Halloween :The Last Halloween

 Halloween 

      Post Ted Turner purchase of  Hanna-Barbera is quite interesting mostly for how varied their projects had ended up being.  This case from 1991  an animated- live-action hybrid special called "The Last Halloween". Which aired on CBS.

     They also must have gotten some access to Ted Turner's vault of money because they used CGI instead of hand drawn animation. Since it's 1991, it's not the prettiest CGI.   (It might have wowed someone though)

         On  Mars they've run out of coobi  (I thought this was a family picture, well...)  and they've sent 4 martians to (spins wheel)  Earth. (of course it's always Earth, like really why not Venus or Pluto or something, why always Earth, we didn't deserve this!)  Cut.  Anyway, the special goes to a place called Crystal Falls. It also takes place on Halloween )because March 29th is busy day.)  Our main characters are , Michael and Jeanie a brother and sister.  They are almost run over by a strange rich lady in the second minute. (Would have  made this special dark... and short.)  There's also a dog, who is a good boy. 

Not pictured: the dog/ Copyright Warner Media, I think 

           Another subplot, the town has a candy factory that seems to be on last legs because it's powered by water and the lake is drying up. (Apparently other power sources cost money)  Which is why this special is called the Last Halloween. (not because everyone gets killed by aliens)  Meanwhile the dog finds the alien ship that landed . The alien designs are very early 90's CGI.

Ahhh 90's/ Copyright Warner Media , I think 

         Gleep, Romtu, Scoota,and Bing are the names of the aliens.  For Gleep they got song writer Paul Williams to voice, while H&B went into their talent pool to voice the other three, and by that I mean the voice of  Romtu is the original voice of Scooby Doo, Don Messick, and the voice of Fred from Scooby-Doo, Frank Welker does the voice of Scoota and Bing.   The aliens end up in Crystal Falls and yeah no one notices them because sure alright. (They also had a kid dress up like Fred Flintstone and go Yabba Dabba Doo to the camera because Hanna and Barbera made that) 

             

HANNA AND BARBERA ALSO MADE THE FLINTSTONES / Copyright Warner

            The main two kids figure out that these four are Martians (from Mars). This special is 21 minutes long but it has time for Jeanie to explain what mothers are to the aliens. So,what's coobi you may be asking. (I wasn't asking.)  Coobi is candy ( Coobi is people!)   They go trick or treating. This one lady decides to check who's under a costume ,because that's what normal people do, and pulls off the martian's head. (Thus killing it and causing Mars to "War of the Worlds" the Earth and wiping us out!)  I love her laugh, though.  Also one of the aliens thinks a boy with glasses in a dress his mother. (what?) 

Mother? / Copyright Warner Media

      Rich lady is named  Mrs. Gizbourne, wants to stay young  and is looking for a bug to extract something from them to stay looking young and beautiful. Importantly, she is played by Rhea Perlman  and her assistant is played by Richard Moll (Bull from "Night Court") so H&B was spending Ted Turner's money well. 

She wants to live on bug juice/ Copyright Warner Media 

    Michael explains to the aliens that the factory may be closing because the lake is dying. (What I said above)  The aliens split up with with  Michael, Jeanie, and Bing  are in group. Bing searches (yes! we did it!) for candy, but goes to Mrs.Gizbourne's house. A bad idea!   Hans the assistant takes Bing thinking he's a bug.  If you thought the factory thing wasn't going anywhere well, YOU WERE WRONG.  The crazy lady is taking the water. (Shameful really)  They tell their father that yes she is stealing the water from the lake.  Also candy factory has candy.  They let the aliens take the candy. Mrs. Gizbourne and Hans are found out and arrested. ( That was easy) Also Jeanie is now the aliens' mother.  She gave part of her costume to the aliens showing character growth or something.

         The sad news is that crazy woman ruined the lake because mean.  Michael finally skips a stone 3 times and magic happens with water back in the lake. (That or the aliens helped.) So happy ending for all. (Even the dog)  Even the fun thing about this special is that William Hanna himself was narrator.

