Top Ten #385

1) The Zoo Gang: On this week's podcast, we discuss this bit of 1970s telly, a 6-episode ITV series featuring a group of WWII buddies reuniting to fight wrongdoing. No truth to the rumor that Joan Embery headlined a pilot for an U.S. version in the early Eighties.

2) Christmas movies on TV: So on this night in 1985, CBN showed the 1951 version of A Christmas Carol, which is the one everyone says they love but never seems to be on TV anymore.

Some of you may be too young to remember the old joke about It's a Wonderful Life being on all the time every December. Well, CBN showed it before A Christmas Carol. Also, though, it was on a couple hours earlier on...Nickelodeon.

3) Winter: Well, it's finally here, and by that I mean it FEELS LIKE IT'S BEEN HERE FOR WEEKS because it's been really cold here. Oh, well, just the kind of weather that gets you in the holiday spirit...but also makes you want to work up a sweat.

Ahh! Been a while since we posted that clip.

4) Kojak: "How Cruel the Frost, How Bright the Stars" is the name of the episode that aired 50 years ago tonight on CBS. I know what you're thinking: Why did Rick have to post that Alan Thicke song again? But you're also thinking, that title's a bit artsy for Kojak, innit? Well, as I recall, it's a thoughtful Christmas episode, plus it offers bit parts for John Laroquette and Edward James Olmos. I may have to watch this again this week!

5) The Fall Guy: The episode that aired this night in 1985 has a title not nearly as artsy, but 5 times as funny: "Escape Claus." I'm not gonna look this one up. It can't top the title.

6) The Academy Awards: The announcement that the event is eventually headed to YouTube prompted a lot of jokes about who might be presenters or even hots. Laugh all you want, but streaming or not, it's not like Johnny Carson's walking through that door.

I think I came close to a point there.

7) Independence Bowl: Clemson vs. Minnesota: 40 years ago tonight, TV viewers got a random intersectional match-up between two decent teams on a local station. That's the way bowl games oughta be!

8) Julie Andrews Christmas Special: This program aired 50 years ago this weekend on Channel 5 in New York. I believe this was a rerun of her 1973 ABC special, in which Andrews welcomed Peggy Lee and Santa Claus as guests.

9) Crossword Day: I'd like to see Buzzr celebrate by showing a bunch of these:

10) R.I.P.: Rob Reiner, Tony Geary, Gil Gerard: