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Wednesday, May 24, 2023

The Lookback: CW 4 KIDS +

Children's TV The Flashback The CW 



                When I started doing these posts about former network children's blocks, it was inspired by the end of the CW's block in 2014.  That marked the real full end of a traditional children's network block as ABC, CBS, FOX, and later NBC (but at the time was doing pre-school based shows) all decided to move away from the market.   The only reason why any network airs anything on Saturday that's "for kids" is because of government rules.  

             Our story here  will take us to the last era of the CW's children's traditional children's programming blocks. This means we will be looking at the block , who's ending inspired these series of posts in the first place and even the rewrites I did later on for some. (Not this one, this one is new fully).  This is a look at CW 4  Kids, Toonzai, and Vortexx. 

         But First, Kids WB! 

           In 2006 a big shake up happened where CBS Corporation which owned CBS and UPN and gained UPN after a split with Viacom decided to not have that anymore and work with Warner Bros. meaning Time Warner, to make a new network called the CW.   For the purposes of our post, the children's programming would still be Kids WB! ,  a carry over of the WB network block.  

            In fall 2006, ironically, Kids WB! was the most stable thing about networked children's programming besides 4kids TV on FOX, and what was left of ABC Kids on ABC.  This was going to be  a short lived thing, even though Kids WB was renewed for the 2007-08 season,  a month into that season an announcement was made.

             On October 2, 2007, CBS and Warner announced that in fall 2008 KIDS WB would be going away and being replaced  by a block produced by 4 Kids Entertainment. (source)  They made a 5-year deal (highly confident weren't they?) to give over the 5 hours of Saturday morning to the company.  It was announcement of the last in-house network children's department. They blamed the softening ad market and competition from cable networks. (Probably the CW's own half sister networks too)  Ironically, this would be the 2nd time a network children's programming block that launched in the 1990's would be replaced by a block from 4 Kids Entertainment. 

                   The original intention was to launch the block in fall of 2008, but for whatever reason they moved it to start on May 24, 2008.  





            It's the CW, but 4 KIDS! 


               Kids WB! signed off on May 17, 2008,  which was way before it was supposed to, and that feels like of they were in a hurry or something. The next week, The CW 4 Kids launched. Which is a name, the other block was called 4 Kids TV.  But if you look at May 24, 2008, there's not much difference to it versus Kids WB, the week before.   This wasn't just a random arrangement between CBS and Warner and 4 Kids. 4 Kids had been the licenser the Pokémon anime  which aired on Kids WB!  and a few other anime that aired both FOX and the WB. Funny enough, Pokémon had been moved to Cartoon Network by the time Kids WB washed their hands and went to 4 Kids.  

            The summer 2008 line up was some hold overs of the KIDS WB line up "Johnny Test" aired for a bit, before making a move to Cartoon Network and soon a new company would be making that series.  Will and Dewitt reruns ran, Tom and Jerry Tales. 

Thursday, May 18, 2023

FALL TV 2023: The CW

The CW Fall TV Look 2023 Upfronts

                    

  It's been an interesting time for the CW, as the network had been sold to local TV station owner, Nexstar.  The network's fall line up will be dramatically different than its been for many years.  The network was for years a showcase for it's then two parent companies CBS and Warner using shows from their production companies.  This season, there will be only one show from that "All American".  "Walker", is the other series, that will be back in mid season. The rest of the line up is acquisitions from other countries, heavily Canada, and unscripted shows.   

            The status of  shows like "Gotham Knights",  "Superman &Lous", "All  American: Homecoming" haven't been given as of this writing.  CW unscripted shows like "Penn & Teller: Fool Us",  "Whose Line is it Anyway?" , "Masters of Illusion", and "World's Funniest Animals" are still on the line up. 

        The new line up brings something the CW hasn't aired in sometime: comedy series. These will air on a Tuesday Night line up: with "Son of the Critch" , "Run the Burbs", "Children Ruin Everything", and "Everyone Else Burns".   Drama series, that aren't "All American" are "61st Street" which was picked up from AMC, "Sullivan's Crossing", and "The Spencer Sisters".  Former (HBO) Max reality series FBOY Island moves to the CW. A spinoff series, "FGIRL Island" comes in the mid season. Sundays have been given over to "I AM" film documentary series. 

