Fall TV 2025: ABC

ABC FallTVLook2025 Upfronts 

         If there is a theme this season, it's mostly how simple and consistent the networks are being with programming.  ABC has mostly  kept their line up from last year intact.  They have one new series in the fall line up "9-1-1: Nashville" which will be airing after the parent show "9-1-1" on Thursday nights at 9/8c.  

        "Shark Tank" is leaving its longtime Friday slot and moving to Wednesday nights at 10/9c.   "Celebrity Wheel of Fortune" will now take the Fridays 8/7c slot. 

        The rest of the line up stays the same.   Monday Night Football will be airing on ABC once again.  "Dancing with the Stars" is on Tuesdays with sophomore series  "High Potential" following it.   

         Tim Allen's  "Shifting Gears" leads Wednesdays with the only other comedy series in the fall line up "Abbott Elementary"   "The Golden Bachelor" takes the spot between the comedies and "Shark Tank" 

         "American Idol" , "Celebrity Jeopardy!" , "The Rookie",  and "Will Trent" return at midseason. 

Here's the full line up , all times ET/PT unless otherwise noted, new series highlighted in blue  

Monday 

8pm/5pt Monday Night Football 

Tuesday

8pm Dancing with the Stars 

10pm High Potential 

Wednesday 

8pm Shifting Gears 

8:30pm Abbott Elementary 

9pm The Golden Bachelor 

10pm Shark Tank 

Thursday 

8pm 9-1-1

9pm 9 -1-1 :Nashville

10pm Grey's Anatomy 

Friday 

8pm Celebrity Wheel of Fortune 

9pm 20/20 (2 hrs) 

Saturdays 

7:30/4:30pt  College Football 

Sundays 

7pm  America's Funniest Home Videos

8pm The Wonderful World of Disney 

Full Press Release after the jump 

Fall TV 2025: NBC

NBC    Fall TV Look 2025   Upfronts 

         NBC gained the rights to the National Basketball Association, for the first time since they lost their rights to Disney/ESPN in 2002.  The network has decided to make one of their own nights, instead of a cable network, to be NBA night.  In other words , Tuesday night.  Meaning that NBC had to clear out some shows to make room, as the network still has Sunday Night Football as well.  

              The two comedies that were left  and just premiered in the 2024-25 season will be back in November. "St. Denis Medical" and "Happy's Place" will be used to launch two new comedies.  NBC will be cutting the voice down to 1 hour, from November on Mondays giving them a comedy hour  competing against CBS' comedy hour on Mondays with "St. Denis Medical" and a new a not yet named comedy after it.   

         "Brilliant Minds" was renewed" and will fill out the Monday line up.  Tuesdays, before Basketball starts in October,  will be 2 hours of the Voice  and a new show hosted by Jimmy Fallon "On Brand with Jimmy Fallon"  

  The "Chicago" shows hold their Wednesday night in place.  Law and Order and SVU will still have Thursday, with "The Hunting Party" taking the final slot. 

         Fridays. will start with "On Brand with Jimmy Fallon" which will be on two nights until October, then one night.   "Dateline NBC" will be 2 hours after.  

            In  November "Happy's Place" returns with a new comedy series following it.   

Here's the full line up, all times are ET/PT , unless otherwise noted,  new series are highlighted in blue 

Monday (Sept. /Oct.) 

8pm  The Voice

10pm Brilliant Minds 

Monday (November) 

8pm St. Denis Medical 

8:30pm TBD Comedy

9pm The Voice 

10pm  Brilliant Minds

Tuesday (September) 

8pm The Voice

10pm On Brand with Jimmy Fallon  

Tuesday (Oct./ Nov) 

8pm NBA on NBC 

Wednesday

8pm  Chicago Med 

9pm Chicago Fire

10pm Chicago PD 

Thursday 

8pm Law & Order 

9pm Law & Order SVU

10pm The Hunting Party 

Friday (September /October) 

8pm On Brand with Jimmy Fallon 

9pm  Dateline NBC 

Friday (November) 

8pm Happy's Place 

8:30pm TBD Comedy

9pm  Dateline NBC 

Saturday

7pm/4pm Big Ten Pregame /Notre Dame Pregame  (also live on Peacock) 

7:30pm/4:30pm  Big Ten Saturday Night/ Notre Dame Football (also Live on Peacock) 

Sunday 

7pm/4pt Football Night In America  (Also live on Peacock) 

8:20pm /5:20pt  NBC Sunday Night Football (Also live on Peacock) 

Full press release after the jump

Fall TV 2025: FOX

FOX  Fall TV Look 2025   Upfronts

    

    

        FOX has released their fall line up, which has  a noticeable less scripted than previous line up.  Besides the Sunday animation night, only Tuesday is scripted.   Monday nights have been given over to game shows of the returning  "Name that Tune" and new "Celebrity Weakest Link"  Fox isn't leaving scripted out to dry, besides Tuesday night, the network will return Monday to it in the mid-season.  

