we've mentioned great lineups that dominated a particular night and era or even single season. This week, we go more in depth with a completely subjective list of the top 10 greatest TV lineups of the BOTNS era. Using strict criteria, Rick compled this list, and he justifies his choices. Mike pipes in with his two cents. Expect a few suprises and maybe even a controversy or two along the way.

#podcast #tv #retrotv #seventies #eighties #lineups #schedules #greatestlineups

 

Read full show notes and more at https://www.battleofthenetworkshows.com/

Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/371670863237699

Support the show by buying merch at http://tee.pub/lic/FM0uOqq3xzE

 

Check out this episode!

Tomorrow on Battle of the Network Shows...

 

Happy Veterans Day!

It's Veterans Day here in the United States, and we thank all who have served. We hope everyone has a happy and safe holiday.

Top Ten #379

1) The Heights: We had a departure from the usual format and talked TV star heights this week--not career heights, but "actual" heights. I say "actual" because when it comes to celebrity info, can we really trust any of it? I'm pretty sure the dog from Here's Boomer was fudging his vitals to get roles.

By the way, since I mentioned her on the show but she wasn't in the book, Farrah Fawcett's listed height was 5'6" (including her hair, I guess)?

2) TV Superstars '81: Our thanks again to this fine book from Weekly Reader publications for providing the impetus for this week's episode! In a world of cheap tie-in paperbacks geared to the scholastic market, this one stood tall. 

Too much?

3) Saturday Night Live: 40 years ago tonight, Saturday Night Live started a new era with guest Madonna and a new cast. The era did not last.

4) Good Morning America: The ABC show celebrated its 50th anniversary this past week, including visits with the likes of OG hosts David Hartman and Nancy Dussault.

5) Doug Henning Project: After last week's World of Magic episode, we received a kind message from Neil at that great website, and we appreciate the shout-out and the link. Keep up the good work in maintaining that legacy!

6) Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: Congratulations to the inductees next week, including former WWF manager Cyndi Lauper!

7) Darkroom: I have not been able to listen yet, but Chris Cooling's Forgotten TV podcast is always a treat, and the latest installment explores short-lived anthology Darkroom. I'll just remind everyone that if you haven't yet done so, you can hear Mike and I focus on a specific episode right here.

8) Night of 100 Stars: I also didn't hear Ian Talks Comedy's latest episode, but he does a watchalong of this awesome special that we talk about on the pod here. Can't wait to hear Ian's thoughts!

9) Risky Business: 40 years ago tonight, CBS aired this popular Tom Cruise movie, which seems like a total mismatch for CBS--now, 1985, ever.

10) R.I.P. Diane Ladd, Bob Trumpy:

Celebrity Heights Game: TV Superstars '81!

Here's a closer look at the original paperback that spawned our game on this week's podcast! It's TV Superstars '81 by Ronald W. Lackmann from Weekly Reader Books. I got this one for a few books at a great used books store.

The Celebrity Height Game

New from the BOTNS Games Lab: The Celebrity Height Game! Mike has to guess if the celebrity heights listed in one Rick's vintage books match the "official" heights listed on IMDB! Can you get this kind of action anywhere else?

Read full show notes and more at https://www.battleofthenetworkshows.com/

Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/371670863237699

Support the show by buying merch at http://tee.pub/lic/FM0uOqq3xzE

 

#podcast #tv #retrotv #seventies #eighties #games #celebrityheights

 

Check out this episode!

Tomorrow on Battle of the Network Shows...

 

Top Ten #378

1) Doug Henning: This week on the podcast, we discussed the magician and his popular NBC specials. As we say, he was huge in the BOTNS era, and it was cool to remember him and check out some of those programs.

2) Daylight Savings Time: It's the good one, as we all gain an extra hour, almost as if by...magic. Hey, you don't suppose this is the handiwork of...

3) Joey Heatherton and Michael Landon: We salute the guest stars on Henning's second World of Magic special. Joey could have guested on Little House, maybe as a substitute teacher who catches the eye of all the men in Walnut Grove (except Charles, who of course treats her with dignity and acts normally) and the ire of their jealous wives.

4) Candy: Maybe you have a lot sitting around the house after Halloween. Maybe you don't. Either way, wouldn't some candy taste good right about now?

