Promo Theatre: Man, oh, Manimal!

Anytime I see that phrase in a promo, I have to share it! Here is a spot that ran before the infamous 1983 NBC series debuted:

Top Ten #364

1) Comic Books: This entire week is a celebration of comic books, what with the big con going on, an excellent superhero movie still in theaters, and a fantastic one arriving this weekend. Notice I have not used the phrase "intellectual property."

2) Fantastic Four: Every time a big movie comes out, I hope for a new release of something that hasn't been on streaming nor DVD, and every time I am disappointed.

3) Our Time: 40 years ago tonight, NBC premiered one of the networks' many attempts in the Eighties to combine summer vibes, nostalgia, and ratings. Well, 2 out of 3 ain't bad.

4) Dear John: Antenna TV runs a marathon of the series today. Celebrate the hottest days of summer with one of the coolest guys on TV: Judd Hirsch! (Antenna, feel free to use that next time you do this.)

5) Baseball Hall of Fame: This weekend we celebrate the greats of the game and their standout moments, like this one:

6) National Parents Day: Today we celebrate those who have children, who are almost always right even if TV tries to make them look foolish. Tootie's dad may well have been right wanting to pull her out of Eastland.

7) Michael Nesmith in Television Parts: The last episode of this series ran 40 years ago tonight in the SNL timeslot.

8) Korean War Armistice Day: Everyone in the 4077th can go home. 

Well, I guess they might want to go back.

9) Days of Our Lives: The iconic soap opera just got renewed for two more seasons, which takes it through 63. Maybe someday it'll catch up to Gunsmoke!

10) R.I.P.: Alan Bregman, Hulk Hogan, Ozzy Osbourne, Malcom Jamal-Warner, Kenneth Washington, Chuck Mangione:

I don't remember getting this even though I grew up within walking distance of a Hardee's location

This commercial takes me right back to the days of early Eighties Spider-Man:

It sure sounds like Dan Gilvezan, then the lead voice on Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, and they all look cool. I'm a little skeptical of the actual product, though. What does it actually do? I'm sure the heroes don't get up and walk around on the table, but what do they look like in the theatre?

I had to add this boxing figure to my collection

Yes, it's a Jim Lampley action figure.

This was made as part of a Rocky toy line about 20 years ago, specifically a Rocky Balboa wave. On a recent day trip, I saw this at a toy store and had to get it to add to my boxing announcers collection, which now numbers...one.  Maybe it's not as BOTNS relevant as a 1984 Olympics Lampley, but I'll take it.

However, I know there was a Brent Musburger made for a Rocky III line, and more importantly, I now know a Larry Merchant figure exists. That one is now at the top of my list. Hey, whether or not you had issues with the Rocky Balboa movie, you have to appreciate that it spawned action figures of the HBO guys (Not Harold Lederman, though, I am sad to report). 

I just need a George Foreman to put his arm around him in case there's a riot at ringside.

Top Ten #363

1) Mystery/suspense/thriller anthologies: We just concluded a poll in our Facebook group to determine which anthology show we will cover as our "retro retro" (Fifties/Sixties) program in our upcoming 13th season. We're not going to tell you what it is here, but you can rule out these series that didn't make the poll: Kraft Suspense Theater, Panic, Way Out...One Step Beyond...hey, all of those sound good. There's a lot of old TV out there, folks.

2) Knight Rider: The series comes out on 4K disc this Tuesday, which once again proves my theory: Videophiles love David Hasselhoff.

3) Peacock: You know, it takes a lot of brass to announce a huge price hike (3 bucks a month!) right after you get rid of Murder, She Wrote. I can only assume this increase is going to help cover the cost of remastering Quincy.

4) Harrison Ford: The 83-year-old icon got his first Emmy nomination this week for his work on Shrinking. It's about time considering he was SNUBBED for his role as a drifter on Dan August over 50 years ago.

5) Six Million Dollar Man: Steve Austin was off streaming for a while, and now Roku has picked up the show to join Peacock. Well, Peacock has it for now.

