It's a Lookback, Charlie Brown: Snoopy's Reunion

Peanuts 

   It's all come down to this. Our final Peanuts special lookback. I didn't really plan the order of the specials as much they free flowed, or I wanted to correlate to certain period of time. We started this with 65th anniversary and due to spaces in time and things, it's taken us until the year of the 70th anniversary to finish this up.


       This is Snoopy's Reunion.  It first aired on May 1st 1991 on CBS. It is the 2nd to last special to premiere on CBS as, it seemed CBS was getting away from new Peanuts specials.  It's a special that wants to give us the back story to the most famous Beagle of all.  Snoopy. 

           It starts at Daisy Hill Puppy Farm with what I could guess is Snoopy's mom, siblings, and Snoopy.  There's a farmer (not sure why there's a farmer for puppies, seems like a strange thing farm, guy).  These puppies can play instruments (and he wants to sell them? He should have started a band with them)  Also strangely enough, this special uses part of the same music used for "Why, Charlie Brown Why?"

A dog band and he's giving them away instead of makings tons of money/Copyright Peanuts 

        Charlie Brown comes home from losing a game and is depressed.  Charlie Brown wishes he had a dog, "Charlie Brown wants a Dog, Rerun".  So yes, this an origin story for Charlie Brown getting a dog.  So, that means he goes to Daisy Hill Puppy Farm and picks out  dog and names him Snoopy, right? WRONG.  A girl named Lila picks a dog named Snoopy, yep, the farmer pre-named the dogs. Those being Snoopy, Molly, Belle, Spike, Olaf, Marbles, Rover, and Andy.

Rover is the strangest name on this list/Copyright Peanuts 

          Eventually, the other pups are picked up by people and taken to their new homes one by one.  Well this puppy farm has run out of puppies so, how does that work?   Anyway, Snoopy and Lila live together in happiness.  The place where Lila lives says that NO DOGS ALLOWED is the rule now, so they have to take him back to the puppy farm. 

Well Snoopy. we didn't try to stop this from happening or anything so.../Copyright Peanuts 

          Now back to Charlie Brown, and he wants to have a dog and keeps talking about wanting a dog.  So he looks for a dog in the newspaper and he ends up seeing a place called Daisy Hill Puppy Farm. (I wonder what dog that might be)  Confused as to why Charlie Brown wanted a hunting dog, as the ad said, that's not something  I was thinking.  The farmer lets Charlie Brown buy the last puppy for five dollars.  He  finds out that the dog's name is Snoopy and Charlie Brown decides to keep the name. (Otherwise, the Charlie Brown and Snoopy show would be called something else)   Linus tells him that he got a used dog. Ole Chuck don't care, he loves him anyway.

awww / copyright Peanuts 

              Charlie Brown built  Snoopy a dog house and he does his famous laying on top thing. Charlie Brown trains him and he notices that the dog is a little different. Time skip. Snoopy seems a little sad, and Sally suggests that maybe he misses his brothers and sisters.  Charlie Brown tells him they are going to have a reunion.  I'm glad Charlie Brown knows where they all live.  We see Spike leave his desert home,  Olaf leave his farm, Belle leave her house, and the rest leave all taking their instruments.


          They go to Daisy Hill Puppy Farm,  but they find out that they paved paradise and put up a parking lot. (Guess the puppy farm business didn't do that well)  So, the dogs start playing their music in front of the parking garage.  Charlie Brown figures out that this was the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm.  Yep their farm was gone all their memories had been reduced to parking spaces.  The dogs don't seem to mind, they had fun.   Then Snoopy somehow takes everyone one home on his dog house, because sure why not.  Then Linus finishes the special by saying "He's your Dog Charlie Brown" that's a different special, Linus. 

       If you are Peanuts purist who likes their strong continuity; this special does it's own thing.  Like how Snoopy was around before Sally and Linus were born.  In the strip, the movie, Snoopy Come Home,  and in the special. life is a circus , Charlie Brown says that his parents got him a dog after he got dumped sand on him by kid.  There's is a strip where Snoopy and Woodstock find out their own about the puppy farm.  Also two siblings were created just for this special, that's Molly and Rover.