5) It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown: If you didn't get candy, hopefully you at least didn't get a rock. During my annual viewing this weekend, I reflected that when I watched it on CBS growing up, I don't think I noticed that you could see the rock go into Charlie's bag with such clarity at each house they visited.

6) The Six Million Dollar Man: Check out the description, courtesy of Ultimate70s.com, of "One of Our Running Backs Is Missing" from 50 years ago tonight: Steve Austin is caught in the middle when a star football player is kidnapped as part of a betting swindle

Plus it has Larry Csonka, Dick Butkus, and Carl Weathers! I gotta see this one.

7) Puzzlers: Laurie and I watched this Sajak-hosted rarity courtesy of the awesome Game Show Vault. It's a very young Sajak with a rather airy contestant.

8) Stefanie Powers: Happy birthday to the Hart to Hart star!

9) Saturday Night's Main Event: 40 years ago tonight (aired but taped earlier), Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant faced King Kong Bundy and Big John Studd at Hersheypark Arena in Pennsylvania.

10) Sammy and Company: I get a kick out of Sammy's guest list in this episode that ran in syndication 50 years ago: Carroll O'Connor, Waylon Jennings, Vicki Lawrence, Willie Tyler & Lester. I'm sure they all got together for regular bridge games after this.

YouTube Spotlight: Mandrake the Magician!

This week, we talk about Doug Henning's World of Magic specials on NBC. Our video playlist has all kinds of ads and promos, but today let's look at this clip:

I believe this is an extract taken from a special talking about unsold pilots. That is indeed what this Mandrake is. The 1979 production from Universal aired on NBC January 24, 1979.

Anthony Herrara plays the titular magician, who dates back to 1934's King Features comic strip. This somewhat snide clip doesn't highlight the rest of the cast: BOTNS favorite Gretchen Corbett, James Hong, Robert Reed, and Harry Blackstone!

The full movie is available on YouTube if you are interested.

Happy Halloween, friends!

YouTube Spotlight will not be seen today so that we can bring you this special post.

From all of us at BOTNS to all of you, Happy Halloween!

On this holiday we like to post Batty winner Solomon Grundy celebrating his favorite adult beverage, and we like to suggest some past episodes that might fit the mood this weekend. So we're going to do it again!

Our magic-themed episode this week with Doug Henning could fit the bill, but here are selections from our archives for your Halloween listening pleasure:

In Season 1, we looked at In Search Of...'s "comprehensive" analysis of the Loch Ness Monster.

Our Season 4 exploration of Buck Rogers involved not just a vampire, but a SPACE VAMPIRE!

Later in Season 4, we talked about "Werewolf" on Barney Miller.

Early in Season 5, we had our first direct Halloween episode with a show about Halloween Is Grinch Night.

It may be a stretch, but we followed that one up with Dr. Strange, which does feature Halloween-adjacent elements like a cool purple costume, not to mention supernatural elements.

Also in Season 5, The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew Mysteries met Dracula!

Who can forget our Season 8 combo of Poor Devil...

...followed by Tucker's Witch?

And then there was Darkroom!

And in season 9 we looked at The Munsters...

...and Mr. Roarke against Satan on Fantasy Island!

In season 10, we discussed another 'Werewolf" episode--Kolchak the Night Stalker!

If you're stuck looking for a last-minute costume, we suggest Exo-Man from our Season 11 TV movie! Just remember to get it right, or you may be accused of a...

Show Notes and Video Playlist: Episode 13-3: Doug Henning's World of Magic II

*We hope you find this episode full of WONDER and magic!

*Doug Henning (1947-2000) was a fixture on network television in the BOTNS era, appearing in NBC specials from 1975 to 1982 in addition to countless other shows and specials.

*He is listed as 5'5" 3/4" on IMDB.

*The Doug Henning project website is right here.

*Henning was indeed featured in Dynamite magazine. Also, I found this image from Retrontario of a similar mag:

*Henning's Muppet Show episode is 1980's Season 4, Episode 21.

*We talk about Night of 100 Stars here, and in the broadcast, Henning does an illusion with Ricky Schroeder, Maureen Stapleton, Florence Henderson, and Priscilla Lopez.

*The former Little Miss World is Cherish Alexander, who appeared in the 1982 Henning special. 

*This World of Magic special premiered on NBC Thursday, December 23, 1976. 

*Gibbsville lasted a mere 6 episodes on NBC.