         Of note, "The Masked Singer" will not be on the fall line up, the network has decided to have only do one cycle in the winter/spring of the season.  The Floor gets that slot to lead into a new game show 99 To Beat.   Thursday night is Gordon Ramsay's "Hell's Kitchen" and the reality show "Special Forces: World's Toughest Test"  

        They have other shows planned for the mid-season including a religious mini-series  "The Faithful" which will be aired over three weeks during the Easter/Passover season  based on the book of Genesis.    A one hour comedy series based the UK series "Doc Martin" called "Best Medicine"  will be airing with "Doc".   "American Dad" also returns to FOX after 11 years on TBS. 

Here's a look at the fall line up ; all times ET/PT unless otherwise noted; new series highlighted in blue. 

Monday 

8pm  Name that Tune 

9pm Celebrity Weakest Link 

Tuesday 

8pm  Murder in a Small Town 
9pm Doc 

Wednesday 

8pm The Floor 

8pm 99 to Beat 

Thursday 

8pm  Hell's Kitchen 

9pm Special Forces: World's Toughest Test 

Friday

8pm /5pt  Fox College Football Friday 

Saturday 

7pm-10:30PMET/ 4-7:30PM FOX Sports Saturday 

Sunday

7pm NFL on FOX 

7:30pm The OT /Fox Animation Encores 

8pm  The Simpsons

8:30pm Universal Basic Guys

9pm Krapopolis 

9:30pm  Bob's Burgers 

The full press release with details after the jump 

CBS Releases 2025-2026 line up

CBS  Upfront  Fall TV Look 2025

    CBS has announced its fall and spring schedule for the 2025-26 season.  

         For a network that keeps some consistency that is mostly true, but there will be some tweaks to the line up as CBS has canceled a few series.   Monday is getting a makeover as the entire 8:30-11pm part of the line up has changed.  A new comedy, DMV, will be following the veteran, and on a farewell season, comedy The Neighborhood.  FBI   moves to Monday following the two comedies.  A new spin-off series , CIA, rounds out the night. 

            FBI : Tuesdays are gone, and now it's NCIS night.  The main series moves back to a slot it once held, Tuesdays at 8/7c.  NCIS: Origins  and NCIS: Sydney round out the night. 

            Fridays lost two series in the past season, so it will have two new series.  A spin-off of Fire Country , named Sheriff Country starts the night off.  The flagship show gets the middle hour, and Blue Bloods former slot, gets its new spin off   Boston Blue. 

        Sundays  will be shorter in the fall, to allow for football over-runs  60 Minutes  leads the night , followed by a new reality based series The Road  will following.  The 10/9c hour will be focused on CBS encores. During the spring, the network fills in 9/8c  with Y: MARSHALS  (note this is working title and may change)  and the second season of Watson.  

         Here's a full look at the line up , all times are ET/PT unless otherwise noted and new series are in Blue 

Monday  (Fall and Spring)

8pm  The Neighborhood 

8:30pm DMV 

9pm  FBI 

10pm CIA 

Tuesday (Fall and Spring) 

8pm  NCIS 

9pm  NCIS: Origins 

10pm NCIS: Sydney

Wednesday (Fall) 

8pm Survivor 

9:30pm The Amazing Race 

Wednesday (January) 

8pm Hollywood Squares 

9pm The Price is Right 

10pm  Harlan Coben's Final Twist 

Wednesday (Spring) 

8pm Survivor 

9:30pm America's Culinary Cup 

Thursday ( Fall and Spring) 

8pm Georgie and Mandy's First Marriage 

8:30pm Ghosts 

9pm Matlock 

10pm Elsbeth 

Friday (Fall and Spring) 

8pm Sheriff Country 

9pm  Fire Country

10pm Boston Blue 

Saturday 

8pm CBS Encores 

10pm  48 Hours 

Sunday  (Fall) 

7pm 60 Minutes 

8pm Tracker 

9pm The Road 

10pm CBS Encores 

Sunday (Spring) 

7pm 60 Minutes 

8pm  Tracker 

9pm  Y: Marshals 

10pm  Watson 

Full Press Release after the jump 

Freeform's 30 Days of Disney June 2025

Freeform 

 Freeform , the Disney owned cable network, is having another 30 days of Disney programming event. From June 1 to 30, the network will be airing movies from their parent company's library.   

            There will be themed weeks and programming.  As part of the event, there will be television premieres of   the 2023, Disney-Pixar movie Elemental , the 2023 Little Mermaid remake, the 2022 animated movie Strange World , and  the Freeform premiere of  Avatar: The Way of Water. 