6) Fantasy Island: Tubi picked up the show again, long after I complained that it left, but there's a catch: It only has the first two seasons. Wow, unforeseen consequences of getting what you want? That reminds me of an old show, but I can't place my finger on it.

7) Wide World of Sports: 40 years ago today in London, Mary Decker Slaney squared off against Zola Budd in a rematch of their infamous 1984 Olympics clash. Decker won by a considerable margin in this one.

8) National Ice Cream Day: What are you going with? I could go for a good chocolate chip mint right now.

9) Poker Face: I just want to reflect on another season of the best non-Columbo Columbo show ever, and I think Natasha Lyonne's Peter Falk is almost as good, in its own way, as Kevin Pollak's.

10) The Smurfs: A new big-screen version of the characters Smurfs this weekend. If you can take the animation style and John Goodman as Papa Smurf, I hear this isn't bad for what it is. Me, I ride with Don Messick.

The BOTNS TeePublic store is having a nice sale

We don't do this often, but today we are letting you know that TeePublic has a 35% off everything sale today. That includes tees, magnets, mugs, and more! You can visit our official store right here and get a logo shirt, a Rewind Stubbs magnet, or a poster of our awesome caricatures project as designed by Art Hondros.

Don't you dare miss it!

Top Ten #362

1) Live Aid: Today is the 40th anniversary of the historic event. My memory may be a little hazy, but as I recall, the highlight was Phil Collins beating Freddie Mercury in some sort of transatlantic jet race.

2) Joey Stivic: As I posted in our Facebook group, one of the sidelights of my trip to Luray with Laurie was a glimpse of the original "physically correct" Joey Stivic doll:

3) Gilligan's Island: Also originally in our FB group: Another pic of a memento in the Toy Junction room next to historic Luray Caverns:

4) Bastille Day: Eh...I got nothing. Well, there was that episode of Family Ties where Mallory fell for her French tutor.

5) National Beans and Franks Day: That's more like it.

6) Didi Conn: Happy birthday!

7) Barry Diller: The former head of Paramount, also credited with creating the Movie of the Week while at ABC, is promoting a new memoir. 

8) Mork and Mindy: Antenna has a marathon of the show today. We talk about the series here.

9) Strange New World: This TV movie (Hey, maybe Diller writes about it!) aired 50 years ago tonight on ABC. It's another of those Seventies Gene Rodenberry movies that were designed to launch a series:

10) MLB All-Star Game: One of my favorite events back in the day, the Midsummer Classic returns this week.

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.

Top Ten #356: Special "It's June" Edition!

1) Emotional Summer: It is underway, folks! Let's enjoy the season!

2) National Game Show Day: A bit of a contrived one, perhaps, but are YOU gonna sit back and refuse to celebrate?

3) CNN: The Cable News Network began 45 years ago today.

4) NBA and NHL Playoffs: The second season of each league is heading to the final rounds.

5) My Father's House: Wait, my father's house was...my house. I guess not everyone was so lucky. Anyway, a TV movie by this name debuted 50 years ago tonight on ABC. Cliff Robertson is a workaholic exec who reflects on his life while recovering from a heart attack.

Hey, let's get back to celebrating Summer, eh!

6) Harry Castleman and Wally Podrazik: The authors of a couple of my favorite TV books made several appearances in recent weeks on Ed Robertson's TV Confidential radio show. The good news: Their Watching TV has a new edition. The bad news: It costs more than the budget of some of the episodes we've covered on the podcast.

7) The Young Ones: The Britcom debuted on MTV 40 years ago last week, and it went on to play about 500 times a week on the channel.

8) Gidget's Summer Reunion: This syndicated TV movie aired 40 years ago this weekend. Cliff Robertson is a workaholic--Sorry, that was the other movie.

9) NBC: Also 40 years ago, it was announced that NBC had climbed to number one for the just-concluded season. We can of course give full credit to the show that carried the whole network:

10) R.I.P. Loretta Swit, Jeff Margolis, James McEachin:

Happy Memorial Day!