          Eh, you know it's  not bad. Yeah, it was strange and I think it might fit better for younger kids but it's not awful. The CGI is badly dated, but it's because its from 1990, so yeah it will be.  The special is pretty fun to watch  a little goofy but it's better than bland.  I really like the kids escape the henchman then tell their father and then he goes and the bad guys get arrested, it's not something you see much in media.  Yeah, check it out, it's an alright special nothing major or exciting.

          HAPPY HALLOWEEN from Joshuaonline/Mychiller

FOX Sets winter 2020 Premiere Dates

FOX Mid season 2019-20

    FOX has released their mid season winter plans and like previous years, they are getting a head start in the new year.

   First off, a new dating series, "Flirty Dancing", starts Sunday December 29th getting a special preview after NFL football airs.

   "Last Man Standing" returns with a new season on its new night , Thursday, starting January 2, followed by a new police drama ,"Deputy" 

     "Gordon Ramsay's  24 Hour To Hell and Back" returns for a third season  on Tuesday January 7 at 9/8c. 
 
       New series, "9-1-1 : Lone Star" premieres on Sunday January 19 at 10pm/7pt across all time zones with the regular slot premiere the next day at 8/7c.

        New Comedy, "Outmatched" starts Thursday January 23, after "Last Man Standing"

        "The Masked Singer"winter premiere starts  February 2 right after the Superbowl airing in all time zones.  Taking it's regular slot on February 5  followed by a new competition series , "Lego Masters".

    New animated comedy, "Ducanville" starts February 16 at 8:30/730c.


Full schedule  details


Sunday, Dec. 29:
8:00-9:00 PM ET/5:00-6:00 PM PT FLIRTY DANCING (Special Preview)
Live to all time zones
9:00-9:30 PM BLESS THE HARTS (encore)
9:30-10:00 PM FAMILY GUY (encore)

Tuesday, Dec. 31:
8:00-10:00 PM FOX’S NEW YEAR’S EVE WITH STEVE HARVEY: LIVE
(ET live/PT tape-delayed) FROM TIMES SQUARE, PART ONE

11:00 PM-12:30 AM FOX’S NEW YEAR’S EVE WITH STEVE HARVEY: LIVE
(ET live/PT tape-delayed) FROM TIMES SQUARE, PART TWO

Wednesdays, beginning Jan. 1:
8:00-9:00 PM FLIRTY DANCING (Series Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM ALMOST FAMILY (Winter Premiere)

Thursdays, beginning Jan. 2:
8:00-8:30 PM LAST MAN STANDING (Season Premiere)
8:30-9:00 PM LAST MAN STANDING
9:00-10:00 PM DEPUTY (Series Premiere)

Fridays, beginning Jan. 3:
8:00-10:00 PM WWE SMACKDOWN LIVE

Tuesdays, beginning Jan. 7:
8:00-9:00 PM THE RESIDENT (Winter Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM GORDON RAMSAY’S 24 HOURS TO HELL AND BACK (Season Premiere)

Sunday, Jan. 19:
10:00-11:10 PM ET/7:00-8:10 PM PT 9-1-1: LONE STAR (Series Premiere, Pt. 1)
Live to all time zones

Mondays, beginning Jan. 20:
8:00-9:00 PM 9-1-1: LONE STAR (Series Premiere, Pt. 2)
9:00-10:00 PM PRODIGAL SON (Winter Premiere)

Thursdays, beginning Jan. 23:
8:00-8:30 PM LAST MAN STANDING
8:30-9:00 PM OUTMATCHED (Series Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM DEPUTY

Sunday, Feb. 2:
10:30-11:40 PM ET/7:30-8:40 PM PT THE MASKED SINGER (Season Premiere)
Live to all time zones

Wednesdays, beginning Feb. 5:
8:00-9:00 PM THE MASKED SINGER
9:00-10:00 PM LEGO MASTERS (Series Premiere)

Sundays, beginning Feb. 16:
7:00-7:30 PM THE SIMPSONS (encore)
7:30-8:00 PM BOB’S BURGERS (encore)
8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS
8:30-9:00 PM DUNCANVILLE (Series Premiere)
9:00-9:30 PM BOB’S BURGERS
9:30-10:00 PM FAMILY GUY

 

Press release after the Jump

Halloween: Tales from the Darkside: Trick or Treat

Halloween 

      We are doing something different this time, a look at the 1980's series Anthology series "Tales from the Darkside "   The idea for this series came from the 1982 movie  "Creepshow" but things happened and they made this.  There was a pilot in 1983 and the series started in 1984 and ran on local stations around the country, including Tribune owned stations, (which as of this post, sadly no longer exists). The series being an anthology has different stories featured  some being dark, others being light, different genres  but mostly focused on horror.


