It's a good bet that a huge majority of Americans think of this when they think of Mary Tyler Moore. Image from source, MSN
Sniff. I mean, seriously, sniff. Yes, she was 80. No, we can't blame it on the 2016 Grim Reaper on Steroids. Yes, she'd been in ill health for some time, in fact living with juvenile diabetes for most of her life. But dammit, for some people, there's no such thing as a timely death.
Mary Tyler Moore is of course most well-known for her eponymous TV show in the 70s, a truly ground-breaking television show in or outside of the sitcom genre. She was a single gal in the city, never married and (gasp) past 30. She was a gay icon before the world (or even some gays) new what that meant. I read today somewhere, that Mary Richards, her character--like many gays trying to fit in--was absurdly nice and kind to a fault, had an awkward and weird dating life, had an assortment of oddballs as a "family" in the big city, away from family. Hello, that's "single gay male" for a whole lot us. And I'll be honest, even though I was just a touch too young to be a real Mary Tyler Moore Show fan, I did identify, though maybe more with sidekick Rhoda.
Moore was of course already well known as Laura Petrie, perky housewife on The Dick Van Dyke Show, by the time of MTM. And, with ex-husband Grant Tinker, formed a sizable and influential television production studio (also MTM), which aired one of my favorites of all time, WKRP in Cincinnati. She was also an an Emmy and Acadamy Award winning actress. And though she got her greatest acclaim in the 1960s and 70s, she was never too far out of the limelight, or our pop culture. She'll be missed. And will continue to turn the world on with her smile. RIP, Mare.
[Excerpt] Legendary Actress Mary Tyler Moore Dies at 80 Mary Tyler Moore, who played TV’s first sexy housewife and then a single, career woman who could turn the world on with her smile and toss her hat in the air like no other, died on Wednesday. She was 80. . . Read more at: MSN
Often for my Blast from the Past, I know I've repurposed and rerun old columns because of either a) running out of time or b) losing interest! This is one of those weeks where I'm reusing an old idea, but I'm not even going to look at my previous columns, I'm just going to see what I can find, using YouTube and my own memory as a guide.
I got the idea this week from the fact that I'm going in for my last insured dental visit for a while. The Other Half and I are embarking on a risky new chapter of our lives, where we will not have this type of coverage until we secure new jobs in a new town. So, obviously, it's a bit on my mind. But for some reason, I discovered that the topic of oral care is somehow extra sexy in the seventies. Take a look.
1. Ultra Brite Toothpaste (1978) - In a previous piece, I remember running a Farrah Fawcett Ultra Brite commercial. Here's one with her fellow Charlie's Angels "sister," Cheryl Ladd. 2. Close-Up Toothpaste (1979) - Ultra Brite wasn't the only toothpaste to play up sexuality. Close-Up did that almost exclusively. Here they are with Tom Selleck.
3. Crest Toothpate (1970s) - How about a little mustachioed Bill Cosby in your mouth? *blurrgh* 4. Pearl Drops Tooth Polish (1975) - Back to sexy (if you don't find the Cos sexy), with a woman who is a little to thrilled with her polished teeth. Sorry for the video quality, but there are other 70s commercials in the clip.
5. Macleans Toothpaste (1971) - Wow, they were sure horny for clean teeth in the 70s! Here, Cybill Shepherd is much less than subtle about getting it on with a guy who insults her. 6. Scope Mouthwash (1976) - Better rinse before getting that morning smooch!
7. Signal Mouthwash (1978) - Apparently Signal Mouthwash makes cheesy come-ons more sexy. 8. Freshen Up Bubblegum (1978) - A gum so sexy, it squirts in your mouth. . . And yes, that's Sorrell Brooke, Boss Hogg from The Dukes of Hazzard.
And that will about do it for me for the week. Though I just can't get out of here without the Farrah one. It's too classic. Here it is, happy Monday!
If you ask any fan or even casual viewer of WKRP in Cincinnati to name their favorite episodes, this one is certain to be in their top three. And if you're too young to remember the show, or never watched it? Settle in for 24 minutes, and enjoy.
Saturday morning cartoons--an absolute weekly event during most of my childhood--are a thing of the past. There are entire channels dedicated to cartoons and children's programming, but it's just not the same as the big three TV networks having a slate of kids shows from 6 to noon every Saturday. They competed against each other, and ran promotional ads in comic books to get our eyeballs on their channel. And we all watched. I don't
remember any kid my age who didn't.
