The Lookback: Arthur 20: Locked in the Library /Lost

The Flashback  Arthur 20

    20 Years ago,  PBS launched a television series based off books of the same name  "Arthur" premiered. Since this is Joshuaonline (ie: that crazy TV blog )  we are looking back at Arthur in one way we know how : by looking back at  every episode of Arthur (psst whispers something ) oh well that might be a little much. Since there are 19 seasons with 2 more on the way  we are looking at an episode from each season , they were picked randomly. (ish)

      "Arthur" is one of the longest running animated shows so that's an accomplish thanks to viewers like you.  Let's dive in.

In season 1  we picked an episode called "Locked in the Library" , the first half of Season1 ,episode 6
 the other half is called "Arthur Accused".

   For those who don't know the show (besides the fact: spoilers!),  episodes start with a monologue before we get to the content, a character , usually Arthur breaks the fourth wall (does that mean he could see me? I'm scared. ) , so that means each episode we talk about we will have a section about the monologue.

Now back to the episode:
   Monologue:  Arthur is talking  about how Francine is best friend , besides Buster (scandal!) and how they met in Pre-school. He walks to the school building after talking to us (he never let fame keep him from us little people) when Francine calls him and apparently is mad that he said she looked like a Marsh mellow. (darn kids and their slang?)  Buster, reminds Arthur of what happened and Francine orders Arthur to apologize or he's going to get it.  (what he's going to wake up with a horse's head in his bed? )
                                   
  Now the episode:  In the classroom , Arthur gets a threat note from Francine (ah 1996), that he is in big trouble if he doesn't apologize. A class assignment forces the two to be paired (ah writers you never fail me )and this means they will meet at the library.  The librarian suggests some heroes they could look at in their research , while she also mentions when the library closes. (random, ah writers you never fail me) The library does close  (at 6pm !)  and Arthur has fallen asleep and he wakes up after it closes (hmmm odd)  As he founds out , the Library is closed and it's locked! (hence the title)  He bumps into to Francine and they start bickering about who's fault it is to be locked in the library.  They both try to find ways to get out of the library  (see kids in 1996, didn't have the cell phone to call people if they were stuck in a library)  and well those don't work well.  Arthur says it's Saturday and that means they will be stuck in there until Monday. (so who will eat whom?)  They  found out the library has a phone  but they can't figure out how to work it. (darn it they aren't 90's teenagers)
   

  Let's see.. what is my phone number?/copyright WGBH

 They get into a fight again and separate ,but after awhile Arthur starts to worry and he hears a scream and thinks it's Francine.
 He runs around the library to look for her , he enters the staff room and trips right into some pizza. (don't ask) Francine  is alright  because this is Arthur not "Locked in the Library of Death"  she is moved that he was worried about her and offers him pizza. They were found by their parents and the librarian and they tell their tale to the class mates  (with more ghosts than we had...hey were jipped!)   They use their story to fill in for their report until turn in their real one.

  So that's the season 1 episode we looked at for this, season 1 of "Arthur" is the longest and has some interesting stories , again the stories are simple ideas like being locked in a library  and a fight between friends to make an story that helps resolve their problem in an nice way.

     There are some good season 1 episodes so check them out if you  are felling nostgalic ,or want to see it for the first time or something.

Now to season 2 join us after the jump.

Frasier coming to COZI TV

Sitcoms Cozi TV classics   

                                                                 COZI 

    The 90's hit sitcom  Fraiser is coming to Digital classic channel , COZI  TV , September 12th , airing weeknights at 7pmet/6ct.
     This series  joins  Little House on the Prairie and Quincy, Medical Examiner  as part of  their line up.  According to TVNewsCheck ,   "Little House " starts September 19th  airing weekdays 10amet-12pmet and 5pmet,  and "Quincy" airing daily at 2pmet starting the same Day.

