tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post2995266188152005281..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW -- Part 4By Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-21598483705165814782020-07-04T04:32:42.226-07:002020-07-04T04:32:42.226-07:00Thank you for allowing us more time with the DVD s...Thank you for allowing us more time with the DVD show. Excellent, funny — and the best moments for Ritchie I can recall.Prairie Perspectivehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02154574048042724149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-25606951309705921412020-07-01T06:40:40.994-07:002020-07-01T06:40:40.994-07:00Here's a note for you: hilarious! I could ima...Here's a note for you: hilarious! I could imagine the actors performing this. Thanks so much, and what a great tribute to Carl.Peternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-7138097657957116802015-07-28T08:41:25.573-07:002015-07-28T08:41:25.573-07:00Pain pill addiction? Pole dancing? 1965? :)
Ha, j...Pain pill addiction? Pole dancing? 1965? :)<br /><br />Ha, just kidding, I loved it! Thanks for sharing that, Ken! I look forward to reading Bill Persky's comments next week when I find the time (and am hopeful that Carl Reiner eventually gets back to you).<br /><br />On a more critical line of thinking: I wonder if bringing Millie into the story again at the end of Act 1 could have lead to a stronger "Hey Mae" moment. No idea how you'd drag out the story from there in Act 2, though.<br /><br />Loved it, though. You really captured all the voices so well. It really felt like I was watching a new episode, and I loved the sub-plot with Richie and the jokes. Thanks!Johnny Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13302545167970532080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-72429444242455795532015-07-27T22:40:01.269-07:002015-07-27T22:40:01.269-07:00Hate to be a nitpicker, but if they were bleeping ...Hate to be a nitpicker, but if they were bleeping "damn" on "The Tonight Show"--and they were--there's no way in heck it would have been permitted on a prime-time sitcom!cadavranoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-17457878612876298112015-07-25T22:24:59.195-07:002015-07-25T22:24:59.195-07:00I think "Fake Hamid" has a life, devoted...<br />I think "Fake Hamid" has a life, devoted to getting under your skin, which he seems to be succeeding at doing.<br /><br />When you ignore trolls, they eventually go away. When you respond, even if you think you're being cute and clever and really slamming them, you're giving them exactly what they feed on. Trust me, if you ignore the guy, as hard as that may be to do, he'll get bored when he sees he's not getting a rise out of you and he'll go away and find people to annoy on another forum somewhere. That's how these guys work. <br /><br />Just an observation.Leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-11163408356063416912015-07-25T07:31:04.174-07:002015-07-25T07:31:04.174-07:00Ken, if a miracle were to happen, the stars became...Ken, if a miracle were to happen, the stars became aligned, and the remaining members of the original cast were to perform this script, even if just at a table, I recommend you take the place of the late Morey Amsterdam as Buddy. An experienced TV comedy writer who's a constant wisecracker...typecasting.<br /><br />Also, this script prodded me to see what had happened to Ann Morgan Guilbert. I always thought the grandmother was one of the best things about The Nanny, but had no idea it was the same actress who played Millie Helper.estivhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12736355730705116526noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-4377219418291223312015-07-25T04:17:39.178-07:002015-07-25T04:17:39.178-07:00Fake Hamid seriously needs to get a life and a goo...Fake Hamid seriously needs to get a life and a good dose of meds. Guy needs help.Maxnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-67357642025841609722015-07-24T23:38:59.768-07:002015-07-24T23:38:59.768-07:00I love those old cast commercials. There's a &...I love those old cast commercials. There's a "Dick Van Dyke Show" one I've got on a compilation of old TV commercials where Laura shows up at Rob's office and is just furious because she saw him talking with a cute chorus girl. Rob explains, though, that she just asked for a cigarette, and he gave her one of his Kent Cigarettes. Well, Laura understands that completely. Kent Cigarettes are too good not to share! Just has me rolling in the floor every time I see it. Rob, Laura and Sally, all standing around having this discussion about the joys of Kent Cigarettes.Joshuanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-42049609545226938972015-07-24T12:33:39.374-07:002015-07-24T12:33:39.374-07:00Oh.