My first edition covered the live-action shows, and this time I'm going for the cartoons. These are my favorites, in no particular order.
1. Josie and the Pussycats (1972-73) - A weird amalgam of Archie Comics style and Hanna-Barbara Scooby-Doo-like storytelling. But I loved the music, and Sebastian the cat.
2. Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! (1969-1970) - Scooby-Doo ran for many, many years, in many, many formats. But long before the insufferable Scrappy-Doo came along, was the original. And dig that music!
3. SuperFriends (1973-1986) - The first season was a kid-friendly version of The Justice League of America, complete with ordinary kids Wendy and Marvin (with WonderDog). The show picked up steam and popularity with the introduction of the Wonder Twins, Zan & Jayna. But the closer they got to the feel of the JLA, the more I liked it.
4. The Pink Panther Show (1969-1980) - This is another one that ran under a great many titles, but I always liked it, with its mix of segments, from the Ant and the Aardvark, Tijuana Toads and The Inspector.
INTERLUDE A: In the News (1971-1986) - CBS ran these mini news programs between cartoons. They brought our mornings to a screeching halt. But as I got older, I started to enjoy them.
INTERLUDE B: Schoolhouse Rock (1973-2009) - Unlike the previous, I loved these shorts. Almost all of them. We looked forward to Schoolhouse Rock just as much as the regular cartoons.
5. The Brady Kids (1972-73) - The Brady Bunch cartoon version included Marlon the talking mynah bird, and Ping and Pong, the pandas, for no particular reason. I was only 6, and I was rolling my eyes at the wacky animal sidekick trope. Speaking of which. . .
6. The Partridge Family 2200 A.D. (1974-75) - For some reason, the Partridges have a different mom, and instead of touring on a bus in the 70s, they're flying through space in the 23rd century. With a robot dog called Orbit.
7. The Tom & Jerry/Grape Ape/Mumbly Show (1976) - Though Tom & Jerry went through many, many titles (and their theatrical shorts are their main draw), this mouthful of a title still sticks in my head, and thus deserves a spot on the list. Unfortunately, the only video I can find is of the version without Mumbly.
8. Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids (1972-1981) - I loved this show, and Bill Cosby (here's hoping he's not guilty of the current allegations), but it always heralded the end of cartoons for the day, which was also sad.
And now, the weekend is over, and it's time to go to school work! Happy Monday!
Yeah, I know. I'm at the tail end of this one. That's what you get when you don't blog much on weekends, and you get busy after that. But I wanted this here anyway, because it's such a perfect encapsulation of my many pop culture touchstones; a stew of TV and movie tropes all stirred together brilliantly. Though, I'm quite sure it leaves people scratching their heads.
Suffice to say, the longer you watch, the weirder (and more trippy) it gets.
TV theme songs have always been a favorite pop culture thing for me, and occasionally there are still some really good ones, even if they're much shorter than in TV's golden age. But one thing rarely heard anymore is the premise theme song. That's where the entire basis for the show is clearly spelled out in the lyrics of the theme song. Surprisingly there are quite a few.
1. The Brady Bunch (1969-1974) "It's the story of a lovely lady. . ." No matter that this show was rather mediocre, it made a huge splash in America's pop culture pond that continues to ripple. The theme song was a big part of it.
2. Gilligan's Island (1964-1967) "Just sit right back, and you'll hear a tale. . ." Just as unforgettable as the Bradys, and not coincidentally by the same guy, Sherwood Schwartz. Those shows were his two big successes, and he wrung them for every drop he could get out of them!
3. The Beverly Hillbillies (1962-1971) "Come and listen to a story 'bout a man named Jed. . ."
4. Green Acres (1965-1971) "Green Acres is the place to be, farm livin' is the life for me!"
5. The Fresh Prince of Bel Air(1990-1996) "Now this is the story all about how my life got flipped. . ." A much more recent theme, but already over 20 years old!
6.The Jeffersons (1975-1985) "Well, we're movin' on up!" Arguably, the theme didn't tell the whole story, but if you knew them from All in the Family, the theme told you what happened next!
7. The Dukes of Hazzard (1979-1985) "Just the good ol' boys. . ."
8. WKRP in Cincinnati(1978-1982)
And now you know the story! Or stories. Anyway, that wraps another weekend folks. No fighting it, it's time to start another week. Join me, and try to have a happy Monday!