Cozi should be announcing any other schedule changes soon.
      To find out where it is in your area  find out here

        

Backdoor Pilots Exist : Top of the Heap

The Flashback 

             Ever watch an episode of a show you like and see that the main characters of your show are either not there or there  in spots and you see some other people there ,sometimes you never saw then before?  You might have a back door pilot . (or you changed the channel with out knowing it)   Backdoor pilot is an episode of TV show being used to make another series, but it's like viewer testing where maybe if the viewers like it the network will pick it up. It could be used to give a character from the show their own series so the episode may focus on them.  Many times these aren't picked up  and they air as the most random episode of   a TV Show in repeats.

     "Married with Children" is one of FOX's early successes as a network the show being  the opposite of other sitcoms with families in it at the time so of course why not use a hit show to  get another one made from it?   That's takes us to an episode from Season 5 called "Top of the Heap".    The episode starts with a guy named Charlie and his son Vinnie  (played by Matt Leblanc) and they live in apartment in Chicago (same city as Married with Children)  They also have a cat named
Mr.  Fluffy  (because why not?).   It's not  sitcom with out a neighbour who likes one of the main characters  that that would be Mona.  5 Minutes in  , so far you would think you were on the wrong show or FOX screwed up the theme music or something , so  they end up at Al Bundy's shoe shop.

 Good thing too, I was thinking Al and Peggy look different /copyright Sony 

  

    Vinnie  lost a fight last night and Al lost his TV in a bet (I hate when that happens). Vinnie has gotten a new job as a bus boy.  Charlie has a plan , that his son has to meet a rich woman , the place that Vinnie will be busboying (is that word ) will have a bunch of rich people and Charlie's plan is to get him to meet and marry a rich woman. (thanks Dad?)  Vinnie doesn't find one to marry ,but he does have enough for a year's worth of "dates". Charlie urges Vinnie to stay with the plan or something bad will happen to his cat.  Near the end , Al breaks into Charlie and Vinnie's apartment and steals their TV.  That's pretty much the episode,it's doesn't have  a finish point of a conclusion  but that means it was setting up to be a series and needed to be open ended to get there.

I got it now., after this didn't do well Vinnie ran to New York city and became "Joey" /copyright Sony

       
       The next question we ask .... is  did it make it to a series?   The answer : Yes.

    Top of the Heap came out on FOX in April of 1991 , the series  started with the re-airing of the pilot above. The series itself ran for 7 episodes but then was canceled. But that's not the end of it   In 1992, the series was spun off with a series called Vinnie and Bobby, Bobby is a roommate construction worker who replaces  Charlie , who I guess left.  Vinnie now also works as a construction worker  and series focuses on those two.  After 7 episodes this series was canceled and no more spin offs..  Well Matt Leblanc did well I think he ended up on some NBC show or something.

          For a back door pilot it  did well, where doing well means that it gets picked as  series ,then it did well and even spawned it's own spinoff.  Many back door pilots don't get that lucky.  Looking the episode itself  it's premise was interesting  and does have a subversion of many  TV shows much like Married With Children did. I am not sure how the series looked because I can't find it , but  FOX probably saw a potential in the series  because the first episode  does seem to give the show a plot of  a  father and son trying to make it rich.  I also didn't get to see the spinoff  , which from it's premise seems to be more like a buddy show ,but probably in a subversive style.

   

The Lookback: It's Still a Good Life

The Flashback 

        Alot of posts on this blog for lookbacks take a look at  movies or revivals of TV Shows to show us  what happens years after the series ended.  It's to answer our questions that fan-fiction writers  can also answer in fun ways.   This a new different case we are taking a look at an episode of the Twilight Zone's  update  on it's revival series from 2002. (The title of our post should give it away)   Season 3 Episode 8 of the Twilight Zone is called "It's a Good Life" based off a short story, this episode came out in 1961 and one of the famous Twilight Zone episodes.   It's about a 6 year old boy named Anthony Fremont who controls the town and everyone makes sure  they appease him or you will end up to "the cornfield" (I do like corn).  So fast forward now to 2002, the UPN revival series  has an update on this story. 