*I have yet to find TV ratings info for this Doug Henning special. Everyone loooooooves to cite the reported 50 million for the 1975 special, but no one wants to talk about the numbers for this one!

*Of course CBS went another direction than what we wish would have happened with Henning and Marvel, and it aired its own Dr. Strange movie with Peter Hooten.

*There is a circus episode of Little House on the Prairie that features an elephant: "Annabelle" in Season 6.

Please enjoy our video playlist for this episode with promos, intros, commercials, and more! It also contains the full special that we discuss on the podcast. Click below to go right to it, or you can always visit our official YouTube page for all of our past episodes and similar lists for each one of them!

Episode 13-3: Doug Henning's World of Magic

In the seventies and early eighties, magic had a face, and that face had a big mustache. It also had long hair and wore sparkly versions of hippie clothes and had assistants in hot pants. That face appeared on Broadway in two magic-themed musicals and all over TV from talk shows to the Muppet Show to a series of successful specials on NBC. That face had a name--Doug Henning. He invited audiences to believe in illusions and wonder and joy. In his second World of Magic special, he invited Michael Landon, Joey Heatheron, and Ricky Jay along for the fun, and we talk about it all on Battle of the Network Shows!

#podcast #tv #retrotv #seventies #eighties #magic #illusions #doughenning

 

Read full show notes and more at https://www.battleofthenetworkshows.com/

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Support the show by buying merch at http://tee.pub/lic/FM0uOqq3xzE

 

 

Check out this episode!

Tomorrow on Battle of the Network Shows...

 

Brooks on Books: "Wanna Be Smiled At?" ("Affectionately Drawn by Bil Keane")

I'm gonna just say it right here once again: The Family Circus rules.

At least the original version of the strip does. Sure, it has its cloying moments, but in its earliest days, the panel offers some genuine laughs. 

Lest you wonder why we are talking about this book here, remember we discussed A Family Circus Christmas way back in our first season!

I dug up this book from my archives and tore through it this week. I loved it!

First off, P.J. rules. OK, so this cover does get at the occasional sentimentality of the strip. Also, though, P.J. IS adorable.

Here's the thing: Even if the gags aren't the best, there is often some kind of amusing facial expression that sells the panel. You get Billy scowling, Jeffy worrying, Dolly being earnest, and many times P.J. just sitting there with a goofy grin. Sometimes the kids are creating a total disaster scene in, say, the kitchen, and P.J. is in the background with a serious facial expression, and that's just as funny.

There are variations on some recurring themes: Kids say darndest things, kids embarrass their folks in public, kids create utter chaos, etc. Keane's drawing is not just affectionate, though, but it's effective. Subtleties in the faces and backgrounds often enhance the joke. Yes, I just referred to "subtleties" in The Family Circus.

It's a great book and about a 5-mintue read. I probably looked at this a lot when I was a kid, and I am paying for it now because it's starting to fall apart. I think I got my parents' 75 cents worth, though.

Top Ten #377

1) The Girl, The Gold Watch, and Everything: OK, so it isn't the best TV movie we have discussed. Well, it's certainly ONE of them!

2) Richie Havens: His "Two Hearts in Perfect Time" is arguably the best thing about that movie!

3) Halloween: It's time to start serious preparations for the holiday. if you haven't started assembling your Exo-Man costume, you might already have run out of time!

4) NBA: Pro basketball returned this week and was immediately rocked by a betting scandal. I think I miss the good, old days when the league was plagued only by crippling drug problems.

5) Jaclyn Smith: Happy 80th to the star who, in retrospect, should have been in our trinity of brunettes along with Connie Sellecca, Lynda Carter, and Erin Gray! I just didn't watch Charlie's Angels much as a kid.

6) The Teller and the Tale: 40 years ago this weekend, this syndicated special aired. I don't remember it at all, but it features Vincent Price, Scatman Carothers, and Sally Struthers! I can't vouch for the recording below:

7) Mother-in-Law Day: Let's take time to celebrate all the mothers in law out there who may hate their daughters' husbands but who give us such comic gold.

8) Mighty Mouse: I know many of us growing up in the BOTNS era enjoyed Terrytoons in reruns, and now after years of neglect, they are getting a new showcase on the great MeTV Toons each Sunday at 3:00 P.M. ET.