Some weeks in my Blast from the Past columns, I pick a subject, find my video clips, and then do descriptions of each, in brief or at length. Other weeks, the videos kind of speak for themselves. The latter weeks are easier! So, while combing my brain for ideas, I hit upon one that requires very little commentary from me: bloopers from classic shows of the distant and more recent past. I'm going into this not knowing how much I'll find, so let's discover together.
1. Happy Days, 1974-1984
2. Laverne & Shirley, 1976-1983
3. Mork & Mindy, 1978-1982 4. The Brady Bunch, 1969-1974
5. The Carol Burnett Show, 1967-1978 6. The Golden Girls, 1985-1992
7. Family Ties, 1982-1989 8. Friends, 1994-2004
And that's it for the weekend. See how easy it was? Heh. Happy Monday, everybody.
This past weekend, I watched The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas on DVD, on a whim. I was surprised to see that it was a "Miller-Milkis-Boyett Production." This is curious to a pop-culture geek like me, because, they're not known for movies. No, MMB (or some combination of the three) were responsible for several huge (and not so huge) sitcoms of the seventies, eighties and nineties. So, in this late edition of Blast from the Past, I thought I'd revisit some of them. See how many you remember.
1. Happy Days (1974-1984) - Fonzie, Richie, Potsie and Ralph were a huge part of 70s pop culture, and their show put Garry Marshall (and his family) on the map, and spun off a few more shows. 2. Laverne & Shirley (1976-1983) - By far Happy Days' most successful spin-off, Garry's sister Penny and Cindy Williams actually eclipsed the parent show for a couple of years.
3. Mork & Mindy(1978-1982) - Robin Williams broke out, and shot into the stratosphere with this Happy Days spin-off, and then sputtered out after inexplicable executive meddling. 4. Angie (1979-1980) - Rather short-lived for a show with a lot of promise. Robert Hays (Airplane!) and Donna Pescow (Saturday Night Fever) starred with Doris Roberts (Everybody Loves Raymond). Also a death by executive meddling.
5. Bosom Buddies (1980-1982) - Can you believe a show starring Tom Hanks would only last two seasons? Or that co-star Peter Scolari often out-shined him in the talent department? It's true! 6. Joanie Loves Chachi(1982-1983) - One of television's punch lines, this spin-off of Happy Days was actually (briefly) a hit. And then collapsed.
7. Perfect Strangers(1986-1993) - Balki wore thin after several seasons, but for the first few, this was a really fun sitcom, mostly due to Bronson Pinchot. 8.Family Matters (1980-1998) - Spun off of Perfect Strangers, this show was--to me--horrific. But to kids of the time, it's kind of their Happy Days, and apparently Steve Urkel is their Fonzie. Whatever. . .
9. Valerie/Valerie's Family: The Hogans/The Hogan Family(1986-1991) - Originally a starring vehicle for Valerie Harper--whose character was ultimately killed off in an awful contract dispute--ultimately it became The Jason Bateman show despite its various other titles, and new star, Sandy Duncan. 10. Step By Step(1991-1998) - Suzanne Somers and Patrick Duffy in a pointless, rice-cake of a sitcom. Just bland as hell, but again, if you were a kid at the time. . .maybe. . .it was just okay?
And with that bit of fluff, we'll call it a day. But since Monday's over, I'll wish you all a happy short work week, with a faster weekend!
PS. I'm well aware that I skipped Full House. Horrid show.
TV theme songs have always been a favorite pop culture thing for me, and occasionally there are still some really good ones, even if they're much shorter than in TV's golden age. But one thing rarely heard anymore is the premise theme song. That's where the entire basis for the show is clearly spelled out in the lyrics of the theme song. Surprisingly there are quite a few.
1. The Brady Bunch (1969-1974) "It's the story of a lovely lady. . ." No matter that this show was rather mediocre, it made a huge splash in America's pop culture pond that continues to ripple. The theme song was a big part of it.
2. Gilligan's Island (1964-1967) "Just sit right back, and you'll hear a tale. . ." Just as unforgettable as the Bradys, and not coincidentally by the same guy, Sherwood Schwartz. Those shows were his two big successes, and he wrung them for every drop he could get out of them!
3. The Beverly Hillbillies (1962-1971) "Come and listen to a story 'bout a man named Jed. . ."
4. Green Acres (1965-1971) "Green Acres is the place to be, farm livin' is the life for me!"
5. The Fresh Prince of Bel Air(1990-1996) "Now this is the story all about how my life got flipped. . ." A much more recent theme, but already over 20 years old!