Here's the line up all times are ET/PT/ Denver/ Saint Louis unless otherwise noted.  All new series are highlighted in blue (uhh) 

Monday 
8pm All American 
9pm 61St Street  

Tuesday
8pm Son of a Critch
8:30pm Run the Burbs   
9pm Children Ruin Everything 
9:30pm Everyone Else Burns 
      
Wednesday 
8pm Sullivan's Crossing 
9pm  The Spencer Sisters 

Thursday 
8pm FBOY Island (Encore Epiosde)
9pm FBOY Island 

Friday 
8pm Penn & Teller :Fool Us
9pm  Whose Line Is It Anyway?
9:30pm Whose Line Is It Anyway?

Saturday 
8pm Masters of Illusion
8:30pm Masters of Illusion
9pm  World's Funniest Animals 
9:30pm World's Funniest Animals 

Sunday 
8pm  I AM Films 

Press release after the jump 

Wednesday, May 17, 2023

The Lookback: Kids WB!

The Flashback 





             The door that FOX opened just by existing is something of a television historical note that, if not for television or the media around today, would not exist in its current form. In short, without FOX existing as a broadcast network, there would have been no The WB or UPN, and probably no major vertical integration mergers where a movie studio with a TV studio would be co-owned with a broadcast network. There would have been no Disney owning ABC.
   
             In 1993, well November 1993, Warner Bros. , a large movie and TV studio which would also be a a factor in many successful TV shows, including the soon to be big and popular "Friends" for NBC, was going to start their own broadcast network. Called The WB. Their primary partner, since WB didn't own local TV stations, compared to how Murdoch bought TV stations before launching FOX, would be Tribune Company. (Source)  Tribune owned major stations in  the top markets  and a few other locals. (like the owners of the local station in Denver KWGN)    They also owned a cable channel feed of Chicago's WGN, which would also be of help.  
   
       The WB was going to launch in January of 1995, and was coming a market that as different than FOX came in. There was way more cable competition, which was hurting local independent stations. Maybe having a network would help these stations, that was a theory. Even when though there was an explosion of new , mostly UHF, indie stations coming on in the 80's the market had worked for the content. Including weekday and non-Saturday children's programming. This gave us the Disney Afternoon , which birthed us FOX Kids.   FOX Kids history should be noted here benefited from Warner Bros. programming in their assent to a top spot. 

            The WB network launched January 11, 1995, the KIDS WB block didn't launch until September 9, 1995.  In theory, if anybody could launch a powerful kids with animation block would well Warner Brothers. Again, they had success on Fox with shows like "Animaniacs" , "Tiny Toon Adventures" , "Bat Man the animated series". If someone was to make up a theory that Warner saw how well their stuff was doing but not fully reaping the benefits and decided to go it on their own and here we go; that could make sense. 
     
          “People think networks produce shows and networks seem to take creative credit, when in fact, studios are the producers. Now people know who should take the bow, and that’s Warner Bros. Studios Animation.”

                                                                                                                            (source)  


      Those words from Jamie Kellner, the first head of The WB.   He was also the former Fox president. Maybe the magic of FOX would help the WB. Though our post is only about the Kids block.


   Kids WB, took FOX's model of being a Saturday Morning and Weekday block. When FOX came in there were 3 other blocks on Saturday morning, but NBC was bowing out,  but three's also Nickelodeon on cable to worry about.  In fact, cable is part of the WB more than FOX.  In many markets the WB didn't not exist, even in the early days. In some markets, the cable company would pipe in a close by one, especially like Colorado Springs already having KWGN-TV in Denver on cable systems. (Hometown talk)  Remember I also mentioned the WGN cable feed, which was also a WB network feed (unless a sports game took that out)  that means for a selection of people the WB was a cable network, not a broadcast network.  Of course, cable brings in local TV stations that do have over the air, but the WB might not be over the air in some areas.  FOX Kids would be accessible than Kids WB! in some markets.   In major top cities that wasn't a problem since the WB would even be on prime VHF stations like Channel 11 New York, Channel 5 LA, Channel 9 Chicago.  


more after the jump

Tuesday, May 16, 2023

FALL TV 2023: ABC

ABC Fall TV Look 2023 Upfronts



    ABC has released their fall line up. Unlike CBS, which sent out a line up of confidence that the writers' strike will be resolved soon, and NBC which seems more willing to have some delays effect mid season as they seem to have stuff secured for the fall, ABC is going for heavy unscripted line up. 

