tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post8510110647320193302..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: Friday (the 13th) QuestionsBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger63125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-39529451223791007702015-11-23T06:16:51.083-08:002015-11-23T06:16:51.083-08:00I've been meaning to come back for a week to s...I've been meaning to come back for a week to say thanks for answering my question! I have a hard time commenting from my phone, and my laptop has demanded things other than blog commenting. ;-)Katherine @ Grass Stainshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01258123193553569060noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-39380020287414461932015-11-18T17:38:31.822-08:002015-11-18T17:38:31.822-08:00To Storm and Carrie, thank you both ever so much f...To Storm and Carrie, thank you both ever so much for dispelling what I deemed to be the Myth of the Nielsen Family. Let me see what else is on my list... Anyone ever seen a unicorn? A happy ticket agent at American Airlines? A mother who prefers Common Core?Honeycutt Powellnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-43785601181866566902015-11-17T17:45:14.626-08:002015-11-17T17:45:14.626-08:00I'll add more support for Frank's Place. I...I'll add more support for Frank's Place. In my opinion the finest one and done series in TV history.<br /><br />Also enjoyed Doctor, Doctor with Matt Frewer and Crazy Like a Fox with Jack Warden. Fox started off as a big hit until CBS killed it in its second season by moving it all over the schedule.<br /><br />I'll Fly Away was great, too. And of recent vintage Men of a Certain Age was surprisingly terrific.Win1908https://www.blogger.com/profile/16396450880186443353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-56334241922460275152015-11-17T14:59:01.008-08:002015-11-17T14:59:01.008-08:00What about Quark or Hot'l Baltimore?What about Quark or Hot'l Baltimore?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01717645352875664093noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-2195876197231723842015-11-17T13:49:51.641-08:002015-11-17T13:49:51.641-08:00jbryant mentioned "If Not for You" with ...jbryant mentioned "If Not for You" with Elizabeth McGovern and Hank Azaria:<br /><br />I remember that show got bad reviews when the pilot aired. I didn't get a chance to watch it until the third week, and when I did, I thought, "Wow, this is a really good show! Funny jokes, and good chemistry between the two leads. I'll watch it again next week."<br /><br />When I went back the next week, it was gone. For good.Tim Dunleavyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01881671137563687203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-89329326189834977962015-11-16T10:34:52.583-08:002015-11-16T10:34:52.583-08:00Additional opining. Frank's Place was a wonde...Additional opining. Frank's Place was a wonderful, quiet and funny show. I wanted to be a George and Leo fan (love that Bob...also Marthas Vineyard) but when a view through the rear window of the taxicab (remember, on Marthas Vineyard, off Cape Cod) showed palm trees, I had to give up.The Nazz, natch....https://www.blogger.com/profile/09392319684852598066noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-35726055872057791072015-11-16T08:38:31.504-08:002015-11-16T08:38:31.504-08:00My husband and I were a Nielsen family for May swe...My husband and I were a Nielsen family for May sweeps, and we had to fill out a "diary", like Carrie and her family. I thought it was odd that they didn't ask outright if you were watching live or DVR, though it did ask you exactly when the program you watched was aired, and exactly when you watched it.<br /><br />I'm still amused at the idea of the reaction the person reading our diary must have had: "All they watch is old Star Trek episodes, old science fiction and horror movies, and British shows off of PBS? Who chose these weirdos?" (What can I say, we were busy in May, and there wasn't much new on that we wanted to see)<br /><br />Cheers, thanks a lot,<br /><br />StormStormnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-54427821198025016252015-11-15T15:59:38.674-08:002015-11-15T15:59:38.674-08:00The theme song from Best of the West has been stuc...The theme song from Best of the West has been stuck in my head for the last 30 years.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-65558303689303338732015-11-15T15:06:56.049-08:002015-11-15T15:06:56.049-08:00Bee: The show you are thinking of is the Jackie Th...Bee: The show you are thinking of is the Jackie Thomas Show, which also starred Alison La Placa and Paul Feig. I agree, it was gone too soon.<br /><br />In Roseanne's book, "Two Lives", she says that she was grateful for the critical acclaim and was proud of the show, even though the ratings were low.<br /><br />After she and Arnold divorced, she was quoted later as saying that all Arnold did was take her money.Brian Phillipshttp://ultrasonicremote.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-43960558930473329592015-11-15T10:05:32.704-08:002015-11-15T10:05:32.704-08:00Cancelled far too soon:
Gunsmoke
As the World Turn...Cancelled far too soon:<br />Gunsmoke<br />As the World Turns<br />Art Linkletter's House Party<br />The Indian head test patternHy Aytusnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-76394307074024809492015-11-15T05:42:11.568-08:002015-11-15T05:42:11.568-08:00I second Bill Slankard on WonderFalls. An eccentri...I second Bill Slankard on WonderFalls. An eccentric, imaginative show with botched scheduling and lackluster (or just lack of) promotion by FOX despite being a favorite of the critics.<br /><br />I was a recent Nielson "Family", though the "family" was just my cat and myself. It's all electronic now. There's a box next to the TV that comes on when the set is turned on and tracks what channel you're viewing. The box has its own remote with a button you have to press every 40 minutes or so to demonstrate that you're still watching. A scrolling reminder message appears on the box when it's time to press the button. If you don't press it the box stops metering the TV until you do.<br /><br />The families are picked at random to represent their geographic area and are only in the program for 2 years.Joe Raynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-46155905344712202802015-11-15T05:13:57.751-08:002015-11-15T05:13:57.751-08:00I'd like to stick up for "The Dumplings&q...I'd like to stick up for "The Dumplings", with Geraldine Page and James Coco. A married, plus-sized couple that ran a restaurant and were completely besotted with each other. It got great reviews and the axe after less than a season.Brian Phillipsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-72258572389673858662015-11-15T01:48:14.997-08:002015-11-15T01:48:14.997-08:00Exactly who deserves credit for coming up with the...Exactly who deserves credit for coming up with the idea of naming Frasier's and Lilith's son "Frederick"? Was it David Lloyd, who wrote the episode where he was born, or did it come from someone else?Allan Vnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-57455493637841976462015-11-14T21:20:59.296-08:002015-11-14T21:20:59.296-08:00A lot of great ones mentioned. Big dittos to Frea...A lot of great ones mentioned. Big dittos to Freaks and Geeks, Bakersfield P.D. and Eyes. I don't think anyone has said Buffalo Bill yet though. <br /><br />A couple I have fond memories of but no idea how they'd hold up today are Eisenhower and Lutz (with Scott Bakula, Patricia Richardson and DeLane Matthews) and If Not for You (with Elizabeth McGovern and Hank Azaria).jbryantnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-41472882360850151942015-11-14T18:55:47.751-08:002015-11-14T18:55:47.751-08:00Ken,
You and I are both huge fans of Dan Ingram, ...Ken,<br /><br />You and I are both huge fans of Dan Ingram, quite possibly the greatest top 40 radio DJ of all time(you won't find anyone saying that in LA though). I would love to hear anything and everything you have about him, especially for the benefit of those who do not know him.John Gnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-60819020379508850672015-11-14T15:38:41.188-08:002015-11-14T15:38:41.188-08:00okay, I will mention the powers that be as long as...okay, I will mention the powers that be as long as you don't mind that I don't capitalize it correctly because I don't feel like typing and Google Voice Recognition doesn't know it's a show.<br />in Boston it was regularly preemptEd for reruns of the Golden Girls. Then we were forced to dig through our TV guides and try to find when it was airing. Sunday morning 2 a.m.? Sunday afternoon 2 p.m.? Monday morning 3 a.m.? it varied. so frustrating. Really liked that show. also almost perfect - until they fired the male lead.Pamela Jayehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06135379188588301400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-23617623400862570982015-11-14T07:22:33.934-08:002015-11-14T07:22:33.934-08:00I grew up living next door in New York to a Gleaso...I grew up living next door in New York to a Gleason friend and bit player, Jay Barney. He said Gleason hated <i>The Honeymooners,</i> hated the scripts, didn't think it was funny, and was more than glad to be done with it. Then, around the fifth season of the second coming of Gleason's CBS variety show, the network told Gleason he was either going to have to start working again, or they'd cancel him. (Gleason had long since just been going through the motions: the opening monologue with little more than a couple of catch phrases, unfunny blackouts during the American Scene Magazine magazine segments, and on and on.) CBS wanted <i>The Honeymooners,</i> so that's what Gleason, in something like desperation, gave them. At the initial staff meeting Gleason, who'd long ago had ordered all the "50s <i>Honeymooners</i> paraphernalia trashed, demanded that the set dressers go out and find exactly the same stuff, even unto the silver nut dish on top of the dresser. One of Gleason's guys then raised his hand and told Gleason that he'd disobeyed Gleason's orders twelve years before, and had rented storage space in Long Island City for everything, including the flats. And that, folks, is why the Kramden apartment looks exactly the same in the later <i>Honeymooners</i> shows.