tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post4113763402788892714..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: Inside TV questionsBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-66098445243009042922011-09-07T02:46:14.212-07:002011-09-07T02:46:14.212-07:00Do writers submit their scripts to the Emmy voters...Do writers submit their scripts to the Emmy voters when they are nominated? I always assumed that the voters based their decision on the script (for technique/form) AND the actual episode (for execution).Stephennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-68741066325923970562011-09-06T11:09:39.365-07:002011-09-06T11:09:39.365-07:00Ken-- the fact that you wrote all the BAR WARS epi...Ken-- the fact that you wrote all the BAR WARS episodes means you and your partner are responsible for my favorite ever line in CHEERS. In the episode where Gary "dies" (via scary holographic Carla head) and Sam refuses to buy that it's not all just a sick prank until after the gang has returned from the funeral... then a newly chagrined Sam quietly shares what a good friend Gary was, how much he'll miss him. Solemn pause, then cue Frasier: "That would have made a better eulogy than 'Get out of there, Gary.'" <br /><br />It kills me EVERY TIME.Gregnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-46909025353120505892011-09-05T05:03:20.109-07:002011-09-05T05:03:20.109-07:00Sorry, TV Land changed the time. The "Movin&...Sorry, TV Land changed the time. The "Movin' On Down" episode of "The Jeffersons" airs 9/6 at 8am (est).Matt Tauberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00336379337777188738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-11543836831043304962011-09-03T05:00:23.226-07:002011-09-03T05:00:23.226-07:00Anonymous, that's why they rewrote the episode...Anonymous, that's why they rewrote the episode. Charisma Carpenter and Sarah Michelle Gellar were never intended to share "Guest star" billing.<br /><br />You can read scriptwriter David Fury talk about him changing the episode for Cordelia when Gellar declined:<br /><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20051211085159/http://www.mikejozic.com/buffyweek6.html" rel="nofollow">http://web.archive.org/web/20051211085159/http://www.mikejozic.com/buffyweek6.html</a>Johnny Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13302545167970532080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-18803941592882157012011-09-03T01:06:13.933-07:002011-09-03T01:06:13.933-07:00From HERE: In 1983 none of NBC's nine new show...From <a href="http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/National-Broadcasting-Company-Inc-Company-History.html" rel="nofollow">HERE</a>: In 1983 none of NBC's nine new shows was renewed, and the network received low consumer ratings for the third year in a row. Some sources attributed this decline to poor management and a mishandled budget. The network quickly replaced low-rated programming and managed to bring its ratings up to second place by the 1984-85 season, and to number one by 1985.Roger Owen Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05298172138307632062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-34589060659363259962011-09-02T21:57:31.120-07:002011-09-02T21:57:31.120-07:00Speaking of great Cheers episodes, (long time fans...Speaking of great Cheers episodes, (long time fans of this blog will appreciate this) Reelz ran the Albania episode tonight.bensonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-89485041866917654062011-09-02T19:35:47.875-07:002011-09-02T19:35:47.875-07:00"Mess" isn't the half of it...I read..."Mess" isn't the half of it...I read a book called "The Season" that studied TV as it was during that year (1983-84). The author stated that between the growth of cable and the network's own problems, he flatly predicted that NBC would be out of business within a few years. Ironically, he only mentioned COSBY and MIAMI VICEPaul Ducanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1435257186988247462011-09-02T18:12:43.521-07:002011-09-02T18:12:43.521-07:00Johnny Walker, could you give details of that Ange...Johnny Walker, could you give details of that Angel recasting?<br /><br />I think you are referring to a different episode that centered around Buffy, but they just cut her appearance out.<br /><br />It doesn't make any sense with the plot. Charisma Carpenter had to play the role she played in her episode, Buffy couldn't play that part, not just for that episode, but the season arc changes if you take Charisma out of that episode.<br /><br />The whole final season was probably meant to be two or three seasons, but they had to compress it once they were cancelled.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-82427577747170367332011-09-02T16:14:38.456-07:002011-09-02T16:14:38.456-07:00I read the Schur interview yesterday, too, and I a...I read the Schur interview yesterday, too, and I agree it's a must-read for any Cheers/Ken fan (though I believe it's the interviewer who mentions Ken, not Schur).jbryantnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-40558236704045459962011-09-02T13:47:31.907-07:002011-09-02T13:47:31.907-07:00There's another option I know of, that Ken did...There's another option I know of, that Ken didn't mention: Change the character. Sometimes if there's a show idea involving a particular character, and that actor isn't available, they'll go with a different character/actor that IS available.<br /><br />For example, I know that in Season 5 of Angel they wrote an episode for Sarah Michelle Gellar. The actress apparently had a death in her family and couldn't make the show, so they re-wrote the script, but keeping the same idea, and used a different character/actor that was available (in this case Charisma Carpenter).<br /><br />Maybe those are especially unusual circumstances, though?Johnny Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13302545167970532080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-73686071224497435262011-09-02T12:02:01.677-07:002011-09-02T12:02:01.677-07:00St. Elsewhere and Family Ties were the two other ...St. Elsewhere and Family Ties were the two other critics darling shows that struggled in the ratings pre-Cosby, but that Tartikoff Tinker et al fought to keep on the air. Ironically, my favorite seasons of FT were before the ratings skyrocketed.<br /><br /><br />I used to love all the old SNLs where they would take major jabs at Fred Silverman. I'm not a big Al Franken fan but his Limo-for-Lamo bit was scathing and hilarious. Can you imagine having your best show be Diff'rent Strokes?