A Good Disney Remake: Pete's Dragon (2016)

Disney  

    

        Sadly, this is an evergreen part of the post, though I wish it wasn't The Disney remake. Specifically, Disney has taken an animated movie and decided to remake it in live-action form and whatever 2019 The Lion King was.

         I could write about how a remake was bad, like totally bad, but that probably has been done and also be like beating a dead goat. (what?)  I'd like this blog to do things that stand out somewhat, just because. This time, I'm making the case for a good Disney remake. Funny enough, it's not a remake of an animated film turned live-action. It's a remake of a live-action/ animation hybrid into live action/animation hybrid. (Though, I'm here for a Disney live-action turned into animation remake)  

         Pete's Dragon is a 1977 Disney movie that seemed to take a long time for Disney to even think about putting together in concept in the first place.  It's not a bad film either, that's also me having a soft spot for 1970's Disney live-action movies in general. (Like Freaky Friday) This film is pretty fun and a charming musical. It also has Helen Reddy so yes, The original movie did make money, but it didn't seem to be big in the Disney canon. It is kind of a surprise they wanted to remake it, but they did. 

Pete's Dragon 1977 /Copyright Disney 

         In 2013, Disney announced they were going remake this movie. There was going to be some differences to the original film. One thing, it wasn't going to be a musical - Disney, minus Disney Channel, wasn't into the whole musical thing, and we really don't get musicals in theatrical movies anymore. (Though, yes, Disney did take High School Musical and put a film version in theaters with the third film) This is kind of a remake in the sense that the title was taken and there's a boy named Pete and there is a dragon, but all the rest was going to different , making a new story.  That's interesting.  

       The movie  is written by David Lowery and Toby Halbrooks. Lowery also directed. The duo worked on indie films. Sometimes even together. Funny enough, Lowery had been asked to work on remakes before, but turned them down, but something made him want to jump at  the chance. Disney seemed to want make a remake but in mostly name only. The movie changes from it's original, beyond not being a musical, by having the movie not take place pre-depression era or in New England. Instead, it's the Pacific Northwest and maybe the 70's or 80's but leaving space to not feel hooked to a time.  There still would be Pete and a dragon (duh).   (Source) 

           To note on that, I'm big remake person, in general. There can be ways or something that can hook me into one, but that's something that has to work for me. The concept of it being something different from the original is something interesting. That also makes it hard because that can also be something that can be a turn off , so even that depends. Though, I do have to note that doesn't take away the original existence - unless they somehow wipe it out. (odd statement) 

         Pete's Dragon, the remake, came out in 2016.  Which is also interesting that's the same year The Jungle Book remake came out.  Disney was going for some theme. That one came out first, just like how Jungle Book came out before Pete's Dragon. (Time is a  cube)  I will not be doing any comparisons to the 1977 film  because that'd be unnecessary, but I will remark on surface similarities- like having a boy named Pete. (duh) 

           The movie starts and you can already tell, something bad is going to happen. It's parents in a station wagon with their young boy, Pete, and yeah oh no no. (Might as well just stick a sign on the screen the yelling THIS IS GOING TO NOT GO WELL, THERE WILL BE DEATH)  Pete, who is 5, in this starter is learning to read and is reading a book about a puppy named Elliot. (I'm going  to mention that someone on Wikipedia thinks the movie starts in 1977, which would be a good touch and a fun Easter egg)  Remember that. 

What a wonderful day to be alive, I hope nothing makes us not alive soon/ Copyright Disney 

            Having writers who worked in indie films before this, can be seen in the core of the film. Actually, if you strip away the Disney logo at the start, it wouldn't feel out of place to think of it not as a Disney film. The movie starts quiet and gentle as it builds up to the bad thing that's going to happen and start the story.  