From all of us at BOTNS to all of you, have a safe and happy Memorial Day in the U.S. of A (To the rest of you, have a safe and happy Monday!). Thanks to all who served and sacrificed. 

Top Ten #355

1) Memorial Day weekend: Special thanks this weekend to all those who made the ultimate sacrifice--like when CBS put Tour of Duty on at 9:00 P.M. on Saturdays against The Golden Girls. 

2) Lynda Carter: The iconic actress won a Paley Center Honors winner for her portrayal of Wonder Woman, "which brought Wonder Woman to life with strength, courage, and compassion, resonating deeply with audiences and reshaping TV forever," and "for being sizzling hot in that episode where she wore the blue swimsuit." OK, I may have added the last bit.

3) Good Morning America: The Paley Center also celebrated the 50th anniversary of Good Morning America, which rolls on today but will always be associated with David Hartman and Joan Lunden in BOTNSville.

4) Connie Sellecca: Happy birthday (Since we mentioned Lynda and Connie, let's complete the trinity: Erin Gray)!

5) Little House on the Prairie: Today ran a segment from the vaults explaining the destruction of the original sets. You didn't See David Hartman and Joan Lunden doing this kind of journalism!

6) The Ups and Downs of Henry Kissinger: 50 years ago tonight, CBS ran this documentary about the statesman, and why does it sound like a whimsical Britcom?

7) Tap Dance Day: Did anyone else see this ad hundreds of times back in the day?

8) Pee Wee Herman: HBO Max premieres an acclaimed documentary about the star this weekend.

9) The Indianapolis 500: 50 years ago today, the 1975 running of the race ended 26 laps short due to heavy rain. The broadcast on ABC wasn't even live, but it aired in prime on tape delay. What a bummer!

10) R.I.P. George Wendt: The great was nominated for a Batty in Season 6 but lost to Kelsey Grammer (no shame there), but of course he's an essential part of Cheers, which dominated the awards that season.

RetroFan #37

TwoMorrows Publishing seems to have had some issues of late, what with losing Barnes and Noble as an outlet and the bankruptcy of Diamond distributors, but I am glad to be one of the supporters of my favorite magazine, RetroFan. I'm a little late with this peek at issue 37 (cover-dated March 2025), but here it is anyway (The company has experienced publication delays since the Diamond situation, but it seems to be about to release mags again soon).

The editorial switch at RetroFan (Michael Eury retired) has been a smooth transition, and the latest issue is another great effort. Here are a few highlights for BOTNS fans:

The cover story is about TV staple The Jetsons, which I remember as a weekday rerun but was of course originally a Sixties program. Will Murray's article does get into the Eighties revival and movie. For me, it just feels like the show was always on at one time or another, whether weekend mornings or weekday afternoons.

On the heels of Mark Arnold's previous look at real rock bands on Saturday mornings, Andy Mangels covers fictional rock bands. Mangels' work is always a highlight, and here he discusses not only famous bands like The Banana Splits, but lesser-known outfits like The Nutty Squirrels.

It's not directly TV, but Scott Shaw! writes about the life and times of prolific toy producer Marvin Glass. What Saturday morning back in the day was complete without a toy ad or two?

Speaking of commercials, Scott Saavedra delivers a funny story about various retro kitchen gadgets, and of course he talks about this one:

Dan Murphy contributes a somewhat offbeat piece, a history of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling focusing on the 1980s era. It's not my favorite piece of Eighties pro wrestling, but the subject matter fits well with the magazine.

You get all this and more (Speaking of commercials again...) in issue 37. It comes, as always, with my strong recommendation!

Top Ten #354

1) The Real Trivial Pursuit: I remain fascinated by this 1985 ABC special combining celebrities and the megapopular board game. I can't find any footage, but at least I can look up how many bones there are in the human body. I don't WANT to, though! I want Ted Knight to tell me!