            All it's scripted programming, save for reruns of Abbott Elementary is off the line up for the fall.  "Dancing with the Stars" has moved back from Disney Plus to the network, they've also added a new "Bachelor" series called "The Golden Bachelor" think "The Bachelor" but with older people.  

             Series like "Abbott Elementary", "The Connors", "The Good Doctor", "Grey's Anatomy" , "Not Dead Yet", "High Potential", "The Rookie", "Station 19",  and "Will Trent"  will be announced at a later date, again depending on the writers' strike length.   Shows like "The Rookie: Feds" and "Home Economics" are still TBD on if they will be renewed or not. 

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

Monday 
8pm Dancing with the Stars
10pm The Golden Bachelor 

Tuesday
8pm Celebrity Jeopardy
9pm  Bachelor in Paradise 

Wednesday
8pm Judge Steve Harvey
9pm Abbott Elementary (Encore)
9:30pm Abbott Elementary (Encore)
10pm What Would You Do? 

Thursday 
Tuesday
8pm Celebrity Wheel of Fortune 
9pm Press Your Luck 
10pm The $100,000 Pyramid 

Friday
8pm Shark Tank 
9pm 20/20 

Saturday
7:30pm/4:30pt College Football 

Sunday 
7pm America's Funniest Home Videos
8pm The Wonderful World of Disney 


Press Release after the jump 

Friday, May 12, 2023

Fall TV 2023: NBC

NBC Fall TV Look 2023 Upfronts


         NBC has released it's fall line up, a tick earlier than normal. Comedy is back on the table at the start of the season.  The hit revival of  Night Court will be back on Tuesdays along with a new series the return of Jon Cryer to network TV with Extended Family.  Tuesday also gets Quantum Leap .  Another interesting change is that the second night of Dick Wolf programming  where the Law & Order series were running has been cut to 2 hours with new drama Found taking the slot that was held by Law & Order: Organized Crime  on Thursday nights.  That program will be back in mid season.  Lopez vs. Lopez  has been renewed but status (as of this writing) for Young Rock hasn't been given yet. 

            The Voice keeps its normal Monday slot, with a new drama getting its AGT boost that being The Irrational .  The Chicago night continues on Wednesdays. Fridays is light fare with The Wall and Dateline NBC taking up the night. 

        Thanks to new college football rights, NBC will fill Saturday Night with Big Ten Football from 7pm ET/4PT and that or Notre Dame Football.  Sundays , of course, belong to NFL Sunday Night Football. 

           NBC feels secure in their line up coming to plan on time even with the writers' strike due to renewing shows early to get something done before the strike.   

             For mid season,  La Brea will be back, which was moved from starting in regular season to being a mid season replacement show. The drama was renewed for  6-episode season. Magnum P.I which NBC saved from cancelation, will have its 2nd half of its 5th season in midseason. 

                Also, the second season of Password  which is effected by the writers' strike is coming in the mid season.  Deal or No Deal is back on NBC, but with a twist , another America's Got Talent spin-off.  The Americas , a natural history series will also be airing. Also Canadian Drama , Transplant, is back in the line up, 

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


Monday
8-10pm The Voice
10pm The Irrational


Tuesday
8pm Night Court
8:30pm Extended Family 
9pm The Voice 
10pm Quantum Leap


Wednesday
8pm Chicago Med
9pm Chicago Fire
10pm Chicago P.D


Thursday
8pm Law & Order
9pm Law & Order :SVU
10pm Found 


Friday
8pm The Wall 
9-11pm Dateline NBC


Saturday
7-7:30pm/4-4:30pt  Big Ten Countdown/ Norte Dame Pregame (also live on Peacock) 
7:30-11pm/4:30-7pt Big Ten Football/ Notre Dame Football (also live on Peacock 

Sunday
7-8:20/4-5:20pt Football Night in America (also live on Peacock)
8:20/5:20pt NBC Sunday Night Football (also live on Peacock)