   I'm going to be writing about the pilot because it's the  perfect name for Halloween features. "Trick or Trick". From 1983.

        There's an old man named Gideon Hackles who seems like Scrooge but for Halloween he's kind of grumpy and miserly.( This episode has Max Wright, the guy who played the father on Alf, woah nice.)  Mr. Hackles likes to make sure all debts that he's owed comes back to him. He also loves pennies.  He has collected alot of IOU's from alot of people from the town.  Hackles has no trust in anyone including a bank.    He loves Halloween so, guess he won't be visited by three ghosts to learn about Halloween.

This was a bad penny, so I put in a prison/ Copyright CBS Television 

                     The next day, a man named Mr. Kimbel and his son show up to his shop and Mr. Kimbel owes some debt because a bad farming season. Kimbel doesn't want his son to go to Hackels' house to trick or treat because he plays a fun where the kids can go inside and find IOU slips to help their parents' debts be gone. (Sounds fun)   Billy, the boy, wants to go when he hears that but still Kimbel worries about the children because something happens at the house those nights. (Whoa)
                         

No, you can't have my son/ Copyright CBS Television 

                    Another father says that his son will be able to find the IOU's and will help the debts be gone.  Hackles prepares for the night and the children start to show up.  First a little girl dressed like a witch name Bessie enters the house with her mother hoping she can find an IOU.  The episode shows that Hackels likes inventing things and animatronics are one of his things.   He scares Bessie away.
         

That's a fake bat/ Copyright CBS Television 

            Meanwhile, at the Kimbels, Billy runs off because he feels he can do it , he get the IOU. First, Timothy shows up , that's the other boy with the man who seems like he might be 2 steps from a serial killer.  This boy seems nervous but lasts longer than the others have so far.   A bear's head scares him.
                             

perfume commercial feelings / Copyright CBS Television 

       Hackles also keeps mention people in the area have it backwards, I think it might be important since he says it alot. ( I might be wrong)  Anyway some strange happens after Timothy leaves.  A weird lady shows up at the door, I think she might be a real witch.   She laughs a little too much  and makes his papers and money fly all over the place. I think his house has a demon problem too.   The demons like to play a game with him. (Either that or this is anti drug PSA)

Don't do drugs kids/ Copyright CBS Television

      Billy walks to Hackles' house not knowing of the demon problem. and is greeted by that annoying witch. The witch gives Billy money  and jewels.  I won't give away the ending shot.

                 I really enjoyed this, the tenseness of this episode was really well done, I was wondering what was going to happen next the whole episode.  It really does have a an allegory to the Scrooge story with the bitter old man though, they don't try to redeem him at all.  Do check out this and the series. We may dip into more in the future.

Halloween : Mad Mad Monsters

Halloween 

             Previously on Joshuaonline, we talked about a Rankin Bass special called "Jack O' Lantern" from their series "Festival of Family Classics". Now, from the same year that came out there was an other special and it's a kind of  Halloween related. (We also could have used this for Friday the 13th).

          Anyway, from 1972 from the "ABC Superstar Movie"   it's  "Mad Mad Monsters" The ABC Superstar Movie  was a like the TV movie of the week for the younger demographic that started also in 1972. And Since it was the 70's  the different specials were made by different companies and had different types of movies, with some being pilots for Saturday morning shows.  This is the third film in this series and was made by the kings of Christmas (that's our name for them) Rankin Bass.

       It is connected to their 1967 feature film "Mad Monster Party?" (The film seems to be doubting their title)  So many of the characters are from that and it's like a prequel then.  So let's take  a look.

          It starts with Baron Henry von Frankenstein creating a bride for his monster  (wouldn't that be the monster's  sister?) with him creating the wedding invitations out first , sure that's how that works.  He's creates a wife for the monster. (Also Igor really wants a girl too)  He goes to a hotel to have a wedding in a ballroom which is open on Friday the 13th, so good day. 

