The Lookback: Arthur 20: Just Desserts/ Crushed

The Flashback  Arthur 20
   
    We continue our journey in Elwood City with two more episodes of "Arthur" this time one each from season 5 and season 6.   These seasons aired between 2000-2002.  If you want to see part 1 or part 2  click those words.


       The Season 5 episode selected was  "Just Desserts" which is episode 9A of this season.

   Monologue: Arthur is at the library (don't fall asleep in there) reading a book and seems quite into it (He must be reading ,insert book that is a fad here) then he says to the audience (great he's staring at us again) you must think I am reading A Scare Your Pants off book (nope, I thought  he was reading How to get Abs in 6 Easy Steps)  but nope it's fairy tales says that they are weirdest, scariest  books ever. (If you read the original way "Little Mermaid " ends you will be shocked)   Arthur says he used to not like them and thought they were babyish , then he pulls how a book and he's going to tell us how he started like fairy tales or something.

  The  Episode:  One thing about the character of Arthur we know is that he loves his dessert , especially cake, also his father is a cattier.  The episode starts with Arthur's father frosting a wedding cake he wants to taste some but his father won't him. At school Arthur dreams of the cake , and also asks Buster if he has cake (Arthur , I think you have  problem). His grandma is also coming to take care of him and his sister because his parents are going to a wedding (no, not their own...wait hmmmm conspiracy?) another joke in the series is that his Grandma Thora is not a good cook , so Buster suggest that Arthur buy a bunch of candy.  Arthur gorges on the candy like it's no tomorrow (there is no tomorrow) when he finds out that his dad made food for them which surprises Arthur. ( I saw that coming)  He eats all the food on his plate, then finds out his father left some wedding cake , this makes Arthur happy. (He didn't share with us though , sure he can read to us but not share some cake. how rude)   Arthur then gets stomach pains and he doesn't want his grandma to read him fairy tales. (no not that anything but that)
                             
    Arthur falls asleep (great we didn't get hear her read some more)  he imagines that he is in the story "Hansel and Gretel"  of course it would'n't be fun to just do it straight so the witch takes them to a sugar mall (which later closed thanks to sugarzon or due to bad being able to eat the mall policy)  the witch then imprisons them to eat them ,but they get saved by the 7 dwarves  (umm what)   D.W is abducted by them and she tells Arthur to go to Grandma. (not sure how that will help,)  Arthur becomes little red riding hood (ok what am I watching?)   He sees his grandma who looks like a wedding cake then she jumps into Arthur to be eaten. (what am I watching?)   D.W escaped somehow when she catches Arthur after he ate his grandma.  Buster comes in as a wood cutter to cut Arthur open but he wakes up before his cut open.  He takes some tablets and rests and then the dream comes back and hes' not dead and is Jack and the beanstalk now. (ok then) The giant is apparently everything Arthur ever ate  and he runs with a giant goose down the beanstalk,and Buster returns to cut it down.   Arthur wakes up and burps (say excuse me ,Arthur, gosh)  he feels better then he starts breaking the 4th wall again ( well I am scared now) and talks to us again.  Back the library where Arthur finishes the story.

  More grandmas are eaten by their grandkids these days, sad!/Copyright WGBH /from Arthur Wiki

   This episode , again is creative of taking the fairy tale stories and combining them into a new tale of interest. It was a fun episode  the imagery of Arthur's dream being decorated with food ,sweats in a fairy tale world is a nice mix and it was good thing they just didn't the obvious part of Hansel and Gretel. Also him going back into normal word to see his grandma is funny in it's own way  and he manges to get laughed in his own dream. Arthur does have some surreal dreams though "Arthur's  Underwear" is another example episode of strange dream imagery he has.

                         Why Arthur what odd colors you wearing there/copyright WGBH from Arthur Wiki 
                                     

   Some other season 5 episodes that could be of interest are "You are Arthur"  where the show takes a spin of where you see everything from Arthur's point of view , which is an inventive way of story telling , it's like reading a first-person story.  "The Cave" was a good episode for Arthur having to overcome his fear to save the day.

After the Jump  our season 6 selected episode look.

The Lookback: Arthur 20: The Ballad of Buster Baxter/ The Contest

The Lookback  Arthur 20 

    We continue our look back at Arthur for its 20 anniversary of the TV Show premiering.   You can read the first post with select episodes from season 1 and 2 here.  We have season 3 and  4 in this post.

  Season 3 "The Ballad Of Buster Baxter" episode 1b.

       For a show like "Arthur" it does call back to itself alot , like with D.W's missing snowball and etc. In season 2, Buster Baxter left to be with his father , who is pilot , to travel the world. Many shows like this would have done this as one episode and where the (a) character (s) misses the character who leaves and they come back, but this show took a different route for the rest of season 2 ,except with the characters contacting him , Buster is not there.  (The episode he leaves is season 2 episode 12a  "Arthur's Faraway Friend")    In season 3 , Buster returns right in the season premiere.  The episode we look at is the 2nd part which has guest stars   Art Garfunkel  as a moose who sings.

Mom, what's an Art Garfunkel? /copyright WGBH

      First off, the songs that Garfunkel really are like sauce to the episode, it's a fun way to tell a story.  The plot is Buster left and now he's back and this could be relate-able to many people , you leave somewhere and then come back some time later and feel that everything has changed.  You can see how Buster is feeling  when  Brain ,for example changes the book that Buster and Arthur wrote together , when Arthur tries to add him back it just doesn't feel right for Buster.   He finds out that Arthur who used to not like a series of movies, does now and the other hints of things that Buster sees that has changed when he was gone. While some of the other kids feel that he is acting snobbish.

  Meanwhile from  the point of view of the episode itself , it's really nice seeing some call backs to moments from season 2, that really nails the time difference that Buster has had.  Buster talks to Sue Ellen , a character who comes from a family who traveled alot, that she had that in common with him.   The other kids  think that Buster has changed ,but Arthur suggests that they have a party for him and to look at his travel slides. (ah 1998).    The moment that  Buster breaks the fourth wall when Art's character sings song about him being sad , was funny.  Buster and his friends do make up in the end.
        It's an episode that young and old young can relate to , that if you leave somewhere or if someone left you for a trip or something that things kept on going and that that person may feel left out and just wants to reconnect and go back to what they left.  I never know if they could see the moose or not he seemed to jump from being the narrator to interacting a little bit.   It really added to the episode though.

 I will say Season 3 has some good episodes in it  there's the episode "I'd rather Read It Myself" where D.W  tells a very impressive story , or my season 3 favorite, "Arthur"s Almost Live Not Real music Festival" which spawned this:

Join us for reviewed look at an episode from Season 4.

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.