6.The Jeffersons (1975-1985) "Well, we're movin' on up!" Arguably, the theme didn't tell the whole story, but if you knew them from All in the Family, the theme told you what happened next!
7. The Dukes of Hazzard (1979-1985) "Just the good ol' boys. . ."
8. WKRP in Cincinnati(1978-1982)
And now you know the story! Or stories. Anyway, that wraps another weekend folks. No fighting it, it's time to start another week. Join me, and try to have a happy Monday!
Valentine's Day is coming, so Blast from the Past needed to have a love theme. But what kind of love theme? I mean, music is just too broad. Do you know how many songs have the word "love" in them? It's crazy. I wanted something a little more unique. So, how about this? TV theme songs to shows with the word "love!" I don't even know how many there are, so as I find them I'll post them. Let's see how many I can gather.
1. Get Christie Love! (1974)
2. I Love Lucy (1953)
3. Joanie Loves Chachi (1982)
4. Love, American Style (1969)
5. Everybody Loves Raymond (1996)
6. Bridget Loves Bernie (1970)
7. The Love Boat (1977)
8. Big Love (2006)
What do you know, I got a full post out of it! There are others, like Love Connection (with the odious Chuck Woolery) and some reality shows. But I think this gets most of the big ones. Until Valentine's Day, have a great week!
I don't know how to react to this! Now surely, you see that this filed under Shameless Gossip, so it could be total crap. Nothing but a story wrapped around a cute picture. But wow, what if? Laverne & Leia? Does Cindy Williams know? Will she insist on equal billing? I'm just. . .wow.
Image from source, Kenneth in the (212)
[Excerpt]
Penny Marshall and Carrie Fisher Are Lovers -- Report
In a gay bombshell, a source says former “Laverne Shirley” star Penny Marshall plans to come out of the closet and declare she’s a lesbian! What’s more, the beloved 70-year-old actress-turned-director will be supported in her announcement by her longtime girlfriend – actress Carrie Fisher, 57, of “Star Wars” fame, the source adds. . .
We're in sort of a wasteland time of year on network television (those of us who even still watch CBS, NBC, ABC and FOX. . .and CW). You never know if you're going to get a new episode of your favorite show, a rerun, a "burnoff" episode of a cancelled show, a pre-emption by sports or political event, a lame network reality show you've never heard of, or the latest infotainment newsmagazine. Some shows are in new episodes, some are in reruns, some are on indefinite hiatus, and some you thought maybe got cancelled, are actually set for their season premieres. You never know what you're going to get.
The other thing that happens this time of year is a reshuffling of the surviving shows, temporary (or permanent) hiatuses for some shows, and the launch of "midseason replacement" shows. The Following, starring Kevin Bacon is a recent example of this, and its second season starts January 21. So, it got me to thinking about noteworthy shows that started in mid-season. And now, you can think about it!
1. All in the Family (Jan. 12, 1971)
2. Barney Miller (Jan. 23, 1975)
3. Blossom (Jan. 3, 1991)
4. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Mar. 10, 1997)
9. Married. . .with Children (Apr. 5, 1987)
10. Night Court (Jan. 4, 1984)
So, break out the TV Guide. . .app on your phone. Or just go through the DVR or on demand to. . .oh forget it. This is one concept that will be consigned to the scrap heap as more and more programming is on our own schedules, on cable or elsewhere. But that's kind of the point of Blast from the Past. For you youngsters out there, you should know that most of these programs debuted when most people had three or four channels, or maybe a couple dozen if they were lucky. With a wired cable box with physical buttons!
Anyway, that's it for this week's edition. Hope everyone is staying healthy enough to have a happy Monday!
If you never watched WKRP in Cincinnati, this is the first episode you should watch. And if you did? Watch it again! It's a Thanksgiving tradition! Have a great Thanksgiving everybody.
It has to be a small sliver of people who are tickled to death by the oddball humor contained in remaking a classic 70s/80s television opening sequence, and the behind-the-scenes mockumentary of its making. I am part of that sliver. I loved the recreation of Simon & Simon that Jon Hamm did with Adam Scott last year, and I love the Hart to Hart remake from last night's Greatest Event in Television History (again) on Adult Swim. I loved both original shows also, and was one of those weird kids who really dug the music and editing in these classic openings.
It doesn't hurt that Scott, Poehler (and Hamm, Paul Rudd, Jeff Probst, Horatio Sanz and everyone else involved in both sequences) have a warped, dry sense of humor, and chemistry with each other. I can't imagine what you'd call this subgenre of comedy, but it hits my pop culture sweet-spot with a bull's eye.