9) Poindexter Yothers: I mentioned him twice this week in our Facebook group after commemorating the 50th anniversary of Afterschool Special "Fawn Story." Is he having a moment?

10) R.I.P. June Lockhart:

YouTube Spotlight: Joe Santos Is Me

Each podcast week, we take a look at one video from our video playlist here in its own post. We are discussing the 1980s TV movie The Girl, The Gold Watch, and Everything this week, and here is one of the associated clips:

Our guy Joe Santos from The Rockford Files (Shout-out to 200 Dollars a day Plus Expenses) starred in this short-lived NBC sitcom that happened to be on the night The Girl, The Gold Watch, and Everything premiered in syndication. In this one, "the girl" is Maxx, played by Melissa Michaelson, a precocious 11-year-old who surprises her dad by moving in with her bachelor father (Not to be confused with Bachelor Father). And by "moving in with," I mean her mom dumps her at his doorstep. Fun premise, huh?

Santos is a bit of a wiiiiiild and craaaaazy guy whose lifestyle is cramped by the new addition to the household, but they'll try to make this work together. Producer James Komack, NBC, and Fred Silverman couldn't make it work, together though, and it ran a mere 10 episodes from March-June 1980. It aired against The Incredible Hulk on CBS and movies on ABC.

Show Notes and Video Playlist: Episode 13-2: The Girl, The Gold Watch, and Everything

*We hope you enjoy this season's look at a TV movie. We don't give this particular one a strong recommendation, but we have fun discussing it.

*The full movie and its sequel are in our video playlist this week (See below for link).

*We talk about Operation Prime Time in our Entertainment Tonight episode, and you can read about its creator Al Masini  here.

*The Girl, The Gold Watch, and Everything premiered in many if not most markets June 13, 1980. On the podcast, you can hear what else aired that night.

*The credited writers on the theme song, "Two Hearts in Perfect Time," are Ayn Robbins and Hod David Schudson.

*John Moschitta Jr. may have talked "at regular speed" in some gigs, but I haven't seen them! Peter Kevoian, who is the actor we think resembles him in this movie, went on to appear as a fireman in two episodes of Cheers.

*The San Diego Padres finished in last place in the National League West in 1980, 19.5 gamed behind the Houston Astros.

*One of the goons is played by Peter Brown, who had a long acting career highlighted by regular roles in westerns Laredo and Lawman.

*I think we convey our attitude about the movie without much ambiguity!

*The Girl, The Gold Watch, and Dynamite premiered in 1981 and starred Lee Purcell (ss Bonnie), Morgan Fairchild, and Philip MacHale (as Kirby). 

*John D. MacDonald's original novel is readily available and as of this writing is available in a cheap ebook format!

*Please enjoy our video playlist for this episode with promos, intros, commercials, and more! ---Click below to go right to it, or you can always visit our official YouTube page for all of our past episodes and similar lists for each one of them!

Episode 13-2: The Girl, The Gold Watch, and Everything

What's the opposite of an all-time classic? The Girl, The Gold Watch, and Everything might provide the answer. Ths syndicated TV movie from 1980 stars Robert Hays (Airplane!) as its amiable if hapless hero, who inherits a gold watch and a lot of trouble from his eccentric uncle. He also gets involved with Pam Dawber (Mork & Mindy) after the worst meet-cute in film history. Other recognizable faces round out the cast, but can they salavage this one? Unlikely.

Read full show notes and more at https://www.battleofthenetworkshows.com/

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Top Ten #376

1) The Bob Newhart Show: We kicked off our current and 13th season by talking about the classic 1970s Bobcom.

2) Newhart: We didn't make much mention of it this week, but here's a reminder that we talked about Bob's later sitcom, Newhart, back in our eighth season.

3) TV We Love: Haven't seen this new show on The CW, but it is examining classic TV series each Monday night, and it kicked off with a profile of The Brady Bunch. A press release says Barry Williams and Christopher Knight share "never-before-told stories" about the sitcom. I am rather skeptical that these guys--and I love their podcast--are sitting on more stories that they've never told!

4) John Candy and Stiller & Meara: Each act is the subject of a new documentary--the former on Prime Video, the latter on Apple.

Can a Leonard Frey documentary be far behind?

5) World Series: The 1985 Series began 40 years ago tonight on ABC. The "Show-Me" Series pitting Kansas City against St. Louis was filled with action, controversy, but not Howard Cosell. The sportscaster was booted from the ABC team, reportedly due to reactions to his book I Never Played the Game.