   None of this takes a way from this special.  It's an interesting story to show the origin of Snoopy with Charlie Brown

    If you  have been reading our Peanuts specials in the order we posted them, I want to thank you for reading. It's taken about 5 years to do this, but it's been an enjoyable experience talking about Peanuts specials. There are so many different ones that have taken their routes and decisions , some good, some weird.  We aren't done with the Peanuts , and there are more aspects to specials to talk about as well, and maybe they'll make a new one in the future. So don't think this is the full end.  Anyway, thank you for reading.  Tune in next time, when we get our dog band together and go on the tour circuit. 

My Network TV Line Up for the 2020-21 Season

My Network TV  

           My Network TV doesn't have to worry much about the virus messing up any of it's season plans since it is mostly on reruns , anyway.    For the new line up, they are adding more "Law and Order: CI and "Dateline" , "CSI Miami" is leaving the line up.  My Network TV has been in the syndication network service model since 2009, after trying a mixture of telenovelas, reality showand more before then.  It's owned by Fox.  

Here's the line up  (note : in many markets the My Network TV stations air programming at different time ,many later in the evening.)

        Monday
         8PM   Law and Order: SVU
         9PM   Law and Order: SVU

          Tuesday
          8PM   Chicago P.D
          9PM   Chicago PD
     
          Wednesday
          8PM  Dateline
          9PM   Dateline

        Thursday
         8pm  Dateline (new night)
         9pm  Law and Order CI

         Friday
        8pm Law and Order CI (new Night)
       9pm  Law and Order CI (new Night)

One Shot Posts: :So Weird : Rebecca

One Shot Posts   Disney

      This is personally one of my favorite Disney Channel Original series and that is So Weird , I thought it might be a fun idea to write about one of the episodes.

     Background first,  "So Weird" was a Disney Channel series that first premiered in 1999 and ran for 3 seasons. It's about a girl named Fiona Phillips , Fi for short, touring with her mother is who is a singer and her brother with her mother's manager, bus driver, and their son. The series was a paranormal series where Fi would encounter different paranormal things on her journey.  It was slightly darker than other Disney Channel series before it or after it.

         Today we are taking a look at episode 9 which is called "Rebecca".


  Also we don't skip the theme of this show because the theme is awesome.

      The episode starts with Fi (Cara DeLizia)  voicing over on how there' s a long of history of people trying avoid death.  With the question of "If we could live forever , would we want to?"  Well, Disney Channel show went there.  It starts with voices of some girl wanting to see someone but can't because other voices saying no.  Fi's brother , Jack (played by Patrick Levis, who was also in Brink!)  and his friend Clu (played by Erik von Detten, who was Brink in Brink!) are doing some driving test thing while Fi is on her computer.

This is you, reading this post/ Copyright Disney 

           The girl from before shows up wanting to see Molly, Fi and Jack's mother,  (played by Mackenzie Phillips) who does show  up and sees the girl and sees that she looks like someone she knew named Rebecca (title drop)  and the girl says Rebecca is her mother, also the name from a song.   The backstory is that Rebecca disappeared.  Molly wants to see the girl, but she can't see her because reasons.

No Rebecca is my mother's name/ Copyright Disney 

           Fi feels that feels kind of strange. Since Rebecca's daughter said that her mother was that the museum working : Fi and Molly go the museum to see her and a guy mentions a Rebecca but referring to the girl they met.  Fi, Clu, and Jack go searching for the young Rebecca (I think I'm confused) and they see her with some man and woman. Meanwhile, 1999 tech works and Fi asks for a picture of her mother and Rebecca for something.

Technology action power / Copyright Disney 

More after the Jump

Into the Twilight: The Shadow Man

The Flashback 

           We are taking another look at a segment from the 1985 version of "The Twilight Zone"  and thankfully the show has so many segments for us to look at.  This time we are looking at season 1 ,episode 10, segment 1 : The Shadow Man.