Never mind.Oh.<br />Never mind.thomas tuckerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06241537308195762967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-30891094141351989152015-07-24T11:52:55.847-07:002015-07-24T11:52:55.847-07:00Yeah, I agree that there was some of that "ho...Yeah, I agree that there was some of that "how DARE you insignificant creatures criticize the great Ken Levine" attitude on here from some of his, well, let's just say, more dedicated fans. <br /><br />But the thing about all the critiquing is that Ken made it clear that this isn't a "first draft." That he had no intention of rewriting and sorting through the tons of notes and objections he got over this and that from our end. So it was all a pointless kind of feedback. It was more a personal exercise that he just chose to share with us, to write a "Dick Van Dyke Show" script, get feedback from Bill Persky and possibly others who actually worked on the series to see what they thought of it. We weren't actually a part of the exercise. We were just being allowed to look in on it.<br /><br />Hamidnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-76849468979929122212015-07-24T09:13:50.977-07:002015-07-24T09:13:50.977-07:00Is this a typical script for a 1/2hr show? Never ...Is this a typical script for a 1/2hr show? Never saw a script before, wonder if this would stretch (or shrink) for a "typical" 1/2hr show. I know now there are more commercials. But hey, back then, you could have the commercial IN the show (I remember the one where Rob and Laura were selling cigarettes). "You know Rob, I really like this new Samsung S5 phone, I would NEVER loan it to Millie!" "The messes you have to clean up in the kitchen Laura, the S5 is perfect! Just wipe it clean, and it will be just like new!"Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16880646894752760905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-46563452436499795352015-07-24T08:59:36.083-07:002015-07-24T08:59:36.083-07:00This is CBS!This is CBS!tvfatshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05334224433587533124noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-85540858494525279502015-07-23T23:39:22.272-07:002015-07-23T23:39:22.272-07:00First, this was quite enjoyable, and being of the ...First, this was quite enjoyable, and being of the right age, very evocative of a show I watched religiously in first run and avidly in reruns in various formats. As a Dick Van Dyke Show story, that was an excellent effort.<br /><br />Second, there was some criticism of the critiquing of Ken ("Emmy-award winning writer"), which I don't think was fair. If Ken has taught us anything (and he's also a "noted teacher of television comedy writing") it's that any writer bringing a story and a first-draft script to the writer's room assumes he will need to defend every joke and every situation. If it doesn't make people laugh, it's ruthlessly cut. If it's implausible or out of character, it's fixed to make it both. Far brighter and more talented people than we have done that to Ken and he's of course asked two of the all-time greats to do the same here. But he wouldn't have posted these without expecting, inviting and welcoming comments.<br /><br />Third, I agree with many of the critiques of the stripper situation. So let me, not an aspiring comedy writer but a longstanding consumer of comedy, offer an alternative. Mel comes in with the photograph and simply tells Sally and Buddy, "Look at the two women in this photo with Alan." Rose Marie and Morey Amsterdam by their body language can tell us everything we need to know about what it's the photo. Then Mel says, "And he told them they were his nieces." Cut to Alan saying, in his high-strung, king of comedy voice, "They were my nieces." <br />Sally: You don't have any brothers or sisters.<br />Alan: I have a brother-in-law.<br />Sally: He's a Roman Catholic priest.<br />Alan: Then who am I to judge him? <br />Breadbakernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-77838074859989288862015-07-23T21:50:33.950-07:002015-07-23T21:50:33.950-07:00PS. You know, kid, you keep at this and you might ...PS. You know, kid, you keep at this and you might just have a future in television comedy writing.charlottesometimesnotnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-58488226620613248782015-07-23T21:41:13.388-07:002015-07-23T21:41:13.388-07:00So THIS is what it's like when an Emmy-winner ...So THIS is what it's like when an Emmy-winner writes fan fiction! ;-)<br /><br />WONDERFUL to get to hear these characters' voices again. :') It's like discovering a long-lost episode! Thank you so much for doing this, Ken. And for sharing it with all of us ungrateful blog readers. For free.<br /><br />Can't wait to hear all about your process tackling this script. And to find out what the show's REAL writers have to say about your spec. :D (My teeth are chattering nervously/excitedly on your behalf!) charlottesometimesnotnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-87852715620556979412015-07-23T21:19:46.841-07:002015-07-23T21:19:46.841-07:00It was great fun reading a new episode of my all-t...It was great fun reading a new episode of my all-time favorite show, written by the best of the generation that followed Persky/Denoff, Marshall/Belson, et al. <br />I think the character you really nailed was Buddy. Every line felt spot on.<br />I, too, struggled with Alan. I don't think he ever showed himself to be remotely generous or having any qualities of a nice guy. I don't think he'd ever cook for anyone and I think it was out of character for him to give Laura a car. In "Happy Birthday and Too Many More" he gave Ritchie a pony for his birthday, and it was only rented for two hours. In "My Husband is the Best One" Rob was having lunch with a reporter writing an article on Alan, and when Rob reminded Laura that Alan was paying for the lunch she responded with a surprised "really?!" that prompted the reporter to ask "Why did you say that, is he cheap?"