         Pete asks his parents what 'adventure' is (alright, there is a part of this movie that's being too on the nose, calm down).  Anyway, Bambi gets revenge, a deer runs in front  of their station wagon and that apparently causes them to swerve to death. (I'd hope a Live-action Bambi movie, would have Bambi going on a revenge mission and takes out people in their cars) Three things: 1) Cutting to the deer as it seems to be watching in delight of it's murder is something, 2) 70's station wagon crash kills parents, but young boy in only a lap belt, because 1970's car is alive, 3) I'm going to assume Pete knows what death is. Just going to assume that. 

"Yeah I killed them, I'll kill again," /Copyright Disney 

        This movie was filmed New Zealand, instead of the actual Pacific Northwest, the actor for young Pete was Levi Alexander who is from New Zealand.  Being filmed in New Zealand but not in PNW is not a knock against the movie, just found that an interesting tidbit. 

           Anyway, little Pete is then surrounded by wolves. (Hey Wolves, don't eat the boy, there's a deer I need you to talk too). I would say the wolves seem a little to excited to want to eat a human boy there, like one licked its chops. The cinematography for the movie is good, it's well done.  This part is dark, because it's almost night and dark because well there's danger right there as Pete could possibly die. The only thing that might take away from the urgency is that it's called Pete's Dragon and that probably means he's not going to be wolf food at like 4 minutes in.  (unless... [don't you start]) 

            

It was from that day, Pete swore his revenge on deer / Copyright Disney 

            In speaking of Pete's Dragon, the dragon shows up and scares off the wolves.  (Hey we got Pete and the dragon in under 5 minutes, good work!)  I like Pete's question to the dragon, asking it if it was going to eat him, expecting an answer.  He didn't ask the wolves that, but I guess they made their intentions clearer.

         The original film, the dragon was animated like an animated movie at the time, but put into live action. Since this modern times, we have technology.  So yes, computer generated dragon. Which to bring up "The Jungle Book" 2016 that movie also was using computer animals as it was all animated except of Mogwai and you can see Disney is working some tech here, that would probably lead into a 2019 film of some Lion sort thing going on.  Also fuzzy dragon. I like the idea of it being fuzzy, it's different, and kind of gives him a more friendly vibe that fits for a movie where the dragon won't be wiping out Seattle. (You can read the reason why he's fuzzy here and that's good reason)  

I ate that deer for you, let's be friends/ Copyright Disney 

           The part where the dragon [I'm holding off on using his name to remark on it later] stretches out it's paw? paw? for Pete to get on in a trust moment was nice too.  Let's see we got Pete, and the dragon so roll the title card. (I was wondering what movie this was) 

            The movie skips ahead six years.  That's where you can join us after the jump. 

Max Puts the HBO Back : What's a Streaming Service Name?

Opinion  

          The streaming service known as Max  is returning to its founding name of HBO Max. In 2023, HBO Max's name was cut to Max.   The story of why the change happened in 2023 in the first place was because of the 2022 finalization of the merger or more purchase of Warner Bros. by Discovery after a cellular provider named AT&T decided to wash their hands of owning a media company. Discovery as a company and Warner Media (name before this) were totally different media companies. It was quite strange that the company that owned channels that made unscripted shows where people are naked and dumped somewhere to be afraid and viewers watch the pixelated ness, or whatever the heck TLC is doing, or people hunting for houses on HGTV, or watching  ghosts be explored on Travel Channel, would be owning a company that has multiple different facets including a channel that does the news, and HBO.  The idea that HBO Max, the streaming service, would also be the home of  Investigation Discovery's programming about the seedy underbelly or our society was a strange thought.  The Discovery corporate people felt that too. The ended up keeping their service, Discovery+ , but also decided to make HBO Max  more "broad". 

            I personally don't hate the Max name, it also would be a good name to name a kid too. Max was also a great character on the series "Hart to Hart', and "Mighty Max" was a good show.  The name wasn't bad, generic sure, but we have cable networks with generic names.  Food Network, owned by this combined company, is  an example.  Many were attached to the HBO part of that name being on there.  Some had thought HBO was dead or being devalued, when it really wasn't. 