And here's the whole mockumentary behind the clip.
Awww jeez. Why you gotta go and do that for, Edith? Sadness here at Greenlee Gazette,even though she made it to 90, and died of natural causes. I mean, who can ask for better than that? But Jean Stapleton is such a treasured figure from just about anybody's nostalgic memories of the 1970s. There was simply no one else like her. Even though I was only 5 years old when All in the Family debuted, it was always on, and the show worked on so many levels, everyone liked it. Conservatives could agree with Archie Bunker while liberals could laugh at him. Kids would miss the adult material, but delight in the characters, particularly "dingbat" Edith. And I can't imagine any other actress bringing Edith to life in the way Stapleton did. RIP, Jean. [Excerpt] Jean Stapleton, who played TV's Edith Bunker, dies at age 90 Emmy-winning actress Jean Stapleton, best known for her role as Edith Bunker in the groundbreaking 1970s' television series "All in the Family," has died at age 90, her son said on Saturday. . .
This weekend has been a very full one, both with work and with obligations, leaving me little time for blogging. So, this week's Blast from the Past is a rerun, but a good one! Everyone remembers Schoolhouse Rock if they're of a certain age, but usually they remember the numbers songs or the parts of speech. Maybe though, you'll remember "I'm Just a Bill," and recall that they did a whole series on civics called "America Rock." I think our society could really use a refresher, don't you?
And that will do it for this week. Have a great Monday!
On some of the better blogs out there, you'll find detailed lists of the best blank of all time, with all sorts of details and notes, probably links and whatnot. And they'll rank them down to number one. Well, folks, I'm a hobbyist blogger, and while I like to think I'm good at what I do, I am also a procrastinator. Which puts my Blast from the Past column down into the later hours of each Sunday night (unless I manage to remember earlier), giving me a less than ideal amount of time to do all of that. So, while this is my second installment (not counting any earlier iterations I have likely posted over the years) of "Best TV Themes of All Time," I find that the first edition was misleading. They are a grouping of my favorites, but in no particular order. This week's batch contains themes I like better than some of last week's, and some from last week's are better than this. Consider each batch to be only part of a larger list, in no particular order, and we're all set!
1. Soap - A deliriously goofy spoof of soap operas, Soap was a trailblazer, tackling gay rights, abortion, alien abduction, amnesia, exorcism, murder, infidelity and all manner of scandals. And it had a charming, memorable theme.
2. Barney Miller - This jazzy theme was the highlight for me of the whole show, which mostly went over my tween-aged head at the time. In retrospect, the show was pretty great too.
3. CHiPs - The show was stock 70s drama with a dash of cheesy humor, and gave a terrifying view of Los Angeles freeway traffic. But the theme was classic.
4. Quincy, M.E.- Long before Crossing Jordan, Body of Proof or CSI: Wherever, there was Quincy, the original TV forensic investigator. And he had another classic 70s theme.
5. Sonny & Cher - I didn't realize at the time that the theme for this show was taken from one of the duo's best songs, The Beat Goes On. I was, after all, five years old when I started watching it.
6. Wonder Woman - This show was truly 70s cheese, but it starred the lovely Lynda Carter, who was a perfect casting choice. The theme had several versions, none a musical masterpiece. . .but there was something compelling about it just the same. Surely, it owes something to the 60s camp classic, Batman.
7. Night Court - Okay, this one makes me sure I've run a series on this topic before, as I know I've used this clip. But you know what? It's worthy of a rerun, and this is a great theme from one of the most surreal sitcoms ever to air, certainly for as long as this one did. 8. Bewitched- This was always one of my favorite shows, and I wish they hadn't almost ruined it as a premise with the Nicole Kidman "re-imagined" movie. Unforgivable! Maybe in a few years, they can revisit the idea of a witchy wife, and this time do it justice..
9. I Dream of Jeannie- As far as the magical sitcoms go, Bewitched wins hands down, in my opinion. But there is no doubt that Jeannie had a terrific theme (if you ignore the first season).
10. Green Acres - This was one of CBS's many rural-themed sitcoms, but it was by far the most surreal, a show that would be easy to dismiss as "stupid." But today we know better, don't we? Most of all, it had one of those "explain the premise in one minute flat" theme songs. How can you lose?