Press Release after the jump

Thursday, May 11, 2023

The Flashback: Rugrats Mother's Day

Rugrats   The Flashback 



            There really aren't that many Mother's Day themed specials, but at the same time it's not un common for a series to do an episode about the holiday. It's not  really a big let's gather around the TV holiday compared to what it really is for. (Same with Father's Day, which seems to have a harder time, in cases because of how TV is done in terms of seasons) 

             One hard of this holiday is those who don't have a mother for any such reason that arises. It can be hard, especially in terms if a mother has died.  There's a strangeness about that day for those in that situation. It especially can feel like a loneliness, but for a kid,  a lost parent is a big thing. That's probably why a lot of media - insert Disney joke about killing off the mom here- works that in such away.   

        So, let's talk about Rugrats. Again, I've said before this is one of my favorite animated series, and top Nicktoon. My favorite Rugrat character has always been Chuckie.  When you watch some of the first few seasons [ I have to clarify here that I'm talking about Rugrats and not Rugrats 2021, I'm not calling the original version Rugrats 1991, because no]  a viewer could notice that Chuckie didn't seem to have a mother character. It was him and his dad for the most part. It was never really addressed in the episodes. There's only an oft mention in season 1, when Didi says to Chuckie, his Mom and Dad will pick him up in the morning.  Chuckie's Dad, Chaz, works and that's the reason why Chuckie would be over at Tommy's house a lot more than even the twins, might have been the single father. 


            Rugrats ended in 1994, but the reruns were very popular and Nickelodeon decided "eh, let's bring it back" and there were two specials devoted to the holidays of Passover and Chanukah   In continuation this special is counted as part of season 4, a revival season of sorts.  Originally aired on May 6, 1997.  The episode is simply called "Mother's Day". 

            Rugrats being a show with babies/toddlers as main characters (Chuckie and Angelica would be more toddler, they toddle ;p ) it puts an interesting view on how they view the holiday. Angelica being Angelica is the one making her mother a gift. She's the one, like usual, who tells Tommy, Phil, and Lil  that it's Mother's Day and what the holiday is for. She's at least not lying to them this time.  

                This inspires them to want to give their own mothers some gifts. Rugrats being Rugrats, also gives the adults story arc and plot. Didi wants to take her mother out for a good day, Stu is trying to make an invention, which goes wrong, of course. (You have to love his quirks and Didi's patience) Which will later become a plot where Betty helps him by trying to train his robot to be a good mother.
  
        Chaz comes over to the Pickles' family home with Chuckie. He has something he wants to talk about something with Didi. He has a box of stuff that belong to Chuckie's mom and doesn't want Chuckie to find it. Chuckie goes to be with his friends and they tell him they are looking for gifts for Mother's Day, and mentions he doesn't have one. The way it's said by Christine Cavanaugh, the voice of Chuckie, really makes it impactful. It's said softly with confidence and you can also hear how it kind of breaks a bit. He also decides not to go looking for gifts with his friends, "it's for kids with moms." 
Copyright Paramount 

  

        That and it going back to Chaz seeing his usual awkward self, but can also see how he misses his late wife it's something else and can tell he doesn't want the stuff around because it makes him miss his wife. The episode doesn't say death outright, which is interesting, because this show had said it before, there's a whole episode where Chuckie (interesting) is sad a bug died, and it says death. But networks S&P are weird.

           It's a really emotional thing for this kind of show to do, it's not even laid on think or melodramatic, it just kind of feels oft from the show's normalcy but it's not being overly focused on it in some strange way that it works. [ I tear up]  The episode puts in levity and  fun, as well, like Stu is getting attacked by his robot. 

            Tommy, Phil, and Lil's search for Mother's Day gifts is sweet. Again, it's working with their young age as they try to find something around the house and yard that they think their mothers would like. It's also sweet where they have memories about their mother like Phil and Lil giving their Mom, their first laugh and Tommy first seeing his mom.  Chuckie says he doesn't remember much, but a scene he has in a dream.  "You can't give presents to dream." This special  does get to me, it always has, which is actually why  I've had this on the list to write about for years, but never did.  