          This episode first aired with two other segments included on November 29th 1985.  Some spoilers ahead but not too much.  

           A thirteen year-old boy named Danny Hayes wants to get this girl named Lianna to notice him.  He's a smart kid who has a fear of the dark.  There's  a bully named Eric who likes to mess with Danny because all things with children have to have bullies it's the law!  His mother is annoyed that he's afraid of the dark because he's 13 and we need this plot to get going.  (Hurry up plot!) Anyway, because this is the "Twilight Zone"  a creepy dark figure named The Shadow Man  (roll credits) shows up and tells Danny that he'll never harm anyone who owns the bed he lives under. (Otherwise, it's harming time!)  

I'm the Shadowman , does this hat make me look good?/ Copyright CBS 

          

                  Danny tries to tell his friend about the creepy figure but his friend doesn't believe him because that's the first rule of horror.   Danny overhears that two students were attacked the last night and it sounds like they were attacked by the figure creature thing. The next night, Shadow Man shows up and repeats his lines and goes out again. Danny takes pictures with his instant camera.  Everyone around the school is talking about creepy guy.   While, Danny thinks the same guy is both.   Anyway, back to Danny liking Lianna (brought to you by today's sponsor)   Danny uses the knowledge of "I never harm the person of who's bed I lie"  to go see Lianna and help her with math.  Since Eric is Afraid of the dark and shadow man.  The next day, Eric sees Lianna with Danny and doesn't seem happy.

Hmm did I leave the oven on?/ Copyright CBS 

              Now Peter, Danny's friend, says he kind of believes Danny about the Shadow Man and thinks he should do something to stop it but because Danny is a stupid smart person (someone is smart but also does dumb things) and is happy about the new found popularity he brushes it off. Eric challenges Danny to a fight. Danny wants to fight at  night , because Shadow man.  Shadow man likes to repeat his lines the same time, is that all he can say?   That night, Eric shows up and they were about to fight and the shadow man shows up  and Eric runs tries to get Danny to run but I won't give away the ending.   [Though, if you really want to know then click here ]

Yeah Swing at night and live dangerously / Copyright CBS 

            The ending is pretty interesting  though.  The episode plays very much like a future Goosbumps episode with less restraint because network TV versus show made for children but still. kind of like that.   I do like how the Shadow Man repeating his phrase does come in handy to the ending and yes.  It's not the most gripping episode or interesting but it's serviceable and not bad.  

 That's it for now , tune in next time when say tune in next time again because This is Joshuaonline and we never confuse our readers. 

  

             

      

FALL TV 2020: CBS

CBS TVLookFall2020 

    While Fox and the CW have taken ways to figure out a full fall schedule to figure in minimal disruption due to the virus, CBS has taken a slightly different approach.   CBS does figure in that the schedule may not launch on the traditional week of television launch. 

   'The Amazing Race"  is the only series that has full episodes, due it being delayed from it' s May airing.
 
              The schedule is relatively the same with changes to Sunday and Thursday to replace shows that were canceled in the 2019-2020 season. 

Here' s the schedule new series are highlighted in blue and all Times are ET/PT


Monday
8PM   The Neighborhood
8:30pm   Bob Hearts Abishola
9PM   All Rise
10pm   Bull

Tuesday
8PM  NCIS
9PM   FBI
10PM   FBI Most Wanted

Wednesdays
8pm  Survivor
9pm  The Amazing Race
10pm SEAL Team

Thursday
8pm  Young Sheldon
8:30pm B Positive
9pm  Mom
9:30pm  The Unicorn
10pm    Evil

Friday
8PM  MacGyver
9PM   Magnum P.I
10PM  Blue Bloods

Sunday
7PM   60 Minutes
8PM  The Equalizer 
9PM NCIS: Los Angeles
10PM  NCIS : New Orleans


Press Release after the Jump

Arthur: Season 3: D.W. , All Fired Up / I'd Rather Read it myself

 Arthur  PBS 


                Welcome back to our look at Arthur episodes, in totally random order, because it's the spice of life or something. Anyway, we are doing an episode 3 pairing , both are episode 2 pairings. (We might have gone mad)

  First off, Season 3 first aired back 1998 and has 15 half hour episodes or 30 segments.  Though I won't go to far into the back story of season 3 because  I've covered episodes from this season in the past, before.  Now we continue with our look at two more episodes as I remind myself to calm down on dipping into season 3 so much.