            Here's the line up all times are ET/PT , subject to change 

Sunday, June 1

7:00 AM - "The Lion King" (2019) (Live Action)

9:35 AM - "The Parent Trap" (1998)

12:45 PM -  "Frozen" (Disney Animated)

3:15 PM - "Frozen II" (Disney Animated)

5:25 PM - "Ratatouille" (Disney-Pixar)

8:05 PM - "Elemental" (Disney-Pixar) - World Television Premiere

10:15 PM - "Up" (Disney-Pixar)

12:25 AM - "Oliver & Company" (Disney Animated)

Monday, June 2

10:30 AM - "The Game Plan"

1:00 PM - "Hercules" (Disney Animated)

3:00 PM - "WALL-E" (Disney Animated)

5:00 PM - "Inside Out" (Disney-Pixar)

7:00 PM - "Brave" (Disney-Pixar)

9:00 PM - "Beauty and the Beast" (1991) (Disney Animated)

12:00 AM - "Air Bud"

Tuesday, June 3

10:30 AM - "Alice in Wonderland" (2010) (Live Action)

1:00 PM - "Alice Through the Looking Glass"

3:30 PM - "Bambi" (Disney Animated)

5:00 PM - "Mulan" (1998) (Disney Animated)

7:00 PM - "Tangled" (Disney Animated)

9:00 PM - "The Little Mermaid" (1989) (Disney Animated)

12:00 AM - "Air Bud: Golden Receiver"

Wednesday, June 4

10:30 AM - "Brother Bear" (Disney Animated)

12:25 PM - "Bolt" (Disney Animated)

2:25 PM - "The Fox and the Hound" (Disney Animated)

4:25 PM - "A Bug's Life" (Disney-Pixar)

6:30 PM - "Finding Nemo" (Disney-Pixar)

8:55 PM - "Finding Dory" (Disney-Pixar)

12:00 AM - "Bedtime Stories"

Thursday, June 5

10:30 AM - "Lady and the Tramp" (1955) (Disney Animated)

12:00 PM - "Wreck-It Ralph" (Disney Animated)

2:05 PM - "Ralph Breaks the Internet" (Disney Animated)

4:40 PM - "The Incredibles" (Disney-Pixar)

7:20 PM - "Incredibles 2" (Disney-Pixar)

10:00 PM - "Not Her First Rodeo" - Freeform Season Finale

• Episode 105 - "Broken Dreams and Bodies": With the Championship days away, a rider suffers a devastating season-ending injury, while another deals with tragedy outside the arena.

• Episode 106 - "Eight Seconds and a Championship Buckle": After a thrilling season, who will hang on long enough to win the coveted championship buckle for the Elite Lady Bull Riders?

12:00 AM - "The Aristocats" (Disney Animated)

Friday, June 6

10:30 AM - "The Great Mouse Detective" (Disney Animated)

12:05 PM - "The Parent Trap" (1998)

3:00 PM - "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" (1996) (Disney Animated)

5:00 PM - "The Emperor's New Groove" (Disney Animated)

6:55 PM - "Aladdin" (1992) (Disney Animated)

9:00 PM - "The Lion King" (1994) (Disney Animated)

12:00 AM - "The Lion King II: Simba's Pride" (Disney Animated)

Saturday, June 7

7:00 AM - "Enchanted"

9:30 AM - "Herbie: Fully Loaded"

11:35 AM - "Freaky Friday" (2003)

1:35 PM - "The Princess and the Frog" (Disney Animated)

3:40 PM - "Luca" (Disney-Pixar)

5:45 PM - "Moana" (Disney Animated)

8:15 PM - "The Little Mermaid" (2023) (Live Action) - Freeform Premiere

11:30 PM - "Zootopia" (Disney Animated)

Sunday, June  8 7:00 AM - "The Rescuers" (Disney Animated)

9:00 AM - "The Rescuers Down Under" (Disney Animated)

10:55 AM - "Beauty and the Beast" (2017) (Live Action)

2:00 PM - "Turning Red" (Disney-Pixar)

4:10 PM - "Tangled" (Disney Animated)

6:20 PM - "Encanto" (Disney Animated)

8:30 PM - "Coco" (Disney-Pixar)

11:00 PM - "Aladdin" (2019) (Live Action)

Monday, June 9

10:30 AM   - "Ferdinand"

12:55 PM   - "Monster's Inc." (Disney-Pixar)

3:00 PM   - "Monster's University" (Disney-Pixar)

5:25 PM - "Cruella"

8:30 PM - "Cinderella" (2015) (Live Action)

12:00 AM - "Beverly Hills Chihuahua"

Tuesday, June 10

10:30 AM - "The Sandlot"

12:55 PM - "Cars" (Disney-Pixar)