          The same town of Peaksville, Ohio (home of the Peaksville Otters, GO otters!) is still   in the fear of Anthony, who is now 40. (Played by the same actor as before)  but now he has a daughter  named  Audrey (who is played by his real life daughter), who apparently hasn't inherited the magic gift.   Also Anthony's mother apprently hasn't angered her son ,she's still around (and Cloris Leachman reprises her role as well).   Our episode begins with Audrey fell from a tree , and in normal world this would end with some kisses and hugs and everyone going inside (or chopping down the tree in anger to avenge it ) Anthony makes  Timmy's father (who was the boy playing with his daughter) go away in flames.When his daughter tells her grandmother she hates her father , there is the realization she may have the same powers.    Agnes ,the mother/grandmother, tells Audrey not to use her powers around her father or even think of them, though he can't read her thoughts but she can read his.  
     

Names not listed : people I made disappear /copyright Time Warner

          Agnes shows a neighbor that Audrey (themes in names are fun) has powers because Agnes' plan is to rid the town of her son. (Some mother she is)  Of course, you weren't wondering because you could guess what happened to Anthony's wife, cornfield.  Anges feels guilty for having the child (or jealous she didn't have the powers)  and wished she killed him a long time ago. 

Too bad my son outlawed guns/ copyright Time Warner 

        Her plan is to use her own grand-daughter to ...oh you got it already. In the show the town much like the original episode has been cut off the rest of the world and stuck in a 50's world and apparently 36 years later , it's still that way. ( I guess the clothes are hand-me-downs )   Anthony  confronts the neighbor after he sees her and his mother talking at the bowling game, it was something about Audrey. (Duh ,reads minds)  When Audrey and Agnes are looking back at pictures of the original episode they talk about watches which Anthony  made disappear and Audrey makes one re appear.  Agnes finds out that she can make things come back.    

also returned :50's retro  /copyright Time Warner

       Anthony returns home  un happy that people are keeping secrets from him about his daughter, he requests that Audrey make Agnes' photo album disappear and she does. The next day he calls a town meeting, the subject is he doesn't trust the town because of sneaky people. (Next week's topic : Taxes) He wants to send 4 people away  his mother finely cracks and  gives her feelings and she says she curses the day he was born and has been thinking of ways to get rid of him.  Agnes asks Audrey to wish away her own father , but she can't and when a man comes behind her father she makes him disappear. saving his life. Then Audrey sends Agnes away, because she was thinking mean thoughts about her.  Audrey then  makes everyone in the town go away except her father.  

Glad she fired those extras and Cloris Leachman they were getting expensive/ copyright Time Warner 

        And that's the end....(ppst  we have a few extra minutes) , Anthony  misses everyone (why?) and she makes everything he made disappear   return even cities and countries (why?)  and she wants to see New York. Anthony says that New York has a lot of people, Audrey adds they all better be nice to them or else.  Audrey suggests they could visit other places too ( I wish they had gotten their own series , it would have been fun) A couple who are driving a 2002 car , somehow show up asking for directions as Anthony and Audrey go up to them the picture goes to black and white and dissolves. 

      

      Well  that was an interesting episode of the more un noticed and maybe not as well loved 2nd revival of the Twilight Zone. It was fun to see what happened after that first episode and it was a nice touch bringing back the  two main actors and having the real daughter play as the daughter.   Somehow them going around the country or world would have been made a good drama spin off in my mind.   

   Anyway that's our look back tune in next time when  , oh hey Anthony  and Audrey ... 

VH1 Classic becoming MTV classic

TV News 

    Viacom's VH1 spinoff channel ,VH1 Classic, is getting re branded on on August 1st , which also happens to be the 35th birthday of the launch of  sister network, MTV to MTV Classic.

As announced by a video on the VH1 Classic Twitter account

Sorry we've been quiet for so long. Been working on something BIG! Take a sneak peek. #MTVClassic pic.twitter.com/8RWb7I4JZQ

— VH1 Classic (@VH1Classic) July 18, 2016

     This also continues a renaming that Viacom has been doing to it's music group's spinoff channels  over the past year with  MTV Jams being renamed under the BET James banner, Palladia being renamed as the American version of MTV Live,  VH1 Soul became  BET Soul , and CMT Pure Country became  CMT Country.