6) Mark Linn-Baker: The star of stage, screen, and, it must be said, Perfect Strangers; is listed as the narrator for Every Day Is Sunday, a new book about the modern rise of the National Football League. Uh, sure, would have been my first guess.

7) "Rock 'n' Zombies": This day in 1985, Hulk Hogan's Rock and Wrestling got into the Halloween spirit with an episode in which Bobby Heenan opens an amusement park where zombies apparently roam. The real shock is when Heenan "puts over" Hogan at the end of the story.

8) Angela Lansbury: She would have turned 100 this past Thursday, and Vogue ran a nice appreciation piece from a former assistant. I want to invite someone over this weekend just so I tell them, "Now how about a cuppa?" and "On your horse."

9) Love. American Style/Bridget Loves Bernie: Catchy Comedy runs a marathon of these two seldom aired (Except on this channel) sitcoms today.

10) R,I.P. Diane Keaton: She was not a TV actress, but what a great segment on Late Night with Dave interviewing her:

Ace Frehley: 

Ed Williams:

YouTube Spotlight: Suzanne Pleshette Is Maggie Briggs

Each podcast week, we take a look at one video from our video playlist here in its own post. It's Bob Newhart Show week here, and as a reminder, you can click here for all the videos for episode 1, but right here let's focus on this one:

It's not just something CBS said when promoting the show; it's the actual title of the show: Suzanne Pleshette is Maggie Briggs! So I presume it's not pronounced Suzanne Pleshette IS Maggie Briggs, but Suzanne Pleshette is MAGGIE BRIGGS! Briggs is a New York Examiner journalist demoted to the human interest beat.

I suppose someone thought it was important to let everyone know who the star of the series was. Make no mistake, viewers; It's not Shera Danese!

The series aired Sundays on CBS for only 6 weeks, following 60 Minutes and going up against Knight Rider and Hardcastle and McCormick. There is a good summary of the series, from someone who actually watched some of it, right here.

Power Rankings: The Bob Newhart's Show deep cast of characters

As the podcast returns, so does the recurring weekly feature in which we rank one aspect of the show we cover. Remember two things: 1) This list reflects how these characters would fare against each other if they squared off on a neutral field in Peoria, Illinois; and 2) It's all in fun.

That said, let's look at The Bob Newhart Show and its deep list of regulars. All contribute to the series in some way, but some contribute to my personal enjoyment more than others. I'm not ranking Bob because, hey, he's an easy number one, right?

Also, you know, I'm still watching TBNS, and I have to say, we touched on it, but, man, Bob Hartley is pretty grouchy and more of a jerk more often than I thought. I'm not sure he deserves to see himself at number one at this moment in time.

1) Emily Hartley: She has her own quirks and inconsistencies, but Suzanne Pleshette's outstanding performance makes Emily one of the most effective sitcom wives around. She's a truly interesting character I could envision in her own series. Now, that doesn't mean I want to see a ton of TBNS episodes with her and with very little Bob, but still!

2) Jerry Robinson: An easy number two for me. Jerry, as we said on the pod, has a surprising edge to him sometimes and lends a lot of spice to the series while staying likable. He's a great foil for Bob yet remains effective in scenes without Bob. 

3) Carol Kester: When I first saw the show years ago, I didn't appreciate this character, but I now realize that her receptionist is goofy in the right ways but also grounded in others, making what could ahve been a cliched man-hungry work subordinate a compelling and funny person.

4) Howard Borden: Of the "core four" of non-Bob characters, he's my least favorite. I don't mean this as an insult to Bill Daily, who is great, but I am less interested in seeing Howard without Bob than I am the others. I will say that Howard and Emily work well together, and there is a funny tension between Howard and Jerry sometimes. Anything lower than this spot would be an insult, though, because we now move on to the not-as-regular regulars.

5) Bernie Tupperman: This may be a controversial placement because the office urologist is not exactly a huge presence on the show, but I always enjoy seeing Larry Gelman, so I am putting him above the patients.

6) Elliot Carlin: Despite Jack Riley's obvious skills, I think the show often uses Mr, Carlin just a touch more than would be optimal. I bet many fans would place him at least several slots higher, but I am going to risk adding to his neuroses by putting him here.