          The app and website was the dual replacement of HBO GO which was HBO's service for people who paid for it on cable , use their user name and password and watch HBO...on the GO.  This is why if you have HBO on your service and pay for it you can just go to max dot com  (or right here ) and sign in with that you didn't have to pay extra for it, since you are loyal to the linear channel.   It was the replacement for HBO Now , as well, where one could get HBO   direct to consumer to watch without needing [Insert cable company here] to pay HBO. 

         HBO MAX was more than just HBO, hence the max there.  They had added shows like "Friends", "Big Bang Theory", "South Park" (which isn't owned by a Warner company), "Ben 10" and more things from different Warner owned networks and divisions.  There lies a branding fault.  HBO had made itself known since the late 90's as the network that still ran movies, but created shows like "The Sparanos", "Sex and the City", "Game of Thrones", and more. Shows with swearing , nudity,  violence, making sure TV-MA was used like nobody's business. It wasn't a broadcast network where an oft swear could get them a fine, or a basic cable network where it might bristle and advertiser if someone was full naked un-censored between ads for Lincolns and pills. That image was so well known, many also forgot that they also just run movies all the time, has a HBO Family channel, and used to be the home of "Fraggle Rock.  So much that when "Sesame Street" was picked up in 2015 there were jokes  that Sesame Street was going to have Big Bird swearing like a sailor and Elmo's fur be redder because of blood.  

Fall TV 2025: ABC

ABC FallTVLook2025 Upfronts 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Monday 

8pm/5pt Monday Night Football 

Tuesday

8pm Dancing with the Stars 

10pm High Potential 

Wednesday 

8pm Shifting Gears 

8:30pm Abbott Elementary 

9pm The Golden Bachelor 

10pm Shark Tank 

Thursday 

8pm 9-1-1

9pm 9 -1-1 :Nashville

10pm Grey's Anatomy 

Friday 

8pm Celebrity Wheel of Fortune 

9pm 20/20 (2 hrs) 

Saturdays 

7:30/4:30pt  College Football 

Sundays 

7pm  America's Funniest Home Videos

8pm The Wonderful World of Disney 

Full Press Release after the jump 

Fall TV 2025: NBC

NBC    Fall TV Look 2025   Upfronts 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Monday (Sept. /Oct.) 

8pm  The Voice

10pm Brilliant Minds 

Monday (November) 

8pm St. Denis Medical 

8:30pm TBD Comedy

9pm The Voice 

10pm  Brilliant Minds

Tuesday (September) 

8pm The Voice

10pm On Brand with Jimmy Fallon  

Tuesday (Oct./ Nov) 

8pm NBA on NBC 

Wednesday

8pm  Chicago Med 

9pm Chicago Fire

10pm Chicago PD 

Thursday 

8pm Law & Order 

9pm Law & Order SVU

10pm The Hunting Party 

Friday (September /October) 

8pm On Brand with Jimmy Fallon 

9pm  Dateline NBC 

Friday (November) 

8pm Happy's Place 

8:30pm TBD Comedy

9pm  Dateline NBC 

Saturday

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

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

Sunday 

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

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

Full press release after the jump

Fall TV 2025: FOX

FOX  Fall TV Look 2025   Upfronts

    

    

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

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

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

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

Monday 

8pm  Name that Tune 

9pm Celebrity Weakest Link 

Tuesday 

8pm  Murder in a Small Town 
9pm Doc 

Wednesday 

8pm The Floor 

8pm 99 to Beat 

Thursday 

8pm  Hell's Kitchen 

9pm Special Forces: World's Toughest Test 

Friday

8pm /5pt  Fox College Football Friday 

Saturday 

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

Sunday

7pm NFL on FOX 

7:30pm The OT /Fox Animation Encores 

8pm  The Simpsons

8:30pm Universal Basic Guys

9pm Krapopolis 

9:30pm  Bob's Burgers 

The full press release with details after the jump 

CBS Releases 2025-2026 line up

CBS  Upfront  Fall TV Look 2025

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

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

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

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

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

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

Monday  (Fall and Spring)