You might be my sister, I'm not sure how this works/ Copyright Universal they own the rights 

     This is movie is called  "Mad Mad MonsterS" so we need more monsters and first there's the invisible with his invisible family.  (They wear clothes because censorship)  I'm confused on why the mail man hasn't seen these  monsters on his route before , the invisible family at least.  There's also a mummy, Count Dracula. Dracula has a son apparently too and Boobula (Censors let that slip didn't they?)  The mail man visits a doctor who tells him that everything he is seeing is in his imagination. There's also a werewolf.

Dog had to wear clothes too; censors were tough / Copyright Universal 

                 This special seems to be setting up jokes for other people to be freaked out  by the monsters like having the mailman fill in at the hotel.   The bell boy thinks the monsters are just actors which is kind of fun.   I'm going to point this out now, there's not lot that happens in this special where I can just write about it because it's mostly just them talking and some things going on and seeing reactions of people around them or  how these monsters react.  Like the invisible man and his wife seem to be this couple who like to  trade barbs with each other.  The two kids are kids.

       Then Igor loses the bride and is taken by a pterodactyl  guess they have to get her back now.  The other monsters go on a mission to save her.  They get her back, well that was easy time for  a wedding.  They get married it's kind of anti-climatic really.

more after the  jump

Halloween: Spongebob "Scaredy Pants"

Halloween 

  Since it is the 20th anniversary year of "Spongebob Squarepants" and the Halloween episode of the series is also 20, and it's Halloween season it's time to talk about Scaredy Pants. 

    This episode is only 11 minutes long. Yeah, they weren't doing longer specials during season 1 but, still needed to get their holidays covered. This is not saying that the length of time is bad it's the furthest from that.  

            The episode sets up that Spongebob is nervous about well... everything. It seems Halloween isn't his night.  Mr.Krabs decides to tell Spongebob a story about the flying dutchman, a ghost that is supposed to haunt the sea. (I like that Mr. Krabs defies physics and has a lit fire ready to go)  The story is mostly there to scare Spongebob because they notice that he is easy to scare. They even call him the episode name.    

         I like seeing the underwater aesthetic to Halloween this episode gives us, it's such a nice touch.  Spongebob's goal is to be scary.  Patrick comes in to help him find a scary costume.  The attempt didn't work since they think he's a haunted mattress (which is my band name).  Spongebob gets the idea  that he needs to be round to be a scary looking ghost so, he gets Patrick to shave him down and make him round. (yes!) 

            Spongebob tires to scare people and thinks he doing a good job because why not. He goes to the party at the Krusty Krab. His scaring plan goes south and this causes  the real flying Dutchman  to appear  because of course the Flying Dutchman is real. He's offended by Spongebob's depiction of him. (This is where Twitter got the idea to be offended by things)  

             The Flying Dutchman is going to steal everyone's souls and explains what is scary. Then  he takes off Spongebob's sheet (context) and notices something that scares him away. (What a Weenie) Yep Patrick shaved most of Spongebob's sponge stuff to a stem with his brain showing causing everyone to run away. Patrick took a little while to figure it out and then he runs too. (Did he not see it earlier some how?)  

             This is a real fun episode of Spongebob for Halloween giving us a nice bit of Halloween feel and some good comedy in one episode. It's not the most comedic episode of Spongebob but that doesn't detract from the strength.    They did make another Spongebob Halloween  episode, this one being a special, that we may cover in the future.  

 That's  it for now. Tune in next time when Spongebob learns about Thanksgiving. 

  

Freeform's Kickoff to Christmas 2019 schedule

Freefrom Christmas 

     For a second year running  Freeform has released their "Kickoff to Christmas" programming schedule, the event runs from November 1st to November 30th leading up to their 25 days of Christmas. event in December. 