7) Emil Peterson: John Fielder is another performer who makes everything he is in better, and I think his Mr. Peterson is my favorite of the group therapy members. I put him below Carlin due to his relative lack of signature moments.

8) Craig Plager: I enjoy Howard Hesseman's low-key portrayal of this group member. It's a nice contrast to the more 

9) Larry Bondurant: Some of you might be asking, "Who?" Well, Larry married Carol, and he was only in 7 episodes according to IMDB, but he gets credit for not being annoying like a late-joining character very well could be.

10) Lillian Bakerman: She gets credit for longevity and consistency, but there is that weird thing we mention on the pod where Florida Friebus leaves the series and is sorta kinda replaced by a similar character. That still weirds me out.

Also receiving votes: The Peeper (best for what he brings out in Bob), Michelle Nardo, Ellen Hartley, Victor Gianelli, Ed Herd, Dick Loudon

Show Notes and Video Playlist: Episode 13-1: The Bob Newhart Show

*Welcome back to Battle of the Network Shows! We are excited to bring you a packed 13th season!

*The Bob Newhart Show was on CBS for 6 seasons, 1972-1978, and aired 142 episodes--all on Saturday nights, most at 9:30. It won zero Emmys and only 4 nominations.

*Perhaps the show Mike is thinking of as a Saturday night non-sitcom is Mission Impossible, which aired on Saturdays for a while, including for 1 1/2 seasons in the early 1970s.

*The 1961 Bob Newhart Show from 1961 ran one season on NBC; the variety show isn't easy to see, but you can get a glimpse of it in this week's video playlist.

*The books we reference are I Shouldn't Even Be Doing This! by Bob Newhart and Hi, Bob! by Joey Green.

*The complete series DVD set is still available from Shout!

*Ages at the time of this episode: Bob is 43, Suzanne is 35.

"Don't Go to Bed Mad" (Season 1, Episode 8) has Emily upset over Bob's Monday Night Football habits. "Motel" (Season 2, Episode 2) shows Bob and Jerry going to a motel so they can watch a big game. There's another early episode where Bob wants to watch a big basketball game but has to do it in the bedroom because Emily has scheduled a PTA meeting at the apartment (Season 1, Episode 21, "Emily, I'm Home...Emily?")

*Peter Bonerz was in The Premise in New York and later in San-Francisco-based The Committee.

*Season 3's "The Battle of the Groups" is when two of Bob's groups go on a retreat together.

*"Mister Emily Hartley" is the eighth episode of Season 2, and it premiered November 3, 1973. Check out the podcast for details on what other shows aired that night, and catch some clips in our video playlist.

*Ben Gazzara starred in Run For Your Life, which I mention because it was one of my favorite TV show openings ever (See it in the playlist) and Arrest and Trial, a show that preceded Law and Order by decades!

*Writer Charlotte Brown is not to be confused with short-lived Peanuts character Charlotte Braun. Brown produced Rhoda, which we talked about last season!

*Regarding Bob's comment about Emily knowing Nixon's home prices: In 1973, Richard Nixon was asked how he could afford his $1.5 million San Clemente estate. This became a thing, with some explorations into the possibility that he used money from his 1968 campaign to buy the place and questions about the role of longtime associate Bebe Rebozo. Nixon's folks at different times gave different numbers for the total costs of the house and the down payments 

*"Roller Disco," the CHiPs episode where Bill Daily manages Leif Garrett's rocker, was our topic in this episode of the podcast from back in our first season!

Please enjoy our video playlist for this episode with promos, intros, commercials, and more! ---Click\below to go right to it, or you can always visit our official YouTube page for all of our past episodes and similar lists for each one of them!

Episode 13-1: The Bob Newhart Show

We open our 13th season in the Windy City with an all-time classic, The Bob Newhart Show. In "Mister Emily Hartley," psychologist Bob Hartley reluctantly takes an IQ test only to learn he has a lower IQ than his wife Emily (Suzanne Pleshette). Attending the Chicago High IQ Club dance as Emily's plus-one only confirms his feelings of inferiority as he suffers indignity after indignity. We discuss this along iwth the show's high-level consistency, stellar cast, and questionable fashions.

Read full show notes and more at https://www.battleofthenetworkshows.com/

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RetroFan Review: issue 40 spotlights a former BOTNS Retro Retro show!