8pm  The Neighborhood 

8:30pm DMV 

9pm  FBI 

10pm CIA 

Tuesday (Fall and Spring) 

8pm  NCIS 

9pm  NCIS: Origins 

10pm NCIS: Sydney

Wednesday (Fall) 

8pm Survivor 

9:30pm The Amazing Race 

Wednesday (January) 

8pm Hollywood Squares 

9pm The Price is Right 

10pm  Harlan Coben's Final Twist 

Wednesday (Spring) 

8pm Survivor 

9:30pm America's Culinary Cup 

Thursday ( Fall and Spring) 

8pm Georgie and Mandy's First Marriage 

8:30pm Ghosts 

9pm Matlock 

10pm Elsbeth 

Friday (Fall and Spring) 

8pm Sheriff Country 

9pm  Fire Country

10pm Boston Blue 

Saturday 

8pm CBS Encores 

10pm  48 Hours 

Sunday  (Fall) 

7pm 60 Minutes 

8pm Tracker 

9pm The Road 

10pm CBS Encores 

Sunday (Spring) 

7pm 60 Minutes 

8pm  Tracker 

9pm  Y: Marshals 

10pm  Watson 

Full Press Release after the jump 

Freeform's 30 Days of Disney June 2025

Freeform 

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

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

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

Sunday, June 1

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Monday, June 2

10:30 AM - "The Game Plan"

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

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

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

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

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

12:00 AM - "Air Bud"

Tuesday, June 3

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wednesday, June 4

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

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

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

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

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

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

12:00 AM - "Bedtime Stories"

Thursday, June 5

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Friday, June 6

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Saturday, June 7

7:00 AM - "Enchanted"

9:30 AM - "Herbie: Fully Loaded"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Monday, June 9

10:30 AM   - "Ferdinand"

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

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

5:25 PM - "Cruella"

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

12:00 AM - "Beverly Hills Chihuahua"

Tuesday, June 10

10:30 AM - "The Sandlot"

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

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

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

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

12:00 AM - "Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2"

Wednesday, June 11

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thursday, June 12

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

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

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

6:00 PM   - "Moana" (Disney Animated)

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

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

Friday, June 13

11:00 AM - "The Princess Bride"

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

3:35 PM - "The Princess Diaries"

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

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

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

Saturday, June 14

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sunday, June 15 - Father's Day

7:00 AM - "The Game Plan"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Monday, June 16

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

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

3:05 PM - "Avatar"

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

12:00 AM - "Ice Age"

Tuesday, June 17

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

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

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

5:10 PM - "National Treasure"

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

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

Wednesday, June 18

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

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

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

6:00 PM - "Jungle Cruise"

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

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

Thursday, June 19 - Juneteenth

11:30 AM - "Night at the Museum"

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

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

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

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

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

Friday, June 20

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Saturday, June 21

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sunday, June 22

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

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

12:05 PM - "The Princess Diaries"

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

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

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

9:25 PM - "Maleficent"

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

Monday, June 23

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tuesday, June 24

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

1:55 PM - "Cruella"

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

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

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

Wednesday, June 25

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

1:25 PM - "Enchanted"

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

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

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

12:00 AM - "The Pacifier"

Thursday, June 26

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

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

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

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

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

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

Friday, June 27

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

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

12:00 AM - "Rio 2"

Saturday, June 28

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sunday, June 29

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Monday, June 30

10:30 AM - "Cruella"

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

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

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

12:00 AM - "Bedtime Stories"

The press release is after the jump 

Leave it To Beaver: Beaver's Short Pants

Leave it To Beaver 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Leave it to Ward/ Copyright  Universal 

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

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

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

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