  VH1 Classic was launched in 2000 as channel that aired older VH1 music videos  but move to also air other music themed programming  and had  more focus on Adult hits and rock.
    From previews of the new line up it seems to be airing older MTV shows like "Unplugged", "Daria" , "Beavis and Butt-Head", TRL related stuff , and possibly more.  This is also looks to be the end of VH1 named channels besides VH1.

 If we get more information ,we will update this article....

Updated: 7/28/2016

    The Launch day will be at 6amet ,replacing VH1 , the first program will be the airing of MTV's first ever hour  in it's entirety , this will air at 6amet , 12pmet and  2amet.

Christmas in July : Father Christmas

Christmas in July   


          So it's July and might as well look at Christmas stuff... but what to look at?   We are going to the other side of the pond to the United Kingdom for this Christmas Special called Father Christmas , named after what the British call Santa.    The special came out in 1991 on Channel 4 , it is based on  British Author, Raymond Briggs' two short stories "Father Christmas" (1973)  and "Father Christmas :  Goes on Holiday" (1975).   This special pretty much wonders what does Santa do on the other 364(or 365 if it's a leap year) days of the year.
   For note : We are using the British version , which is unedited ,what I mean is that there was an American version that edited things out I will get to that in the article.

     The special begins with Father Christmas , who lives in England apparently, returning home from his Christmas travel.  He breaks the fourth wall (and scared me) to tell  us the audience at our wonderment of why is he moaning and groaning. (I wasn't thinking that)  He tells the audience that the other 364 days aren't peachy either and starts with a story of last year and flashback time.  Father Christmas  is thinking about going on Holiday. He builds his own camper sleigh  with wheels thing and packs up for his trip and puts his pets in kennel and heads off on his reindeer pulled sleigh. 

     France is his first stop  where he notices the French people are snickering at him  so he gets some "local clothes" and he heads to a restaurant and eats a lot of food and drinks alot of wine. (that's not what Slosh means ,Santa) Of course Santa is drunk , but also he gets food poisoning and has to use the bathroom alot.   The next day, people see his reindeer and figure , hey it might be Father Christmas. He decides he has to go to new spot.. Scotland!  

  In Scotland ,not sure where in Scotland, he goes to a pub and gets drunk again, and while drunk he decides to buy a kilt. 

well at least he's not naked/copyright Channel 4

       A girl see him and tells her mother she thinks he's Santa Claus.  The next day, he wakes up hungover and see that it has stopped raining and decides to go for a swim but the water is cold and shark infested. (Well that's not good) Father Christmas is tired of this so he picks his next spot to be Las Vegas.  ( Viva los Father Christmas) He also chooses to stay in a hotel at Nero's Palace. (not sure what he did with his reindeer)  He eats some more and swims. 

What? This is how I eat all my deserts /copyright channel 4 

      Father Christmas is in Vegas so , of course he goes to the casino ... and loses a lot.( No Lady luck for him)  There's a montage of him having fun in Vegas , he even won some slots and danced with some showgirls. (Gasp Santa!) He spends about a month there and a kid asks his mom is he Santa Claus? Father Christmas makes his leave back to England.  He gets his pets , and comes home and finds out the heavy mail load has started. He  mentions all the names he is called.  (he's hiding from every government so alias are must)  He does his daily actives while piles of mail keep coming in, He goes to pick up his suit from the dry cleaners  and sleeps while dreaming of laying in the pool with the ladies in Vegas. (Steady Santa)  It's the big day and he gets all ready and packed for his trip to deliver his goods. 

Santa really has downsized the operation/copyright Channel 4

       We get a montage with a song to match of Father Christmas doing his Christmas Eve thing. (Christmas Eveing?)  While he makes  stop in the North Pole  (don't ask) he runs into a snow person party... a crossover with Briggs' "The Snowman" the kid from the other special is there too. Father Christmas finds out he forgot to deliver a couple presents. (gasp)  He  makes a hurried trip to deliver them to the Royal Family. (Don't  worry Father Christmas , they can't cut your head off it's not that century anymore) .  Now we jump back to  the current time post and Father Christmas  tells us know we know and maybe now we won't complain as much. (But Santa , that dress really isn't for me , my name isn't Abby) Father Christmas prepares Christmas meal , takes a bath , gives his pets some presents and he opens his presents from family members , he really is happy about the alcohol gift. Then he says "Happy Bloomin' Christmas to you" 

  That's the special... guess you want to hear my thoughts (no, but go on).  Hold on, first  yes the American edit :  well that version does edit out Santa's drinking , over eating, hangovers, dancing with the show girls , and the scenes where you see his rear.  (uhhhh)   

Now our review : 

    It's  fun take on Santa , it's different to see him a little cranky ,and also it's nice  take on maybe what does Santa do on those off season. For a Christmas special (ish) it doesn't have a lot of songs , it has one and the song in the credits. Santa's character is funny if not a little to drink happy, but hey he deserved it.  

   Yes you and your kids (if you are a kid, then yes you) should watch this special. 

   That's our lookback  tune in next time when we find out why Santa reduced his reindeer to 2.  

2016 Prime time Emmy Nominations

Emmys 

   
     The 2016 Primetime television Emmy award nominees have been announced Thursday , the awards air on Sunday September 18th on ABC at 7e/4pt hosted by Jimmy Kimmel.

Here's the list :

Lead Actor  DRAMA
Kyle Chandler - "Bloodline"
Rami Malek - "Mr.Robot"
Bob ODENKIRK -"Better Call Saul"
MATTHEW RHYS  "The Americans"
LIEV  SCHRIBER  "Ray Donovan"
KEVIN SPACEY  "House of Cards"

LEAD ACTRESS  DRAMA
Claire Danes  -"Homeland"
Viola Davis - "How to  Get Away With Murder"
Taraji P Henson -"Empire"
Tatiana Maslany  -"Orphan Black"
Keri Russell -"The Americans"
Robin Wright- "House of Cards"

Outstanding Lead Actor Limited Series or Movie
Bryan Cranston  -"All The Way"
Benedict Cumberbatch- "Sherlock :The Abominable Bride"
Idris Elba- "Luther"
Cuba Gooding Jr.- "The People V. O.J Simpson : American Crime Story"
Tom Hiddleston-"The Night Manager"
Courtney B. Vance -"The People V. O.J Simpson : American Crime Story"

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
Felicity Huffman -"American Crime"
Kerry  Washington -"Confirmatiion"
Audra McDonald- "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill"
Lili Taylor -"American Crime"
Kirsten Dunst- "Fargo"
Sarah Paulson -"The People V. O.J Simpson : American Crime Story"

Outstanding Drama Series
The Americans
Better Call Saul
Downton Abbey
Game Of Thrones
Homeland
House Of Cards
Mr Robot

Outstanding Comedy Series
Black-ish
Master Of None
Modern Family
Silicon Valley
Transparent
Unbreakable
Veep

Lead  Actor - Comedy
Anothony Anderson -"Black-ish"
Aziz Ansari - "Master of None"
Will Forte-" The Last Man on Earth"
William H Macy- "Shameless"
Thomas Middleditch -"Silicon Valley"
Jeffrey Tambor -"Transparent"

Lead Actress- Comedy
Tracee Ellis Ross -"Black-ish"
Lilly Tomlin- "Grace And Frankie"
Ellie Kemper-"Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"
Laurie Metcalf-"Dr.Jenna James"
Amy Schumer- "Inside  Amy Schumer"
Julia Louis-Dreyfus - "Veep"

Outstanding Reality-Competition Program
The Amzaing race
Ninja
Dancing With The Stars
Project Runway
Top Chef
The Voice

Outstanding Structured Reality Program
Antiques Roadshow
Diners, Drive-Ins and  Dives
Lip Sync Battle
Myth Busters
Shark Tank
Undercover Boss

Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program
Born This Way
Deadliest Cath
Gaycation with Ellen Page
Intervention
Project Greenlight
United Shades of America