3:30 PM - "Cars 2" (Disney-Pixar)

6:00 PM - "Cars 3" (Disney-Pixar)

8:30 PM - "Ratatouille"  (Disney-Pixar)

12:00 AM - "Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2"

Wednesday, June 11

10:30 AM - "101 Dalmatians" (1961) (Disney Animated)

12:30 PM - "Cinderella" (1950) (Disney Animated)

2:25 PM - "Lilo & Stitch" (2002) (Disney Animated)

4:25 PM - "Brave" (Disney-Pixar)

6:30 PM   - "Frozen" (Disney Animated)

8:55 PM - "Frozen II" (Disney Animated)

12:00 AM - "Alvin and the Chipmunks" (2007)

Thursday, June 12

11:00 AM - "Beauty and the Beast" (2017) (Live Action)

1:55 PM - "Aladdin" (1992) (Disney Animated)

3:55 PM - "Up" (Disney-Pixar)

6:00 PM   - "Moana" (Disney Animated)

8:30 PM - "Coco" (Disney-Pixar)

12:00 AM - "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel"

Friday, June 13

11:00 AM - "The Princess Bride"

1:30 PM - "The Princess and the Frog" (Disney Animated)

3:35 PM - "The Princess Diaries"

6:15 PM   - "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement"

8:55 PM - "Freaky Friday" (2003)

12:00 AM - "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip"

Saturday, June 14

7:00 AM - "101 Dalmatians" (1996) (Live Action)

9:30 AM - "Wreck-It Ralph" (Disney Animated)

11:35 AM - "Ralph Breaks the Internet" (Disney Animated)

2:05 PM - "Finding Nemo" (Disney-Pixar)

4:35 PM - "Finding Dory" (Disney-Pixar)

6:40 PM - "The Incredibles" (Disney-Pixar)

9:20 PM - "The Incredibles 2" (Disney-Pixar)

12:00 AM - "The Jungle Book" (1967) (Disney Animated)

Sunday, June 15 - Father's Day

7:00 AM - "The Game Plan"

9:35 AM - "Onward" (Disney-Pixar)

11:40 AM - "Pocahontas" (Disney Animated)

1:35 PM - "Pinocchio" (1940) (Disney Animated)

3:40 PM - "Hercules" (Disney Animated)

5:45 PM - "The Little Mermaid" (1989) (Disney Animated)

7:45 PM - "The Lion King" (1994) (Disney Animated)

9:50 PM - "Mulan" (1998) (Disney Animated)

11:55 PM - "Strange World" (Disney Animated) - World Television Premiere

Monday, June 16

10:30 AM - "Dumbo" (1941) (Disney Animated)

12:00 PM - "Aladdin" (2019) (Live Action)

3:05 PM - "Avatar"

6:45 PM - "Avatar: The Way of Water" - Freeform Premiere

12:00 AM - "Ice Age"

Tuesday, June 17

10:30 AM - "Fantasia 2000" (Disney Animated)

12:00 PM - "Mulan" (2020) (Live Action)

2:35 PM - "The Lion King" (2019) (Live Action)

5:10 PM - "National Treasure"

8:20 PM - "National Treasure: Book of Secrets"

12:00 AM - "Ice Age: The Meltdown"

Wednesday, June 18

10:30 AM - "Oz the Great and Powerful"

1:30 PM - "Meet the Robinsons" (Disney Animated)

3:30 PM - "Pete's Dragon" (2016) (Live Action)

6:00 PM - "Jungle Cruise"

9:00 PM - "Tarzan" (Disney Animated)

12:00 AM - "Ice Age: Dawn of Dinosaurs"

Thursday, June 19 - Juneteenth

11:30 AM - "Night at the Museum"

2:05 PM - "Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb"

4:10 PM - "Big Hero 6" (Disney Animated)

6:20 PM - "Up" (Disney-Pixar)

8:30 PM - "Zootopia" (Disney Animated)

12:00 AM - "Ice Age: Continental Drift"

Friday, June 20

11:00 AM - "Peter Pan" (1953) (Disney Animated)

1:00 PM - "Alice in Wonderland" (1951) (Disney Animated)

2:55 PM - "A Bug's Life" (Disney-Pixar)

5:00 PM - "WALL-E" (Disney-Pixar)

7:00 PM - "Lilo & Stitch" (2002) (Disney Animated)

9:00 PM - "Elemental" (Disney-Pixar)

12:00 AM - "Chicken Little" (Disney Animated)

Saturday, June 21

7:00 AM - "The Jungle Book" (2016) (Live Action)

9:30 AM - "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl"

12:45 PM - "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest"

4:00 PM - "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End"

7:45 PM - "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides"

11:00 PM - "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales"

Sunday, June 22

7:00 AM - "Alice in Wonderland" (2010) (Live Action)