2) Friendly Persuasion (1975): 50 years ago tonight, ABC aired this TV movie, an adaptation of the novel by Jessamyn West. Starring Richard Kiley and Shirley Knight, the project was conceived as a series. The 1950s film directed by William Wyler starred Gary Cooper.

3) Stepfanie Kramer: In my post yesterday, I forgot to mention a cool profile TV Guide ran on the Hunter star, who comes across very well. The story even justifies/explains the odd spelling (an Actors Guild thing), which always bugged me. Sorry, Stepfanie! Here's a look at the piece:

4) Darkroom: Kino Lorber's Frank Tarzi has confirmed the 1981 anthology, which we talked about here, is coming to Blu Ray eventually. We talk about the show here.

5) Cinemax Comedy Experiment: Mothers: 40 years ago tonight, the premium network aired this special hosted by David Steinberg (It premiered about a week earlier). Various celebs including Richard Simmons talked about and interviewed their moms.

6) NFL schedule release: Give it to the National Football League for making a big event out of unveiling the dates its games will be played. Mike and I have thought about doing a podcast schedule release, but, hey, it's not all about money for us, man. How cool would it be if the NFL didn't announce the games until the day before they happened?

7) Bill Carter: The veteran chronicler of late-night TV was on Mark Malkoff's Inside Late Night podcast recently, and they had a great discussion. I note that Carter gave a pretty strong endorsement of the new Lorne Michaels biography, too.

8) International Museum Day: One way to celebrate: Visit the TV Hall of Fame. Say hi to Paul Lynde for us!

9) Gunsmoke: The series keeps on making the Nielsen charts for acquired programs on streaming, proving people do like watching old shows.

10) Joe Don Baker: R.I.P., Eischeid!

Inside the Guide: May 4-10 1985 Features and Articles

We went through the heart of the issue--the listings--but what about the mind? Or is it the soul? The elbow? What portion of a TV Guide is the features/articles/reviews section?

I'll leave that up to you and report on what this issue offers. It's an odd mix of "serious" and frivolous, with the feature on the production of Lace II  a tongue-in-cheek look at the miniseries that is also the cover subject.

There is an article claiming popular TV shows are a good way to talk about values with teenagers. Some of the ideas therein are compelling, but it's funny to read this kind of discussion from a Ph.D. who uses examples from Charles in Charge and Gimme a Break.

The issue-closing review discusses Hour Magazine, calling it bland but OK for what it was.

A preview of the Kentucky Derby spans several pages.

Buried in the back with little fanfare is a piece by Jason Robards pointing out how television glamorizes drinking. Robards was a public alcoholic, and the perspective is interesting, but he seems to really have it in for Dynasty and TV in general in 1985.

The first feature is a provocative look at local TV news doing advocacy and involving itself in stories and doing things for the public good. I thought this was the best story in the mag, but it's telling that the cover touts Phoebe Cates and talking to your teens but has no mention of it. Too boring for the masses?

Inside the Guide: May 4-10 1985 Part 6: Friday night!

Friday, May 10, 1985 is a little slower than the last few days we've covered from this issue, but there is some cool stuff.

CBS starts the evening with a pair of Bugs Bunny repeats:

Things pick up at 9:00, though, with an even more exciting pair: DECEIT and DESIRE! Wasn't that a tag team in GLOW in the Eighties?

Check out this duo on NBC. Do you remember that Dean Martin was a regular on Half Nelson?

Here's a cool ad for Night Flight on USA. The cable network was a pretty aggressive advertiser in the magazine in the Eighties.

And finally, here's an ad that just says, OK, here's Clint. What more do you want? Does he look particularly beguiled in this shot?

Inside the Guide: May 4-10 1985 Part 5: Thursday night!

Thursday night, May 9, 1985, brings some big-ticket programming. Just look at this classic comedy lineup on NBC. Oh, but ignore that odd pic of Michael J. Fox.

CBS has repeats of Magnum and Simon and Simon before an all-new Knots Landing.

On ABC, as you see in the listings above, Dennis Franz guests on a rerun of Street Hawk (I sure wish there were a display ad for it), and then there is this awesome special:

At 10:00, is Henry out of control on Hill Street? Furillo's expression indicates HE IS!