<br /><br /><br />I remember a NYMag article around 1985 that basically said what Ken is saying: the positive, nurturing environment encouraged people to send their best scripts (Cosby, Golden Girls, etc) to NBC, and the rest is history (well, at least until Jeff Zucker came along). In short, long term strategy and concentrating on quality paid off. But my impression always has been that it was Tartikoff, more so than Tinker, who was really instrumental in turning the network around. In fact, wasn't it Tartikoff who came up with the Miami Nice/Golden Girls concept? Thoughts? Ken....?<br /><br /><br />Now, the real question is...who was responsible for the casting of Emmy-award winning actress Jackee?:)birdienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-86474064536866239342011-09-02T11:06:50.528-07:002011-09-02T11:06:50.528-07:00Also, the way I remember it, NBC's worst-to-fi...Also, the way I remember it, NBC's worst-to-first climb wasn't quick at all. It took at least 4 or 5 years.<br />There were a lot of interviews where Tinker and Tartikoff had to defend their programming approach, always insisting that viewers would eventually catch on. This eased up once Cosby came along.Mike Schryverhttp://comics.dannythestreet.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-55528758440821324982011-09-02T11:05:45.754-07:002011-09-02T11:05:45.754-07:00Ken -
The "Movin' On Down" episode ...Ken - <br />The "Movin' On Down" episode of "The Jeffersons" is scheduled for 5:30PM EST, 9/5 on TVLAND.Matt Tauberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00336379337777188738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-59647612849997631052011-09-02T09:50:55.639-07:002011-09-02T09:50:55.639-07:00I would think Ken Levine would know Michael Schur ...I would think Ken Levine would know Michael Schur by his alter ego, Ken Tremenous. Perhaps that's a shoutout to Ken himself.Breadbakernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-57501194605955674362011-09-02T09:19:17.773-07:002011-09-02T09:19:17.773-07:00Tim's link should read:
http://nymag.com/dail...Tim's link should read:<br /><br />http://nymag.com/daily/<br />entertainment/2011/<br />09/cheers_parks_and_<br />recreation_mi.htmlemilynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-27212208076110163332011-09-02T09:08:22.416-07:002011-09-02T09:08:22.416-07:00Tim Dunleavy -- thanks for the pointer to the exc...Tim Dunleavy -- thanks for the pointer to the excellent nymag article. Here's another version of the link, as yours didn't work for me:<br /><br /><a href="http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2011/09/cheers_parks_and_recreation_mi.html" rel="nofollow">Michael Schur on Cheers</a>DaveMBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00779581893863396042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-36172044740677575502011-09-02T09:02:40.802-07:002011-09-02T09:02:40.802-07:00Betty: I would think Ken's answer is true for ...Betty: I would think Ken's answer is true for BOTH staircases.<br /><br />Curt: You're right, Grant Tinker's gift for picking good shows developed early. In a MT&R seminar included on the GET SMART box set, Leonard Stern said that after that series' pilot script had been rejected all over Hollywood (including at ABC), Tinker was the first executive to like the script. It was Tinker who put the show on track at NBC.Tim Dunleavyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01881671137563687203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-76541411790188492222011-09-02T08:10:24.551-07:002011-09-02T08:10:24.551-07:00Weren't there two stairs in Cheers - one that ...Weren't there two stairs in Cheers - one that goes from the street, and the one on the side that goes up to the restaurant?<br /><br />The staircase I am thinking of is in the final shot of the series when someone comes down and knocks on the door. That was from the street, I thought.<br /><br />Maybe I am remembering wrong.bettydnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-47886481248394176122011-09-02T07:09:32.629-07:002011-09-02T07:09:32.629-07:00Tim D:
Read that piece last night and was going t...Tim D:<br /><br />Read that piece last night and was going to post the link too.<br />A MUST read!<br /><br />Thx.GregNnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-52056662308836984692011-09-02T06:42:42.053-07:002011-09-02T06:42:42.053-07:00I've been doing a big Cheers re-watch on Netfl...I've been doing a big Cheers re-watch on Netflix and coincidentally just watched that episode where Coach throws himself down the stairs to get the girl. Great episode!*tarazzahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01750756996602049812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1917879128774750772011-09-02T06:30:11.269-07:002011-09-02T06:30:11.269-07:00Whoops -- not Jerry Chester, Mort Werner.Whoops -- not Jerry Chester, Mort Werner.Curt Alliaumenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-88584948227764980162011-09-02T06:28:56.164-07:002011-09-02T06:28:56.164-07:00Grant Tinker had the knack of picking good shows f...Grant Tinker had the knack of picking good shows for a long, long time. Merv Griffin once sent me an e-mail (I was on a game show newsgroup; he lurked and wrote to the people who didn't seem too goofy) that when he staged a runthrough of "Jeopardy!" for Tinker and Jerry Chester back in 1964, Chester told Griffin he was dubious the show could work over the long haul, while Tinker was jumping up and down behind him shouting, "Buy it! Buy it!"Curt Alliaumenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-41259761468435303462011-09-02T06:22:30.897-07:002011-09-02T06:22:30.897-07:00Did you ever work with Frances Sternhagen on a Ma ...Did you ever work with Frances Sternhagen on a Ma Clavin episode, and if so, how was she to work with?<br /><br />I saw her in the original production of <i>On Golden Pond</i> with Tom Aldredge, in 1979, and have been a fan ever since - I even liked her as Carter's grandma on <i>ER</i>, a onetime TV institution that seems to have receded into the distance awfully quickly.gottacooknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-85477176306501058922011-09-02T06:21:31.013-07:002011-09-02T06:21:31.013-07:00Ken - you'll want to read this long but though...Ken - you'll want to read this long but thoughtful tribute to CHEERS from Michael Schur, showrunner on PARKS AND RECREATION. Hey, he even mentions you!<br />http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2011/09/cheers_parks_and_recreation_mi.htmlTim Dunleavyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01881671137563687203noreply@blogger.com