  Here's the full schedule  

Friday, November 1

12pm/11c Paddington

2pm/1c Rise of the Guardians

4pm/3c Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)

6pm/5c Disney and Pixar's Cars

8:30pm/7:30c Disney's Zootopia

12am/11c The Simpsons Holiday Episodes

Saturday, November 2

7am/6c Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)

9am/8c Disney's Hercules

11:05am/10:05c Disney and Pixar's Cars

1:45pm/12:45c Disney and Pixar's Finding Nemo

4:15pm/3:15c Disney and Pixar's Finding Dory

6:20pm/5:20c Disney's Zootopia

8:50pm/7:50c Disney's Moana

11:20pm/10:20c Disney and Pixar's Ratatouille

Sunday, November 3

8am/7c Disney's Hercules

10:10am/9:10c Disney and Pixar's Finding Nemo

12:40pm/11:40c Disney and Pixar's Finding Dory

2:45pm/1:45c Disney's Pocahontas

4:45pm/3:45c Disney's Moana

7:15pm/6:15c Disney and Pixar's Ratatouille

9:55pm/8:55c Disney's Beauty and the Beast (1991)

12am/11c Disney's Pocahontas

Monday, November 4

11am/10c Marley & Me

1:30pm/12:30c Mrs. Doubtfire

4:30pm/3:30c Grown Ups

7pm/6c Disney's Beauty and the Beast (1991)

9pm/8c Disney and Pixar's Toy Story

Tuesday, November 5

11:30am/10:30c Mrs. Doubtfire

2:30pm/1:30c Grown Ups

5pm/4c Shrek

7pm/6c Disney and Pixar's Toy Story

9pm/8c Disney and Pixar's Toy Story 2

12am/11c Scooby-Doo (2002)

Wednesday, November 6

11am/10c The Simpsons Holiday Episodes

12:30pm/11:30c Scooby-Doo (2002)

2:30pm/1:30c Shrek

4:30pm/3:30c Disney and Pixar's Toy Story 2

6:30pm/5:30c Disney and Pixar's Monsters, Inc.

8:30pm/7:30c Disney and Pixar's Monsters University

12am/11c Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed

Thursday, November 7

12pm/11c Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed

2pm/1c Happy Feet Two

4pm/3c Disney and Pixar's Monsters, Inc.

6pm/5c Disney and Pixar's Monster's University

8:30pm/7:30c Disney's Zootopia

12am/11c Dr. Seuss' The Lorax (2012)

Friday, November 8

11:30am/10:30c Happy Feet Two

1:30pm/12:30c Dr. Seuss' The Lorax (2012)

3:30pm/2:30c Disney and Pixar's A Bug's Life

5:30pm/4:30c Disney's Zootopia

8pm/7c  High School Musical: The Musical: The Series

9pm/8c Disney and Pixar's Finding Dory

12am/11c The Simpsons Holiday Episodes

Saturday, November 9

7am/6c Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge - Adventure Awaits

9:05am/8:05c Disney and Pixar's A Bug's Life

11:15am/10:15c Disney and Pixar's Finding Dory

1:20pm/12:20c Disney's Mulan

3:25pm/2:25c Disney's The Princess and the Frog

5:30pm/4:30c Disney's Moana

8pm/7c  Freeform Premiere : The Little Mermaid LIVE! 

10pm/9c Disney's The Lion King (1994)

12am/11c Disney's Pocahontas

Sunday, November 10

7am/6c Disney and Pixar's Toy Story of TERROR!

7:30am/6:30c Disney's Pocahontas

9:30am/8:30c Disney's Mulan

11:35am/10:35c Disney's The Princess and the Frog

1:40pm/12:40c Disney's Moana

4:10pm/3:10c The Little Mermaid LIVE!

6:10pm/5:10c Disney's The Lion King (1994)

8:15pm/7:15c Disney and Pixar's The Incredibles

10:55pm/9:55c Iron Man

Monday, November 11

11am/10c The Nightmare Before Christmas

12:40pm/11:40c Disney's Meet the Robinsons

2:45pm/1:45c Disney's Moana

5:15pm/4:15c Disney and Pixar's The Incredibles

7:55pm/6:55c Iron Man

Tuesday, November 12

11am/10c Bon Voyage Charlie Brown

12:35pm/11:35c Matilda

2:40pm/1:40c Mrs. Doubtfire

5:50pm/4:50c Home Alone

8:20pm/7:20c Home Alone 2: Lost in New York

12am/11c Home Alone 3

Wednesday, November 13

12pm/11c Mrs. Doubtfire

3:10pm/2:10c Home Alone

5:40pm/4:40c Home Alone 2: Lost in New York

8:20pm/7:20c Pitch Perfect

12am/11c Home Alone 4: Taking Back the House

Thursday, November 14

Freeform Premiere 12pm/11c Boomerang

2:35pm/1:35c The Holiday

5:50pm/4:50c Pitch Perfect

8:30pm/7:30c Grown Ups

12am/11c Home Alone: The Holiday Heist

Friday, November 15

11:30am/10:30c Home Alone: The Holiday Heist

1:40pm/12:40c Miracle on 34th Street (1994)

4:20pm/3:20c Grown Ups

6:50pm/5:50c Matilda

Freeform Premiere 8:55pm/7:55c Fantastic Mr. Fox

12am/11c The Simpsons Holiday Episodes

Saturday, November 16

7am/6c Miracle on 34th Street (1994)

9:35am/8:35c Happy Feet Two

11:40am/10:40c Matilda

1:45pm/12:45c Fantastic Mr. Fox

3:50pm/2:50c Home Alone

6:20pm/5:20c Home Alone 2: Lost in New York

9pm/8c Disney's Frozen

Freeform Premiere 11:30pm/10:30c The BFG (2016)

Sunday, November 17

7am/6c Happy Feet Two

9am/8c The BFG (2016)

11:35am/10:35c Dennis the Menace (1993)

1:40pm/12:40c Home Alone

4:10pm/3:10c Home Alone 2: Lost in New York

6:50pm/5:50c Disney's Frozen

9:20pm/8:20c Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

12am/11c Richie Rich's Christmas Wish

Monday, November 18

11am/10c Love the Coopers

1:30pm/12:30c Miracle on 34th Street (1994)

4pm/3c Richie Rich's Christmas Wish

6pm/5c Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

8:30pm/7:30c Grown Ups

Tuesday, November 19

11am/10c Miracle on 34th Street (1994)

1:35pm/12:35c The Simpsons Holiday Episodes

2:35pm/1:35c Grown Ups

5:05pm/4:05c Boomerang

7:45pm/6:45c The Blind Side

12am/11c The Truth About Christmas

Wednesday, November 20

12pm/11c Boomerang

2:35pm/1:35c The Blind Side

5:50pm/4:50c Home Alone

8:20pm/7:20c Home Alone 2: Lost in New York

12am/11c Deck the Halls

Thursday, November 21

11am/10c Marley & Me

1:40pm/12:40c Deck the Halls

3:45pm/2:45c Home Alone

6:15pm/5:15c Home Alone 2: Lost in New York

8:55pm/7:55c Matilda

12am/11c Life-Size 2: A Christmas Eve

Friday, November 22

11:30am/10:30c Tomorrowland

2:40pm/1:40c Scooby-Doo (2002)

4:45pm/3:45c Matilda

6:50pm/5:50c Shrek

Freeform Premiere 8:55pm/7:55c Despicable Me 2

12am/11c The Simpsons Holiday Episodes

Saturday, November 23

7am/6c Tomorrowland

10:10am/9:10c Scooby-Doo (2002)

12:15pm/11:15c The Pacifier

2:20pm/1:20c Shrek

4:25pm/3:25c Despicable Me 2

6:30pm/5:30c Grown Ups

Freeform Premiere 9pm/8c Turkey Drop

11pm/10c Mrs. Doubtfire

Sunday, November 24

7am/6c Garfield

9am/8c The Pacifier

11am/10c Miracle on 34th Street (1994)

1:30pm/12:30c Mrs. Doubtfire

4:40pm/3:30c Rise of the Guardians

6:45pm/5:45c Home Alone

9:15pm/8:15c Home Alone 2: Lost in New York

11:55pm/10:55c Matilda

Monday, November 25

11:30am/10:30c Rise of the Guardians

1:40pm/12:40c Matilda

3:50pm/2:50c Home Alone

6:20pm/5:20c Home Alone 2: Lost in New York

Freeform Premiere 9pm/8c WRAP BATTLE

Tuesday, November 26

11am/10c Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief

1:30pm/12:30c Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

4:40pm/3:40c Iron Man

Freeform Premiere 7:45pm/6:45c Captain America: The Winter Soldier

12am/11c WRAP BATTLE (encores)

Wednesday, November 27

7:30am/6:30c Turkey Drop

11am/10c Paddington

1:05pm/12:05c The Simpsons Holiday Episodes

2:35pm/1:35c Iron Man

5:40pm/4:40c Captain America: The Winter Soldier

8:55pm/7:55c Despicable Me 2

12am/11c Turkey Drop

Thursday, November 28

7:30am/6:30c WRAP BATTLE (encores)

11am/10c Turkey Drop

1pm/12c Mrs. Doubtfire

4pm/3c Despicable Me 2

6pm/5c Home Alone

8:30pm/7:30c Home Alone 2: Lost in New York

12am/11c Fantastic Mr. Fox

Friday, November 29

11:30am/10:30c Happy Feet Two

1:30pm/12:30c Fantastic Mr. Fox

3:30pm/2:30c Home Alone

6pm/5c Home Alone 2: Lost in New York

8:40pm/7:40c Shrek

10:45pm/9:45c Mary Poppins (1964)

Saturday, November 30

7am/6c The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

10:15am/9:15c Mary Poppins (1964)

1:30pm/12:30c Deck the Halls

3:35pm/2:35c Arthur Christmas

5:40pm/4:40c Shrek

7:45pm/6:45c The Santa Clause

9:50pm/8:50c The Santa Clause 2

11:55pm/10:55c The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause

Press release after the jump 

Halloween : The Good For Nothing

The Flashback  Halloween

          Fun enough, our Lookback takes us to another comic strip based special, this time based off the 1979-2008 comic strip "For Better or For Worse".  FBFW was created by Lynn Johnston and ran in newspapers in Canada and the United States and still does for reruns as of this writing.  The interesting thing about this comic strip which is about lives of the Patterson family living in a suburb of Toronto, is that the characters in the strip aged in real time as it went on through the years. Meaning characters aged up. It was a slice of comic strip with events based on worked through Johnston's life. 

    For the purpose of this blog post, we are talking about another medium that  many comic strips end up going into, the animated television medium.  Since this is about Halloween, we are going to talk about the Halloween special "The Good For Nothing".  This special ran on CTV in Canada and Disney Channel in the US.  

             

             The special starts with setting up that it is fall: the father is raking leaves, the mother is trying to enter her squash into a contest for the fall fair, etc. Though sadly, the dog squishes the squash.  At the fair there is a pet show where Elizabeth and the dog, Farley  are entered ah and this badly because the dog likes another dog and would rather chase her than win some contest. (The most human of the characters is that dog)  The dog also runs through other parts of the fair causing a mess and disruption.   

He's still a good boy 

   

         There is also a boy named Brad, because of course, who wants to bother Michael , the oldest Paterson boy, because reasons.  There's also a running line of when the dog does something they call him the good for nothing. (roll credits)   There's a mention of Halloween, with trick or treating.  So Brad decides to mess with Michael some more because he has nothing better to do.   

                               

I'm glad my son has a no girls sign on the back of his door instead of on front

   Oh it is Halloween, alright then, sure.  If they masterfully some how combine the dog being rambunctious and the Michael vs Brad plot I'd be way impressed. So Michael and Elizabeth go out trick or treating (not together) while, also looking for Farley who got out.   Michael is first with his friends then goes alone because they didn't want to go down some spooky area. (The Scooby Doo gang laughs at them)  Though the creepy music does  make me think Michael is going to get brutally murdered in this alley.   

     The aesthetic  of the Halloween stuff is very nice and really feels like Halloween and does a great job of showing the essence of the night.  They got to find that dog still.  Meanwhile, Michael runs into Brad.  Also, they don't use the creepy music here but, honestly, this is where I felt he could be brutally murdered.  But yes! Farley does come to Michael's aid.  (The dog doesn't brutally murder Brad.)    

             

BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK 

        I really like this special, I haven't seen it before writing about this, I have seen some other "For Better or Worse" stuff  but this one , nope.  I do like how fun and simple it is and does model off the comic strips well.  The characters are genuine fun: The father giving his son some space but still being around to help is really a nice touch. The dog being connected to the other plot line for the climax was fun. Even though this is more of a special that happens to take place on Halloween than be a Halloween themed special, it brings a lot of great things to the table.  I do recommend watching it  and it's a good family special as well.    