After all this, ABC's puny, colorless ad for 20/20 looks like an afterthought despite the provocative subject matter:

I'd really like to see that Trivial Pursuit special. I loved Trivial Pursuit, I loved 80s TV stars, and I would have loved to seen a combination of those things, but I was probably watching NBC that night.

Top Ten #353: Special Mother's Day Edition

1) Mother's Day: To quote Ralph Kiner once again, to all you mothers out there, happy birthday!

2) The Death Probe: Brick Mantooth does it again with this outstanding look at one of the bestest TV-related toys of the Seventies! Reminder, you can click here for our podcast discussing the original Six Million Dollar Man episode with this fearsome menace.

3) The Twilight Zone: I don't know why today is Twilight Zone Day. It's not the anniversary of the show. It's not Rod Serling's birthday. It's not even the anniversary of the day they decided to reboot it in the 1980s. But let's just take the opportunity to enjoy the series (SYFY has a marathon today) and not worry if this seems odd or bizarre or...eerie.

4) TV Guide: We've been running some pics from a 40-years-old TV Guide this week here on the site, and what a treat it is to revisit the days when it was THE premiere periodical in the nation.

5) Lace and Lace II: The cover subject of that Guide is the sequel to the "must have been popular because otherwise, why would they do a sequel?" miniseries.

6) Letting Go: 40 years ago tonight, this TV movie paired John Ritter and Sharon Gless. I love how back in the day, you could out a star from this random TV show with a star from that random TV show, and, bam, you have your hook. "Together at last!" How many hapless viewers suffered through the early 1980s waiting for Ritter and Gless to join forces?

7) The Muppets Green Album: Disney is celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Muppets with--well, not a lot of new stuff, but it reminds us of release of The Green Album, and it looks cool:

8) Dragon's Blood: 40 years ago this morning, CBS premiered this Storybook Special in which host Bob Keeshan introduced kids to the concept of the Red Wedding in a bloody fury heretofore unseen on Saturday morning television.

9) UFOs Past, Present, and Future: Oh, the psuedoscience was strong back in the 1970s!This 1974 documentary got a television broadcast this weekend in 1975.

10) R.I.P. Chet Lemon: The White Sox/Tigers outfielder was the guest star when we discussed The Baseball Bunch in Season 9.

Inside the Guide: May 4-10 1985 Part 4: Wednesday night!

Now we go to Wednesday, May 8, 1985!

What on Earth--or what in HEAVEN is going on here? Jonathan's look of concern is striking. I have to say, though, it's also strangely detached in a way, isn't it? Is he like, "Well, I didn't get to the church on time. Oh, well."

I didn't remember that Anthony Edwards played Olympic skier Bill Johnson in a TV movie.

ABC's powerful Wednesday combo is on display, and, hey, look, folks: They really did use "Very Special Episode" wording!

NBC has a comedy lineup of long-running Facts of Life and also-running Sara:

Maybe Sara had too many laughs and not enough surprises.

Finally, for fun, we have a look at Magnum, who gets a whirl in the CBS Late Movie spot:

Inside the Guide: May 4-10 1985 Part 3: Tuesday night!

Some of what aired Tuesday, May 7, 1985:

First time on network television!

Charlie Brown has excitement, but so does NBC, and it's NON-STOP!

Here is something cool they used to do: AFI tributes to classic movie stars. I guess there aren't many classic movie stars around these days.

Comedy tonight on ABC! I love Tony's face in the Who's da Boss ad. And is that Susan Lucci? Looks like an ad for License to Drive or one of those other teen 80s movies.

Inside the Guide: May 4-10 1985 Part 2: Monday night!

 Another great night of TV here on May 6, 1985, 40 years ago to the day.

CBS has a lot of excitement:

But what have we here on NBC? BLOOPERS! Look at Ed's face.

I see this ad today, and I think, how is this not on CBS?

And of course we have to show you the ad for THIS show: