tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post1054444755152804286..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: How hard is it to write final episodes?By Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-90395461711617671162011-05-16T12:51:50.023-07:002011-05-16T12:51:50.023-07:00Hard to believe that someone could think that Hawk...Hard to believe that someone could think that Hawkeye being a willing participant in the murder of an infant wouldn't send him over the edge. In that situation he was shocked, horrified, and thankful. How could it not mess someone up?<br /><br />Anyways, the last episode of MASH was almost like a totally different show, but it still made me cry.Johnnyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12866625264161191873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-29133235604672604442011-05-16T12:42:36.720-07:002011-05-16T12:42:36.720-07:00Friday question:
Do writing teams get paid half a...Friday question:<br /><br />Do writing teams get paid half as much as solo writers? (I.e. A normal writing salary halved?) And could having a partner work against you if you're both going to cost more than a single writer?Johnnyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12866625264161191873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-7014197773389091062011-05-16T10:28:44.889-07:002011-05-16T10:28:44.889-07:00Here's a different Netflix question - When I c...Here's a different Netflix question - When I click to stream an episode you wrote, does any money filter your way? If not, is that because of the age of the show, or because the writer's strike didn't quite accomplish its goal?Joe Pontillohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17426387211922541255noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-87700323028669248062011-05-15T11:20:28.933-07:002011-05-15T11:20:28.933-07:00I just watched a 1987 interview with Michael J. Fo...I just watched a 1987 interview with Michael J. Fox where the reporter said Family Ties was watched by sixty million viewers per week. Would that have been the case?? I know television has changed a lot in the last 20 years, but I always thought for example that when people said that Cheers had awful ratings in its first season/that it was one of TV's lowest rated shows, that they meant only two or three million were watching. Now I'm thinking it was getting more than Chuck or 3/4 of NBC's current line-up. Do you roughly remember Cheers' average ratings for the first season ?Stephen Conlonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-73235449213009689752011-05-15T01:41:10.433-07:002011-05-15T01:41:10.433-07:00I thoroughly enjoyed the final episode of "Cr...I thoroughly enjoyed the final episode of "Crusader Rabbit". It was sad to see Rags get shot to death.Sid Davidsonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-52175006464520943452011-05-14T19:23:14.083-07:002011-05-14T19:23:14.083-07:00Three random thoughts -
One - he best thing abou...Three random thoughts - <br /><br />One - he best thing about the MASH finale is that it serves as a set up for a joke from Alan Alda on last season's 30 ROCK.<br /><br />Two - Another series that totally suffered due to being aired was FOX's FIREFLY.<br /><br />Three - As for product placement, I miss those brown plaid beer cans you used to see in virtually every 70s sitcom.Rich Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04883386588727303782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-72546451995465142192011-05-14T18:58:33.925-07:002011-05-14T18:58:33.925-07:00Frasier's finale was great, I thought; I loved...<i>Frasier</i>'s finale was great, I thought; I loved finding out at the end where he's really landing after the episode's told us he's going someplace else. <i>Star Trek: The Next Generation</i> had a finale that was actually significantly better than the TNG movie <i>Generations</i> that came out six months later. But my favorite series finale was <i>NYPDBlue</i>'s, which ended with Andy Sipowicz taking over the precinct. After he says good night to all of his detectives, who all leave, Andy stays behind to work late on paperwork as the camera pulls away from him, sitting at the desk which had been occupied for years by superiors with whom he had frequently clashed.Kelly Sedingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10704114189919711467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-73559855844043356422011-05-14T15:24:22.322-07:002011-05-14T15:24:22.322-07:00My favorite series finale was "Six Feet Under...My favorite series finale was "Six Feet Under." I always wonder what ever happens to the characters when the show ends. And morbid as it may be, watching how all the main characters die in the future was quite rewarding, especially for a series revolving around the funeral home.JCnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-53452641203814257472011-05-14T14:38:12.279-07:002011-05-14T14:38:12.279-07:00thanks for taking my question. i think one of the...thanks for taking my question. i think one of the best final scenes from a TV series was in the Cosby Show when Cliff and Clair danced right through the 4th wall and right out of the studio with the cast.DyHrdMEThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07621011643939597497noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-82753536445766107732011-05-14T13:47:45.767-07:002011-05-14T13:47:45.767-07:00I'm with you on the final M*A*S*H. Not only wa...I'm with you on the final <b>M*A*S*H</b>. Not only was it too long, but the premise didn't work after all the horrors he's seen, <i>this</i> is what sends Hawkeye over the edge? <b>Seinfeld</b> had a good premise: proving to viewers that never got it that it was less a show about nothing than a show about four self-absorbed assholes. The problem was it was basically a clip show that was preceded by a retrospective, which was also a clip show. The extended <b>Scrubs</b> would be on my list of the best except they then ruined it by bringing it back for that awful extra season where most of the cast was gone or just made cameos and it revolved around new characters in a med school setting. I still don't think any show, comedy or drama, will come close to touching the ending of <b>Newhart.</b>Edward Copelandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12463676135131274426noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-42755800398225411742011-05-14T13:26:38.278-07:002011-05-14T13:26:38.278-07:00The MASH finale was overlong, but one thing I did ...The MASH finale was overlong, but one thing I did like is Hawkeye giving Hot Lips the long goodby kiss, while Potter and BJ look away and whistle and kick dirt around, and Charles awkwardly flips through a book.<br /><br />I think a better finale for Seinfeld would have been the episode (Larry David's last until the finale) where George's fiance died. Up to that point, the series only gradually revealed through the course of it's run that these four characters weren't very nice. In fact, until that episode, I'm betting most viewers were willing to give them all the benefit of a doubt. That's why that episode was so shocking. Afterwards, the series final two seasons was basically, let's see how bad we can make them. A lot of funny stuff still, but it seemed to me like overkill. The point had been made.<br /><br />I agree on Odd Couple, though I'm not convinced Felix's re-marriage would have lasted. I think within a year, he would've ended up right back as Oscar's roomate.Kirkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02155991693956178030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-64890228170786598712011-05-14T08:06:42.041-07:002011-05-14T08:06:42.041-07:00Guess we are all different. The ending episode of ...Guess we are all different. The ending episode of Seinfeld I felt was the absolute BEST ending of a long running series ever.<br />It was perfect, in length and in content. What I liked best about it, we audiences tend to be 2on the side" of folks in a series, and no exception with Seinfeld, BUT..the last episode really put a point of how shallow and undeserving those characters were under it all....really drove home how ridiculously they went into the minutiae of life, missing the points, never satisfied, and most of all...pointless and useless...great, great ending...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-82544480630026337942011-05-14T05:54:41.585-07:002011-05-14T05:54:41.585-07:00Thanks Ken.Thanks Ken.Nazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00316554604305098721noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-74708602505683363412011-05-14T04:39:30.492-07:002011-05-14T04:39:30.492-07:00I was watching the Newhart finale in Albany, NY, w...I was watching the Newhart finale in Albany, NY, when a surprised anchor, who was likely watching it too, appeared on the monitor. They showed the ending during the 11 p.m. news, but I actually never saw the whole thing until it was rerun.<br /><br />Oh, and agreed about the 2.5 hour M*A*S*H - a snore, though I liked BJ's goodbye to Hawkeye.Roger Owen Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05298172138307632062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-35320825390251098682011-05-13T22:07:26.951-07:002011-05-13T22:07:26.951-07:00I am not a paid subscriber to the Variety online a...I am not a paid subscriber to the <i>Variety</i> online archives allowing full page views, but searching is free - and using MASH as the search term and restricting to 1982-1983, it took only a few minutes to come up with such phrases as "...when 'Mash' ends its long run with a two-hour finale..."<br /><br />It was indeed first announced as shorter than its ultimate length. Ball's in your court, Anonymous.gottacooknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-74805822801407975262011-05-13T21:36:55.495-07:002011-05-13T21:36:55.495-07:00Except that the 11th season had only 15 episodes b...Except that the 11th season had only <b>15</b> episodes before the finale... as for the notion that the finale was always intended to be 2.5 hours, I'll see whether any documentation can be found online for what I distinctly remember about its being lengthened in production.gottacooknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-33474942994661778262011-05-13T21:34:07.495-07:002011-05-13T21:34:07.495-07:00If he perform a good act, will that would be a gre...If he perform a good act, will that would be a great replacement for Charlie.wfshttp://watchfaveshows.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-25650526698143802032011-05-13T21:21:22.212-07:002011-05-13T21:21:22.212-07:00The M*A*S*H finale was always intended to be 2 1/2...The M*A*S*H finale was always intended to be 2 1/2 hours. The final season was announced as a 17 regular episodes, plus the 2 1/2 hour finale (adding up to a full order of 22 half hours).<br /><br />Best finale that wasn't: the eighth season finale of "All in the Family", in which Mike and Gloria move to California. It's both funny and a tearjerker, and you can hearing the studio audience sniffling through the last few minutes. It ends with heartbroken Archie and Edith sitting in their chairs crying quietly as the camera pulls away and the scene fades to black.<br /><br />Unfortunately, after it was taped, CBS convinced Carroll O'Connor and Jean Stapleton to continue, robbing us of what would have been one of the best series finales ever.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-33660528364297978482011-05-13T21:12:58.201-07:002011-05-13T21:12:58.201-07:00One final ep that stands out for me was The Cosby ...One final ep that stands out for me was The Cosby Show. The story was noting special - just a standard episode, but at the end of it, Bill Cosby puts a jazz LP on, takes Phylicia Rashard by the hand and the two of them start dancing cheek to cheek. They then dance around the lounge room set, head out past the cameras, past the audience, down the corridor and out the studio door. Classy...Adam Paullnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-18808998402891061422011-05-13T20:08:19.482-07:002011-05-13T20:08:19.482-07:00Ken:
I listened to most of today's game (I ha...Ken:<br /><br />I listened to most of today's game (I had just got home when the disaster happened at the end), and I really was glad to hear you. There was one high chopper that went beyond Doug Fister's reach and you did a great job of explaining how high it had to be because Fister is so tall. Too often radio announcers forget to be our eyes and ears to the texture of the game. I don't have to tell you that doing that was one of Dave Niehaus's greatest strengths. He'd say someone was "coiled in the batter's box" or a pitcher had a "loosey-goosey motion" and you'd see it in your mind's eye. I don't need speculation about whether the bunt or the hit-and-run is on and in a close game I don't need to hear the same stories about the opposing team's last World Series. I need my announcer to make me see the game on the field. Great job on that tonight.Breadbakernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-84984757833530808352011-05-13T18:41:03.308-07:002011-05-13T18:41:03.308-07:00RockGolf:
Ah, but there were screwups around thos...RockGolf:<br /><br />Ah, but there were screwups around those extra 5 minutes on the finale of Newhart.<br /><br />The Albany, NY CBS station cut to a local commercial at 29 minutes past the hour, cutting off the final scene. Luckily for me, I lived halfway between Albany and NYC, and switched to channel 2 right away, but those who only got the Albany station missed at least some of it.Mike Schryverhttp://www.otrcomedy.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-30160726679375095352011-05-13T16:49:01.147-07:002011-05-13T16:49:01.147-07:00Haha, i think the worst product placement award mi...Haha, i think the worst product placement award might have to go to that bad Ashton Kutcher/Amanda Peet rom-com "A Lot Like Love", in which there's a scene where Ashton's character gets plane tickets to go see his love (amanda peet), and on his desk is one of those airline ticket envelopes... which isn't that unusual, for back then anyway. But what killed it was that labelled in big letters just so the audience could see it was the ORBITZ logo. Which, i guess it's not that big of a deal, except that orbits is all exclusively ONLINE, and you print the tickets off your printer. Orbitz doesn't send you Orbitz branded card stock plane tickets! <br /><br />Just silly. <br /><br />Also, i remember an episode of X-Files that had a Fiji Water branded Vending Machine at a very sketchy train station in the middle of nowhere. A, does Fiji have branded vending machines? B, if they did, would they put one in run down train station that gets 5 visitors a day?The Jnowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16706072961396012855noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1678925467972025732011-05-13T15:54:45.682-07:002011-05-13T15:54:45.682-07:00Ken - here's a question regarding Dodger Talk....Ken - here's a question regarding Dodger Talk. I heard your return over the weekend, which were sounds for sore ears...<br /><br />I don't know if this is a coincidence or not, but has the policy changed when you call to give your full question and so on? I used to call in and just say "I want to talk about our minor league teams" and that was that. So far this season, the screener wants the full details so (my thinking) Josh sounds smart when he's answering questions. That way, they have All the stats on whatever topic are in front of them, and there is no room for caller feedback! <br /><br />I know you're not on the show consistently, but do you know if KABC made a decision like that during the off season? <br /><br />Safe Travels,<br />SteveStevenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-29540403758257181792011-05-13T15:32:23.170-07:002011-05-13T15:32:23.170-07:00Since when does a BRUIN endorse a TROJAN???????Since when does a BRUIN endorse a TROJAN???????Gary Bebannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-56496255449995232202011-05-13T15:25:16.918-07:002011-05-13T15:25:16.918-07:00One sitcom finale I liked, even though I don't...One sitcom finale I liked, even though I don't think they knew it was a finale at the time, was the last original Fox-aired episode of Futura, called "The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings." Funny as ever but with a bit of closure (later unclosed of course) for Fry and Leela.Chris Riesbeckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09361434968521805027noreply@blogger.com