Copyright Paramount 



         I like how the trio want to help Chuckie by finding him a mom, It's sweet and kind of funny at the same time. (And the plot of the second movie)  The suggestions are , again, fitting for them like Spike, the dog. (woof) Chuckie working along with it is kind of fun too.  (Lil pretending to be Chuckie's Mom is someone's fanfiction, you're going to leave this in when you post it, aren't you?) 


            It's kind of funny how much the episode lacked Angelia until she wonders what the babies are doing. Angelica decides to be Chuckie's "Mommy" (Uhhh) which since she's Angelica means she just wants something done for her. I mean, if she was going to really be his mom, she would be on the phone all the time, and then gives him almost anything he wants. I do feel bad for Chuckie, he was so happy that Angelica wanted to be his mom. It's thing the show does where the babies forget Angelica does things. 
I don't trust her/ copyright Paramount 



            She has him doing her work of making her Mother's day gift. (Grandma?)  She also renamed Chuckie, Blaine. (The heck?)  She's right Blaine is a TV name. No offense to people really named Blaine, you just live in TV Land... (after the Everybody Loves Raymond reruns)  I kind of feel bad for Chuckie because he's so happy.  It is kind of cute that Angelia acts her like mother a bit. 

        That goes south, because we can't have nice things, when she wants him to get a hat for her sculpture and  oops, because she changed her mind to a flower, and she wants one where a bee flies on it. Chuckie respects and fears the bee and really wants to get the flower, but his friends think its insane. They stand up for him and she uses fake guilt on him. Chuckie ticked off that be and then it flew into his mouth. That was something. 
Chuckie's war cry/ Copyright Peanuts 


            She decides to disown him. She throws the babies into a closet, for time out. Chuckie says doesn't deserve a mom. I love how his friends help him and they mention that Angelia sucked as a mom. (Our fact checkers say: true)  I also like how the friends  saying what a Mom is, helps him decided that his Dad is a good choice.  Chuckie's Dad of any of the parental figures on the show, I've always felt was the best of the parents on the show, he cares heavily about his son and even understands his fears. There's a whole episode where he tries to break into the Pickles' house when he wanted to be with Chuckie in a black out.  I do remember there being posts about the parents on this show being "bad parents" but that's never been my thought- maybe Angelica's sometimes.   Stu and Didi care for their son and later sons, they seem to be a new parenting couple and the mom uses books to help her, she wants to do the best, as an example. I mean, you kind of need the parents to not be hovering over the kids for the episodes to work anyway.  

            Chuckie and friends find the box Chaz had given to Didi to hide. (good work, Didi, didn't even try to put that somewhere) Chuckie finds a picture that's the lady from his dreams- his mother. He grabs the picture. I like how Angelica's  mom  appreciates her daughter's gift,  Didi's plot, remember she had a plot?, works out Everything culminates well.  
Oh great, you made dinner!/ Copyright Paramount 



             The episode then hits you. Chuckie runs over to his father and presents him the picture. There's a dead silence [sorry for the term here] even the music gives up. You see a smiling Chuckie presenting this picture to his father as a gift.  It even pans around the room a bit (also close that door, you're letting the angry bees who want Chuckie's blood for trying to eat their own in).  His father deflects it, because again you can see he's not wanting to talk about with Chuckie  and his own sadness comes into it. Chuckie thinks his father didn't like the gift.  
copyright Paramount



         This special presents everything well. Didi talks to Chaz and says maybe he should talk to Chuckie about the stuff in the box. I like the line of  missing her together. Chaz agrees and starts to talk to him about the stuff in the box.  The episode also implied she got some sort of sickness that probably caused her death.  There's a poem. This whole part of the special always gets to me.  




            The ending is also optimistic, Chuckie shows his friends' his backyard and telling them his mother is in the flowers, clouds, grass, sun, and wind.  It's a sweet ending. 

        It's a finely crafted special that Rugrats hit out of the park well. The idea that Mother's Day doesn't have to be over the top and grand, just a showing of appreciation and care is fine. Simple things are worth value. Charlotte loves the work Angelica put into her sculpture for her , doesn't care if it's broken. Didi' s mother loves being with her daughter and doesn't need fancy $80 mud. Stu didn't have to give his wife a fancy invention gift, she loves the simple flowers both her son and husband give. Betty's part where she tires to program the robot to be motherly, shows her dedication and how much work she loves being a mother. She loved their gift of a plunger. Chuckie realizes his Dad pretty much fills the a role of both a father and mother to him, and he loves his father. Then he and father have both lost someone close, and the last minutes are a well done thing. 