           Episode 2a:  D.W. , All Fired Up'

                The Monologue:  D.W apparently really likes going to school (because she hasn't been corrupted by the system yet, what? Don't look at me like that)  but Arthur remembers one time when D.W didn't like school. (We call that The Great Depression)

               The Episode:  At  D.W's pre-school the teacher announces that they are going to have their first fire drill, which D.W thinks is  going to be a drill made of fire (which sounds pretty cool, actually) until they use Emily to have the teacher explain what a fire drill is to the people in the back. D.W is scared because she thinks they are going to have an actual fire. (That would be more dedicated) Meanwhile, D.W stares at fire at it taunts her very soul.  D.W even has bad fire dreams as it taunts her soul and brain.

I'm the fire! I'm burnin' for you/ Copyright WGBH

 
            The parents figure out that D.W might be a little scared and try to help her get past her fears. Even getting a warden joke in there. They let her help around the house for fire safety learning.  Arthur tries to help her, but she's still nervous as can be.  When the fire drill starts, for real, D.W seems to take some command helping some friends follow along.   D.W seems to get along with it all seems well.

       Pretty simple episode , for  a younger audience it's a great one to show them that fire drills and safety are good things to be prepared for  in case of a real one.  D.W's fears are played well and give a realistic approach while still fitting her character. Yeah, this was one of those strictly younger part of  target audience educational episode, the show has to do sometimes to justify it's PBS existence.


More after the Jump

The CW to release Fall programming in Winter ; has fall plans set up

The CW  TVLookFall2020 

      The CW has taken a move of waiting until winter 2021 to start their season , due the unknown conditions of lock downs and other things surrounding the virus. The Fall line up will be accustions and the conclusion  of the series  "Supernatural" (pending).  If these plans continue , the CW season will stretch into summer 2021.

Coming at some point for their mid season will be new series  "Republic of Doyle" and a remake of "Kung Fu"  also waiting on side are "Roswell, New Mexico", "In the Dark",  "DC's Legends of Tomorrow", "Supergirl", and "Dynasty".


Here is the winter line up  (starting January 2021)  new series in blue  all Times/ ET/PT

Monday
8PM All American
9PM  Black Lightning

Tuesday
8PM  The Flash
9PM  Superman and Lois 


Wednesday
8pm  Riverdale
9pm  Nancy Drew

Thursday
8pm  Walker 
9PM  Legacies

Friday
8PM  Penn & Teller: Fool Us  (New Night)
9pm    Whose Line is it Anyway ?  (New Night )
9:30pm  Whose Line is it anyway?


Sunday
8pm  Batwoman
9pm  Charmed (new night)



Meanwhile, here is what CW has planed for the fall

The final seven episodes of "Supernatural"  which has two episodes yet to film.  They have also brought in the return of "Two Sentence Horror Stories"  from CW Seed.   "The Outpost" and "Pandora" which are summer series.   They also have acquired  two series from sister divisions at CBS All Access "Tell Me A Story"  and  from D.C Universe "Swamp Thing".


Here's that schedule  for fall 2020

Monday
8PM  Whose Line is it Anyway?
8:30pm Whose Line is it Anyway?