I'm still a bit behind in my RetroFan reviews, but I can't let issue 40 go without comment. After all, the cover boy is Jay North, star of our Retro Retro series from Season 11, Dennis the Menace!

My standard message remains in effect: RetroFan is my favorite mag, and I recommend you check it out at TwoMorrows.com.

Mark Voger's cover story on the 1959 CBS series is a great overview (Listen to our podcast for some more details) of the series itself but also delves into the unfortunate dark side of the show for North. His on-set guardian was an abusive aunt who physically hit him (out of sight of the other adults) when he messed up a line. No wonder North grew to resent the show before reconciling it with later (He died earlier this year).

Voger manages to convey the gravity of that situation while still celebrating the accomplishments of the sitcom and its comic strip origins. Just be aware the story is as much about North and the perils of child stardom.

Another cover subject is the equally precocious Incredible Hulk! Andy Mangels discusses a show that we might well have covered on the podcast if it weren't mysteriously unavailable on Disney Plus: The 1982 Saturday morning Hulk cartoon on NBC. Mangels is also puzzled by its scarcity, but he delivers my favorite piece in the whole issue.

He gets some interesting quotes from some original animators, like Rick Hoberg, who assets that much of Marvel's animation team turned its attention right to G.I. Joe as soon as that deal went into effect and therefore wasn't too disappointed when NBC ordered no new episodes after the initial 13. Mangels does explore the original plan for a second season: A pairing of Bruce Banner with his cousin Jen Walters, AKA She-Hulk. He also talks about the idea to give a series to Video Man from Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends. Anyone who is curious about the history of the neglected 1982 Hulktoon must read this one.

Will Murray covers one of the greatest Western TV series, Have Gun Will Travel. He focuses on star Richard Boone's influence on the show and the production changes behind the scenes over the course of its 6 years. It's all fascinating stuff, though as is often the case with these TV overviews, I would have loved more discussion of specific notable episodes.

I enjoyed the story on Big Little Books adapting adventure TV shows. Like all these pieces, it's well illustrated with interesting photos and examples. Coverage of The Prisoner takes an interesting angle, with an interview with a creator of a comic book based on the show and a travel story about visiting the original shooting location in Wales.

This is a very 50s/60s issue, what with a look at Remco's 1966 Lost in Space robot toy, plus an extensive profile of Mickey Dolenz's time starring in Circus Boy. The latter draws heavily on Dolenz's autobiography, and it makes me think I really ought to read that book.

Hogan's Heroes gets a thorough profile courtesy of Bob Crane biographer Carol Ford. While there is an obvious emphasis on Crane, Ford does not neglect other individuals and aspects of the show.

This is a stellar issue of RetroFan, and though the Hulk piece is one of the few with direct relevance to BOTNS-era TV, I think our listeners will find a lot to enjoy. 

Top Ten #375

1) Season 13: The podcast returns next week! And that is all I will say until Thursday!

2) The Paul Lynde Halloween Special: Thanks to Jason in our Facebook group for reminding everyone, hey, it's time to start firming up plans for our annual watch parties!

3) Roosevelt Franklin: Thanks to my uncle snagging it for me, I am now the proud owner of the new action figure of this Sesame legend:

4) Farmer's Day: I could try to link to a 1982 ag report that aired at 5:00 AM, but let's save that for next year and instead give all the farmers a giant SALLLLL-UUUTE!

5) Out of the Darkness: 40 years ago tonight, CBS aired this TV movie about the Son of Sam saga. Martin Sheen and Hector Elizondo starred, and some guy named Charlie Sheen was credited as "Man Shaving."

6) Susan Anton: Happy 75th birthday to one of the big stars of the BOTNS sweet spot (1975-1985)!

7) The 1975 World Series: Game 2 of one the most remembered Fall Classics in MLB history aired on NBC 50 years ago today...at 1:00 in the afternoon! The game was played in a wet Fenway Park and was interrupted by a big rain delay.

8) Viva Valdez: I had hoped Sony would celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month by uploading another episode, but I'll just post one they already gave us:

9) ABC Weekend Special: The anthology program for kids returned with a new episode on this day in 1985: "Captain O.G. Readmore's Jack and the Beanstalk."

10)  Hockey: The NHL returned this week! For TV coverage...don't go to USA Network. They don't have it anymore.