9:30 AM - "Alice Through the Looking Glass"

12:05 PM - "The Princess Diaries"

2:40 PM - "The Princess Diaries: Royal Engagement"

5:15 PM - "Aladdin" (1992) (Disney Animated)

7:20 PM - "Beauty and the Beast" (1991) (Disney Animated)

9:25 PM - "Maleficent"

11:30 PM - "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil"

Monday, June 23

10:30 AM - "Robin Hood" (1973) (Disney Animated)

12:30 PM - "The Parent Trap" (1998)

3:30 PM - "Oliver & Company" (Disney Animated)

5:00 PM - "Coco" (Disney Pixar)

7:30 PM - "Moana" (Disney Pixar)

12:00 AM - "Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!"

Tuesday, June 24

11:30 AM - "101 Dalmatians" (1996) (Live Action)

1:55 PM - "Cruella"

5:00 PM - "The Princess and the Frog" (Disney Animated)

7:00 PM - "Encanto" (Disney Animated)

9:00 PM - "The Lion King" (1994) (Disney Animated)

Wednesday, June 25

11:00 AM - "Zootopia" (Disney Animated)

1:25 PM - "Enchanted"

3:55 PM - "Aladdin" (2019) (Live Action)

6:55 PM - "Tangled" (Disney Animated)

9:00 PM - "The Little Mermaid" (1989) (Disney Animated)

12:00 AM - "The Pacifier"

Thursday, June 26

11:30 AM - "Fantasia" (1940) (Disney Animated)

2:30 PM - "Pocahontas" (Disney Animated)

4:25 PM - "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" (1996) (Disney Animated)

6:30 PM - "Frozen" (Disney Animated)

8:55 PM - "Frozen II" (Disney Animated)

12:00 AM - "Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen"

Friday, June 27

10:30 AM - "Cinderella" (2015) (Live Action)

8:00 PM - "Beauty and the Beast" (2017) (Live Action)

12:00 AM - "Rio 2"

Saturday, June 28

7:00 AM - "Cars" (Disney-Pixar)

9:40 AM - "Cars 2" (Disney-Pixar)

12:15 PM - "Cars 3" (Disney-Pixar)

2:45 PM - "Inside Out" (Disney-Pixar)

4:50 PM - "Brave" (Disney-Pixar)

6:55 PM - "Monsters, Inc." (Disney-Pixar)

9:00 PM - "Monsters University" (Disney-Pixar)

11:30 PM - "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil"

Sunday, June 29

8:00 AM - "Raya and the Last Dragon" (Disney Animated)

10:30 AM - "Soul" (Disney-Pixar)

12:40 PM - "Tarzan" (Disney Animated)

2:45 PM - "Toy Story" (Disney-Pixar)

4:45 PM - "Toy Story 2" (Disney-Pixar)

6:50 PM - "Toy Story 3 " (Disney-Pixar)

9:20 PM - "Toy Story 4" (Disney-Pixar)

11:30 PM - "Lightyear" (Disney-Pixar)

Monday, June 30

10:30 AM - "Cruella"

1:35 PM - "The Incredibles" (Disney-Pixar)

4:10 PM - "The Incredibles 2" (Disney-Pixar)

6:50 PM - "The Little Mermaid" (2023) (Live Action)

12:00 AM - "Bedtime Stories"

The press release is after the jump 

Leave it To Beaver: Beaver's Short Pants

Leave it To Beaver 

              This episode of  Leave it To Beaver is a feature of the time it came out but also timeless in thought.  In part of the idea where I feel that this show deservers the fact that it's still been running somewhere in reruns since the show ended in 1963.   A big thing it does that it feels a lot of newer shows don't do is follow genuineness that makes it feel real. 

         "Beaver's Short Pants" is  the eleventh episode of the show, of the 234 episodes. This is season 1 where Beaver was at his youngest and a show  not midway (the first season is 39 episodes) .  This also being one of the first season episodes it has one of those introductions by Ward (Hugh Beaumont) explaining like the main idea of the entire episode.  This time he says that boys might feel their fathers are there to be mean to them and make them do stuff, but there are times they are there to be friends that's the episode. 

                June (Barbara Billingsley) is leaving for awhile  because her sister had a baby and June is going to help out or something for a bit.   What we aren't going to get here is an episode where like Beaver , Wally, and Ward  are going to have to stay together and chaos ensues because that would be saved for a 1990's show or something.  Instead, June's Aunt Martha will be staying over to tend to June's life. We also get from Ward's words and actions that there's a little tension with his wife's aunt but nothing that big.  June doesn't want Ward to undermine Aunt Martha or do anything to "hurt her feelings" while she's there.  This is a lot for the context of the episode.  