Tuesday
8pm  Swamp Thing
9pm   Tell Me A Story

Wednesday
8pm  Two Sentence Horror Stories
8:30pm   Dead Pixels
9pm  Coroner

Thursday
8PM  Supernatural
9pm   The Outpost

Friday
8-8:30pm  World's Funniest Animals
8:30-9pm   World's Funniest Animals
9pm  Penn & Teller: Foll us (encores )

Sunday
8pm Masters of Illusion
8:30pm  Masters of Illusion
9pm  Pandora


Press release after the Jump

The Last Episode : Everybody Loves Raymond : Same as it Ever Was (The Finale)

The Flashback 

            "Everybody Loves Raymond" as a show was one of the more consistent run series. Many sitcoms get tedious or worse as they continue (not all; mind you) but "Everybody Loves Raymond" seem to hold a sense of consistency through it's 9 seasons on television.  It was one of the highest rated sitcoms and really can't be replicated. The series ended on it's own terms in 2005.

        This is part of our series looking at Last episodes, we brought it back, for May because that's when many series have their finales. Finales are interesting because they have different reasons for existing. Since "Raymond" cast and crew chose to end their show on their own terms they could  do really anything. We look at how this series ended.


       From May 16 2005 this is The Finale (good title)

              The episode starts with Ray coming home from the doctor and says his adenoids have to come out.  He is worried the surgery, while Debra it's no big deal.  Marie, Ray's Mom, comes in and gives him a hug because she's worried.  This last episode is fitting the show's main premise of Ray's family being involved in pretty much anything with mother being there worrying about him. Frank and Robert come over looking for the soup Marie brought for Raymond, as one does. (mmm soup)  Frank and Robert have a different approach to Ray's problem they say he should "man-up" and take care of it.  (Also  Frank doesn't know where adenoids are)

Soup for all of you/ Copyright HBO/ CBS 

       Cut to the hospital waiting room, where Debra, Marie,Frank, Robert,  and Amy are waiting for the end of the surgery.  Another strength to the show where most of the main cast has been intact since day one, even Amy was around in season 1. The main progression of the series was seeing the characters' lives progress and getting to know this family like they were a real family, it's a fun testament to this series strength.

We're watching and Waiting/ Copyright HBO/ CBS 

          A nurse comes out to ask Debra about a difficulty with Ray not waking up from the anesthesia.  This, of course, causes worry. It wasn't long but he's alright. ( Raymond dying would been a series finale of different proportions ) The family is relieved and they agree not to tell Raymond what happened (or Marie, who had left the room for the bathroom earlier)  Through out the series, Ray was shown to be someone who  does take things and make them bigger. Also, even in this episode he was worried about the surgery going badly, so you can see their reasoning for not wanting to tell him what happened.

Copyright CBS 

More after the Jump

Dcom Gives Dog the Money

Disney Channel  The Flashback 

         We dig deep into Disney Channel's Original movie archive with a movie from 1998 called "You Lucky Dog" .  It is the 2nd "Official" original movie or 3rd if you count "Northern Lights" .  This is the first Disney Channel original to have a dog in it so, yay!

    Our film stars television star, Kirk Cameron. Yeah, really so, that's something. Let's take a look at this movie.

       It starts with Kirk Cameron's character in this movie called Jack Morgan, who is a dog therapist. Who also can apparently read his dog's mind not other dogs but, still runs his therapy thing without telling people that he can't really read other dogs minds.  Anyway, one man named  Mr. Mooney is not pleased and thinks that Jack is scamming him, he's also a friend of mayor.   A rich man named, Clyde Windsor brings his dog Lucky. (Get it?)   Time to mention more faces and stars in this  movie: they have the talented voice actress, Christine Cavanaugh, playing has Jack Morgan's secretary. (The Voice of Chuckie from the Rugrats for example) and  James Avery , whom you will know as 'Uncle Phil' from the Fresh Prince.  In this movie he's the personal driver of our rich guy.

You didn't tell me that this wasn't an episode of Growing Pains/ Copyright Disney 

   Now back to the movie. Jack finds out that can actually could read Lucky's mind. (Lucky break) Jack tells Clyde that the dog told him that Lucky is worried about Clyde and is bothered by three individuals in the home.  Two weeks later, the mayor gets Jack's business shut down. (This movie is unrealistic) Then Clyde's driver ,Calvin Bridges,  comes to visit Jack and tells him Clyde had passed and wants Jack to come to the estate.
               