Outstanding Variety Talk Series
Comedians In Cars
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Last Week Tonight
The Late Late Show with James Corden
Real Time With Bill Maher
Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

Outstanding Variety Sketch Series
Documentary Now!
Drunk History
Inside Amy Schumer
Key and Peele
Portlandia
Saturday Night Live


Outstanding Limited Series
American Crime
Fargo
The Night Manager
People Vs OJ Simpson
Roots

Outstanding Television Movie
A Very Murray Christmas
All The Way
Confirmation
Luther
Sherlock

here's more categories and list here 

The Lookback: The Lost DCOM

The Flashback 

  

   Disney Channel just celebrated their 100th  made for TV by them movie  and they celebrated in an amazing way, by airing every single original movie dating back to their start in 1997. They also have them on demand and able to buy digital downloads!  But there is a Disney Channel Original Movie out there that didn't air, and was their first movie  in the DCOM era, not the things they did before.   

     That is called  "Northern Lights" and yes that is our lookback. (Get comfy... not that comfy have some pride) Also fun fact , that is important to this : this movie stars Diane Keaton ... who also was the executive producer (thanks Google , this time)   and came out on  August 23, 1997.

       The movie begins with a boy and his father  talking about The Northern Lights (the thing in the sky not this movie) then we go to an office building where a woman named Roberta  (Dianne Keaton)  works  on the phone as  a person who sells tickets to Broadway shows.  Forget all that there's a guy rescuing a cat (yay save that kitty) on power lines (uhhh) and he gets electrocuted to death (uhhh Disney, I have a question) .  Inter-cut with that scene we see Roberta doing her job  (kind of) and so far I am not sure what this movie is about.   Roberta gets a call  about the guy who was killed , so now it makes some sense , he was her brother.  There's a guy who works at some big box like store who also had a connection to the deceased.  Roberta  hasn't spoken with her brother for about 10 years.

    Copyright Disney 

       The boy from earlier was the man's,  Frank, son.  Roberta and the man from the big box store meet each other at a train station waiting for a taxi  where  a strange mumbling man in a truck picks them up on their way which was only short stop anyway.    Later on,  Roberta and the man , who's name is  Ben Rubadue find out that  Frank left his son to them.  (random)  which , understandably upsets Roberta that she would have to take care of a child with a random stranger.   She's having a hard time dealing with the situation.

yes...our images have nothing to do with the things we are taking about this time /copyright Disney 

      At a picnic that Jack is preforming at , Roberta finds out that Jack's mother is still alive  but she is unable to take care of jack and stays at a residential institution. After the incident with his mother , Jack runs away  with Ben chasing him. Jack doesn't want to leave the area because of  his mom.  Roberta sees Jack is mad at Sassy, the cat who his father died rescuing, and she talks with him  and she tells him that the reason she was mad at his father because she didn't want him to leave.  He asks her if she is going to stay but there's she doesn't want too and Jack storms off. Meanwhile, it seems that and Daphne have a liking to each other.

Gosh, get a room / copyright Disney 

    Ben tells Roberta that his wife is his ex-wife  (which is good because otherwise that would be awkward) they've been divorced for 6 years and he has decided to move  to that area and take care of Jack.  Roberta exits her hotel room and goes down and is greeted by the town's people saying goodbye to her.  While waiting to be picked up , Jack goes on the roof again, to look for the  northern lights when he slips and is hanging by the ledge. The gutter breaks and he jumps  and they catch him. She decides to stay as well.  The movie ends with the northern lights.

    So that's the movie .with some paraphrasing.   Diane Keaton's character does something you never see in a Disney Channel Movie these days... she smokes, not even with the it's bad for you warning or anything just she smokes. That is maybe a reason why  it's not aired or counted as a DCOM.. they should at least release it though , it couldn't hurt.

 For the movie itself it's a weird movie  but it has some heart and some funny moments . Everyone plays their part well, Diane Keaton's character is likeable and never comes off as mean spirited.

That's our lookback ... tune in next time when we  bury the this post and not even count it in our list.