<br />More troubling for me is that the overall plot seems perhaps too similar to "The Redcoats are Coming," when a British Invasion teen idol duo hides from swarms of screaming fans by secretly spending the night in the Petries' guest room. Part of the storyline involved making sure Millie didn't find out because she'd spill the secret. Also there were already two episodes where Laura discovered the kitchen destroyed by someone who cooked a meal for them-- house painter Vito Giotto in "Give Me Your Walls" and Maria the young Spanish maid in "Turtles, Ties and Toreadors." Just some thoughts.<br />But I did enjoy the script and found lots of funny lines and scenes that felt true to the style of the show. Bravo!Dan Reesehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03410461670413630333noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-33283291930405890112015-07-23T20:46:46.071-07:002015-07-23T20:46:46.071-07:00I'll ask the question about the elephant in th...I'll ask the question about the elephant in the room--where's David Isaacs? I thought Levine-Isaacs was a writing TEAM, like Lennon-McCartney, not like Paul post-Beatles.<br /><br />Like many have said, I could see (in B&W) the actors of the DVD saying these lines as I was reading them...with some jarring references that took me out of 1965. I won't belabor going over them again, even the new ones that were in today's installment. Just one comment on Part 4. I think Rob should have responded that he makes a nice living writing jokes and doesn't really mind Ritchie getting paid, but that since he is, he could buy the groceries for the family next week. I really do appreciate the effort and craft that went into this. This is the best entertainment/sports/radio dj blog and I usually check it out at 9am EDT as soon as that day's installment is posted.<br /><br />The "refrigerator moment" for me was--what happened in the car accident? It was just a "Here we are in sunny Spain" drop-in that was never explained or fleshed out. A setup without a payoff.<br /><br />I look forward to Persky and other people's comments.<br /><br /><b>Southfield_Bob</b>Southfield_Bobnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-61187121273440904992015-07-23T15:34:44.558-07:002015-07-23T15:34:44.558-07:00Alan is based on 50s TV comedy greats like Caesar,...Alan is based on 50s TV comedy greats like Caesar, Gleason, Phil Silvers etc. I've read that those guys had a flair for the Big Gesture - like maybe, on a whim, ordering a new car for the head writer's wife - at 6 in the morning! Nothing in this episode is out of character for Alan. What Ken has done is add dimension to a character who only appeared a few times each season and, though always hilarious, was also mostly one-dimensional.Tednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-18001528489696904952015-07-23T14:51:46.900-07:002015-07-23T14:51:46.900-07:00Really enjoyed it. In a future post would like to ...Really enjoyed it. In a future post would like to read about the construct of the script (i.e., what came first - idea of Alan having to hide out at the house followed by book-ending the car crash with the new car gift, Ritchie riffing jokes with Alan and then Buddy as foils, etc.). Would really be helpful to read how a comedic mind works. MikeK.Pa.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-89849889421796648572015-07-23T13:49:55.517-07:002015-07-23T13:49:55.517-07:00Cuba?????Cuba?????Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-20425675038103488462015-07-23T12:54:19.510-07:002015-07-23T12:54:19.510-07:00Funniest line in the script: "Cuba."
Exc...Funniest line in the script: "Cuba."<br />Except for everything else!Gerryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12361836428885324631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-79202837461627322692015-07-23T12:41:29.981-07:002015-07-23T12:41:29.981-07:00Thanks for posting this, Ken. I enjoyed reading it...Thanks for posting this, Ken. I enjoyed reading it.<br /><br />A couple of questions:<br /><br />1) What do "reset" and "continuous" mean, as in<br /><br />RESET TO:<br /><br />INT. KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS<br /><br />Do these terms always appear together, or can one appear in a script without the other?<br /><br />2) There was contention here and there in the comments sections about out of character behavior. Rob saying something someone thought Rob would never say or Alan doing something someone thought Alan would never do. Do these types of disagreements ever come up in the writers' room and, if so, how do you resolve them?<br /><br />Thanks.Michaelnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-70088920854893006762015-07-23T12:10:50.383-07:002015-07-23T12:10:50.383-07:00To follow up on yesterday's discussion of Carl...To follow up on yesterday's discussion of Carl Reiner...he tweeted this a few minutes ago. It's the cover to his new DVD book.<br /><br />https://twitter.com/carlreiner/status/624292230602334208bensonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-60866061161854225272015-07-23T11:43:16.767-07:002015-07-23T11:43:16.767-07:00I waited until the final installment to speak. Ex...I waited until the final installment to speak. Excellent attempt, you can 'hear' the voicings and vocal rhythms matching perfectly to each character. A lot of good jokes. <br /><br />The only false note to me (in the third installment) was Alan buying Laura a car, it just seemed way out of character for him (to me). He was never that generous; yet I see now how the car was an important piece of the story structure, so...<br /><br />No less a leap of logic than the last broadcast show (the cowboy fantasy).<br /><br />Excellent recreation of a new DVD script, though!Mister Charliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02740971667961847200noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-25746760052186975552015-07-23T10:23:06.878-07:002015-07-23T10:23:06.878-07:00Talk about artistic license, in real life, Rob wou...Talk about artistic license, in real life, Rob would be the talent and Alan the writer.Mike Barerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14447874605833321732noreply@blogger.com