You look like you starred in "Growing Pains"/Copyright Disney 

        Meanwhile, the will is being read. Clyde's nephew, Reuben (played by Taylor Negron) doesn't get anything from the will but an easy chair.  His niece , Margret gets his mirror  because she's so vain. His other nephew, Lyle, gets nothing. (ha ha)  His money, $64 Million , doesn't go to any of them. They also get kicked out of the house.  Do you want to guess who gets the money? Play with us!   Is it a) the Dog  b) the Dog c) Santa Claus  d) DOG , it's the dog , obliviously it's the dog.


      The attorney, Allison Kent,  is played by Chelsea Noble a fellow "Growing Pains" star.  She tells Jack that he left his money to his dog. If you picked C, you were wrong. Also Jack has been made the Trustee and he'll be working for the dog. (What am I watching?)  Let's see Allison gives us some words that might work for part of our plot, where she says "unless the heirs can prove he's not competent".  Will this be used for anything plot wise? Find out later maybe!

Pictured: Doggo / Copyright Disney 

          Also the movie seems to be hinting that his physic connection to the dog might also mean he can taste somethings the dog is tasting (ewww) and other dog habits.  The heirs aren't happy and they are talking to their lawyer and he helps them with that one thing about the mental competency thing.  He also wants 30% of the money.  Jack figures out he can read Lucky's thought. So, he starts talking to Lucky and tells him don't ever get too excited. (Gee, I wonder what will happen later in the movie?)  Seems if Lucky gets to excited the physic link gets stronger and makes Jack process things like Lucky.  Well I saw Kirk Cameron destroy a couch and scare the maids away so that's a thing.

            There's a morning after.  Cavlin seems to be somewhat more understanding of this weirdness. Jack explains what happens when Lucky gets excited and tries to tell Calvin but, this is harder to believe.  Lucky doesn't seem to be willing to eat and Jack wonders what's wrong. The movie goes all flashback on  us to when the old man died. The old man died while taking Lucky on  a walk. (Well I'm sad)  Jack starts acting like a dog again because of course maybe Calvin will understand now.  Half this movie was there to make Kirk Cameron look silly isn't it?

Yes/ Copyright Disney 

         Meanwhile the three heirs follow Jack to get evidence of non sanity. Good thing there was no tape. Mall time.  Allison is back and they meet up at the pet store and she has more papers from to sign. (Also, I think she's the love interest of the movie)  Lucky goes a little off  again and that means Jack does too. The niece  decides she wants to talk to Jack.  Some of the renovations they are doing gets her distraught. It happens again, I get the point movie.  Now we got a scene where Kirk Cameron (his character to be clear)  bites her skirt and rips part of it off. (what is this movie?)

   

That's the man, officer / Copyright Disney 

               The three relatives seem to go their plan to snuff out the dog.  They break into the house and go on with this plan to do such a thing. Since they are stupid. the end up shooting things that aren't the dog. with the stuff that will knock out the dog, not bullets to be clear.  This movie is trying to get all Home Alone 3 on us isn't it?  They chase them out but it's hard to prove they were there. Meanwhile, the 3 of them hire that attorney .  They call Jack mentally unable to trustee.


       You know what this movie needed? A trial.  Yep now there's a trial.  This doesn't look good for Jack.  So his idea is to show his "special ability".It works. Also there's  a twist ! yes a twist!
      The Nephew Lyle poisoned the old man. We got a murder in a Disney Channel movie! And Lyle has gun to hold up the court, but Lucky takes him out . They get arrested, Jack wins the case. Lucky gets a lady dog friend and a happy ending.