And that, friends and neighbors, will do it for this week's installment. Once again, small apologies if this topic has been revisited to often for your taste. Next week, I'll change gears, but I may come back to this idea with a third installment of --I promise--a different set of favorites. Happy Monday!
This is a Blast from the Past that needs very little exposition. These are my very favorite TV theme songs, and they rather speak for themselves. Either they are very catchy tunes, very meaningful lyrics, particularly good editing-with-music, or iconic pop culture confections. I'll insert a couple comments, but they mostly stand on their own. So, without further ado. . .
1. Laverne & Shirley: A spunky duo of 50s/60s gals face life on their own. Togetherness and determination all the way. 2. One Day at a Time: A divorcee strikes out on her own with two daughters in tow. And the theme song encourages others to strike their own path no matter what.
3. Simon and Simon: A detective team made of brothers who are like night and day. The theme song is cooler than the premise.
4. Knots Landing: A suburban cul-de-sac, loosely connected to the drama of Dallas. Soapy (but fun) show with an amazing theme song that changed from season to season. But season 5's was the best.
5. Gimme a Break: Fun theme song to a borderline racistly premised show. 6. Gimme a Break: Revised theme song to a borderline racistly premised show.
7. Dynasty: Glitzy soap opera, based in Denver, Colorado. 8. Dallas: Glitzy soap opera, based in Dallas, Texas.
9. Beverly Hills, 90210: superficial teen drama. 10. Melrose Place: superficial adult drama.
And that will do it for this edition of Blast from the Past. If I continue this series (and I very likely will), my "Best TV Themes of All Time" will very likely run to about 10 segments. And it's only that short, because some of my favorite shows have had no--or very nearly no--theme songs at all. Count this as batch #1, and have a great week, everybody!
Though she hasn't been much in the limelight since One Day at a Time--the long-running feminist sitcom of the 70s and 80s--Bonnie Franklin has a warm spot in my pop culture heart. She was spunky and courageous, and stood up for herself, both as a character and as an actress. She's probably partly responsible for advancing the image of single-motherhood as difficult but not shameful. And dang it, she was just an awesome sitcom mom. While it's always unfortunate when the stars of our youth pass away, only a few--for me at least, a known cynic--elicit actual sadness. There are the kids like Heather O'Rourke, who are simply not supposed to die so young. There's Gilda Radner and Madeline Kahn, who died much too soon. There are even those like Rue McClanahan and Bea Arthur who lived long and full lives, who we are nonetheless sad to have taken from us. Bonnie Franklin fits somewhere in between, a reminder of mortality, and my rapidly encroaching elder years. RIP, Ms. Romano!
[Excerpt] Bonnie Franklin Dead: 'One Day At A Time' Star Dies At 6
Bonnie Franklin, the pert, redheaded actress who won fame as a divorced mom on the long-running sitcom "One Day at a Time," has died. Family member say she died Friday due to complications from pancreatic cancer. She was 69. . .
We're in sort of a wasteland time of year on network television (those of us who even still watch CBS, NBC, ABC and FOX. . .and CW). You never know if you're going to get a new episode of your favorite show, a rerun, a "burnoff" episode of a cancelled show, a pre-emption by sports or political event, a lame network reality show you've never heard of, or the latest infotainment newsmagazine. During the entire month of January, for example The Big Bang Theory ran two new, two old, and a new one is on this Thursday, with some reruns on occasional Mondays. You never know what you're going to get.
The other thing that happens this time of year is a reshuffling of the surviving shows, temporary (or permanent) hiatuses for some shows, and the launch of "midseason replacement" shows. The Following, starring Kevin Bacon is the latest example of this, and it has me very interested. So, it got me to thinking about noteworthy shows that started in mid-season. And now, you can think about it!
1. All in the Family (Jan. 12, 1971)
2. Barney Miller (Jan. 23, 1975)
3. Blossom (Jan. 3, 1991)
4. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Mar. 10, 1997)
9. Married. . .with Children (Apr. 5, 1987)
10. Night Court (Jan. 4, 1984)
So, break out the TV Guide. . .app on your phone. Or just go through the DVR or on demand to. . .oh forget it. This is one concept that will be consigned to the scrap heap as more and more programming is on our own schedules, on cable or elsewhere. But that's kind of the point of Blast from the Past. For you youngsters out there, you should know that most of these programs debuted when most people had three or four channels, or maybe a couple dozen if they were lucky. With a wired cable box with physical buttons!
Anyway, that's it for this week's edition. Hope everyone is staying healthy enough to have a happy Monday!