In my day we didn't on tables, dear / Copyright Universal 

                We meet Martha who was played by Madge Kennedy, an actress who started in theater and then in the film during the very early days of film starting in 1917.  She crossed over even into the talking era, also did radio shows. For "Beaver" this was her first appearance playing the "old-fashioned" aunt Martha. This is  role she'd play 4 more times.   

              This episode does a good job of setting up some awkwardness between Ward and the boys  with Aunt Martha. She talks to June about pants or trousers because she apparently wants to be English.  She says teenagers it's probably over and jeans are a teen thing, she doesn't like but can't do anything about.  She wants to take Beaver shopping for clothes.  We can also notice that June doesn't really push back on her aunt when she politely tells the woman that she doesn't think her aunt should have to go and buy him clothes, the aunt says it's no problem and June kind of backs down. 

                June  is now doing that leaving thing and she tells the boys that they should listen to their great-aunt and do what she says. Then explains that older people have old-fashion ideas and they forgot what it's like to be younger. Again, another episode thought set up here. She wants them to make Aunt Martha happy because that'll make her happy. 

            Now we are at the part with the short pants.  Martha has decided to dress Beaver like it's the '90's... the 1890's, Like an upper class English from England (that England) boy with a hat, suit top with shorts, long socks and dress shoes.  In the context of talking about fashion here (this blog really does everything?) it was more an old fashioned thing for boys until a certain age  to wear mostly exclusively short pants until a certain, which is also another reason Maratha doesn't go after Wally. It wasn't as much as a thing done in the United States as it was more a European and heavily European influenced countries thing.   Martha really likes that classic fashion and must be more well to do , as it was mentioned before she's never married, so she must have money to live in some other way (this is a 1950's show so... that's context).  An American upper-class person would be more influenced by European styles.  Middle and lower class boys in European countries also wore shorts to an age, but that wasn't an American thing in the same way. Martha even mentions that her brothers went that way when she was a girl in the winter and summer. 

                 This also means that Beavery is dressed "funny" and that will provide the conflict for the episode.  We can see that Beaver already doesn't like the outfit his aunt picked out.  Wally thinks the outfit looks bad. He says that Beaver is lucky he doesn't have to wear it to school , but guess what?  Yeah, the aunt says that Beaver should hang up his outfit and have it ready for school on Monday.  (Sitcom writing goes back that far.)  

              The episode also makes sure that Ward can't really help Beaver out for a bit because we need the drama and he ends up  having to go to school in that outfit.  He tries to make sure no one can see his legs. It is interesting that he's more nervous about the shorts being seen versus the dressy stuff on top. Eventually everyone sees him  and they laugh at him.  Larry, his best friend, calls him a 'sissy' and this makes Beaver punch him in the stomach. A fight ensues and a teacher has to break it up. Since he's the guy who played the father on "The Patty Duke Show" (the show where Patty Duke plays two characters who are identical looking cousins) he seems to understand and let's  Beaver go home in peace.

You aren't supposed to be showing your legs, this is 1959/ Copyright Universal 

             Wally shows his caring for his brother and talks to his dad and tells him what happened. Ward easily empathizes as he remembers that he had to wear long white stockings to school once. He  tells Wally that don't worry, he'll take care of things.  He was about to talk to her, but she gets saved by the bell of the call from June.  June hears the word "egg plant" and knows that Ward or the kids - or both- don't like that but tells  Ward she knows that Aunt Martha can be a lot, but the woman essentially raised her.  He decides not tell Martha the issue. 

         The next morning, Beaver ends up having to wear the suit again and their father isn't there. (He left them , ran away!)  Martha says that he left early to the office.  He gets ready to leave for school and he gets a big surprise.  Ward was hiding in the garage.  He has some pants ready for Beaver to wear over the shorts and puts him in his normal coat  and tells him to come back to the garage afterschool and change out.  This is a  nice moment.  Ward didn't want to hurt the aunt's feelings but still wanted to help his son and found a way to do so. 

Leave it to Ward/ Copyright  Universal 

                A thing that can be said about almost any episode of this show is that it understood childhood or in a deeper thing, boyhood.  Where Beaver, of course, has to wear an outfit that isn't something he finds comfortable or likable, but also something he knows that will get him noticed negatively in a bad way.  He also is trying to do something for his mom in trying to make sure his great-aunt isn't unhappy, at the cost of his own happiness.  The show is also good at the idea of adults losing their understanding of childhood and how things go. Here, it's more noted that June is very much in-tune with her family and understands them and she knows her aunt is a little much, but she needed a pinch-hitter to help her out.  Ward instantly empathizes with his younger son when he finds out because he remembered something in his childhood. It does make  me wonder what would have happened  if Ward had seen it earlier himself, or what would have happened if June didn't call.  Maratha should have kind of been made to at least understand.  

             It's a timeless episode in the idea where it could really be done in any time with some changes. Maybe a 2020's great-aunt making a kid dress like a 50's rich kid or something.  That's really the strength of the episode is that almost anyone could empathize and understand what's going on here.  Aunt Martha is also more a plot device character here, since we know June and Ward do have their own clothing standards for their kids, but not the same way the more "old-fashioned" woman would.   

         I do like how Wally understands too, he does his own things here that help, but he mostly is aside in the plot. Ward isn't a forcefully aggressive character so with the aunt he is kind of unwilling to say anything even more with his wife wanting him to be understanding, but it can be kind of annoying to view that he should be the final word on his children.  The only real reason that part of the plot works. The episode really needed Maratha to work in somehow, because the parents' characterization wouldn't have done that to Beaver and... the only reason it wasn't both parents going somewhere and leaving the kids with Martha is because they needed Ward to do what he did there. That is a weak spot. 

         The episode is good and even feels timeless in message  in a few ways. That's it for now, tune in next time when kids laugh at you , yes you, for wearing shorts, then go back to watching so weird stuff on Youtube but you still feel funny because random children just laughed at you for no reason. 

The Lookback: Kids of Degrassi Street: Noel buys a Suit

Joshuaonline Canada 

The Flashback  Degrassi 

             We've finally reached the final short film of "Kids of Degrassi Street" with the fourth film "Noel Buys a Suit"  The first film came out in 1979, this one came out in 1982.  Later in 1982 it became a series for the CBC. 

           This episode focus on Noel Canard who was in the other four. This one gives him a spotlight. Noel and his father are buying paint.  Apparently,  Noel's dad likes the paint shop lady named Gayle. (That or kissing is how she wants her tips)  In fact, more than just like the father and her are getting married. During dinner, she also wants to paint the inside of the house.  The film does a good job at making sure we can tell Noel is bothered by Gayle without him saying it.  I have to mention here again, that one of the fun parts of these films is that feel very genuine and don't have a high production feel giving a more  like they are just following some kids around documentary style, while still giving a story. 

You are still going to have to pay, sir/ Copyright Wildbrain 

           Noel also is getting ready for a new suit, hence the title, his father forgot to take him to get a suit but things have gotten a little time messy. Noel suggests that he could go buy his suit himself.  I like that he goes to with his friends is a literal actually existing store. Moore's is really a suit place in Canada.  I'm happy to say that we do get Noel buying a suit action in this one.  Noel finds a suit that stands out and has bought a suit. There's still over 10 minutes left so...uhh hmm what else happens?

The Suit People, the lawsuit people are the other way/ Copyright Wildbrain 

             Later, Noel is bothered that things are being changed around him, like the cabinets in the kitchen, he's also used to cooking as well. He tells his friends he's  annoyed by this.  Gayle bought him a new shirt, but it won't go with his suit.  He later decides to buy his own shirt when he picks up his suit from the store.  Gayle sees the suit and she chuckles he takes it as her laughing at him and storms upstairs. He says he's not going to the wedding.  

                His father tries to talk to him, but has to do it from behind the locked door. The man tries to talk to him, but it seems to not be going too well. 

             It's wedding day and  Noel comes down wearing his new suit, but the shirt Gayle bought him.  Gayle tells him he didn't have to wear the shirt, but it seems he's ready to give her a chance. The wedding happens during the credits and that's it. 

             I like how the credits thank the store, but say they didn't provide the suit! Again, this provides a simple story. This is one about a boy who is worried about the changes having his father get remarried brings up. It's very good at being not too thick with how it shows how Noel is dealing with it. He used to things being a certain way and Gayle coming in and painting stuff, moving things, and etc. effects him. It's good at presenting that story. Honestly, all of these 4 Degrassi early days films were really good at presenting a story that would be good for kids while not being too over the top and odd. I can see why the CBC eventually wanted a series and why Degrassi got more later on. 

Don't blame them for the suit!/ Copyright Wildbrain 

            That's it for now, in our stops at Degrassi Street, there might be more later. Tune in  next time, when we buy a suit then return it, causing a hassle. 

        

The Simpsons does Ray Bradbury :Wicked This Way Comes

The Simpsons 

            Ray Bradbury (1920-2012) was a prolific writer who is well known for his creative and vast amount of stories.  As someone who likes his writing this  episode from Season 36 of the Simpsons called Treehouse of Horror Presents: Simpsons Wicked This Way Comes  decides to take 3 Bradbury stories and decides to Simpsons them up.   The Simpsons in this case also has decided here to make it's Treehouse of Horror have a spinoff  type thing going on here with  them using the that part of the title to make it also known that his not "canon" to the main shows actions like the Halloween episodes aren't.  The rest of the title comes from Bradbury's novel , Something Wicked This Way Comes. 