     It's an alright movie, most of it seems to be "how can we get Kirk Cameron to look really goofy?" but that silliness has it's charm. It's not taking it's premise too seriously but, having fun with it.  I enjoyed this movie it was fun to watch.   I get this sense from many of the early DCOMs that Disney Channel movies weren't going with a brand as much as just being TV movies for the family (mostly kids) to enjoy and be their own things.  This being the 3rd movie really shows that. It's also interesting that this Disney Channel does have a child or teenage lead, it's not even a 20 or 30 something playing a Teenager (Dawson style) Cameron himself, was 28 in real life when this movie came out.  That's an interesting decision to me not a bad one  just interesting in the framing of things for a Disney Channel movie.      That's our look , tune in next time when we find a lady who left all her money to her cat and we get to take care of it! Meow!

     

FOX announces Fall 2020 line up

FOX TVLookFall 2020  

       Due to the virus, networks are making decisions on how to start their fall line ups  FOX has apparently found a way to continue.  Most of the programming FOX has put on the air has been either already made or can be done with fluidity.  (like animation)  They have also picked up a series from  Spectrum Cable , "L,A's Finest" . Two dramas were mid season series they were pushed to fill in the gaps instead.  That's NeXt and Filthy Rich.   "The Masked Singer" might be up for contention unless it can be taped over the summer.    Here is their  fall line up

     All Times ET/PT unless otherwise noted, new series are highlighted in Blue 

Monday 

8pm   L.A'S Finest  (network television debut) 

9pm   NeXt 

Tuesday 

8PM  Cosmos: Possible Worlds 

9PM   Filthy Rich 

Wednesday 

8PM  The Masked Singer 

9PM   Masterchef Junior 

Thursday 

7:30P/4:30PT  FOX NFL Thursday 

8PM /5PT   GMC Kick off Show 

8:20 PM/5:20PT   Thursday Night Football 

Friday 

8PM WWE Friday Night Smackdown 

Saturday

7-10:30PM Fox Sports Saturday 

Sunday 

7-7:30  NFL ON FOX 

7:30   The OT 

8pm  The Simpsons 

8:30pm   Bless the Harts 

9PM  Bob's Burgers 

9:30pm   Family Guy 

 For  Midseason:  There's  the return of "9-1-1"  , 9-1-1: Lone Star",  new series "Call Me Kat","The Great North"  and  "Housebroken" . "Duncanville", "Gordon Ramsay's  Hell's Kitchen" , and Beat Shazam" return. 

Details / Press release after the jump 

Short Lived Series : It's Your Move

The Flashback 

      Time to get things in order on this site,  and back to one of bread and butter topics , that being short-lived TV series.  TV series that didn't get the chance to last longer than a few episodes or a season.

         "Married with Children" was one of the first series introduced when the launch of the Fox network it's subversiveness to other TV shows with families on it gave it a jump and a little spark to continue for a long time.  It was created by  Ron Leavitt and Michael G. Moye, but that wasn't the duo's first series, and that brings us to this short-lived NBC series from 1984. "It's Your Move"

            The idea of a series being subversive leads into what this series also was aiming at as well.   The main character of this series is played by Jason Bateman, who had some previous work on "Silver Spoons" and proved popular enough to be in his own series. That character was Matthew Burton  a 14-year-old high school student who is a  scam artist. (Aww starting off young)  Kind of interesting to give a character with that characteristic as a lead. Usually, these kind of characters were "sidekicks" or background characters or something used to give our main characters someone to lead them astray to learn a lesson.  Read: Eddie Haskell of "Leave it To Beaver".    Nowadays, you could have series leads be this kind of character but it was more unheard of back then.

           In speaking of "Married with Children" (ding)  a familiar face  to viewers of the show will see someone in this show Steve ! Or his actor David Garrison, who is in this series, mentioning more about this later.
 

      The best place to start for this series is the beginning.  After the jump we talk about some episodes , starting with episode 1.

The Last Episode: Sabrina The Teenage Witch: The End of an Era

The Flashback 

       I haven't done this feature in a couple years, a look at final episodes of TV shows to give a little insight on how they ended, rather it be big, normal, whimper, strangely, and anything in between.   Today, I'm writing about the 1996 series "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" one of my favorite sitcoms. One thing about this show is that it has two different series finales.   The one we are talking about is the one from season 4.  in 2000 , ABC had decided to let the series end, but the WB network decided to renew it and well this became the season 4 finale instead. 