            It can be a hard time for those who might not have a mother to share it with, for any reason. For those that do, don't sweat it, the simple things and just showing love and care is good.  This is a great episode of Rugrats. Even if it goes off the model of the imagination of other episode[meaning, where the Rugrats pretend something is something else] and uses it's groundedness well.  I can't help but tear up watching this episode, and it's not even melodramatic, and I think that's why it works. 

        It was nominated for an Emmy though it lost to "The Simpsons" , but  (big but) this episode should have won.  It's a great episode from a great series.  Mother's Day, the episode, is the idea of relationships that can be had with a mother and shows that some don't have that. Chuckie realizing that his father does everything for him was a good showing in how he has something to appreciate even if his mother is gone.  It can be a hard holiday for some,  for any reason, but it's also good to be able to value in the simplest ways. It also shows that losing someone special is hard and getting those thoughts out can be hard. It's something you don't see much in these kind of shows, but glad they did it.   
   
        That's it for now.  Happy Mother's Day. 

Wednesday, May 10, 2023

FALL TV 2023: CBS

CBS  Fall TV Look 2023 Upfronts 


            

       Earlier than normal, CBS has released their fall line up for the 2023-24 TV Season. Now, due to the writers' strike this is the CBS best hope that things get resolved very soon  schedule for the fall so this could not even happen if things are delayed.  

        Anyway, CBS' fall line up looks much like it did before, as CBS usually does keep their line ups stable.  Wednesday has been made all reality again, but with long running shows "Survivor" and "The Amazing Race" taking up 90 minute slots to fill a 3 hour night.  

        CBS has two new dramas for the fall, first "Elsbeth" which is also CBS continuing the world of "The Good Wife" and "The Good Fight" this series will air on Thursday Nights. "CSI Vegas" is being moved to Sundays, but because of Football overruns they've decided to hold the show until after football being mostly over. 

       No you aren't confused by the next show's name, yes they have decided to remake "Matlock"  with Kathy Bates in the lead role.  They will be pairing this with "The Equalizer" which moves up to 9PM /8c. 

       "S.W.A.T" was a show that CBS was going to end, but some last-minute deal making has kept it alive for a final season and they've ended "East New York" instead, so Friday Night stays the same from last season.   

        Mondays stay the same with "The Neighborhood" , "Bob Hearts Abishola" , "NCIS", and "NCIS Hawai'i".  Tuesdays are still the Dick Wolf shows with "FBI" , "FBI: International" , and "FBI: Most Wanted" and Fridays, as mentioned above will also still have "Fire Country" and "Blue Bloods" 

        Much like last year, you'll notice CBS isn't introducing a new comedy to their wings and still keeping Thursday with "Young Sheldon" and "Ghosts".  They do have new comedy series picked up, "Poppa's House" starting Damon Wayans and Damon Wayans Jr.  which is waiting for a mid season slot to open up.  CBS has the Superbowl and new drama "Tracker" gets the post SB slot on Sunday, February 11, 2024.  

            Again, this line up is if the writers' strike comes to a deal on a good time to start working on series.  CBS could end up filling their line up with reality shows, reruns (some shows from Paramount Plus), Primetime game shows.  

    Here's the schedule all times ET/PT, unless otherwise specified. New series highlighted in blue

Monday
8pm The Neighborhood
8:30pm Bob ♥ Abishola
9pm NCIS
10pm NCIS: Hawai'i


Tuesday
8pm FBI
9pm FBI: International
10pm FBI: Most Wanted


Wednesday
8pm Survivor
9:30pm The Amazing Race




Thursday
8pm Young Sheldon
8:30pm Ghosts 
9pm So Help Me Todd
10pm Elsbeth 


Friday
8pm S.W.A.T 
9pm Fire Country
10pm Blue Blood


Saturday
8pm Saturday Encores
9pm Saturday Encores
10pm 48 Hours


Sunday
7pm 60 Minutes
8pm Matlock ( a new one, not the old one) 
9pm The Equalizer
10pm Repeats/CSI: Vegas (after football) 

Press release after the jump 

Thursday, May 04, 2023

One Shot Posts: The Simpsons: Mothers and Other Strangers

The Simpsons  



             I did already do something with Season 33 of  "The Simpsons" which was the most recent season when I did that post, now this one is about 1 season removed at time of making this one.  This is season 33 episode 9 called "Mothers and Other Strangers".  

            Homer's mother   was first actually given a spotlight in the classic ,meaning well known and also very good, season 7 episode "Mother Simpson" . The character , sadly, dies in season 19, so any later appearances are like flashbacks and non-canon needed moments.  I'm  picking this episode since it has her in it, we can dip into another topic that has to do with time, and going into the conversation about season 33 a little more.

             The episode starts more with a focus on Santa's Little Helper as Bart has found a a channel/streaming service something for dogs.   This leads us to the plot's main fuse being set off when Santa's Little Helper's mom is spending time with him on Mother's Day. (See season 31, on more about SLH's mother)  Homer is sad because it is Mother's Day, and misses his mother.  It leads to Lisa suggesting an app where he can talk to someone for help.  The episode uses flashbacks for the story. 
   
            The episode recalls something from that season 7 episode where Mona, Homer's Mother, left when he was a kid because she was wanted by the FBI and where his ad lied to him that his mother died.  Then Homer remembers the time he found a postcard where there was a clue about her being alive still.  I'm going to cut here to mention something, so this episode decided to its own path about Homer's mother. Instead of  him finding out that his mother was still alive in his current age (whatever that means in the show) he found when he was much younger at 16. That was a choice alright. I think it's actually probably more confusing if someone was watching this episode new and maybe was starting to watch this show and then finding out that it changed something that was established. If you already know about the other episode it doesn't come into your mind and wipe memory of it from your head, but it is an interesting direction.

                I think this was another example of the show time correcting again. Because the characters are always in "present time" there's a problem as the show keeps running, the one thing that can't be controlled at all- Time.  Mona's original story in "Mother Simpson" has a straight-laced  World War II vet and his wife who was going through the 60's turmoil and being radicalized fits in with the early to mid 90's setting of that episode and the show's start. When an about 40-year-old man's father would have been a WWII vet and the 60's would be his childhood. The problem with that now is that for the show to be in current time, it has to adjust its past.  Now this episode takes place in 2021 times a nearly 40 year old man would have been a child in the late 80's. (now to make people feel old) Essentially, for the show still do callbacks to the past they had to float the timeline.  It might rub some people the wrong way, but that's how it's going to really be sometimes.  
The Mama's Boy shirt is a laying it on a bit thick/ Copyright Disney 


          Back to the episode,  the flashback has Homer confronting his father and he does find out the truth, the episode keeps the part the where she's wanted by the FBI for doing radical hippie stuff, because that can kind of fit after the 60's too.  He decides to go find his mother, but Abe tries to stop him, but they end up going. There's also the FBI following them.  There are actually some nice Abe and Homer moments, in the flashback moment, it's something sweet.  

             He does catchup to his mother, but so the does FBI and she runs before he can see her and talk to her.  That chance is missed. He also recalls a moment when Bart was born and he was able to see his mother.  So yeah, the episode also doesn't really say if she's dead in this new time line.  It wraps up with Homer taking Marge and the family out on a  Mother's Day dinner and then one last Dog channel thing joke.  

            The episode, on it's own merit, isn't bad, it's not heavy in jokes or being funny, but the emotional story is well done and it is nice.   I don't think it hurts "Mother Simpson" or in any sense tries to take that episode to the back shed and put it out to pasture. (geeze) I think they only way they could have done a Mona story would have to be this way since the other arc is pretty much over and already has the story told.  On some of the little aspects, I think the Muttflix thing at the start went on longer than it should have, they should have just done the full intro and had less focus on the Muttflix stuff.  The Mother's Day tie-in stuff was nice and even has a nice ending for Marge's Mother's Day.   The quick app therapy jokes were alright.  It had a nice heartwarming moment for Homer to see his mother when Bart was born.  Yeah it wasn't bad.  This episode is alright to skip if you really want to keep the other continuity as well. 

        That's it for now , tune in next time when the FBI catches up to us , silly Fried Bread Investors, really want our secret recipe.