      Do check out the comic strip, you can read it on go comics from the start (link here)  and the daily reruns.    Check out the website as well. (here) 

  Tune in next time, when I write Farley is a good boy 950 times in a blog post because he's a good boy.   

Halloween: Hey Arnold: Arnold's Halloween

Halloween 

        A fake boss we made up just for this blog post walks up to our fake cubicle to ask why we've done anything Hey Arnold related since 2015? I say screw this place ,I quit! 


             Anyway, that last "Hey Arnold" holiday post we've done was "Thanksgiving"  so, it's time we come back and this time it's about Halloween.

        From season 2 it''s  Arnold's Halloween.

              The episode starts with Arnold, Gerald, and residents of the boarding house watching some sort of "X-files" like show and then a show called "UFO Tonight".  Fun fact: the voice of Douglas Cain is Maurice LaMarche who you will also notice is the voice of Brain from "Pinky and the Brain". Anyway,  Grandpa Phil turns down Arnold's offer to help with the boarding house for Halloween but gets denied so, this up the start of plot of the episode where Arnold has other plans.  Helga has a similar issue with her adults .  Big Bob believes in aliens.    Helga has decided to make her friends dress all like aliens.  Arnold wants to combine his plan with Helga's plan to scare the the boarders.  Remember this for if you watch it , Bob doesn't really look at his daughter's costume this is important for later.

 I see no difference / Copyright Viacom 

                       

          Since Arnold and Gerald are smarter than your average kids they have made some sort of radio broadcast thing to play into the boarding house. They create a fake news alert of an alien invasion.  Brain is not a very nice boss so he makes this guy go around searching for alien activity , taking the pieces of the puzzle and connecting them means he hears the radio broadcast. The guy also sees Helga and friends in their alien costumes which are that convincing apparently.   They go the boarding house thus, causing the prank.   

This WHEY playing all repeat work day / Copyright Viacom 

      Cut Cut Cut.  Now if you didn't get this already, this episode alludes to the  1938  Orson Wells broadcast of the H.G Wells (no relation) book "War of the Worlds" a story about Martians invading the Earth. It did cause some panic and convince some people that it was real but it wasn't that widespread. (More here)  This episode is alluding to that by having a voice that is mimicking Orson Wells' voice with Dougas Cain and the radio broadcast that Arnold and Gerald were doing.  (Bonus point when you hear the word Wells' Ridge, get it)

It's the real news/ Copyright Viacom 

          Big Bob sees the broadcast with Cain, and Cain's broadcast is broadcasting Arnold and Gerald's show.  The plan was that elaborate where the kids even decorated the city water tower to look like a spaceship.     Plugging that in causes the city power to go out so everyone sees the fake spaceship glowing. (That's how power works!)  Arnold and Gerald don't know what really happened until they see Grandpa Phil and he tells them Douglas Cain found the broadcast and now everything is a mess.

This time of year is pretty/ Copyright Viacom 

         
           The episode gets slightly horrifying as people are chasing Helga and the gang in angry mob fashion thinking they are aliens.  Meanwhile, Bob has decided to go military and decides to go out alien hunting or something. Now you the viewer might be wondering couldn't the kids just take off their alien costumes at least the paint and stuff?  Well dear viewer, they are one step ahead of you.  Harold got permanent paint. 

             Also Big Bob knows how to make beepers into a bomb?! He grabs Helga who thinks she really is an alien messing with his mind.   Thankfully, releasing a bomb caused water to wash off the permanent paint  (we don't know what permanent mean?).   Everything is fine at the end so, wonderful!
 
          This is a great Halloween special. It shows fear that we expect on Halloween but with a different tone showing fear of the unknown because of the aliens coming down and trying to take over the planet is something that really jars the sense of what we are used to.  The episode gives a great tense feeling through out where even if you know things are going to be fine because it's "Hey Arnold" there's still a feeling of unease and tense on how far things go.  I like the allusion to the 1938 incident even making a key plot area "Wells Ridge" a nice touch.  So, take a look at this for Halloween.

   That's our lookback tune in next time after the we surrender to our alien over lords.