         This episode is called "The End of an Era" get it? It first aired on May 5, 2000.

             This episode takes place at the last days of High School for Sabrina as she's looking forward to graduating. You can see why this would be a good point for to have the  series finale. An arc for the season has been  Harvey having problems with Sabrina's boss, Josh, as the college guy might also have a crush on Sabrina.   She decides the best thing to do is use a spell to get Harvey and Josh to be friends. (Put this in the what could go wrong? Category) As with how this show works, this spell will not end well.

mmm breaking bread for peace/ Copyright CBS 

         There is also some background plots with  the aunts, Hilda and Zelda, feeling bad that Sabrina is about to go to college because they'll be alone.  Salem, the cat, thinks the aunts want to get rid of him. A common misunderstanding plot thing going on there.

           The bread spell didn't work as Josh and Harvey became to friendly and were ignoring Sabrina so, she ends it and Harvey says that if Sabrina doesn't quit the coffee shop then their relationship is over.   Salem tries to figure out a way to not get kicked out of the house. Sabrina tries another spell to help her figure out how pick a boyfriend by having them compete in an obstacle course. (By picking which one doesn't die, like those odds)    The end of the game is one them has to save Sabrina from quick sand (this game is weird)

Circles in the sand/Copyright CBS

 
            Salem's plan doesn't go to well, since he bought an expensive meal for Hilda and Zelda. Also the random like not really a plot line of Willard, the school principal, suing Hilda and Zelda was resolved. Salem figures out that they aren't kicking him out of the house.  Salem does hit Mr.Kraft with a car, though. The main thing of this episode is that Harvey's spell quota is up and he figures out that she is a witch.  (whoa)

Witch! 

       That's kind of how the episode just ends with the ending scene being Salem complaining from a dog house.

       This episode feels like part of it was made for the promo, like ABC even spoils it that Harvey figures out she's a witch.

          


     The whole promo gives an impression you are going to get a great impressive series finale with action and secrets revealed.  The finale episode doesn't really have the finale feeling, I'm guessing they were expecting to go on and the show was renewed by the WB network.  The WB didn't want the show to be more mature and changed up many of the writers and staff, Harvey's actor didn't even show up in the 5th season (he does come back later)  and they had Sabrina and Harvey break up "over the summer" The episode doesn't have that finale feeling, it could have aired in the middle of the season and there would have been no change, minus we could have gotten more with the  Harvey and Sabrina plot.

      Most of the episode felt cluttered with the Salem plot and Mr. Kraft, the aunts and the idea of them being sad Sabrina will be leaving soon only lasts for awhile.  Even, the Sabrina, Josh,and Harvey triangle didn't get solved.   So, it's not really a good series finale, the other one is better, which I may get to one day.   It wasn't a bad Sabrina episode, just not the best to go out with.


      That's it for now , now to tell people I'm not a witch!  Tune in next time.

But First These Messages: Meow Mix

But First These Messages 


      Meow meow meow meow meow. Meow meow meow meow  (meow meow?)  meow meow meow meow meow meow.  Meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow.

  Alright, that's enough of that... this time cats like food, (I mean they need it but won't mess up where this is going)  and of course there's only one food they ask for by name and that's  Charles Hammer. Or Meox Mix get it? because cat's meow.  Well anyway, we figure out that yes today's going to the cats. 


           But First These Messages....


  I was watching television and saw this

      
        Better than all the current pop music (yeah! Send your hate mail , I love it!  mychiller@gmx.com or hate tweets )

Meow 

                 Anyway, and I was wondering, I haven't heard the Meow Mix jingle on TV in sometime,  it's so rememberable where it's stuck in your head so long after or that's just me.

           
         
          Better than most current country music.  (Playing with fire in this post!)


             

This cat better have a bar license! 

    

Meow after the jump where you'll land on your feet