            The Simpsons episode only really takes from that novel the concept of a carnival to set up the wraparounds for the episode to work in. That and the man telling Lisa the stories having tattoos all over his body.  Lisa visits him. She calls him the "Illustrated Man" which is the title of Bradbury's collection of short stories from 1951.  One of the 18 stories from that book are in this episode, we'll get to that later. 

         The first story is "The Screaming Woman" based off  a short story that was also a radio play and had a loose television film later on.  The story here is about Bart hearing a woman screaming underground and tries to get help. It's fitting in that Bart is not being believed.  He goes to the  Van Houten house and sees Luann there thinking we'll she's not the screaming woman. She puts something in the milk to make Bart sleepy, but he gets out of the house. 

            Thanks to the woman singing a jingle, Homer realizes that the screaming woman was actually a man, Kirk Van Houten.  Which plays a nice twist to the story, with Kirk and Luann in swapped roles and no murder happening.  It ends with Homer saying he'll believe Bart more and Bart having Lisa arrested for being a communist, because 1950's.  

            These segments are using actual names from the stories, so yes the second one is "Marionettes, Inc." based off Bradbury's 1949 short story, that is also included in "The Illustrated Man" collection.   This one has Seymore Skinner and Superintendent Chalmers as the main role. Chalmers is feeling drained by being with Skinner and Carl tells him he has a solution: a new robot duplicate.  Chalmers orders one. He sends his to school and goes to get ice cream when he finds Skinner who also got his own bot for the same reason.  Carl finds them and tells them that the robots are beginning to feel emotions. Skinner kills the Chalmers and it seems to end with the robot and him leaving to his office.  

        The final story is based on  what is probably the most well known work  by Bradbury "Fahrenheit 451" . This one has the most Simpsons  story to it. Instead being about the book burners called the fireman burning books, they find people watching "low quality" television and destroy the stuff. Homer works as fireman.  The idea is that people can only watch "high quality" prestige television. 

        Are the Simpsons writers' feeling something here? Homer goes on his job and watches a not America's Funniest Home Videos episode.  Willie gives Homer the tape to take it with him.  Homer later is talking at dinner and wonders aloud to everyone if they wish TV could be dumb and just laugh at it?  Bart finds him and wonders what he's watching. He shows him the video. It is funny that Bart doesn't understand, and Bart turns him in.  

             The burn-master general , Siegfried Blaze, tells Homer they want people to watch story heavy driven plots to make sure people are invested and distracted from the world instead of watching something that is lighter.  Barney is dead, and Homer finds a group of people who underground watch "low brow" TV.  The burners come in and burn everything anyway.  Homer and the others get away where everyone is telling old TV shows in a telling a story by a fire format. 

            The episode ends with Lisa being turned in a tattoo and living the rest of her life on the man and the episode  ends with "Santeria" by Sublime because sure why not? 

           The selection of  stories chosen are interesting because there's an interesting sub section of the types of stories and what they did with them. The first one is the most straight forward really taking the original story and does some switches to it like the main character being a male (Bart) and flipping the woman to a man to be a twist.  It's the lightest story in this. 

         The Marionettes, Inc. segment uses the classic Skinner and Chalmers dynamic with a dash of having it be both sides are annoyed with each other.  This one could have been a little longer. It does set up things pretty quickly and needed a quick reveal to the robots turning to have emotions, so it does go pretty quick. I kind of think it would been slightly more interesting if it was a little longer.  Still alright.  

         I'm not surprised they used the most well-known story from Bradbury. "Fahrenheit 451" is an interesting segment in how they make it fit for the Simpsons.  The concept of television's lesser series being banned is interesting. They mentioned basic sitcoms like "The King of Queens" shows that you could just turn your mind off an watch and not worry about.  The only unrealistic thing is  America's Funniest Home Videos ever being banned or canceled. I don't think the episode was doing a big message here, but maybe a jab at TV in the current times that feels like  TV goes for the high prestige and storyline structure, and  saying let people watch dumb things too. 

            It is a fun episode, with the fun of Bradbury based stories it is fun to see those. It's alright that it didn't follow them for beat but used them for an inspiration. It's a mild episode, there's nothing outwardly interesting beyond the concept and there's not much laughs either.  I do think it's alright at best.  The stories work for those who haven't checked out the works of Bradbury too.  This one isn't horrifying, which is fine. it feels like when "The Simpsons" did "The Raven" just because they could. 

       Would I like to see "The Simpsons" try other stories from Mr. Bradbury?  Maybe, depends.  Like "The Beautiful Shave" , "All Summer in a Day", and some of his murder-mystery stories would be interesting to see how the Simpsons does it. 

          That's it for now, tune in next time when we have to help a kid get his soul back and learn about the true meaning of Halloween.