<br /><br />BTW Gleason would fly Mr. Barney down to Miami for a week every so often whenever Gleason had a part for him, which was two or three times a season.thirteennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-75594852157419769172015-11-14T02:14:13.427-08:002015-11-14T02:14:13.427-08:00Once everyone has a Hopper DVR like my son does wh...Once everyone has a Hopper DVR like my son does what are the Suits at the networks going to do? Barry Traylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14134880916215990198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-61333091278555235312015-11-13T21:52:44.585-08:002015-11-13T21:52:44.585-08:00Frank's Place was a fantastic sitcom: beautifu...Frank's Place was a fantastic sitcom: beautifully written and acted. The only comedy of its era (late 80s) to recognize the role of class in people's lives, and a nuanced understanding of race that would make it seem innovative and forward-looking, even today.brucehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04867539918269604287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-35905803022476196862015-11-13T19:10:15.116-08:002015-11-13T19:10:15.116-08:00We were a Nielsen family once, some years ago. We ...We were a Nielsen family once, some years ago. We had a book. A diary, I think they called it, and were supposed to write down in it exactly what was watched, when, and by whom. We had a diary for each TV. Carrienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-65054940093477013742015-11-13T18:40:43.447-08:002015-11-13T18:40:43.447-08:00Enlisted
Surviving Jack
The Neighbors
Boomtown
Bro...Enlisted<br />Surviving Jack<br />The Neighbors<br />Boomtown<br />Brother's Keeper<br />Frank's Place<br />Domestic Life<br />Against the Grain<br />The Tony Randall Show<br />We've Got Each OtherJakenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-86296455724782082015-11-13T18:07:57.248-08:002015-11-13T18:07:57.248-08:00Chris Harmon
I would LOVE to see that scene! I la...Chris Harmon<br />I would LOVE to see that scene! I laughed out loud at just your description of it. So funny!Diane D.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-11731299286828771352015-11-13T17:42:27.322-08:002015-11-13T17:42:27.322-08:00Shannons Deal and Life are two that I can think of...Shannons Deal and Life are two that I can think of off hand. By the way I am 68 and have never heard of a lot of the shows you mentioned.sanfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06580867647162091670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-56957995598026972822015-11-13T17:40:28.619-08:002015-11-13T17:40:28.619-08:00Was The Honeymooners actually 'cancelled'?...Was The Honeymooners actually 'cancelled'? It seems more to me that Gleason ran out of gas to carry through on that dark, desperate vision in a time (which is still mostly with us) when American TV overall was supposed to be selling the American Dream.<br /><br />Being a child at the time, I vaguely remember his Miami-based variety show which had a whole slew of new "Honeymooners" segments with younger wives, the 'boys' being solidly middle class and all hint of the wolf at the door gone. I PRESUME he could have gone back tot he scenario of the original if he had wanted to.<br />-beenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-4703298331595890572015-11-13T17:25:13.592-08:002015-11-13T17:25:13.592-08:00Some of my canceled-too-soon
Breaking Away (in th...Some of my canceled-too-soon<br /><br />Breaking Away (in the 70's) - charming comedy/drama based on the movie. It was before VCR's so I was not able to see every episode, but I remember the episodes I did see as being amazing.<br /><br />The first seasons of "Grand" and "The Laroquette Show" - fantastic, dark comedies that didn't get good ratings so were 'revamped' in their second seasons by the networks and ruined (and still didn't get good ratings so were eventually cancelled)<br /><br />The Tom Arnold Show: often hilarious, as Arnold was playing an a-hole anyway it was fine, and the heart of the show were the writers on the show within a show.<br /><br />The Famous Teddy Z - great showcase for Alex Rocco as an agent<br /><br />EZ Streets - had some weak links in the cast but in some ways was "The Wire" before the Wire- with a broad canvas of police, criminals and politicians - probably the best showcase Joe Pantoliano will ever have. <br /><br />Don't Trust the Bitch in Apt (forget the number): Would this have done better with a decent title?<br /><br />Better Off Ted and Freaks & Geeks: A lot of people mourn the cancellation of these.<br /><br /><br /><br />-beenoreply@blogger.com